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VOL. II.
LINCOLNTON, N. C, FRIDAY, DEC. 21, ISSS.
NO. 33
v es I
mull! K ig! U3 HI l&JBiiH'
11
INASMUCH:
A CHRISTMAS STORY.
HV ADA MARIE.
What was Chi is' mas to Mi.-n
Yenaei? iSimplv the tweut -liitn
of .December, a day to be observed
as custom decreed by the church
going and gift giving- She heard
tho pealing of Christinas bells,
listening to the Gloria in Exeelsis,
bn: neither joy bells nor anthem
wan iu her heart oi on her lips; alio
gave gifts, but they were of the
band and purse, and were received
in a matter of course manner which
made her wonder if there was such
a thing as real gratitude in the
world. Hho tried to do her duty to
the utmost on that day, even the
next of kin mostly second and
third cousius to dinner, listening
with calm indifference outwardly,
tW with supremo inward contempt
to their flatlet ing speeches, not even
wincing when volatile Fanny wonld
exclaim: "What lovely china! re
memder me in ou will, Cousin Al
cia." Or when Cousin Henry would
8ay: "J quite envy you that buffet
you must leave that to me." Al
though the fact of their constantly
reminding her that she was not im
mortal, and t-o of ten refreshing her
memory as to their liking for cer
tain of her possessions, made her
resolve to endow Home charitable
institution when sho made her will.
"Perhaps a home tor disappointed
okl maids," she would ay bitterly.
Not that cb was ho ver.y old thirty-six
her next birthday but she
was bo pale and grave, and baude J
her abundant brown hair iu such a
prim, old maidish fashion, and bad
au habitual frown ou her 'forehead
that gave a hard look to her other
wiee handsome brown eyes and
made her seem far older than she
Years ago, Ohristmastide had its
joy for her; when sho the bappy
young giil, Alcia, and before -that
us tha child Allie, when father and
mother love made every day sunny
and joyous. As Alcia, there ?aa
handsome David Carruth who had
eyes and ears for her alone, and
vrith whom she used to exchange
Christina gifts from young girl"
hood to young womanhood. Now,
as stately Miss Veuner, she had
nobody nobody.
Alicia Verniers great trouble was
when her mother died; her next,
when father brought widow Marvyn
home to take her mother's place;
then there was Helen Marvyn a
step-mother was enough without a
etep sister. The second Mrs. Ven
ner was neither better nor worse
thau step-mothers in goueral; but
Alcia could never please hor, and
finally ceased to try- And Helen,
from being constantly held before
her as a paragon in all respects, be
came obnoxious. But what mat
tered it had not she David! and
were not they all in all to each
other? They were not afriianced;
he had uot said, "I love you," iu so
many words but iu looks, in tones
in a quiet air of proprietorship he
had said so many, many times; and
she, dreaming as young girls will,
never pictured a future in which he
was not a prominent figure.
now well she could remember a
blight night of years ago, a night
when the moon laid white fingers
on the lips of nature, and hushed
breathings into profound silence;
wh en the white rose and the red
rose vied with each other in fiagant
offerings. David picked her a rose
she remembered they had been
for a long walk, a walk during
which they were both strangely si
lent the silence born of perfect
content As they Dearedthe house
he said:
"Alcia, there is much I meant to
have said to night; but some how I
have beeu too happy to talk."
She remembered now he drew
her" unresisting form to his side,
saying:
"Alciai, do you love me; will
you" then sound of an
opening door, and a sharp voice
calling, "Alcia! Alcia! come right io
out of the night air," broke the
spell and brought them back to
reality Dvid hastily kissed her.
"1 wili write tovmorrow," he said,
"all that Iwonld have-a'd to-night
nd do n.t keep me iu suspense for
in arietta;-, will you, dear!''
That ce . te" e rang in her ears
for years after, and seemed io her
to have been prompted by
some mocking fiend of fa.thless
nos.
