Short Stories for English Courses

in mid-stream; the baffled waters broken and confused, pausing in their flow, dash high against the r

l. Anger and wonder, reverence and joy and confusion surged through the crowd. They knew not which way to move: to res

, the boy must not die; bring the chieftain's best horse and slay it in his stead; it will be enough; the holy tree loves the blood of horses. No

sank again. The angry voices clashed against each other and fell like opposing wave

e council. Keep silence now, and let the stranger speak. His w

the altar, drew a roll of parchmen

e, to the people of the forest. Hessians and Thuringians, Franks an

gue of the Romans: the tongue that is heard and understood b

e letter, translating it in

things like a father. Bow your hearts to his teaching. He comes not for earthly gain, but for the gain of your souls. Depart from evil works. Worship not the false gods, for they are devils. Offer no more bloody sacrifices,

ity of the words imposed mightily upon the hearts of the people. The

u bringest to us from the Almighty. What is thy counsel f

which hides you from the light of heaven shall be swept away. For this is the birth-night of the white Christ, son of the All-Father, and Saviour of mankind. Fairer is He than Baldur the Beautiful, greater than Odin the Wise, kinder than Freya the Good. Since He has come to earth th

stirred uneasily. Women covered their eyes. Hunrad lifted

ne for me. Now, young woodsman, show thy craft! The king-

were flung aside, their heads bare. Carefully they felt the ground with their feet, seeking

fried, "art thou angr

regor, "art thou might

rd, ringing wood. The axe-heads glittered in their rhythm

es of the oak. The huge trunk quivered. There was a shuddering in

winter night, a mighty rus

ith their black hounds of wrath and their arrows of lig

its branches and tore it from its roots. Backward it fell, like a ruine

bowed his head for a moment in

"already felled and split for your new building. On this spot

r new worship. See how it points to the sky. Let us call it the tree of the Christ-child. Take it up and carry it to the chieftain's hall. You shall go no more into the shadows of the forest to keep your feasts with secret rites of shame. You shall keep them

on to the edge of the glade, and laid it on the sledge. The horses tossed the

ee in the midst of it. They kindled lights among the branches until it seemed to be tangled full of

old the story of Bethlehem; of the babe in the manger, of the shepherds on the hills, of t

er soft arm, grew restless as the story lengthene

id you cry out so loud, when the prie

ered the mother, and press

r on the stains upon her breast, "see, your dress i

outh with a kiss. "Dear

f the angelic messengers, flying over the hills of Judea and singing as they flew. The child wondered

eak. Do you hear them? Those angels have come b

t it was only Gregor and his companions at the lo

y be to Go

he earth

nceforth, fro

nd never

NCH T

CHANDL

rimitive man with a kind of fine democracy claimed kinship with the animals a

them whene'er

Hiawatha's

This kind of story is illustrated by the "Fables" of Aesop, the animal stories of Ernest Thompson-Seton, the "Jungle Books"

NCH T

ening Tales," by Jo

, by Charles Sc

ries, Brother Goat and Brother Rabbit lived in

He would hardly speak to Brother Rabbit when he met him, and his greatest pleasure was to mak

is Mr. Fox," and thi

as hard as he could

poor Brother Rabbit would shake and trem

and then Brother Rabbit would shudder

e could change his powerful and terrible neighbor into a friend. After a time he thought

abundance of good eating. A great many different dishes were served. Brother Goat licked his mou

Rabbit, when the dessert was brough

bing the tips of his horns against the back of his chair; "but my thro

neither wine-cellar nor water. I am not i

ther Goat. "But I have an idea! If you will go with

I do not care to dig a well. At daybreak I drink the dew from the cups of t

at. "Alone I will dig the well,

Brother Goat," sa

kindly, Bro

nd the well got deeper and deeper. Soon the water began to bubble up and the well was finished, and then Brother Goat made has

nce, hid himself behind a bush and laughed heartily. H

get some water, he saw the tracks of Brother Rabbit in the soft earth. This put him to thin

imed after a while, "

oll out of laurel wood. When the doll was finished, he spread tar on it here and there, on the right and on th

arred doll near the well, and ran and hid himself behind the trees and bushes. The

nt to Brother Goat's well. On the way he was very much afraid that something would catch him. He trembled when the wind shook the lea

topped and looked at it with astonishment. Then he drew back a little w

long ears pointed forward, but the trees could not talk, and

! Who are yo

rother Rabbit went up a lit

are

of the well, but when he looked in the water the tar-doll seemed to look in too. He could s

f you look in this well I'll

d saw the tar- doll smiling at him in the water. He

rn me loose, imp of Satan! If you do not, I

! The left hand stu

d his right

his foot? I will kick you in the stomach

bbit let fly his right foot- vip! Th

d. "If I hit you with it, you will

and it also stuck like the other, and B

people with my head. If I butt you in your ugly face I'll knoc

Rabbit, "Are you dead? Gracious g

well to find out something about Brother Rab

big rogue!" exclaime

are you doing there?

the flowers, or mil

ill punish you for

said Brother Rabbi

great fire. He took Brother Rabbit from the tar-doll, and prepared to burn him alive. As he was passing a thicket of b

a burden? Come and eat the fresh grass with me,

d his long ears and pretende

" he cried. "Don't thr

h, put out my eyes, an

ather throw m

Goat, exultingly, "You don't like the brambles? Well, then, go and la

e brambles, leaped to his

on you are!-ha-ha-ha! A better bed I ne

despair, but he co

Rabbit w

not always a sig

S CHRI

cENERY

e speaker, but we know by his words that another is present and can infer his part

S CHRI

y Ruth McEnery Stuart. Copyright, 1896, by Th

y. He seemed to prefer that religion, an' of co'se we wouldn't have t

ver will git so thet I can sass back in church 'thout feelin' sor

a hand to sound the

ist me

gh six-but he showed a pref'ence for the

en he was three. I thought I'd let him see it done an' maybe it might make a good impression; but no, sir! The Baptists didn't suit him! Cried ever' time one was douced, an' I had to fetch him away. In our Methodist meetin's he seemed to git worked up an

. When he seen the lilies an' the candles he thess clapped his little hands, an' time the folks commenced answerin'

him alone an' let nature take its co'se for a while-not pressin' him one way or another. He never had showed no disposition to be christened, an' ever sence the doctor tri

fered him everything on the farm ef he'd thess roll up his little sleeve an' let the doctor look at his arm-promised him thet he wouldn't tech

inated when we was little, an' told him how it had

ther we'd been did befo' or not, he 'lowed

thess had it did over-tryin' to coax him to consent

d he would. But he wouldn't comp'omise. He thess let on thet Kit had to be did whe'r or no. So I ast the doctor ef it would likely kill the cat, an' he said he reckoned not, th

k down to Cedar Branch, fifteen mile away, an' he didn't die, neither. He got well. A

me the wind blows from you'west I feel oneasy, an' tr

est crowd on that farm, man an' beast, thet you ever see. Ever' last

n't nothin' on the place thet can fetch it to Sonn

he two ordeels to be gone thoo with some time, an' we'd speculate ez to whether vaccination would take or not, an' all sech ez that, an' then, ez I said, after he see what the vaccination was, w

ethodist an' I was raised a true-blue Presbyterian. But when we professed after Sonny come we went up together at Me

an' then they wouldn't be nothin' to undo or do over in case he went over to the 'Piscopals, which has the name o

about it once-t in a while,-seemed to think it o

ine splinter some way. Of co'se, pine, it's the safe-t-est splinter a person can run into a foot, on account of its carryin' its own turpentine in with it to heal up things; but any splinter thet dast to push itself up into a little pink foot is a m

an' I read a extry psalm at night befo' I went to bed, all on account o' that little foot. An' night befo' las' it was lookin' mighty angry an' swole, an' he had limped an' "ouched!" consider'ble all day, an' he was mighty fretful bed-time. So, after he went to sleep, wife she come out on the po'ch where I was settin', and she says to me, says she, her face all drawed up an' worki

's a-gittin' it now." An', sir, with that, she thess gathered up her apron an' mopped her face in it an' give way.

wed then ez well ez ef she'd 'a' told me why she done it-all on

he doctor's an' sent him out, though I knowed't wouldn't do no good; Sonny wouldn't 'low him to tech it; but I sent him out anyway, to look at it, an', ef possible, console wife a little. Then I rid on to the rector's an' ast him to come out immejate an' baptize Sonny. But nex' day was his turn to preach down at Sa

little feller had crawled 'way back under the bed an' lay there, eatin' his apple, an' they couldn't git him out. Soon ez the doctor had teched a poultice to his foot he had woke up an' pu

ckled that I helt that coal o' fire for him tell he cooked a good big spot on one side o' the apple, an' et it, an' then, when I took it out, he called for another, but I didn't give it to

doctor's visit, but nex' mornin' things lo

e she thought she heard a owl hoot, an' Rover made a mighty funny gurgly sound in his

so much better now, you can't judge of its looks day befo' yesterday. We never had even so much ez considered it necessary thet little children should be christened to have 'em saved, but when things got on the ticklish edge, like they was then, why, we felt thet the safest side is the wise side, an', of co'se, we want Sonny to have the best of everything. So, we was mighty thankful when we see the rector comin'. But, sir, when I went out to open the g

ape to, 'cause it's too high to reach, an' it ain'

isself in his robes an' opened his book, an' while he was turnin' th

t forward for baptism,"

she looked at me, an' then we both th

when he see how things was, an' he did try to do a little settin' fo'th of opinions. He 'lowed, speakin' in a mighty pompious m

an' told him thet that might be so, but thet the rites o' the chur

up- an'-down man an' I hadn't went for him to come an' baptize Sonny to uphold the granjer of no church. I was ready to do that

down. First started by promisin' him speritual benefits, but he soon see that wasn't no go, and he tried worldly persuasion; but no, sir, stid o' him comin' down, Sonny started orderin' the rest of us christened thess the way he done

ptized accordin' to th

wanted to. So, sir, wife an' me we was took into the church, then an' there. We wouldn't 'a' yielded to him, thoo an' thoo, that-a-way ag'in ef his little foot hadn

they's some liberties thet even a innocent child can't take with the waters o' baptism, an' the rector he got so

Heaven are descendin' upon him where he sets, an' seems to me ef he's favo'bly situated for anything it is for baptism." Well, parson, he thess looked at me up an' down for a minute, like ez ef he s'picioned I was wanderin' in my mind, but he didn't faze me. I thess kep' up my

t an' coughed, an' then he commenced walkin' up an' down, an' dreck

h a question of DOIN' ez it is a question of WITHHOLDIN'. I don't know," says he, "ez I've got a right to withhold the sacra

ards Sonny, settin' on top o' the bean-arbor in the rain, he commenced to read the service o' baptism an' we stood p

sudden streak o' sunshine shot out an' the rain started to ease up, an' it looked for a minute ez ef he was g

l, an' took everything in good part, though he didn't p'intedly know who was bein

it says: "Name this child," and, of co'se, I called out to Sonny to

ght quick, like a

istened he'd be the junior. He knowed that by heart, an' would agree to it or dispute it, 'cordin' to how the notion took him

does Sonny do but conterdic' me flat! "No, not Junior! I want to be named Deuteronomy Jones, Senior!" says he, thess so. An' parson, he looked to'ards me, an' I bowed my head an' he pronounced thess one single na

ig Bible, though I spelt his Senior with a little s, an' writ him down ez the only son of

robes an' put 'em in his wallet, an' had told us to prepare

ez I could, told him we was all 'Piscopals now, an' soon ez his little foot got well I was goin' to take him out to Sunday-school to tote a banner-all his little 'Piscopal friends totes banners-an' thet he could pick out some purty candles for the altar,

on he wouldn't 'a' done ef he'd 'a' felt free to've left it undone. 'Twasn't to indulge him he done it, but to bless him an' to comfort our hearts. Well, after I had reasoned with

eres, git him to feel right comf'table, and I know it, an

nex' time I'll be chri

did no mo', 'cause it had been did, an' did 'Piscopal, whic

ut S'POS'IN' MINE DON'T

t the little yaller rings ez they'd dry out on his head, an' when he said that I thess looked at her an' we both looked at him, an' sa

'lieve

S NIGHT

HN FO

cated is that of sympathizing with God's "lesser children." The humanitarian story is a long step in advance of the fable. It