'One would suppose that you
were old enough to know better
than to be standing around on the
damp grass a whole evening; Helen
went to bod two hours ago," said
Mrs. Venner, withr acerbity, draw
ing comparisons, as usual. That
David Carruth, the richest and most
eligible young man in the tlcinity,
should prefer Alicia to the faultless
Helen was a source o constant
mortification to Mr.. Venner.
Alicia went Btaight to her ioouj,
making no reply she was too haps
py to quarrel. "To-morrow,"
what would he write, aud what
should smo say ! She knew, well
enough, and wishfully framed a
reply in her mind. She was up
betimes in the morning, out ou the
dewy lawn, lingering over the rose
lushes, as it thay had caught the
secret of the unfinished sentence,
and might be caressed into parting
with it. Morning gave place to
noon, noon to night ; but no lettwr.
Slio watched and listened the Ions
eveuiiig, and went to bed heavy
hearted, but hopeful. '-Tosraorrow,
perhaps," ehe thought, as she longed
ami waited for time to paas. She
had not learned that
"Too soon, too fijou,
The uoon will ho the afternoon,
Too soon to-day be yesterday.
"Tomorrow" came but uo let
ter the third day sho was heavy
eyed aud heavy-hearted, and when
the village gossip ran m tor a
friendly call, Alicia listened apath
etically to her wearisome talk not
tuking the trouble to defend this
and that one, as she often did, from
the attacks of her slanderous
tongue,
"Mrs. Judge Baker has got a new
black Henrietta cloth almost covered
with crape suppose she thinks
folks '11 measure her sorrow by her
weeds," ran on the gossip.
"Most likely," asserted Mrs. Ven
ner. "Then there's that girl who lives
at the Marvin's folks do say sho
isn't any better than she should be.
And David Carruth, he's gone off to
California all ot a sudden. Hoity
toity I what's the matters" and sho
turned her beady black e-es keenly
upon Alicia, who paled, and would
have been overcome by her mo
mentary faiutness ami fallen, but
for a friendly chairback.
Whiio the gossip inwardly com
mented, "Straws tell which way the
wind blows ; I reckoned I'd find out
if Alicia knew that be was going.''
But Alicia regained her selr-pos
session, and so skilfiiily.parrieJ the
gossip's questions that with all her
shrewdness she was not quite cer.
taiu whether she did or did not
know that David was so soon to
leave. Once iu the solitude of br
room, Alicia thought over the
strauge departure with much heart
ache and many misgivings, though
she did not really doubt her lover.
With true womanly faith and trust
she watched and waited through
the long wearisome days that foU
lowed for tidings of him ; none
came, but the village folks com
mented much upon Lis absence,
some ascribing one reason, some
another. It was finally settled that
he had received a telegram from
his guardian some urgent matter
of business probably ; then it was
reported that he had decided to
remaiu in California ; the last rumor
being confirmed by the rental of
the Carruth place for a term of
years ; aud after a little the "nine,
day's wonder" was over, and David
Carruth forgotten, or only spoken
of as conuected with Alicia Tenner's
"disappointment."
As he passed ont of Alicia's life,
sorrow and trouble came to fill it
her father's sudden death, her
step-mother's lingering illness
which was fatally terminated by
the paragon Helen's elopement with
a ne'er do 'well. All this left Alicia
j l.ttle time for idie lepinmg ; then
pride came to her rescur should
j.V. n Vender, publish. 'o the wor'd
j tnat she had bee.i slighted, scorn en,
!t;iflel with! She, instead, studied
! to repress all natural feeling to
i become matter-of-fact, practical,
and devoted herself to business,
; Her study was not wis hout effect ;
for she grew cold stately, and came.
to be called Miss Venner. Not that
the ossification that changed the
j impulsive young girl, Alicia, lo the
j calm, dignified M;ss Ventter, was
easily :voin pushed : in-lond, it,
I was a process r,l daily, liomly pain,
j Neither as the result when
achieved, onfiiely safixfaciory bu!
it deprived the world, which s iiu,
"Miss Tenner got over David Car
ruth's going off quickly enough ;
she hasn't much heart anyway."
The years passed by uneveiitfiib
ly, bringing tidings of David to
Miss Vernier but once, when minor
said that he was married to a Cal
ifornia heiress Iho rerent.al of the
Camith place for n number of years
made it an accepted fact that he
had no intention of retaining to his
native village for some time at lent.
So the only change the passing
years brought to Miss Venner was
that of growing older and sratelier;
yos, and richer; every tiling sho
touched was with a Midas hand ;
her mill property had trebled in
Ivaluo her investments were wise.
ly made but what cared she ? She
gave, indeed, liberalby to the poor ;
but her gifts we-e of the hand, and
unaccompanied by smiles, kind
words, or womanly sympathy .
Christmas came and went all
these uneventful years, a dull, joy
less season i6 her lor in the con
templation of her own misery she
lost sight of the happiness of the
world ; aud only vagm ly recalled
the blessed fact that onr Saviour
was born on that day. Yet there
had beeu a time when she sang
Christmas carols, and read the
sweet old story ot Bethlehem in
Judea with tearful eyes and thrilled
heart. When the simplest thing, a
gift of roses ; a "Merry Christmas,"
or the quick tender glauc s of dark
eyes, tilled the whole day with joy.
Now it was Hearing another, at.
least it was near enough to talk of
and Miss Venner had already
subscribed generously to vanous
impending church festivities. By
and by, when the day oame, she
would give to all the cousins
money, probably she was too in
different toward thm to select
articles suitable lor each, and she
did not care to embroider slippers,
cushions and watch cases ; she "had
no loving thoughts and happy fan
cies to imprison with silks and
wools, and make the labor one of
love, a cheerful pastime.
There were times when this lone
ly woman realized how iar apart
she was from others, and felt thnt
the distance was of her own ;nak
ing, when conscience reproached
her from her apathy and selfishness.
One such day she sat reading her
morning lesson (she read her Bible
daily in a dutiful, mechanical fa.hs
ion) she read on carelessly until the
sentence, "Inasmuch as ye have
done it unto one of the least of
these my brethren, ye have done it
unto me," arrested her attention.
It seemed a reproachful finger
pointed at her; a still, small voice,
saying : "You have not taken in the
stranger, or visited the sick and iu
prison." "I have given of my snb
stanc'Y' sho thought ; "but not of
your heart, not of kind words," said
the stilt, small voice. "Inasmuch as
ye did it not to one of the least of
these, ye did it not unto me and
Miss Venner with the solemn, chid
ing sentence ringing in her ears,
dosed the Bible and uneasily paced
the room, until k servant informed
her that the carriage waited at the
door ; for it was her custom to ride
every day, no matter how inclement
the weather.
It was a bleak morning ; the wind
blew in fitful gusts, driving before
it little flocks of sad-faced, with
eied leaves, drifting them here and
there, even into the carr iage, where
they lay a shivering handful.