S NIGHT

istmas Eve on Loneso

, by Charles Sc

y a woolly little black dog, and surely no dog was ever more absurdl

get him?" And Dinnie laughed merrily, for she saw the fun of the qu

he could hardly tell Satan and his little mistress apart. He rarely saw them apart, and as both had black tangled hair and bright black eyes; as one awoke every morning with a happy smile and the other with a jolly bark; as they played all day like wind-shaken shadows and each won every heart at first sight-the likeness was really rather curious. I have always b

it to Uncle Billy, the butler, and straightway Satan would launch himself at

natch the carpet with his teeth, throw the coin across the room, and rush for it like mad, until he got tired. If you put a penny on his nose, he would wait until you counted, one-two- THREE! Then he

two, and then he would bring out the old one again. If Dinnie gave him a nickel or a dime, when they went down-town, Satan would rush into a store, rear up on the counter where the rubber balls were kept, drop the coin, and get a ball for himself. Thus, Satan learne

and, as usual, Satan trotted down the street behind he

n reared against the door as he a

what was unusual, he failed to bark. Now Dinnie had got a new

n, Saty." Satan neve

s much a

have an excellent reason for what must seem to you very bad manners-"

r, put his forepaws on it, and dropped from his mouth a dime. Satan had found that coin on the street. He didn't bark for change, nor beg for two balls, but he

him at the gate. If Uncle Carey, after supper and when Dinnie was in bed, started out of the house, still in his business clothes, Satan would leap out before him, knowing that he too might be allowed to go; but if Uncle Carey had put on black clothes that showed a big, dazzling shirt-front, and picked

d, if he wanted to get out of the door, he would beg-beg prettily on his haunches, his little red tongue out and his funny little paws hanging loosely. Indeed, it was just because Satan was so little less than human, I suppo

ed, except one strange- looking dog that appeared every morning at precisely nine o'clock and took his stand on the corner. There he would lie patiently until a funeral came along, and then Satan would see him take his place at the head of the procession; and thus he would march out to the cemetery and back again. Nobody knew where he came from nor where he went, a

had not come in, Uncle Billy told Uncle Carey that it was "powerful slippery and he reckoned they'd better send de kerridge after him"-an innoc

admission; for no priest ever preached the brotherhood of man better than Satan live

acks. At a little yellow house on the edge of town he saw half a dozen strange dogs in a kennel, and every now and then a negro would lead a new one up to the house and deliver him to a big man at the door, who, in return, would drop something into the negro's hand. While Satan waited, the old drunkard came along with his little dog at his heels, paused before the door, looked a moment at his faithful follower, and went slowly on. Satan little knew the old drunkard's temptation, for in that yellow house kind-hearted peopl

said the old butler, "keeping me fr

ide. At the gate Hugo stopped, and raising one huge paw, playfully struck it. The gate flew open, and with a happy yelp Satan leaped into the street. The noble mastiff hesitated as though this were not quite regular. He did not belong to the club, and he didn't know that Satan had ever been away from home after dark in his life. For a moment he seemed to wait for Dinnie to call him back as she always did, but this time there was no sound, and Hugo walked majestically on, with absurd little Satan running in a circle about him. On the way they met the "funeral dog," who glanced inquiringly at Satan, shied from the mastiff, and trotted on. On the next block the old drunkard's yellow cur ran across the street, and after interchanging the compliments of the season, ran back after his staggering master. As they approached the railroad track a strange dog joined them, to whom Hugo paid no attention. At the crossing another new acquaintance bounded toward them. T

silently trotted after him. With a mystified yelp, Satan ran after them. The cur did not take the turnpike, but jumped the fence into a field, making his way by the rear of houses, from which now and then another dog would slink out and silently join the band. Every one of them Satan nosed most friendlily, and to his great joy the funeral dog, on the edge of town, leaped into their midst. Ten minutes later the cur stopped in the midst of some woods, as though he would inspect

the cur stopped, sniffed the air once or twice, and with those same low growls, led the marauders through a rail fence into the woods, and lay quietly down. How Satan loved that soft, thick grass, all snowy that it was! It was almost as good as his own bed at home. And there they lay-how long, Satan never knew, for he went to sleep and dreamed that he was after a rat in the barn at home; and he yelped in his sleep, which made the cur lift his big yellow head and show his fangs. The moving of the half-breed shepherd and the funeral dog waked him at last, and Satan got up. Half crouching, the cur was leading the way toward the dark, still woods on to

growl, the big brute dashed forward. Oh, there was fun in them after all! Satan barked joyfully. Those were some new playmates-those fat, white, hairy things up there; and Satan was amazed when, with frightened snorts, they fled in every direction. But this was a new game, perhaps, of which he knew nothing, and as did the rest, so did Satan. He picked out one of the white things and fled barking after it. It was a little fellow that he was after, but little as he was, Satan might never have caught up

apes lay still before him. There was a great steaming red splotch on the snow, and a strange odor in the air that made him dizzy; but only for a moment. Another white shape rushed by. A tawny streak followed, and then, in a patch of moonlight, Satan saw the yellow cur with his teeth fastened in the throat of his moaning playmate. Like lightning Satan spra

o the barn-yar

in on the trembling brutes that slunk together and crept on; for it is said, every sheep-killing dog knows his fate if caught, and will make little effort

em!" he s

n several farms in that neighborhood, and for several nights he had had a lantern hung out on the edge

' sebenteen dead sheep

l boy who looked like the overseer;

ou a Christmas present I got for you yesterday." With a glad whoop the boy dash

he tall boy raised his gun. There was a let of smoke, a sharp, clean crack, and the funeral dog started on the right way at last toward his dead master. Another crack, and the yellow cur leaped from the ground and fell kicking. Another crack and another, and with each crack a dog tumbled, until little Satan sat on his haunches amid the writhing pack, alone. His time was now come. As the rifle was raised, he heard up at the big house the cries of

, but when the gun was lifted again,

tan would not down, but sat begg

the stern old overseer's heart. Perhaps he remembered su

let h

d toward the tall boy, friskin

ome,

yard, and, as he swept under the front gate, a little girl ran out of

ss the crisp fields, leaped the fence and struck the road, lick

e was the kennel of the kind-hearted people who were giving painless death to Satan's four-footed kind, and where they saw him stop and turn from the road. There was divine providence in Satan's flight for one little dog that Christmas morning; for Uncle Carey saw the

the big man who came to the door was puttin

man pointed to the old drunkard's figure

so. He sold him to you fo

an wh

ut. I'll pay

her why he was taking the little cur along. With her own hands she put Satan's old collar on the li

id severely, "didn't

y o

nnie," said t

was goin' to whoop yo

Miss D

s treasures a toy riding-whip and the old

lly, but I des got t

f, Dinnie," said Un

ist

Dinnie, and she

cent as a cherub, Satan sat on the

EST

S WHITC

mance treated with a fine reserve. It employs the local

EST

mplete Works of James Whitcomb Riley, copyright, 1913. Used by

ard to symmetry or proportion, but rather, as is suggested, built to conform to the matter-of-fact and most sensible ideas of its owner, who, if it pleased him, would have small windows where large ones ought to be, and vice versa, whether they balanced properly to the eye or not. And chimneys-he would have as many as he wanted, and no two alike, in either height or size. And if he wanted the front of the house turned from all possible view, as though abashed at any chance of public scrutiny, why, that was his affair and not the public's; and, with like perverseness, if he chose to thrust his kitchen under the public's very nose, what should the generally fagged

ouse at its first suggestion; for, putting away my fishing-tackle for the morning, at least,

tly to the open kitchen door. From within I heard a woman singing some old ballad in an undertone, while at the threshold a trim, white-spurred rooster stood poised on one foot, curving his glossy neck and cocking hi

. Ho

kindly featured man of sixty- fiv

tion with some confus

ur pardon for this in

self out fishing, and

nd I felt so

ward motion of his thumb-"jest foller the path here down to the little brick-that's the spring-and you'll find 'at you've c

ourself any further,"

m a tin cup than a g

drink out of a tin-er jest a fruit-can with the top knocked off-er-er-er a gourd," he added in a zestful, remi

t don't do a feller good to see you enjoyin' of it thataway! But don't you drink too much o' the worter!-'cause there're some sweet milk over there in one o' them crocks, maybe; and ef you'll jest, kindo' keerful-like, lift off the led of that third one, say, over there to yer left

ore its mistress. But as I arose, and stammered, in my confusion, some incoherent apology, I was again reassured and put at greater ease

ee, to prevent father from having you dip into the 'morning's-milk,' which, of course, has scarcely a veil of cream over the face of it as yet. But men, as you are doubtless willing to admit," she

used when I confess that as I bowed my thanks, taking the proffered cup and lifting

most say manly, and would, but for the petty prejudice maybe occasioned by the trivial fact of a locket having dropped from her bosom as she knelt; and that trinket still dangles in my memory even as it then dangled and dropped back to its concealment in her breast as she arose. But her face, by no means handsome in the common meaning, was marked with a breadth and strength of outline and

d as not, and never expected to marry, ner didn't want to. But she had me sceart onc't, though! Come out from the city one time, durin' the army, with a peart- lookin' young feller in blue clothes and gilt straps on his shoulders. Young lieutenant he was-name o' Morris. Was layin' in camp there in the city somers. I disremember which camp it was now adzackly-but anyway, it 'peared like he had plenty o' time to go and come, fer from that time on he kep' on a-comin'-ever' time Marthy 'ud come home, he'd come, too; and I got to noticin' 'at Marthy come home a good 'eal more 'n she used to afore Morris first brought her. And blame ef the thing didn't git to worryin' me! And onc't I spoke to mother about it, and told her ef I thought the feller wanted to marry Marthy I'd jest stop his comin' right then and there. But mother she sorto' smiled and said somepin' 'bout men a-never seein' through nothin'; and when I ast her what she meant, w'y, she ups and tells me 'at Morris didn't keer nothin' fer Marthy, ner Marthy fer Morris, and then went on to tell me that Morris was kindo' aidgin' up to'rds Annie-she was next to Marthy, you know, in pint of years and experience, but ever'body allus said 'at Annie was the purtiest one o' the whole three of 'em. And so when mother told me 'at the signs pinted to'rds Annie, w'y, of course, I hedn't no particular objections t

she druv through slow-like and a-ticklin' my nose wi

in' the gate to, and t

r's come?' says

s come,' says I; '

es fer suppe

supper,' says I;

arn, and she glanced up quick and smilin'

gittin' war

o see ME?' she sa

ried, and o' course I wouldn't harber in my house no young feller 'at was a

helt up my hands to her, she sorto' drawed back a min

it AN

ome, jump out and run in and be happy with the rest of us!' and I helt out my hands ag'in, but she didn't 'pear to

the man?'

with the girl.-'W'y, you know who it is, o' course.-It's Morris

rried-both the others is gone-Morris went all through the army and got back safe and sound-'s livin' in Idyho, and doin' fust-rate. Sends me a letter ever' now and then. Got three little chunks o' grandchildren out there, and I' never laid eyes on one of 'em. You see, I'm a-gittin' to be quite a middle-aged man-in fact a very middle-aged man, you might say. Sence mother died, which has be'n-lem-me-see-mother's be'n dead somers in the neighborhood o' ten year.-Sence mother d

nd the bees that had not yet permitted the honey of the bloom and the white blood of the stalk to be divorced; I am always thinking that the young and tender pullet we happy three dis

ILLIE

YARD K

, James Whitcomb Riley, and Eugene Field, has carried into his maturity an imperishable youth of spirit which makes him an interp

ILLIE

ER AND A

ing. Copyright, 1899, by Rudyard Kipling. Reprinted

nd that was the end of the christened titles. His mother's ayah called him Willie-Baba, but as he

Williams put him under it. There was no other way of managing the child. When he was good for a week, he drew good- conduct pay; and when he wa

He accepted Brandis, a subaltern of the 195th, on sight. Brandis was having tea at the Colonel's, and Wee Willie Winkie entered strong in the possession of a good-

o Brandis. "I like you. I shall call you Coppy, because of your hair.

name stuck. No regimental penalties could break Wee Willie Winkie of this habit. He lost his good-conduct badge for christening the Commissioner's wife "Pobs"; but nothing that the Colonel co

d on his own merits entirely. Yet Wee Willie Winkie was not lovely. His face was permanently freckled, as his legs were permanently scratched, and in spite of his mother's almost tearful remonstrances he

ndis-henceforward to be called "Coppy" for the sake of brevity-Wee Willie W

time to the ownership of a box of shiny knives, a silver soap-box, and a silver-handled "sputter-brush," as Wee Willie Winkie called it. Decidedly, there was no one except his own father, who could give or take away good-conduct badges at pleasure, half so wise, strong, and valiant as Coppy with the Afghan and Egyptian medals on h

his father, but he felt instinctively that this was

g up outside that subaltern's bungalow ear

at early breakfast in the midst of his dogs. "

notoriously bad for three days, a

tation of the Colonel's languor after a hot parade. He buried his freckled nose in a tea-cup an

ginning early. Who

top her. If it isn't pwoper, how was you kissing Ma

ret for a fortnight. There were urgent and imperative reasons why Major Allardyce should not know how

Winkie calmly. "But ve sais d

roaned poor Coppy, half amused and half angry.