"Boor things!" thought Miss
Venner ; "yet they have had their
d y their tei d. r, irr.-i-n. baby-
hood, their bnght you'h, their
-pienuui p-jni", weCr. T,ey wersoiam going to care for him fori were no near r.Iiiiou euv foi j-houh! ;-g ;w. b. i.nb r, gre-u leaf
right roy il in dims...! ami goldjth. present;" s.ad Miss Venner, bait jaek ar-d as it uas a po-r puiii L,.. xmfl.bd .-on-, tn their bereft
now comes s-pset, o'd age to them j po!opetical'y. j where ., of the h-m-s w re i!en-j br.-m-m a. Mi-s " Venner w.tehed
aud tome." Then Mi Venoer, j Dinah obeyed her mistre, and ! ti -iilly sr-ppSicd w it U rioMi en.a com-i jf f.,j M (..,yt transforming the
watching a mad whuio, them,3pied Ja ;k for he s lid his naie wri j mittee of hdics acting uj on the , ,. k and i u -e I field into a" !ofr
alittle figure crou-hitig by thejJoUn, but that his mamma called j'nnffer bid d.cidod to ensign hin. Kvi.jte exp u.mC ;ml thought thut it
waside and crying b- erly. A hovlUm Jack--as --on . OM.:-rt;,!. to ,n or. -ban sv!s:ei. L ;VS Cod's mantU of chanty spread
Of perhaps five or su .. ,ar.,clofln-d if hired before the fi... will, b..v ! I,nHe ,T!jrk r;:p.i!v welcomed I o;Vi the -ons and sorrows of th
in a worn grey snif, that. h..d bt-ei. ; cf bread and in. IU. Miss Venner or. he, leturn. "Oh. L-orid, i.vpil ,,f lis ,m.r,.y. c
ncatlv patched, but from which the "Now, Dinah, see tint the baths! I'm so gld von'ie coined hack." he r,,,, ii,,,. iw.,i .i.i, ..n.m..
patches were becoming ripped and
were the sport of th j wiud ; faded,
wdi ilai'UeJ red s'ocl mgs, r prir ol
-.habby lioes out at !he toe", and a
tatteied Ht raw hat completed his
attire ; and thiiri insufficiently clad,
he crouched close to :he o-d stone
.. r.i., t.iv .ii. n
and comfort that !.y some mis
chanee had been denied him by the
world. Dead stalks o? golden-rod,
tall nulle,!!is nr.d buj.ches of mi'k-wt-ed
that had lately given up their
silken freight, snrroitMled him, and
with every gust of wind .swajed to.
wards him, as it iny were moved
wills pity lor his forlorn condition,
and longed to extend, the comfort
humanity seemed to withhold.
Miss Venner signalled the coaoh
mau to stop. "Go ask tlw- child
what is the matter," -he said. He
obeyed ; but the child made no re
piy, and only cobbed mre, seeming
frightened. Finally Miss Venner
Ic-lt the carriage, dabdaily picked
her way through the reeds and over
the stows, and approached the
lit! le wnif.
"Why are you here, and vrhy do
you cry V she asked.
"I'm tr in' to die; and I'm cryiu
'cause I'm awful cold and hungry
Are you after rue,' and the child
looked at her with tears in his
great blue eyes,
"After yon! No. What do you
want to die lor, whero do you live,
wheie's your papa am' mamma ?"
"I don.t live nowheiv; papa and
inanima's in the ground, and 1 want
to dio cause people try in to put
me in the 'sylum oh, oh !" and the
child rocked back and forth iu an
agony ot grief.
''In what ass linn !"
"Don't, know just in tlio"syluni.''
"Haven't you any brother or sis
ter?" "Haint got nobody;" he sobbed.
"Like myself," thought Miss Ve
nerj then she patted him on the
shoulder, and took out her hand
kerchief nd wiped his tearstaiued
fce. "Wiil you come hone with
me and get warsu and have some
thing to eat !" ;
" You won't put me in tHen will
you ?'' said the chiid, looking up in
a halftrisstful, halfj)leading mans
nor.
"No, no bring tho tdankets and
wrap tho little fellow in them," said
i.o m ...eu., miu
th eo-ichrivin and
in., o.e n.ua.i, ana
rin ihe r arnno-A
.il in ine caiiiaga.
shall take him up
Miss Veuner to
then took her se
"J suppose I
here ma'am V Ariss Veiu.er glanced
at the child and thought a moment
he was ragged and dusty-but,
"Inasmuch as e did it not unto
ov.c or the h-ast of tiic-e,'' sa-d the
still, small voire.
"Put him beside me; it is -warmer
here,'' she replied shortly.