twied to wide ve buffalo ven my pony w

and all these things. One of these days-hang it, how can I make you see it!-I'm going to marry Miss Allardyce, and then she'l

llie Winkie, who firmly believe

y, playing his trump card with an app

"But my faver says it's un-man-ly to be always

and then, and when you're bigger you'll do it too

e, now fully enlightened. "

said Copp

kiss big girls, nor no one, 'cept my

pause, broken by

d of vis big

y!" sai

are of Bell or v

Miss Allerdyce will belong to me, but you'll grow up and command th

ising. "If you're fond of ve big girl,

u're the best of little fellows, Winkie. I tell you what. In thi

trayed a special and unusual interest in Miss Allardyce, and, slowly revolving round that embarrassed young lady, was used to regard her gravely with unwinking eye. He was trying to discover why Coppy should have kissed he

bottom of the garden. How could be have foreseen that the flying sparks would have lighted the Colonel's little hay-rick and consumed a week's store for the horses? Sudden and swift was the punish

er-lip, saluted, and, once clear of the room, ran to weep bitterly in his nursery-calle

illie Winkie mournfully, "and

the roof of the house-that was not forbidde

going?" cried W

" she answered, an

ere the Goblins were always warring with the children of men until they were defeated by one Curdie. Ever since that date it seemed to him that the bare black and purple hills across the river were inhabited by Goblins, and, in truth, every one had said that there lived the Bad Men. Even in his own house the lower halves of the windows were covered with green paper on account of the Bad Men who might, if allow

garden-paths, as he went down to the stables and ordered his pony. It seemed to him in the hush of the dawn that all the big world had been bidden to stand still and look at Wee Willie Winkie guilty of mutiny. The drowsy sais

from all sympathy of Humanity. He turned into the road, leaned forward, and rod

bbles of the river-bed as Wee Willie Winkie left the cantonment and British India behind him. Bowed forward and still flogging, Wee Willie Winkie shot into Afghan territory, and could just see Miss Allardyce a black speck flickering across th

llardyce struggled clear, but her ankle had been severely twisted, and she could not stand. Having fully shown her

ee Willie Winkie, as soon as he was with

efully, ignoring the reproof. "Good gr

ody-not even Coppy-must go acwoss ve wiver, and I came after you ever so hard, but you wouldn't stop, and n

down and sobbed. In spite of the p

e way from cantonments,

ssing you, and he said he was fonder of you van Bell or ve Butcha or me. And so I came. You must

s Allardyce, with a groan. "I've

ss to weep anew, whi

brought up to belie

Still, when one is a

a man may be permi

d a little, ride back and tell them to send out s

er faint. She was roused by Wee Willie Winkie tying up the reins on his pony's neck and setting it free

! What are

must stay wiv you. My faver says a man must ALWAYS look after a girl. Jack

and vex Curdie's soul. Thus had they played in Curdie's garden (he had seen the picture), and thus had they frightened the Princess's nurse. He heard them talking to each other, and recognize

ers on which Miss Allardy

inant Race, aged six and three-quarters, and said briefly a

ey wanted and why they did not depart. Other men with most evil faces and crooked-stocked guns crept out of the shadows

u?" said on

e frightening the Miss Sahib. One of you must run into cantonments and take the news

p?" was the laughing reply

the Colonel's son. The

girl, and we can at least ask for the ransom. Ours are th

ursting into tears. But he felt that to cry before a native, excepting only his mother's ayah, would be an inf

y?" said Wee Willie Winkie, ve

r," said the tallest of the

said Wee Willie Winkie

rry us away, I tell you that all my regiment will come up in a day and kill

colloquial acquaintance with three-was easy to the bo

and gut the valley. OUR villages are in the valley, and we shall not escape. That regiment are devils. They broke Khoda Yar's breastbone with kicks when he tried to take the rifles; and if we touch this child they will fire

d heated discussion followed. Wee Willie Winkie, standing over Miss Allardyce, waited the upshot

rade-ground in front of the main barracks, where the men were settling down to play Spoil-five till the afternoon. Devlin, the Color-Sergeant of E Company, glanced at the e

' hunt acrost the river. He's over there if he's anywhere, an' maybe those Pathans have

said Devlin. "E Company, do

, adjuring it to double yet faster. The cantonment was alive with the men of the 195th hunting for Wee Willie Winkie

Men were discussing the wisdom of carrying off t

warning! The pulton are out already and are coming acros

as another shot was fired, withdrew into

ng," said Wee Willie

"and it's all wi

later, when his father came up, he was weeping

s; and Coppy, who had ridden a horse into a lather, met him, and, t

st be condoned, but that the good-conduct badge would be restored as soon as his mother could sew i

Coppy," said Wee Wil

grimy fore-finger. "

, and I knew ve wegim

Jack

inkie," said Copp

lie Winkie, "but you mustn't call me Winkie

d Wee Willie Winkie e

GOLD

AR ALL

osophy of Composition" he declares that every plot "must be elaborated to its denouement before anything is attempted with the pen. It is only with the denouement constantly in view that we can give a plot its indispensable air of consequence, or causation, by making the incidents and especially the tone, at all points, tend to the development

fitted parts, each so necessary to the whole. But after the gold has been found-and that is the point of greatest interest-the story goes on and on to explain the cryptogram. This, no doubt, was to Poe the most interesting thing about the story, the tracing of the steps by which the scrap of p

GOLD

Works of Edgar Alla

Scribner

ho' this fellow

bitten by t

n the

wealthy; but a series of misfortunes had reduced him to want. To avoid the mortification consequent upon his disasters, he le

as might be supposed, is scant, or at least dwarfish. No trees of any magnitude are to be seen. Near the western extremity, where Fort Moultrie stands, and where are some miserable frame buildings, tenanted during summer by the fugitives from Charleston dust and fever, may be found, indeed, the bristly palmetto; but the whole island, wit

moods of alternate enthusiasm and melancholy. He had with him many books, but rarely employed them. His chief amusements were gunning and fishing, or sauntering along the beach and through the myrtles, in quest of shells or entomological specimens;-his collection of the latter might have been envied by a Swammerdamm. In these excursions he was usually accompanied by an old negro, called Jupiter, who had been manumitte

rgreens to the hut of my friend, whom I had not visited for several weeks-my residence being at that time in Charleston, a distance of nine miles from the island, while the facilities of passage and re- passage were very far behind those of the present day. Upon reaching the hut I rapped, as was my custom,

nd was in one of his fits-how else shall I term them?-of enthusiasm. He had found an unknown bivalve, forming a new genus, and, more than this, he had hunted d

my hands over the blaze, and wishing th

is very night of all others? As I was coming home I met Lieutenant G--, from the fort, and, very foolishly, I lent him the bug; so it will be impo

?-sun

e of a large hickory-nut-with two jet black spots near one extremity

terrupted Jupiter; "de bug is a goole-bug, solid, ebery bit of him, in

ned to me-"is really almost enough to warrant Jupiter's idea. You never saw a more brilliant metallic lustre than the scales emit- but of this you cannot judge till to-morrow. In the mea

s still chilly. When the design was complete, he handed it to me without rising. As I received it, a low growl was heard, succeeded by a scratching at the door. Jupiter opened it, and a large Newfoundland, belonging to Legrand, rushed in, leaped u

st confess; new to me: never saw anything like it before-unless it was a skull, or a death's

nce upon paper, no doubt. The two upper black spots look like eyes, eh? and the

o artist. I must wait until I see the beetle itself,

aw tolerably-SHOULD do it at least-have had good maste

specimens of physiology-and your scarabaeus must be the queerest scarabaeus in the world if it resembles it. Why, we may get up a very thrilling bit of superstition upon this hint.

upon the subject; "I am sure you must see the antennae. I made them as dis

ruffle his temper; but I was much surprised at the turn affairs had taken; his ill humor puzzled me-and, as for the drawing of the bee

oom. Here again he made an anxious examination of the paper; turning it in all directions. He said nothing, however, and his conduct greatly astonished me; yet I thought it prudent not to exacerbate the growing moodiness of his temper by any comment. Presently he took from his coat pocket a wallet, placed the paper carefully in it, and deposited both in a writing-desk, which he locked. He now grew more composed in his demeanor; but his original air of ent

en I received a visit, at Charleston, from his man, Jupiter. I had never seen the good old

what is the matter now

f, massa, him not so b

sorry to hear it. What

r plain of notin-but him

didn't you say so at once

's just whar de shoe pinch-my mind is got

is you are talking about. You say your maste

aint de matter wid him-but den what make him go about looking dis here way, wid he head

what, J

ighty tight eye pon him noovers. Todder day he gib me slip fore de sun up and was gone de whole ob de blessed day. I had a big stick re

n't flog him, Jupiter-he can't very well stand it-but can you form no idea of what has occasioned

asant SINCE den-'twas FORE den I'm fe

at do yo

I mean de b

e w

Massa Will bin bit somewhere b

e you, Jupiter, for

or to let him go gin mighty quick, I tell you-den was de time he must ha got de bite. I didn't like de look ob de bug mouff, myself, no how, so I wouldn't

ter was really bitten by the beetle

dream bout de goole so much, if taint cause he bit by

u know he drea

he talk about it in he

what fortunate circumstance am I to attrib

matter,

any message fro

pissel;" and here Jupiter han

hope you have not been so foolish as to take offence at

y. I have something to tell you, yet scarcely know

tions. Would you believe it?-he had prepared a huge stick, the other day, with which to chastise me for giving him the slip,

ddition to my cab

upiter. DO come. I wish to see you TO-NIGHT, upon business of

r yo

AM LEG

w crotchet possessed his excitable brain! What "business of the highest importance" could HE possibly have to transact? Jupiter's account of him boded no good. I dreaded le

three spades, all apparently new, lying in the

ing of all this,

, massa,

t what are the

pon my buying for him in de town, and de deb

e of all that is myst

do with scyth

me if I don't blieve 't is more dan he

and a walk of some two miles brought us to the hut. It was about three in the afternoon when we arrived. Legrand had been awaiting us in eager expectation. He grasped my hand with a nervous EMPRESSEMENT, which alarmed me and strengthened the suspicions alrea

the next morning. Nothing should tempt me to part with that

sked, with a sad f

" He said this with an air of profound ser

ions. Is it any wonder, then, that I prize it? Since Fortune has thought fit to bestow it upon me, I have only

that time, unknown to naturalists-of course a great prize in a scientific point of view. There were two round, black spots near one extremity of the back, and a long one near the other. The scales were exceedingly hard and glossy, with all the appearance of b

d my examination of the beetle, "I sent for you, that I might have your

d had better use some little precautions. You shall go to bed, and I will r

pulse,"

truth, found not the slig

Allow me this once to prescribe for you. I

n expect to be under the excitement which I suffer. If y

is this t

this expedition, we shall need the aid of some person in whom we can confide. You are the only one we ca

"but do you mean to say that this infernal beetle ha

ha

become a party to no s

y-for we shall have t

is surely mad!-but stay-how lon

start immediately, and be ba

ver, and the bug business (good God!) settled to your satisfaction, you will

w let us be off, for we

words which escaped his lips during the journey. For my own part, I had charge of a couple of dark lanterns, while Legrand contented himself with the scarabaeus, which he carried attached to the end of a bit of whip- cord; twirling it to and fro, with the air of a conjurer, as he went. When I observed this last, plain evidence of my friend's aberration of mind, I could scarcely refrain from tears. I thought it best, howeve

esterly direction, through a tract of country excessively wild and desolate, where no trace of a human footstep was to be seen. Legrand led the way wit

of an almost inaccessible hill, densely wooded from base to pinnacle, and interspersed with huge crags that appeared to lie loosely upon the soil, and in many cases were prevented from precipi

tree, which stood, with some eight or ten oaks, upon the level, and far surpassed them all, and all other trees which I had then ever seen, in the beauty of its foliage and form, in the wide spread of its branches, and in the general majesty of its appearance. When we reached this tree, Legrand turned

imb any tree he ebb

ssible, for it will soon be too

up, massa?" in

n I will tell you which way to go-and

e negro, drawing back in dismay-"what for mu

dead beetle, why, you can carry it up by this string-but, if you do not take it up with

Was only funnin anyhow. ME feered de bug! what I keer for de bug?" Here he took cautiously hold of the extreme end of th

earance on the stem. Thus the difficulty of ascension, in the present case, lay more in semblance than in reality. Embracing the huge cylinder, as closely as possible, with his arms and knees, seizing with his hands some projections, and resting his naked toes upon others, Jupiter, aft

go now, Massa W

rently with but little trouble, ascending higher and higher, until no glimpse of his squat figure could b

fudder is

are you?" a

the negro; "can see de s

Look down the trunk and count the limbs below y

be-I done pass fibe big l

one lim

heard again, announcing that

want you to work your way out upon that limb as far

rest. I had no alternative but to conclude him stricken with lunacy, and I became seriously anxious abou

dis limb berry far-'tis dea

limb, Jupiter?" cried Leg

one departed dis here life." "What in the name of heaven sh

hy come home and go to bed. Come now!-that's a fine fellow.

thout heeding me in the

ll, hear you e

en, with your knife, a

rot

w moments, "but not so berry rotten as mought be. Mought

lf!-what d

pose I drop him down fuss, and den de limb w

do you mean by telling me such nonsense as that? As sure as you let tha

n't hollo at poor

far as you think safe, and not let go the beetle, I'll mak

s," replied the negro very prom

reamed Legrand, "do you say you

-o-o-o-oh! Lord-gol-a-marcy!

and, highly deligh

bin lef him head up de tree, and de cro

l!-how is it fastened to th

s sarcumstanee, pon my word-dare's a great big na

do exactly as I te

, ma

en!-find the left

ood! why, dar aint

do you know your righ

bout dat-'tis my lef hand

de as your left hand. Now, I suppose, you can find the left eye of th

pause. At length

ull, too?-cause de skull aint got not a bit ob a hand at all- nebbe

as the string will reach- but be careful

y easy ting for to put de bug fr

t rays of the setting sun, some of which still faintly illumined the eminence upon which we stood. The scarabaeus hung quite clear of any branches, and, if allowed to fall, would have fallen at our feet. Legrand imme

olled it till it reached the peg, and thence farther unrolled it, in the direction already established by the two points of the tree and the peg, for the distance of fifty feet-Jupiter clearing away the brambles with the scythe. At the spot thus a

ce; but I was too well assured of the old negro's disposition to hope that he would assist me, under any circumstances, in a personal contest with his master. I made no doubt that the latter had been infected with some of the innumerable Southern superstitions about money buried, and that his fantasy had received confirmation by the finding of the scarabaeus, or, perhaps, by Jupiter's obstinacy in maintaining it to be "a bug of real gold." A mind disposed to

upon our persons and implements, I could not help thinking how picturesque a group we composed, and how strange and

is giving the alarm to some stragglers in the vicinity; or, rather, this was the apprehension of Legrand; for myself, I should have rejoiced at any interruption which might have enabled me to get the wanderer home. The noise

ad excavated the entire circle of four feet diameter, and now we slightly enlarged the limit, and went to the farther depth of two feet. Still nothing appeared. The gold-seeker, whom I sincerely pitied, at length clambered from the pit, with the bitterest disappointment imprinted upon every feature, an

nd strode up to Jupiter, and seized him by the collar. The astonished negro opened hi

is clenched teeth-"you infernal black villain!-speak, I tell you!-answe

d Jupiter, placing his hand upon his right organ of vision, and holding it there with

much to the astonishment of his valet, who, arising from his knees, looked mutely from his master to myself, and then from myse

ome here! was the skull nailed to the limb with

at de crows could get at de e

ough which you dropped the beetle!"-here

as you tell me," and here it was hi

o-we must tr

a spot about three inches to the westward of its former position. Taking, now, the tape-measure from the nearest point of the trunk to the peg, as before, and cont

ly, and now and then caught myself actually looking, with something that very much resembled expectation, for the fancied treasure, the vision of which had demented my unfortunate companion. At a period when such vagaries of thought most fully possessed me, and when we had been at work perhaps an hour and a half, we were again interrupted by the violent howlings of the dog. His uneasiness, in the first instance, had been evidently but the result of playfulness or caprice, but he now assumed a bitter and s

treme disappointment. He urged us, however, to continue our exertions, and the words were hardly uttered when I stumbl

alf feet deep. It was firmly secured by bands of wrought iron, riveted, and forming a kind of trellis-work over the whole. On each side of the chest, near the top, were three rings of iron -six in all-by means of which a firm hold could be obtained by six persons. Our utmost united endeavors served only to disturb the coffer very slightly in its bed. We at once saw the impossibility of re

nce wore, for some minutes, as deadly a pallor as it is possible, in the nature of things, for any negro's visage to assume. He seemed stupefied-thunderstricken. Presently he fell upon his kne

oor little goole-bug, what I boosed in dat sabage kind ob

o raise it from the hole. The articles taken out were deposited among the brambles, and the dog left to guard them, with strict orders from Jupiter neither, upon any pretence, to stir from the spot, nor to open his mouth until our return. We then hurriedly made for home with the chest; reaching the hut in safety, but after excessive toil, at one o'clock in the morning. Worn out as we were, it was not in human nature to do more just now. We rested until tw

denied us repose. After an unquiet slumber of some three or four hours' dur

s no American money. The value of the jewels we found more difficulty in estimating. There were diamonds-some of them exceedingly large and fine-a hundred and ten in all, and not one of them small; eighteen rubies of remarkable brilliancy; three hundred and ten emeralds, all very beautiful; and twenty-one sapphires, with an opal. These stones had all been broken from their settings and thrown loose in the chest. The settings themselves, which we picked out from among the other gold, appeared to have been beaten up with hammers, as if to prevent identification. Besides all this, there was a vast quantity of solid gold ornaments: nearly two hundred massive finger and ear rings; rich chains-thirty of these, if I remember; eighty-three very large and heavy crucifixes; five gold censers of great value; a prodigious golden punch-bowl

some measure subsided, Legrand, who saw that I was dying with impatience for a solution of this

en you first made this assertion I thought you were jesting; but afterwards I called to mind the peculiar spots on the back of the insect, and admitted to myself that your remark had some little foundation in fac

paper, you m

g it over, I saw my own sketch upon the reverse, just as I had made it. My first idea, now, was mere surprise at the really remarkable similarity of outline-at the singular coincidence involved in the fact that, unknown to me, there should have been a skull upon the other side of the parchment, immediately beneath my figure of the scarabaeus, and that this skull, not only in outline, but in size, should so closely resemble my drawing. I say the singularity of this coincidence absolutely stupefied me for a time. This is the usual effect of such coincidences. The mind struggles to establish a connection-a sequence of cause and effect-and, being unable to do so, suffers a species of temporary paralysis. But, when I recovered from this stupor, there dawned upon me gradually a conviction which startl

above high-water mark. Upon my taking hold of it, it gave me a sharp bite, which caused me to let it drop. Jupiter, with his accustomed caution, before seizing the insect, which had flown towards him, looked about him for a leaf, or something of that nature, by which to take hold of it. It was at this moment that his eyes, and mine also, fell upon the

On my consenting, he thrust it forthwith into his waistcoat pocket, without the parchment in which it had been wrapped, and which I had continued to hold in my hand during his inspection. Perhaps he dreaded my changing my mind, and

ept. I looked in the drawer, and found none there. I searched my pockets, hoping to find an old letter, and then my hand fell upon the

oat lying on a seacoast, and not far from the boat was a parchment-NOT A PAPER-with a skull depicted on it. You will, of course, ask 'where is the co

t is not nearly so well adapted as paper. This reflection suggested some meaning-some relevancy-in the death's-head. I did not fail to observe, also, the FORM of the parchment. Although one of its corners had been, by some

then do you trace any connection between the boat and the skull-since this latter, according to your own admission,

ult. I reasoned, for example, thus: When I drew the scarabaeus, there was no skull apparent on the parchment. When I had completed the drawing I gave it to you, and observed you

ssed him and kept him off, while your right, holding the parchment, was permitted to fall listlessly between your knees, and in close proximity to the fire. At one moment I thought the blaze had caught it, and was about to caution you, but, before I could speak, you had withdrawn it, and were engaged in its examination. When I considered all these particulars, I doubted not for a moment that HEAT had been the agent in bringing to light, on the parchment, the skull which I saw designed on it. You are well aware that chemical preparation

l. I immediately kindled a fire, and subjected every portion of the parchment to a glowing heat. At first, the only effect was the strengthening of the faint lines in the skull; but, on persevering in the experiment, there became vi

r mirth-but you are not about to establish a third link in your chain: you will not find any especial connection betwe

d that the figure wa

hen-pretty much

ieroglyphical signature. I say signature; because its position on the vellum suggested this idea. The death's-head at the corner diagonally opposite had, in the

find a letter between the

he bug being of solid gold, had a remarkable effect on my fancy? And then the series of accidents and coincidences- these were so VERY extraordinary. Do you observe how mere an accident it was that these events should have occurred on the SOLE day of all the year in

d-I am all

concealed his plunder for a time, and afterwards reclaimed it, the rumors would scarcely have reached us in their present unvarying form. You will observe that the stories told are all about money-seekers, not about money-finders. Had the pirate recovered his money, there the affair would have dropped. It seemed to me that some accident-say the loss of a memorandum indicating its locality-had deprived him of

ev

rth still held them; and you will scarcely be surprised when I tell you that I felt a hope, nearly amoun

did you

water over it, and, having done this, I placed it in a tin pan, with the skull downwards, and put the pan upon a furnace of lighted charcoal. In a few minutes, the pan having become thoroughly heated, I removed the slip, and, to my ine

, between the death's-head and the goat:-********53 *305)) 6* 4826) 4.) 4J);806*;48f8lIeo)) 85;; ] 8*;: $*8f83(88)5*f;46(,- 88*9e*?;'S

ever. Were all the jewels of Golconda awaiting me on my solution o

t readily guess, form a cipher-that is to say, they, convey a meaning; but then, from what is known of Kidd, I could not suppose him capable of constructing any of the more abstruse

really so

such riddles, and it may well be doubted whether human ingenuity can construct an enigma of the kind which human ingenuity may not, by proper application

ANGUAGE of the cipher; for the principles of solution, so far, especially, as the more simp

ore us, all difficulty is removed by the signature. The pun upon the word 'Kidd' is appreciable in no other language than the English. But for this consideration I should have begun my attempts wi

ollation and analysis of the shorter words, and, had a word of a single letter occurred, as is most likely ('a' or 'I', for example), I should have considered the solution

cter 8 there

"

"

"

"

"

l

"

"

"

-

thus: a o i d h n r s t n y c f g l m w b k p q x z. 'E' predominates, however, so remarkably tha

quire its aid. As our predominant character is 8, we will commence by assuming it as the 'e' of the natural alphabet. To verify the supposition, let us observe if the 8 be seen often in couples-for 'e' is doubled with g

n, the last of them being 8. If we discover repetitions of such letters, so arranged, they will most probably represent the word 'the.' On inspection, we find no less than seven such arrangements, the

to the last instance but one, in which the combination ;48 occurs-not far from the end of the cipher. We know that the semicolon immediately ensuing is the commencement of a word, and, of th

ee

ith the first 't'; since, by experiment of the entire alphabet for a letter adapted to the vacancy

the word 'tree' as the sole possible reading. We thus gain another le

see the combination ;4S, and employ it by way of TERMINATION

;4(*t?3

natural letters, wher

e thr**

characters, we leave blank spaces,

thr . .

nt at once. But this discovery gives us th

an

combinations of known characters, we find, no

, or

f the word 'degree,' and gives us a

he word 'degree,' we p

6(

s, and representing the unknown

rte

rd 'thirteen,' and again furnishing us with two

ginning of the cryptograph

**

g, as befor

o

st letter is A, and that the

rrange our key, as far as discovered, in a ta

pres

convince you that ciphers of this nature are readily soluble, and to give you some insight into the rationale of their development. But be assured that the specimen before u

een minutes north-east and by north main branch seventh limb east side shoot from the l

ever. How is it possible to extort a meaning from all this jargo

pect, when regarded with a casual glance. My first endeavor was to divi

, to punc

ng of th

it possible t

rly certain to overdo the matter. When, in the course of his composition, he arrived at a break in his subject which would naturally require a pause, or a point, he would be exceedingly apt to run his characters

een minutes-north-east and by north-main branch seventh limb east side-shoot from the l

" said I, "leaves me

ding my sphere of search, and proceeding in a more systematic manner, when one morning it entered into my head, quite suddenly, that this 'Bishop's Hostel' might have some reference to an old family, of the name of Bessop, which, time out of mind, had held possession of an ancient manor-house, about four miles to the northward o

missing her, I proceeded to examine the place. The 'castle' consisted of an irregular assemblage of cliffs and rocks-one of the latter being quite remarkabl

projected about eighteen inches, and was not more than a foot wide, while a niche in the cliff just above it gave it a rude resemblance to one of the hollow-bac

to be used, and a definite point of view, ADMITTING NO VARIATION, from which to use it. Nor did I hesitate to believe that the phrases, 'twenty-one degrees and thirteen minutes,' and 'n

the horizontal direction was clearly indicated by the words, 'north- east and by north.' This latter direction I at once established by means of a pocket-compass; then, pointing the glass as nearly at an angle of twenty-one degrees of elevation as I could do it by guess, I moved it cautiously up or down, until my atte

d, also, of but one interpretation, in regard to a search for buried treasure. I perceived that the design was to drop a bullet from the left eye of the skull, and that a bee-line, or, in other words, a straight line, drawn from the nearest poi

, although ingenious, still simple and explici

I get a glimpse of it afterwards, turn as I would. What seems to me the chief ingenuity in this whole business, is the fact (for repeated experiment has convinced m

pecial care not to leave me alone. But on the next day, getting up very early, I contrived to give him the slip, and went into the hills in search of the tree. After m

at digging, through Jupiter's stupidity in letting the bug fall

n of little moment; but 'the shot,' together with the nearest point of the tree, were merely two points for the establishment of a line of direction; of course the error, however trivial in the beginning, increased as w

s eye-was suggested to Kidd by the piratical flag. No doubt he felt a kind of

ency. To be visible from the Devil's seat, it was necessary that the object, if small, should be WHITE; and there is not

-how excessively odd! I was sure you were mad. And why did you ins

h you quietly, in my own way, by a little bit of sober mystification. For this reason I swung the beetle, and for

ne point which puzzles me. What are we to

d imply. It is clear that Kidd-if Kidd indeed secreted this treasure, which I doubt not-it is clear that he must have had assistance in the labor. But, the worst of this labor concluded, he may have thou

SOM OF

H

enjoys even more the sharp surprise that awaits him in the plot. He has prepared himself for a certain conclusion and finds himself entirely in the wrong. Nevertheless, he admits that the ending is not illo

he Flatiron Building and put in the Town Hall. Then the story will fit just as truly elsewhere. At least, I hope that is the case with what I write. So long as your story is true to life, t