The motion of the carriage, and
the chihls fatigue soon caused him
to fall asleep, ami Aiiss Venner
, 4 ,
carefully arew the robes around
him, as sho felt the pressnre of hisj.
head on her arm, and looked down i
on the tattered hat with the bright
hair tdeauiin- throueh its rents,
sensation of j-'etf-iorgetfu'ness and
" - '
of actual interest in liie little strau
: "
ssionofher. Ihe
ii. . .
get' took possessi
chihl awake"'d
Inim"1 ine carriage:
arefnlly lifted down!
stojiped, w;s car
and Miss Venner led him up th
steps: be paused at the door and
pulled back, his fears returning;
then looked op in her face with a
searching, beseeching glance, said:
"this ain't the 'sylum is it On
being solemnly assured of the con
trary, he went in willingly, and Miss
Venner hastily summoned Dinah,
her chief"-of-i!iTiis, to bring him
food.
ij-r massey, noney, 01 nr. 'Ie -1 clergyman, had been dead near'y
spisin things!'' exclaimed Dim?kjtwo years; the mother, left with
holding op her hands
"Yes, Dinah, I suppose it is a
queer proceeding for me. I found
j the little fellow by the wayside he
Uiy s his father and mot her are dead,
dolm is wry w-trm, and find nie j s i i,l, stuing her hfi.d and holding intlut rn'o and made her feel thank
Hjmething to put on him in ph.ee of j it up to his rosy do ek to warm it;! r,p. for the that time m years, n.at
t .ese Ti.tered C;!o::,e-." . ".-r'n been loncon: 1, looked at j ( ',, ist ... is u .. new at touid', H-.d
-Not no easy, m.sAy;,Kpct yo!.;ai: the picture-books, then i 1 1 i,;tt M.e h nl it in lu i p.nver to give
du-mo Kstua yen's Talkiu 'bout Watch-d ;-d watched." i ...f. i .,.i. i..kii'..riw
Chilhuis clothes in dis house ! Notli -
in' hnt little bed, .uuis up in de
iiru W'Jil.
'Jut biing them down. Now
J ck.you are to be bathed, then you
may have more to eat, and go o
tel. Do you like to b. here ?-
"Wouldn't you Hooner be here'n
out in tbo cold !"
tiXl'l.t- t.... ... ' i
s.ic.ose, un.nere.u.Mo sa,.u:
M,ss XnnHI' i y" h-.tnss n:.
"Well then.'' said Jaek, nodding' "Well, I hen,- sod .lack. fis U he
his head with an aii of satisfaction,
irtll'il AflCj Varntt. I.-.,, ..Iw..l
,'. 4M.n,.l.u.,-a.M,u ,,is oe.,., conu.iei.liy
pects in tote mm in do was-h-
room now" said Dinah, after spread
ing out time-yellowed garments to
The child looked with hall-tn-hr
eiicd expression at Dinah's bhiek
face, then cast an appe:Ung gl;u.ee
j toward Miss Venner.
"Inasmuch." thought she "No -
f Dinah
j vv . 1 '- "fiu.)
and. I will wash him."
J "S'jo, honey, you nebber washed j
'ja Chile in de days ob yr life! Spile,
yer dres-j an' all yer Jlxins."
Nevertheless, Mi8 Venner tucked
j upher silken gown, pinned back hr i
j laces, called for an apron and en-
I tered upon her labors. She was!
i rather awkward about her sell
j imposed task, and there was much
splashing and spluttering.
"rirc . ou fr)n ro put soa ) on my
1
face 1 'tjause if you be, I'M shut, my
eyes" said Jack .
Mis Venner was fond of ;itt: and
pictures of padsfaeed Madonna,
auieoled saints, root Raphael's .iml
MLrillo's wonderful children hani: i : . I , i ,
'"themselves that h- was indeed u
about her rooms; but hero was aj.j , . .
thei:.. .11.1 he 1 1 : 1 n ... i- t.i u. r
living embodiment ot nrf: art in itsjir. rn , , , ...