SOM OF

rligigs," by O. Henr

mpany. Reprinted by

, Page &

riscoll and myself-when this kidnapping idea struck us. It was, as Bill afterward expressed

there, as flat as a fl

contained inhabitants

ss of peasantry as e

yp

hiloprogenitiveness, says we, is strong in semi-rural communities; therefore, and for other reasons, a kidnapping project ought to do better there than in the radius of newspapers that send reporters out in plain clothes to st

ght collection-plate passer and forecloser. The kid was a boy of ten, with bas-relief freckles, and hair the color of the cover of the magazine you buy at the new

ered with a dense cedar brake. On the rear elevation o

st old Dorset's house. The kid was in the street,

, "would you like to have a

neatly in the eye w

ld man an extra five

bing over

buggy and drove away. We took him up to the cave, and I hitched the horse in the cedar brake. After dark I dr

g behind the big rock at the entrance of the cave, and the boy was watching a pot of boiling coffee, w

are to enter the camp of Red C

g Indian. We're making Buffalo Bill's show look like magic-lantern views of Palestine in the town hall. I'm Old

m forget that he was a captive himself. He immediately christened me Snake-eye, the Spy, and announced th

of bacon and bread and gravy, and began to talk.

want some more gravy. Does the trees moving make the wind blow? We had five puppies. What makes your nose so red, Hank? My father has lots of money. Are the stars hot? I whipped Ed Walker twice, Saturday. I don't like girls. You dassent ca

oe to the mouth of the cave to rubber for the scouts of the hated paleface. Now and then he would let

to the kid, "would y

me. I hate to go to school. I like to camp out. You

s I. "We'll stay here

at'll be fine. I never ha

umping up and reaching for his rifle and screeching: "Hist! pard," in mine and Bill's ears, as the fancied crackle of a twig or the rustle of a leaf revealed to his young imaginati

such as you'd expect from a manly set of vocal organs-they were simply indecent, terrifying, humiliating screams, such as women emit wh

air. In the other he had the sharp case-knife we used for slicing bacon; and he was industriously and realistic

ut he never closed an eye again in sleep as long as that boy was with us. I dozed off for a while, but along toward sun-up I remembered that Red Chief

up so soon for,

of a pain in my shoulder. I th

was afraid he'd do it. And he would, too, if he could find a match. Ain't it awful, S

arents dote on. Now, you and the Chief get up and cook breakfa

a peaceful landscape dotted with one man ploughing with a dun mule. Nobody was dragging the creek; no couriers dashed hither and yon, bringing tidings of no news to the distracted parents. There was a sylvan attitude of somnolent sleepiness pervading that section of t

the side of it, breathing hard, and the boy threaten

ained Bill, "and then mashed it with his foot; and

ment. "I'll fix you," says the kid to Bill. "No man ever yet stru

her with strings wrapped around it out of his

ll, anxiously. "You don't thin

t around Summit on account of his disappearance; but maybe they haven't realized yet that he's gone. His folks may think he's spending the night with Aunt J

d when he knocked out the champion Goliath. It was a sling that Red Chi

rhead rock the size of an egg had caught Bill just behind his left ear. He loosened himself all over and fell in the fire acr

nd his ear and says: "Sam, do you know

I. "You'll come to yo

won't go away and leave me

at boy and shook him unt

'll take you straight home. Now,

Hank. But what did he hit me for? I'll behave, Snake-eye, if you wo

laymate for the day. I'm going away for a while, on business. Now, you come in and m

ree miles from the cave, and find out what I could about how the kidnapping had been regarded in Summit. Also, I thought

games, dynamite outrages, police raids, train robberies, and cyclones. I never lost my nerve yet till we kidn

You must keep the boy amused and quiet till I retu

the ransom fifteen hundred dollars instead of two thousand. "I ain't attempting," says he, "to decry the celebrated moral aspect of parental affection, but we're dealing with humans, and it ain't

eded, and we collaborated

er Dors

for his return; the money to be left at midnight to-night at the same spot and in the same box as your reply-as hereinafter described. If you agree to these terms, send your answer in writing by a solitary messenger to-night at half-past eight o'clock. After c

he answer in this box and r

l to comply with our demand as state

e and well within three hours. These terms are final, and if you

ESPERA

put it in my pocket. As I was about to

I could play the Black

"Mr. Bill will play with you

he stockade to warn the settlers that the Indians are coming. I

rmless to me. I guess Mr. Bill wil

sks Bill, looking at

et down on your hands and knees. How can

ested," said I, "till we get

d a look comes in his eye like a ra

ockade, kid?" he asks, i

ut. "And you have to hump yourself

on Bill's back and dig

you can. I wish we hadn't made the ransom more than a thousan

all upset on account of Elder Ebenezer Dorset's boy having been lost or stolen. That was all I wanted to know. I bought some smoking tobacco, referred casually to the

t to be found. I explored the vicinity of the cave,

sat down on a mossy ban

e cave. Behind him was the kid, stepping softly like a scout, with a broad grin on his face. Bill stopped,

systems of egotism and predominance fail. The boy is gone. I have sent him home. All is off. There was martyrs in old times," goes on Bill, "that suffered death rather than give up the p

rouble, Bill?

r I had to try to explain to him why there was nothin' in holes, how a road can run both ways, and what makes the grass green. I tell you, Sam, a human can only stand so much. I takes him by

t and kicked him about eight feet nearer there at one kick. I'm sorry we

is a look of ineffable peace and grow

sn't any heart disease i

hing chronic except m

h

round," says I, "and h

s mind. And then I told him that my scheme was to put the whole job through immediately and that we would get the ransom and be off with it by midnight if old Dorset fell in wit

o be left-and the money later on-was close to the road fence with big, bare fields on all sides. If a gang of constables should be watching for any one to come for the note, they coul

cates the pasteboard box at the foot of the fence-post, slips a fold

ence till I struck the woods, and was back at the cave in another half an hour. I opened the note, got near the l

espera

r- proposition, which I am inclined to believe you will accept. You bring Johnny home and pay me two hundred and fifty dollars in cash, and I agree to take him off your hands. You had be

nzance!" says I; "of

the most appealing look in his eyes I ever

t of this kid will send me to a bed in Bedlam. Besides being a thorough gentleman, I think Mr. Dorse

ewe lamb has somewhat got on my nerves too. We'll ta

at his father had bought a silver-mounted rifle and a pair of m

hould have been abstracting the fifteen hundred dollars from the box under the tree, according to

p a howl like a calliope and fastened himself as tight as a leech to B

you hold him

I used to be," says ol

ise you te

the Central, Southern, and Middle Western States, a

as good a runner as I am, he was a good mile and a

SHMAN F

H D.

d is staged with the local color of a college contest. But the great value of the action is ethical, for it

SHMAN F

by Ralph D. Paine. Copyright, 1

lanced along the copy-readers'

front page and we are holding open for it. Whew, but you are s

at the long table had looked up from their work and were eyeing the oldest copy-reader with sympathetic uneasiness while they hoped that he would be able to hold himself in hand. The night city editor felt the tension of this brief tableau

minutes, sir. The last pages o

farther end of the table,

reatment for what he has been. Managing editor of this very sheet, London correspondent before that, and the crack man of the staff wh

do to you if you stick at it too long," mur

o put on their coats and bade the city e

y still slumped in his chair,

is grinding out stuff for the Sunday sheet after hours. He must need the extra coin mighty bad. I came back f

f marooned. Writing as steadily as if he were a machine warranted to turn out so many words an hour, Seeley urged his pencil until the last page was finished.

elf to a small cafe as yet unfrequented by the night-owls of journalism. Seeley was a beaten man, and he preferred to nurse his wounds in a morbid isolation. His gait

h a vitality which had seemed inexhaustible, he had won step after step of promotion until, at forty, he was made managing editor of that huge and hard-driven

t in Wall Street. By an incredible blunder the name of the fugitive cashier was coupled with that of the wrong bank. Publication of the Chronicle sto

grim, manly fashion, and straightway sought another berth befitting his journalistic station. But his one costly slip was more than a nine-days' scandal along Park Row, and other canny proprietors were afraid that he might hit them in the

as the verdict of his friends

twenties, her faith in him had been his mainstay, and his happiness in her complete and beautiful. Bereft of her when he stood most in need of her, he seemed to have no more fi

Ernest Seeley to believe that his father had regained much of his old-time prestige with the Chronicle and that he had a hand in guiding its editorial destinies. The lad was a Freshman, tremendously absorbed in

e night city editor, who had been an office boy under him in the years gone by. From force of habit he seated himself at a table in the rear of the room, shunning the chance of having to face an acquaintance. Unfolding a copy of the city edition

moving his enthusiasm. And the boy, chilled by his father's indifference, had said little about it during his infrequent visits to N

is afternoon. He complained of feeling ill after the signal practice yesterday; fever developed overnight, and the consulting physicians decided that he must be operated on for appendicitis without delay. His place in the Princeton game will be filled by

is glasses as if not sur

career at Yale had been a most honorable one. He, too, had played on the eleven and had helped to win two desperate contests against Princeton. But all this belonge

wanted to go to New Haven to see his boy play. Many of his old frie

m to the quick

him. And supposing it breaks his heart to be whipped as it has broken mine? No, I won't let mysel

ty editor. Saturday was not his "day off," and he so greatly hated to ask favors at th

meditations broke

thought you were dead or something. Glad I didn't

rasp the outstretched hand of a classmate. The opera-hat of this Mr. Richard Giddings was cocked at a ra

singularly brightened his face. "You don't look a day older

beer to tone up my jaded system. By Jove, Harry, you're as gray as a badger. This newspaper game must be bad for the nerves. Lots of fellows have asked me about you.

his awkward question. "But I work nearly all night and sleep most of t

big bunch of your old pals inside. They'll be tickled to death to find I've dug you out of your hole. Hello! Is that this morning's paper? Let me look at the spo

volatile Richard Gidd

atch like

tcry he smote the

to fill his shoes at the last minute. I feel like weeping, honest I do. Who the deuce is t

with a shadow of his old manner. "I didn't know he had the

has your sand they can't stop him. Jumping Jupiter, they couldn't have stopped you with an axe when you were pl

too short notice for me to break away from the office, and I-I haven't

m, and he a Freshman at that! Throw out your chest, man; tell the office to go to the devil-where all newspapers belong-a

en to him was quickened by this tormenting comrade of the brave days of ol

u can't budge me. But give my love to the crowd and tell them to

classmate. But Seeley offered no more explanations and the vivacious intruder fell to his task of demolishing saue

up-town lodgings. His sleep was distressed with unhappy dreams, and

le editorial rooms gave him a

r and was worried, for he was always expecting the wors

AR MR.

will cover the technical story, but a big steamboat collision has just happened in North River, two or three hundred drowned and so on, and I need ev

his old-time joy in the day's work. Could he "do this kind of stuff in fine style"? Why, before his brain had begun to be always tired, when he was the star reporter of the Chronicle, his football intr

tered as he sought his hat and overcoat. "And I'll be up in the pr

of his father had been shoved into the background by a stronger, more natural emotion. But he well knew that he ought not to invade the training quarters in these last crucial moments. Ernest must not be distraught by a feather's weight of any other interest than the task in hand. The coaches would be d

when an eddy of Yale or Princeton undergraduates swirled and tossed at command of the dancing dervish of a leader at the edge of the field below; the bright, buoyant aspect of t

r just working the press-badge graft? That namesake of yours will be mea

ike a man in a trance

. It all depends on hi

for a change. Have yo

porting editor, giving Seeley his note-book. "The only

eleven and began to jot down notes of the passing incidents which might serve to weave into the fabric of his description. The unwonted stimulus aroused his

s behind the side-line. Without more ado the team scattered in formation for signal practice, paying no heed to the tumult which raged around and above them. Agile, clean-limbed, splendid in their disciplined young manhood, the dark blue of thei

n. Although tall and wiry he was like a greyhound in a company of mastiffs. His father, looking down at him fro

ay's work. But he carries h

heir fate, and their impressive isolation struck Henry Seeley anew as the most dramatic feature of this magnificent picture. He must sit

for the "kick- off" and facing a straining Princeton line. The minutes were like hours while the officials consulted with the captains in the centre of the field. Then the two elevens ranged themselves across the brown turf, there was breathless silence, and a Princeton toe lifted the ball far down toward the

nd Henry Seeley. "But he can't afford to give Princeton any mo

d heaved in the first scrimmage, and a stocky Yale half-back was pulled down in his tracks. Again the headlong Princeton defence held firm and the Yale captain gasped, "Second down a

o make decisive gains against the Yale defence. Greek met Greek in these early clashes, and both teams were forced to punt again and again. Trick-plays were spoiled by alert end-rushers for the blue or the orange and black, fie

en of the game was shifted to one man, the weakest link in the chain, the Freshman at full-back. He was punting with splendid distance, getting the ball away when it seemed as if he mu

table spirit which had placed upon the escutcheon of Yale football the figure of a bulldog rampant, rallied to meet this crisis, and the hard-pressed line held staunch and won possession of the ball on downs. Back to the very shadow of his own goal-posts the Yale full-back ran to punt the ball out

d helplessly in his wake the devastating hero was circling behind the goal-posts where he flopped to earth, the precious ball apparently embedded in his stomach. It was a Princeton touchdown fairly won, but made possible by the tragic blunder of one Yale ma

tally stood five to nothing when the first half

spectre of failure obsessed him. It was already haunting the pathway of his boy. Was he also to be beaten by one colossal blunder? Henry Seeley felt that Ernest's whole career hung upon his behavior in

boy. But he did make a hideous mess of it, didn't h

or with a savage scowl and could

and we'll say nothing about yellow streaks

editor. "No wonder you kicked me black and blue without knowing it. I ho

out of the game. But Seeley was confident that the coaches would give the boy a chance to redeem himself if they believed his heart was in the right place. Presently the two teams trotted on the field, not as nimbly as at their first appearance, but with dogged res

le, my boy. Eat 'em alive

foemen that they were forced to their utmost to ward off another touchdown. This incessant battering dulled the edges of their offensive tactics, and they seemed unable to set in

forty-yard line the chosen sons of Eli began a heroic advance down the field. It was as if some missing cog had been supplied. "Straight old-fashioned football" it was,

s, but somehow twisted, wriggled, dragged itself ahead as if there was no stopping him. The multitude comprehended that this despised and disgraced Freshman was working out his own salvation along with that of his comrades. Once, when the scrimmage was untangled, he was dragged from

k a stone wall. Young Seeley seemed to be so crippled and exhausted that he had been given a respite from the interlocked, hammering onslaught, but at the third down the panting quarter-back croaked out his signal. His comrades managed

. Two Princeton men broke through as if they had been shot out of mortars, but the Yale full-back had turned and was ploughing straight ahead. Pulled down, dragging the tackler who clun

d behind the lofty grand-stands. The field lay in a kind of wintry twilight. Thirty thousand men and women gazed in tensest silence at the mud- stained, battered youth who had become the crowning issue of this poignant moment. Up in the press-box a thick-set, grayish man dug his fists in his eyes and could no

ters. His head was up, his shoulders squared, and he walked with the fr

a chip of the old block. He didn't know when he was licked

ngster, Dick. Glad I changed my

ry's to-night. Tell the b

er again, as if he loved the sound of the wor

worth having for the sake of its strife. One thing at least was certain. His son could "take his punishment"

ouse. The surgeon had removed the muddy, blood-stained bandage from around his tousled head and was cleansing a

aid the surgeon. "I shall have to put in

hen, glancing up, he espied his father standing near the door. The young hero of the game beckoned him with a grimy fist. Henry

's job. I just wanted to let you know that I saw your

usly and his lip quivered. He ha

u in that last half. It helped my nerve a whole lot to remember that my dad never knew when he was licked. Why, even the coaches t

terner game than football. There was the light of a resurrected determ

wever things may go with me, you will be able to hang fast to the doctrine whi

LEG

SPAPE

RD HARDI

Description is reduced to the minimum, and where it is used does not impede the action. The local color of a great newspaper office in a large city contributes to

LEG

egher and Other Stori

1891, by Charles

lose the characteristics of individuals, and became merged in a composite photograp

ys, who became so familiar on so short an acquaintance that w

boys, and occasionally returned to us in blue coa

not a fat and dumpy shortness. He wore perpetually on his face a happy and knowing smile, as if you and the world in general were not impressing him as serio

me the thirteen original States, but he knew all the officers of the twenty-second police district by name, and he could distinguish the clang of a fire-engine's gong from that of a patrol-wagon or an ambulance fully two blocks distant. It was Gallegher who ra

aving the Press building at two in the morning, was one of the mysteries of the office. Sometimes he caught a night car, and sometimes he walked all the way, arriving at the little house, where his mother and himself lived alone, at four in the morning. Occasionally he was given a ride on an early milk-cart, or on one of the newspaper delivery w

og-dancing on the city editor's desk, when that gentleman was upstairs fighting for two more columns of space, was always a source of innocent joy to us,

c was his love for that element of

in the doings of all queer characters, his knowledge of their methods, their present whereabouts, and their past deeds of transgression oft

ormally developed. He had shown this on se

a destitute orphan, kept his eyes open to what was going on around him so faithfully that the story he told of the treatment meted out to the real or

phia was almost as thorough as that of the chief of police himself, and he could tell to an hour when "Dutchy Mack" was

ight between the Champion of the United States and the Would-be Champion, arranged to take place near Philadelphia;

wner of much railroad stock, and a very wealthy man. He had been spoken of as a political possibility for many high office

keys, was found open, and $200,000 in bonds, stocks, and money, which had been placed there only the night before, was found missing. The secretary was missing also. His name was Stephen S. Hade, and his

he country, and sent on to New York for identification. Three had been arrested at Liverpo

ny one who chanced to run across Hade and succeeded in handing him over to the police. Some of us thought Hade had taken passage from some one of the small

the staff. "He'll be disguised, of course, but you could always tell him by the absence of

ty editor; "for as this fellow is to all appearances a gentlem

h cotton so's to make it look like a whole finger, and the first time he takes off that glove they've got him-see, and he knows it. So what youse want to do is to look for a man with gloves on. I've been a-doing it for two weeks now, and I can tell you it's hard work, for everybody wears gloves this kind of weather. But if you

an appreci

you; and I also see that before the week is out all of my young men will be under bonds for

. .

had been misinformed by telegraph. He brought the warrant, requisition, and other necessary papers with him, but the burglar had flown. One of our reporte

read it, and had discovered who the visitor was, he

overcoat, and leaving his duties to be looked after by others, hastened out after the object of his admiration, who found his suggestions an

return, that his services were no longer needed. Gallegher had played truant once too often. Unconscious of this,

he city, not many minutes' walk from the Kensington railroad

-shaven, well- dressed man brushed past Gallegh

the hands of every one who wore gloves, saw that while three fingers of the man's hand w

and his brain asked with a throb if it could be possible. But possibilities

nt, hanging at his heels and h

tion just outside of Philadelphia, and when he was out of hea

seated himself at one end toward the door. G

ed it came from fright, not of any bodily harm that might come to him, but at the

wer portion of his face, but not concealing the resemblance in his tr

tranger, alighting quickly, struck off at a rapid

wed slowly after. The road ran between fields and past a

y length of road with a small boy splashing through the slush in the midst o

place, the Eagle Inn, an old roadside hostelry known now as the headquarters for poth

oung companions had often stopped there whe

s, and though the boys of the city streets considered him a dumb lout, they

eaching it a few minutes later, let him go for the time being

ring was found

u out here," said the tavern- keeper'

asked Galleghe

to- night. You knew that as well as me; anyway your sportin' editor knows it. He got the tip last night, but that won't hel

d Gallegher, "w

ppler. "I helped 'em fix th

ed Gallegher, with flattering envy.

h a wooden shutter at the back of the barn. You can get in

eminded him. "Who's that gent who come down the road just a bit ahead o

om something, and Dad, just to try him, asks him last night if he was coming to see the fight. He looked sort of scared, and said he didn't want to see no fight. And then Dad says, 'I guess you mean you don't want no fighters to see you.' Dad didn't mean no harm by it, just passed it as a joke; but Mr. Carleton, as he calls himself, got white as a ghost an' says, 'I'll go to the fight willing enough,' and begins to

he had hoped for-so much more that his walk back t

nt a telegram to Hefflefinger at his hotel. It read: "Your man is near the Torresdale statio

one at midnight, no

ning, hence the dir

als, waited for an express to precede it, and dallied at stations, and when, at last, it reached the terminus,

breathlessly that he had located the murderer for whom the police of two continents were looking, and that he believed,

o his library and shut the door. "Now

Hefflefinger to make the arrest in order that it might be kept from

on to New York on the owl train that passes Torresdale at one. It don't get to Jersey City until four o'clock, one hour after th

to pat Gallegher on the head, but changed

galore for you and the paper. Now, I'm going to write a note to the managing editor, and you can take it around to him and tell him what you'

n't a-going to take

leg

done your share, and done it well. If the man's caught, the reward's yours. But you'd o

," said Gallegher, hotly. "And if I ain't a-going with you, you ain't neither

, weakly capitulating. "I'll send the note by a messeng

ainst the excitement of seeing a noted criminal run down, and

porting editor sank in

his desk and scribbled

have arranged it so that he will be arrested quietly and in such a manner that the fact may be kept from all oth

rs,

EL E.

s to the driver. He was told to go first to a district-messenger office, and from there u

ll. The sporting editor got out to send his message to the Press office, and then lighting

He knew he had a long ride, and much rapid work

and then to where the sporting editor's cigar shone in the darkness, and watched it as it gradually burnt more dimly and went out. The lights in the shop windows threw a broad glare acros

ap-robe, in which he wrapped himself. It was growing colder, and the damp, keen wind s

angles to each other in fields covered with ash-heaps and brick-kilns. Here and there the gaudy lights of a drug-store, and the forerunner of suburban civilizat

truck farms, with desolate-looking, glass-covered beds, and pools of

p before the station at Torresdale. It was quite deserted, and only a single light cut a swath in the darkness and showed a portion of the platform,

-night. We want you to arrest him quietly, and as secretly as possible. You can do it with your papers and your badge easily enough. We want you to pretend that you believe he is this burglar you came over after. If you will do this, and take him away without any one so much as s

spected was Hade; he feared he might get himself into trouble by making a false a

wd. After the fight is over you arrest him as we have directed, and you get the money and the credit of the arres

urned. "I've heard of you for a thoroughbred sport. I know you'll do what you say you'll do; and as

fresh difficulty, how to get the detective into the barn where the fight was

egher remembered the window of

it was agreed that Dwyer should come to the barn and warn Hefflefinger; but if he should come, Dwye

wheels on the gravel the door opened, letting out a stream of warm, cheerful light, and a man's voice said, "Put out t

on them, leaving the house as it was at first, black and sile

d in the rear of the yard, which they now noticed was almost filled with teams of many diffe

t lower gate. When we newspaper men leave this place we'll leave it in a hurry, and the man who is neares

leaving the gate open and allowing a clear road and a

ective moved off cautiously to the rear of the barn. "This must be the window,"

nce, and I'll get that open

his shoulders, and with the blade of his knife lifted the wooden butto

d Gallegher, as he dropped noiselessly to the floor below and refastened the shutter. The barn was a large one, with a row of stalls on either side in which horses and cows were dozi

t a square, with wooden posts at its four corners through which ran a

imself that he was really there, began dancing around it, and indulging in such a remarkable series of fistic mano

e haymows, and crawling carefully out on the fence-rail, stretched himself at full length, face downward. In this position, by moving the straw a littl

ctive lay there in silence, biting at straws a

breathing, and with every muscle on a strain, at least a dozen times, when

t the fight had been postponed, or, worst of all, that it would be put off until so late that Mr. Dwyer could not get back in time for the last edition of th

en said with a shiver, "don't keep t

oats with pearl buttons. The white coats were shouldered by long blue coats with astrakhan fur trimmings, the wearers of which preser

his manager, amateur boxers from the athletic clubs, and quiet, close-mouthed sporting men from every city in the

iety, hiding his pale face beneath a cloth travelling-cap, and with his chin muffled in a woollen scarf. He had dared to come because he feared his danger from the a

and elbows and made a movement forward as if he would leap

an officer of any sort wouldn't

followed did his eyes leave the person of the murderer. The newspaper men took their places in the foremost row

ary mental derangement. Some one pulled a box out into the ring and the master of ceremonies mounted it, and pointed out in forcible language that as they were almost all already under bonds

he ring, and the crowd, recognizing in this relic of the days when brave knights threw down the

ttering than the cheers had been, when the principals followed their hats, and slipping

the lanterns like tinted ivory, and underneath this silken covering the great biceps and

tive of police, put their hands, in the excitement of the moment, on the shoulders of their masters; the perspiration stood

ntle curiosity at their two fellow-brutes, who stood waiting the signal to fal

" commanded the ma

ll that, save for the beating of the rain upon the shingled roof and the st

ed the master

rm shot out like a piston-rod; there was the sound of bare fists beating on naked flesh; there was a

hose who listen to such stories; and those who do not will be glad to be spared the telling of it

vorite; the man whom he had taunted and bullied, and for whom the public had but little sympathy, was proving himself a l

on them, and in mad rejoicings. They swept from one end of the ring to the other, with every muscle leaping in unison with those of the man they favored, and when a New York

e big doors of the barn. If they did, it was already too late to mend matters, for the door fell, torn from its hinges, and as it fe

ush into the arms of the officers and were beaten back against the ropes of the ring; others dived headlong into the stalls, among the horses

instant by his hands, and then dropped into the centre of the fighting mob on the floor. He was out of it in an instant with the agi