, , . mo ei. jnd-ed she h:ioly kurw rie
oevii.esf ir.riii- Am .!m i,-.:i iOn 1 .
, ' '
grew eninusiasrie orignt eohien
' " c ? n'"",v-'ithar there was 1
pinkstinted flesh, graceful curves!, . . ,
1 1 1 in I .I;..;, tr i:.r irnmUir !.. -f
, . .' . . , , i rv m ;h-futnr.--oj'hn': h hn al-
such is the kinirdoni ot heaven, she I . . . . . .. ,
'en..fv Io;i:"' ne-''.ei: 10 -king forward
thought, for stranaelv enough, her
. . . 0 ,:t'.. fsrr.e be. a rrbv v.iuth,
rjofning lessons for days mst hao . , , , ,
been upon the one rheme-r-onr
viort's 'nee of lir.tie chihlren.
rPiii luro'iii i.rr fi i i-l. T -,!.- v.-.i ,
0 ' '
arra.e-l in oneof the lit. le old rfowns,
wrapped in a .-bawl, and put by the
t re to finish his supper. There he!
. . -
rocked quietly for a while , alternate -
1 '
i ' ateiang the tire and looking up
t
U'to .ds enner s face m a wistful
I'nioc; imanv be shyly kmH:
"I'ase may I sit iu yoi.r lap.
j body ,,ai,,,t Le,il mi' l"c( "v
I ninnnna dietl "
Miss Venner consented to hold
him, and a Ii.'H he wns seated to his
s.tisfactitia, be p t heticaily nskeo:
"Please, won't you kiss me 7 No
body hain't kissed me in a long
tuec.''
Statelv Mis Venner :n-n i v
i,-. , , , .. . , -
; found herself pressir." kisses uiot(
v. , , ,.
! 1 Jt: tosy irjoui.'i, aim iiouiing The
J
nx&r "
close to her heari'
j while the small arms were folded ;
jbout her ikcI; and then and there'
a'"""1 ,,w ltKK-' ,u,i 'inn anu l,:U,
l .f l: T- . -.. .
i therse of Miss Vender's osilic.vion
! commenced.
i ' Shall I take him up and put him
'
tn my bed, honey V asked Dinah.
1 -
0' answp" el,,,,r'
for him in my room to-night.'' j "Is on hanesome?- asked Jack,
"L'.r massy " exclaimed Dinah. I J'tly caressing her head nnd looki
'I rec'on de worl' am comin' to an S'o at lier with his llue eyes fu!lof
end.'' Jt it: "When ma'inna reasoi like
.Miss Venner had something to do! that she said "t' w;in 'cause she was
and something to think of the next j so lonesome alter pipa:-' then he
morning. Clothes to provide for ! moved a chair to her si e nnd stood
her little charge questions to ask looking with her at trie wintry
Ihen a long drive to the distant j lam.lscipe. Tiiesuov v,n f.illing
town from which t he child said lie j mostly in great feathery fl ;kes that
c.2?n' Sle found ihn tto fnfVinr a teiee an Ntvifllr sn .Un 1 1 1- he 1
small means, had added to them by
sewing: but over-work and the care
j0f a sick child, and greif at its death
! pn tia't la-i m a bt-d of
mic i is ess
frcm which -la- i.cwi us.'. As then
j The"? uu oda iiitle sens.-
; tio.i a'onr ! is-; Venuci s he u rif
M .is M! r..rt. V ?M H f fft i . O O . t O I) ii e
j s-)ine.!odv wte.hiit f,,r j,,. U1,j
genoinely zUu u her. "How
would v..,i bke to n.y with me ail
j f he I Hue nvA be my ii! t !e box V ' she
I ;i:estsoio'l.
! -Madu't oo-l raHe-r be heie n m
in i
thought H answer enough.
Th
'n
' h . . , . . I I . 1.1 ...