's no great harm in looking at a fight, is there? There's a hundred-dollar bill

ive only held

s fuss you make, the better for both of us. If you don't know who I am, you can feel my badge under my coat t

s throat and pulled a pair

bling, but dreadfully alive and desperate for his liberty. "Let me go, I

oner. "Now, will you go easy as a burglar, or shall I tell these men who you are and what I DO w

oat slipped down around his shoulders, or he would have fallen. The man's eyes opened and closed again, and he swayed weakly backward and forward, and choked as if his throat were dry and burning. Eve

the money. I'll divide with you fairly. We can both get away. There's a fortune for both

his credit, only shu

urn. "That's more than I expected. Yo

form barred their e

led easily and s

rlie' Lane, alias Carleton. I've shown the papers to the captain. It's all regular. I'm just going to get

or the representative of what is, perhaps, the be

t his side. "I'm going to his room to get the bonds and stuff," he whispered; "then I'l

her. "And, sa-ay," he added, with the appreciative no

had been writing while waiting for the fight to begin. Now he wal

nted the principal papers of the country, and were expostulating vigorously with

olite or politic. "You know our being here isn't a matter of choice.

stuff on the wire at

e too late for tom

that to the station- house the newspaper men would go. There they would have a hearing, and if the magistrat

too late, don't you u

got to let us g

ican Club to the patrol-wagon, the man that put this coat on me, and do you think I can let you fellows go after that? You were all put u

ain Scott that that overwrought individual seized the sporting edit

in resistance. But before he had time to do anything foolish his wrist was gripped by one str

nd him and holding him by the wrist. Mr. Dwyer had forgotten the boy's existence, and

er, Gallegher drew it out, and with a quick movement shoved it inside his waistcoat. Mr. Dwyer gave a nod of comprehension. Then glancing at his two guardsmen, and finding that they were still interested in the wordy battle of the correspondents wi

oldly on a run toward the door. But the officers who guarded it brought him to an abrupt halt

shrieked, hysterically. "They've 'rested father. Oh,

onny?" asked one of th

gher. "They're a-goin' to lock him

hat first patrol-wagon. You can run over and say good-night to him, and

ully, as the two officers raised their clu

ges into one another; lights were flashing from every window of what had been apparently an

d with unwilling passengers, who sat or stood, packed togeth

d watched the scene until his eyesight bec

as still there, and the horse, as he had left it, with its head turned toward the city. Gallegher opened the big gate noiselessly, and worked nervously at the hitching strap. The knot was covered with a thin coating of ice, and it was several minutes before he could loo

d, peering so directly toward Gallegher that the boy felt that he must see him. Gallegher stood with one foot on the hub of the wheel and with the other on the box wai

flight. He leaped up on the box, pulling out the whip as he did so, and with a quick sweep lashed the horse across the h

cried th

ged in so much the same manner that Gallegher knew what would probably follow if the challen

rom behind him, proved that his early training had give

id, reassuringly, to the hor

ncing over his shoulder Gallegher saw its red and green lanterns tossing from side to sid

ns," said Gallegher to his animal; "but if they want a

sky. It seemed very far away, and Gallegher's braggadocio grew cold within him

ill bitte

othes, and struck his skin with a shar

some safe distance in the rear, failed to cheer him, and the excitement that ha

g, and now leaped eagerly forward, only too wil

s we've got to beat the town." Gallegher had no idea what time it was as he rode through the night, but he knew he would be ab

recklessly, for he knew the best part of hi

above the thin covering of snow, truck farms and brick-yards fell behind him on either side. It

cars as they stood resting for the night. The fantastic Queen Anne suburban stations were dark and deserted, but in on

ped himself on the first trip, but he feared to spare the time, and dro

t in the lowest of their many stories, began to take the place of the gloomy farmhouses and gaunt trees that had startled him with their grotesque shapes. He had been driving nearly an hour, he calculated, and in that time the rain had changed to a wet snow, that fell heavily and clung

ghts bent only on the clockface he wished so much to see, when a hoarse voice c

rom under a policeman's helmet, his only answer was to hit his hor

orner one block ahead of him. "Whoa," said Gallegher, pulling on the reins. "There's one too many of them," he added, in a

n I told you to?" demanded the v

d you whistle, and I heard your partner whistle, and I though

. Why aren't your lights

Gallegher, bending over and reg

right to be driving that cab. I don't believe you'

drink, and he took too much, and me father told me to drive it round to the stable for him. I'm Cronin's son. McGovern ain't in no condition to

eyed the boy with a steady stare that would have distressed a less skilful liar, but Gallegher only shrugged his

t if he was kept on a strain much longer he would give way and break down.

t, Reeder?

o I called to him to stop and he didn't do it, so I whistled to you. It's all ri

gher. "Good-night," he

rotted away from the two policemen, and poured bitter male

mary flippancy. But the effort was somewhat pitiful, and he felt guiltily conscious that a salt, warm te

ittle boy like me," he said, in shame-faced apology. "I'm not doing nothi

pains shot up through his body, and when he beat his arms about his shoulders, as he had seen r

It was as if some one was pressing a sponge heavy with chloroform near h

e had been on the lookout. He had passed it before he realized this; but the fact stirred him into wakefulness again, and when his cab's wheels slipped

nutes left to him. This, and the many electric lights and the sight of the familiar pile of building

lt. He considered nothing else but speed, and looking neither to the left nor right dashed off down Broa

he found two men in cabmen's livery hanging at its head, and patting its sides, and calling it by name. And the other cabmen who have thei

en it, and why he had been such a fool as to drive it into the arms of its owner's friends; they said that it was about time that a cab-driver could g

d into consciousness out of a bad dream, and sto

t, and its glare shone coldly down upon the tra

and lashed savagely at

all right. They'll pay you for the trip. I'm not running away with it. The driver's got the collar-he's 'rested-and I'm only a-going to the Press office. Do you hear me?" he cried, his voice rising and breaking in a shriek of pass

h a quick jerk pulled him off the box, and threw him on to the street.

h. Take me to the Press office, and they'll prove it to you. They'll pay you anything you ask 'em. It's only such a little ways now, and

. .

ube at his side, and answered, "Not yet" to an inquiry the night edi

he noticed that the reporters had not gone home, but were sitting about on the tables and chairs, waiting. They loo

n the composing-room, and their fore

that gentlema

aging editor, "I don't t

f we hold the paper back any longer. We can't afford to wait for a purely hypothetical story. T

I don't think that is possible. If there were any sto

r looked steadily

ng to the foreman with a sigh of reluctance. The foreman whirled himself about, and

orial rooms below. There was the tramp of many footsteps on the stairs, and above the confusion they

itors who had started to go home began slipping off their ov

them a pitiful little figure of a boy, wet and miserable, and with the snow melting on his clothes and running in

and took an unsteady step forward, his fingers f

get here no sooner, 'cause they kept a-stopping me, and they took me cab from under me-but-" he pulled the note-book fro

e in his voice, partly of dread and

he foreman, who ripped out its leaves and dealt them

Gallegher up in his arms, and, sitting dow

e managerial dignity; but his protest was a very feeble one, a

he faces of the reporters kneeling before him and chafing his hands and feet grew dim and unfamiliar, an

tances of it came back to him agai

the managing editor's face. "You won't turn me

d he was thinking, for some reason or other, of a little boy of his o

d comprehensively at the faces of the young men crowded around him. "You hadn't

UMPIN

K T

ssentially American qualities of common-sense, energy, good-humor, and Philist

F CALAVERAS [Footnote: Prono

Jumping Frog and Ot

ht, 1903, by H

d I hereunto append the result. I have a lurking suspicion that LEONIDAS W. Smiley is a myth; that my friend never knew such a personage; and that he only conjectured that if I asked old Wheeler about him, it would r

icity upon his tranquil countenance. He roused up, and gave me good-day. I told him a friend of mine had commissioned me to make some inquiries about a cherished companion of his boyhood named LEONIDAS W. Smiley-REV. LEONIDAS W.

g key to which he tuned his initial sentence, he never betrayed the slightest suspicion of enthusiasm; but all through the interminable narrative there ran a vein of impressive earnestness and sincerity, which showed me plainly that, so far from his

't be no solit'ry thing mentioned but that feller'd offer to bet on it, and take any side you please, as I was just telling you. If there was a horse-race, you'd find him flush or you'd find him busted at the end of it; if there was a dogfight, he'd bet on it; if there was a cat-fight, he'd bet on it; if there was a chicken-fight, he'd bet on it; why, if there was two birds setting on a fence, he would bet you which one would fly first; or if there was a camp-meeting, he would be there reg'lar to bet on Parson Walker, which he judged to be the best exhorter about here, and so he was, too, and a good man. If he even see a straddle-bug start to go anywheres, he would bet you how long it would take him to get to-to wherever he was g

nsumption, or something of that kind. They used to give her two or three hundred yards start, and then pass her under way; but always at the fag end of the race she'd get excited and desperate like, and come cavorting and straddling up, and scattering her legs around limbe

p; and then all of a sudden he would grab that other dog jest by the j'int of his hind leg and freeze to it-not chaw, you understand, but only just grip and hang on till they throwed up the sponge, if it was a year. Smiley always come out winner on that pup, till he harnessed a dog once that didn't have no hind legs, because they'd been sawed off in a circular saw, and when the thing had gone along far enough, and the money was all up, and he come to make a snatch for his pet holt, he see in a minute how he'd been imposed on, and how the other dog had him in the door, so to speak, and he 'peared surprised, and then he looked sorter discouraged-like and didn't try no more to win the fight, and

and all right, like a cat. He got him up so in the matter of ketching flies, and kep' him in practice so constant, that he'd nail a fly every time as fur as he could see him. Smiley said all a frog wanted was education, and he could do 'most anything-and I believe him. Why, I've seen him set Dan'l Webster down here on this floor-Dan'l Webster was the name of the frog-and sing out, 'Flies, Dan'l, flies!' and quicker'n you could wink he'd spring straight up and snake a fly off'n the counter there, and flop down on the floor ag'in as solid as a gob of mud, and fall to scratching the side of his head with his hind foot as i

fetch him down-town sometimes and lay for a bet. One day a feller-a

be that you've

It might be a parrot, or it might be a canar

ful, and turned it round this way and that, an

's good enough for ONE thing, I should judge

nd give it back to Smiley, and says, very deliberate, 'Well,' he says, 'I

m; maybe you've had experience, and maybe you ain't only a amature, as it were. Anyways, I've

der sad like, 'Well, I'm only a stranger here, and I

y box a minute, I'll go and get you a frog.' And so the feller took the bo

spoon and filled him full of quail shot-filled him pretty near up to his chin-and set him on the floor. Smiley he went to the swamp a

frogs from behind, and the new frog hopped off lively, but Dan'l give a heave, and hysted up his shoulders-so-like a Frenchman, but it warn't no use-he couldn't budge; he was planted as soli

rter jerked his thumb over his shoulder-so -at Dan'l, and says again, very deliberate, 'W

atter with him-he 'pears to look mighty baggy, somehow,' And he ketched Dan'l by the nap of the neck, and hefted him, and says, 'Why, blame my cats if he don't weigh five pound!' and turned him

see what was wanted.] And turning to me as he moved away, he said: "Just se

the enterprising vagabond JIM Smiley would be likely to afford me much i

Wheeler returning, and he but

eyed cow that didn't have no tail, only j

nation, I did not wait to hear about

Y OR TH

R. S

es the constructive imagination of the reader to search the

Y OR TH

Lady or the Tiger?"

harles Scribner's Son

and Frances

cy, and, withal, of an authority so irresistible that, at his will, he turned his varied fancies into facts. He was greatly given to self-communing, and when he and himself agreed upon anything, the thing was done. When every member of his domestic and political systems moved smo

d was that of the public arena, in which, by exhibitions of manly an

the inevitable conclusion of a conflict between religious opinions and hungry jaws, but for purposes far better adapted to widen and develop the mental energies of the people. This vast amphitheatre, with it

ing's arena-a structure which well deserved its name; for, although its form and plan were borrowed from afar, its purpose emanated solely from the brain of this man, who, every barleycorn a

ilege of the person on trial to walk directly to these doors and open one of them. He could open either door he pleased. He was subject to no guidance or influence but that of the aforementioned impartial and incorruptible chance. If he opened the one, there came out of it a hungry tiger, the fiercest and most cruel that could be procured, which immediately sprang upon him, and tore him to pieces, a

ngaged upon an object of his own selection. The king allowed no such subordinate arrangements to interfere with his great scheme of retribution and reward. The exercises, as in the other instance, took place immediately, and in the arena. Another door opened beneath the king, and a priest, followed by a band of choristers, and dancing maidens blowing

test idea whether, in the next instant, he was to be devoured or married. On some occasions the tiger came out of one door, and on some out of the other. The decisions of this tribunal were not only fair-they were positi

or a hilarious wedding. This element of uncertainty lent an interest to the occasion which it could not otherwise have attained. Thus the masses were entertained and pl

lover, for he was handsome and brave to a degree unsurpassed in all this kingdom, and she loved him with an ardor that had enough of barbarism in it to make it exceedingly warm and strong. This love affair moved on happily for many months, until, one day, the king happened to discover its existence. He did not hesitate nor waver in regard to his duty in the premises. The youth was immediately cast into prison, and a day was ap

did not determine for him a different destiny. Of course, everybody knew that the deed with which the accused was charged had been done. He had loved the princess, and neither he, she, nor any one else thought of denying the fact. But the king would not think of allowing any fact of this kind to interfere with the workings

rena, while crowds, unable to gain admittance, massed themselves against its outside walls. The king and hi

arena. Tall, beautiful, fair, his appearance was greeted with a low hum of admiration and anxiety. Half the audience had n

interested. From the moment that the decree had gone forth that her lover should decide his fate in the king's arena, she had thought of nothing, night or day, but this great event and the various subjects connected with it. Possessed of more power, influence, and force of character than any one who had ever before been interested in such a case, she had done what no other person had done-she had possessed herself of the secret of t

him; and the princess hated her. Often had she seen, or imagined that she had seen, this fair creature throwing glances of admiration upon the person of her lover, and sometimes she thought these glances were perceived and even returned. Now and then she had seen them talking together. It was but for a moment or two, but much can be said in a brief sp

she knew behind which door crouched the tiger, and behind which stood the lady. He had expected her to know it. He understood her nature, and his soul was assured that she would never rest until she had made plain to herself this thing, hidden t

s as plain to her as if he shouted it from where he stood. There was not an inst

hand, and made a slight, quick movement toward the right. No one but h

rt stopped beating, every breath was held, every eye was fixed immovably upon that ma

this: Did the tiger come out

n, out of which it is difficult to find our way. Think of it, fair reader, not as if the decision of the question depended upon yourself, but upon that h

orror and covered her face with her hands as she thought of her lover openi

man, with her flushing cheek and sparkling eye of triumph; when she had seen him lead her forth, his whole frame kindled with the joy of recovered life; when she had heard the glad shouts from the multitude, and the wild ringing of the happy bells; when she had seen the priest, with

t once, and go to wait for her in the b

ul tiger, those s

s of anguished deliberation. She had known she would be asked, she had decided what she

for me to presume to set up myself as the one person able to answer it. So I l

ASTS OF

S BRET

men as inevitably drawn to the mining camp as the ill- fated ship in "The Arabian Nights" was attracted to the lode-stone mountain, and with as much certainty of shipwreck. These the blizzard of the west gathers into its embrace, and compels them to reveal their better selve