"ii ier shoul.t;-! , ;s he -food beside
h"v eh iit iiud ir -t;y touched her
; dress.
i T'fi iiort, dnrk f )rceii.';er ti iys
; hi-.! a ghvim of snnslnne in fluvn
j now, ;i?Jd Miss Venner i;o longer.
i idiy p ss tLe.n, rtrnl vtleHl-i
lo..Ked for om- t- s-c::,od another,
; How c.ouid -h, :.. :!lie ih
. 'iMrmi'.MiM to au.-er, or
less with tliM bright, lirile bejel
pillowed -n :;e? h ,u!.
i.ih-'s ,.st iiico bea.ii,. bun
spreatl all o!.t -.in o!e Imvf o i i. in-
j mented shrewd Din.oi. who de:irlv
inved her mi-ties. r,nd kne v her
Hfld story.
T.. , , t . , . t
l L.-.U .i..i,i oivein a inn r-
ested M.;h Venner, be w.ts a thorn !
jn .,e flwh oj flBf. of u,r.
alopJ i!t.,Mi.,it..il.
, .,, ,
she Will n ve hir:i 'been i
H Oie V lb'
jnn.ke hini her heir, -h-fr o d us (i
jour tagh's!'" ,ey chorused. W'bil;
they tjuesi ionetl her I e:u d in;.-- loin!
and her intentions, they fonnd bet
I nio.v!. re i ier'ii I .1 1 b. l..-j i ...,,...
; mfenf ions, reive !?ol she meant to
, , . , , ,.
i , .it.
ope to dispute
no, hasted to
ii'i cneej- i.er o-i- tei. r years.
.ie w as wont t p ctore he fntur
a!w iys seeing h 1 If o lonely o!l !
i VOlj.il" Whose d. Ji
i . , ,
;a-":iiN'd 'v tho--..
. .. t eagerly
o v.- 'tl.l profit
She calmly hired tbo l'.icf.
ia-d tnofc ' lie 1 leii.-!,t iM JooJcing
! , , , , ,
asnong her abun l.i'if inown loeks
; , 1 .
if.u r.tv hairs; in e:..-e:y ., .nnnr'
; h.,r ltl.;t.nv.s ,u. t.v ,tu
i '.v
oone ! i-:e s, v. Ii.-11 her
::ch wts ;vH;.)-,:,.,i. she would
! a l'tfie, as :.h- ilia he .lft'1-
jt,ia. -i:ei inn suiting lr rnirrui.
' "Wloit Oir-lkes Veil I., ok
in th..
s so ion c-tu
s pi city, auntii
i-k; d .1 k
won had been cioselv wiichin:; iter.
Miss Venner sho-.k her le ad s..d-
ly. No, no; I'm getting to b.; giay
ainlwrinkled, old Mud ui;l "
Jack was indignant. "No Mich
thing,''' he s-ii.l Ktontly ui j.lt
lovely. I th.nk.
iss Venner turned to th, win.
! ,w r.;.7., n ;
l-l.l '.J IMU- .1. nu-MMV illllM il' M It
gathering in her eyes. Ir had b-en
! ' l"Uc !-1, c' ' u"u
: "lovely'' to a-jybotl v. Years ag-;
1. .. . J '
a !.-11, long time sirce she hud been
i bow tliiieient ; then she Migherl
' de.-.dr
-ent messengers, received with
! en er, out stretched arms by the
great trees, whose bear boughs
th -y draped tenderly and pityingly,
i whispering assurance that there
si. o iid .ijjai; U a vigorous flow
'h(:!:'.h Jl."i b-'un:niid veins
,h-.t ny: and. whib shews about
j j: !SlM1'. o( ,,.,. . iuidien mi d t b
! I . . I . I .. 1 . o r. . . v
... .......i.i I... ...
vnd leiiver i; person riecnssane
m.j dehcUe:es tor the infirm old
women to whom .sju usually Hent
iniVl,v, ,,1(,k To ,H. ',rfr in
charge of Dinah, b-st he became too
XV(sc Oi.risti
I
lu.is ni itfei s; for Hik
; .portions he n.mhl -,,ueslioUM that
vos,ld n p,.ro skillful parrying.
AI,,S V.-nner e;m, !... ,t
j close ai t tie ..ft'Timon, tired, but
J ?(..pp; irebug that she was re-
vv. tided lor It;" 1 1 e.iblo by ibe gr-lti-iicalt'.ii
w;lh wnich her vh ils had
been reccivitl; for alMmugli one
woman did s,i tha; she would
rnt her have the money theii jtm
t -rack s f o e.tt 'Hid think and weir,
tnother told her nhe w.is "nuviiNr
j Voung, tht si,., looked as used
I w...u ,.. . .,
-till Mnail vmce -, as no longer re
;-2o.r!?li!i.
"Ibtl you nieet'in, dulyou see 'uif '
i. ierly asked ,r.ok. ruiiuii.g into
! he h-iil to ini'f.!. her.
"Whom' Wind, do you mean?
"Why Dinah said inch be. youM
-co Snnfa ('hur-e .she t;uael
y!u'l i.:iie to t.ok ith him about
tWtH. .bte.k. J did ,ee ., creat
many pr-rty th.n fhat Jo .k- d as
i tll e;ilue f , ( ,2M , S M) n,i o-M. u1
I ' ni tjcift sure that he will ie-r
i -r"T !
' ,!s eimer sit do,v,i ly
''!' J'h '. lire, and put her PeC
I ' the tender 111 a vei v hnov fmnn-
;, f ,,,0 1 1 ,hi i n 1 1
(,r .lack pulh-d her
i .....
'"iV'N.
'( )li auiitie,'' h urged, iI want
i-n fo ft I! me 'bout iheso pictures.
Von ee 1 ot so tiled of all those
little books, so I just dim up, an'
'o! down n gnv.it one; air itd full of
the .twfiiDcsr fi.iks is it a reabj
book. ;u.' be they true peep'esf
.ius see ! he .id, bringing Fox's
M:tr .:.id pijtfiug the volume in
I r
Miss Wnn r xp'a'ued tn
boy ;is b' sr she eonbi; then en
deavor'd by talking of other things
to divoit his attention from it; but;
in v in.
".Ajid there's 1 wi. ki der pictur'
an this. Ds just awful," sa d Jck
j shutting his eyes tight aud making
I a v, ry !.:(. "An somebody's put
1 a mark mo as to find it next time
! iih-if- it Jn.
i It w;ts indeed ".iwul,' a scene t.f
)'rf''t n"r,"r-;Ui' lh '"ark was a
J letter which Mis enner took in
h ,M if she could better
:ee the picture that so terrified
,T;uk- T!" ,r'rJ,M' ;s "h'd, she
noticed, anl natuialiy she turned it
over to look at the superscriptitin
Miss Alice Venner ami in David
; (-ifu',1' ,'ld. eareh-sH chirograph !
I The wrapper was timed-yellow aud
! ;""!"rodv.ith ""hlew.Whfii hadshe
I so heedless aiof imbflerent
to put ;cvkv "i.e of his letters with
out reading? .She broke the seal
and slowly drew the h-tter from its
wrapner u f-w fragrneiits-the
withered leaves ot a 10-e fell fiom
it, and a sweet perfume, like a saeet
old memory, came with them; then
she read- iead impassioned words
that even then stirr ed her pulse ami
flushed lit 1 cheeks. The wolds
he watched and waited for that
longtime ac). Oh, the weary
yea's tbat had parsed wince then
the happiiiHMs that might have leeii
hers, now too late! JLnl the words
that had o f ir fallen short of f.d
iiiliug j heir mission, dumbly suf
fered, shut in there.face to face with
that agonizing scene of centuries
ago; did they know that in tin's later
day a heart was undergoing martyr
Continued tj Fourth Faje.