ASTS OF

t, 1906, by Houghton Mifflin Company. Reprinted by special arrangement with

ious of a change in its moral atmosphere since the preceding night. Two or three men, conversing earnestly together, ceased as he approached

another question. "I reckon they're after somebody," he reflected; "likely it's me." He returned to his pocket the handkerchief with w

hat had provoked it. A secret committee had determined to rid the town of all improper persons. This was done permanently in regard of two men who were then hanging from the boughs of a sycamore in the gulch, and temporarily in the banishment of certain other ob

g themselves from his pockets of the sums he had won from them. "It's agin justice," said Jim Wheeler, "to let this yer young man from Roaring Camp-an entire stranger-carry a

ware of the hesitation of his judges. He was too much of a gambler not to accept Fate. With him

party consisted of a young woman familiarly known as "The Duchess"; another, who had gained the infelicitous title of "Mother Shipton"; and "Uncle Billy," a suspected sluice-robber and confirmed drunkard. The cavalcade provoked no comments from

heart out, to the repeated statements of "The Duchess" that she would die in the road, and to the alarming oaths that seemed to be bumped out of Uncle Billy as he rode forward. With the easy good-humor characteristic of his class, he insisted upon exchanging his own riding-horse, "Five Spot," for the sorry mule

p mountain range. It was distant a day's severe journey. In that advanced season, the party soon passed out of the moist, temperate regions of the foot-hills into the dry, cold, bracing

he journey to Sandy Bar was accomplished, and the party were not equipped or provisioned for delay. This fact he pointed out to his companions curtly, with a philosophic commentary on the folly of "throwing up their hand before the game was played out." But they were furnished with liquor, which in this emergency stood them in place of

d him. He bestirred himself in dusting his black clothes, washing his hands and face, and other acts characteristic of his studiously neat habits, and for a moment forgot his annoyance. The thought of deserting his weaker and more pitiable companions never perhaps occurred to him. Yet he could not help feeling the want of that excitem

," and had, with perfect equanimity, won the entire fortune-amounting to some forty dollars-of that guileless youth. After the game was finished, Mr. Oakhurst drew the youthful speculator behind the door and thus add

emember Piney? She that used to wait on the table at the Temperance House? They had been engaged a long time, but old Jake Woods had objected, and so they had run away, and were going to Poker Flat to be married, and here they were. And they were tired out,

gh to recognize in Mr. Oakhurst's kick a superior power that would not bear trifling. He then endeavored to dissuade Tom Simson from delaying further, but in vain. He even pointed out the fact that there was no provision, nor means of making a camp. But, unluckily, "The Innocent" m

fire-for the air had grown strangely chill and the sky overcast-in apparently amicable conversation. Piney was actually talking in an impulsive, girlish fashion to the Duchess, who was listening with an interest and animation she had not shown for many days. The Innocent was holding forth, apparently with equal effect, to Mr. Oakhurst and Mother Shipton, who was actually relax

apart for the ladies. As the lovers parted, they unaffectedly exchanged a kiss, so honest and sincere that it might have been heard above the swaying pines. The frail Duchess and the malevolent Mother Shipton

old. As he stirred the dying fire, the wind, which was now blowing stron

Uncle Billy had been lying, he found him gone. A suspicion leaped to his brain and a curse to his lips. He ran to the spo

slept beside her frailer sisters as sweetly as though attended by celestial guardians, and Mr. Oakhurst, drawing his blanket over his shoulders, stroked his mustachios and waited for the dawn. It came slowly in a whi

if you're willing to board us. If you ain't-and perhaps you'd better not-you can wait till Uncle Billy gets back with provisions." For some occult reason, Mr. Oakhurst could not bring himself to disclose Uncle Billy's rascality, and so offered the hypothesis that he had wandered from the camp and

ected Piney in the rearrangement of the interior with a taste and tact that opened the blue eyes of that provincial maiden to their fullest extent. "I reckon now you're used to fine things at Poker Flat," said Piney. The Duchess turned away sharply to conceal something that reddened her cheek through its professional tint, and Mother Shipton requested Piney not to "chatter." But when Mr. Oakhurst returned from a weary searc

usly by Tom Simson, from his pack. Notwithstanding some difficulties attending the manipulation of this instrument, Piney Woods managed to pluck several reluctant melodies from its keys, to an accompaniment by the Innocent on a pair of bone castanets. But the crowning festivity of the evening was

service of the Lord, And I'

ove the miserable group, and the flames of their

excused himself to the Innocent, by saying that he had "often been a week without sleep." "Doing what?" asked Tom. "Poker!" replied Oakhurst, sententiously; "when a man gets a streak of luck,-nigger-luck,-he don't get tired. The luck gives in first. Luck," continued the gambler, reflectively, "is a mighty queer thing. All you k

service of the Lord, And I'

t; a hopeless, uncharted, trackless sea of white lying below the rocky shores to which the castaways still clung. Through the marvellously clear air, the smoke of the pastoral village of Poker Flat rose miles away. Mother Shipton saw it, and from a remote pinnacle of her rocky fastness, hurled in that direction a final malediction. It was her last vituperative attempt, and perhaps for that reason

al experiences, this plan would have failed, too, but for the Innocent. Some months before he had chanced upon a stray copy of Mr. Pope's ingenious translation of the Iliad. He now proposed to narrate the principal incidents of that poem-having thoroughly mastered the argument and fairly forgotten the words-in the current vernacular of Sandy Bar. And so for the rest

de them, now half hidden in the drifts. And yet no one complained. The lovers turned from the dreary prospect and looked into each other's eyes, and were happy. Mr. Oakhurst settled himself coolly to the losing game before him. The Duchess, more cheerful than she had been, assumed the care of Piney. Only Mother Shipton-once the strongest of the party-seemed to sicken and fade. At midnight on the tenth day she called Oakhurst to her side. "I'm going," she said, in a

aside, and showed him a pair of snowshoes, which he had fashioned from the old pack- saddle. "There's one chance in a hundred to save her yet," he said, pointing to Piney;

khurst apparently waiting to accompany him. "As far as the canon," he replied. He turned suddenly, a

the Duchess, feeding the fire, found that some one had quietly piled beside the hut enoug

cepting the position of the stronger, drew near and placed her arm around the Duchess's waist. They kept this attitude for the

oke the silence of many hours: "Piney, can you pray?" "No, dear," said Piney, simply. The Duchess, without knowing exactly why, felt relieved, and, putting her he

winged birds, and settled about them as they slept. The moon through the rifted clouds looked down upon what had been the

g fingers brushed the snow from their wan faces, you could scarcely have told from the equal peace that dwelt upon them, which wa

they found the deuce of clubs pinned to the bark with a bowie

STRUCK A STREAK OF BAD LUCK ON THE 2ND OF NOVEMBER, 18

is heart, though still calm as in life, beneath the snow lay he who was

OLT OF

WILKIN

on and long-concealed ideals, has the saving quality of common-sense, which makes its powerful appeal to the daily realities of life. Thus when "Father," dazed by the unexpected revelation of the character and ideals of the woman he has misunderstood for forty

OLT OF

es," by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman. Copyright, 1891,

the

t is

diggin' over ther

, as if some heavy weight had settled therein; he shut his mouth tight, and went

the

ed the saddle upo

what them men are diggin' over in t

own affairs," the old man said then. He ran his words tog

e. "I ain't goin' into the house till you tell me what

was mild and benevolent between the smooth curves of gray hair; there were meek downward lines about her nose and mouth; but

and unseen blossoms, came in their faces. The deep yard in front was littered with farm wagons and piles of woo

ooked as immovable to him as one of the rocks in his pastureland, bound to the earth with gener

R!" sa

pulled up. "

m men are diggin' over t

ellar, I s'pose, if

lar fo

bar

d a barn over there where we was

horse into the farm wagon, and clattered out of th

he house, standing at right angles with the great barn and a long reach of sheds and out-buildings, was infinitesimal

e house windows. She was watching three men who were digging over in the field wh

g for, mother?" said

' for-a cellar

in't going to bui

what h

y and painstakingly, arranging his brown hair in a smooth hillock over

er was going to build a n

ombed ass

am

her's under his smooth crest of hair. "Ye

you known it?"

ee months,

't you te

nk 'twould

the digging men in the field. Her tender, sweet face was full of a gentle distress. Her forehead was as bald and innocent as a baby's, with t

at the boy. "Is he goin' t

reply; he was

o tell me if he's go

pose

w m

, I g

nail behind the door, took an old arithmetic from the shelf, and started for school. He was lightly built, but clums

p there. Her mother came promptly out of the pantry, and shoved her aside

tes slowly and dreamily. "Mother," said she, "don't you think it's too bad fat

ks yet to. One of these days you'll find it out, an' then you'll know that we know only what men-folks think we do, so far as any use of

that, anyhow," said Nanny. Her delicate face flushed pi

ough. He can't help it, 'cause he don't look at things jest the way we do. An' we've been pretty comfortable h

h we had

in a nice clean kitchen. I guess a good many girls don't ha

plained eith

ve got. S'pose your father made you go out an' work for your livin'? Lot

roduces. She swept, and there seemed to be no dirt to go before the broom; she cleaned, and one could see no difference. She was like an artist so perfect that he has apparently no art. To-day she got out a mixing bowl and a board, and rolled some pies, and there was no more fl

t not havin' things, it's been a real blessin' to be able to put a stove up in that sh

am Penn, liked them better than any other kind. She baked twice a week. Adoniram often liked a piece of pie between meals. She hurried this morning. It had been later than usual when sh

stry. So she made the pies faithfully, while across the table she could see, when she glanced up from her work, the sight that rankled in her patient

he dinner was eaten with serious haste. There was never much conversation at the table in the Pen

anted a game of marbles before school, and feared his father would give him some chor

for, mother," said he. "I wanted

away the dinner dishes, while Nanny took down her curl-papers and changed her

s. Penn went to the doo

what

you jest a mi

' go for a load of gravel afore two o'clock. Sammy had ought t

see you jes

I can't, no

een; she held her head as if it bore a crown; there was that pa

ointed to a chair. "Sit down, father," said s

e stolid, but he looked at her with re

you're buildin' that

nothin' to

u think you nee

to say about it, mother; an'

in' to buy

reply; he shut

' you see the paper is all dirty, an' droppin' off the walls. We ain't had no new paper on it for ten year, an' then I put it on myself, an' it didn't cost but ninepence a roll. You see this room, father; it's all the one I've had to work in an' eat in an' sit in sence we was married. There ain't another woman in the whole town whose husband ain't got half the means you have but what's got better. It's all the room Nanny's got to have her comp

large enough for a bed and bureau, with a path between. "There, father," said she-"there's all the room I've had to sleep i

got-every place I've got for my dishes, to set away my victuals in, an' to keep my milk-pans in. Father, I've been takin' care of

go up to them two unfinished chambers that are all the places our son an' daughter have had to sleep in all their lives. There ain't a prettier girl in

that lot over in the field before the year was out. You said you had money enough, an' you wouldn't ask me to live in no such place as this. It is forty year now, an' you've been makin' more money, an' I've been savin' of it for you ever sence, an' you ain't built no

got nothi

e's married. She'll have to go somewheres else to live away from us, an' it don't seem as if I could have it so, noways, father. She wa'n't ever strong. She's got considerable color, but there wa'n't never any backbone to her. I've always took the heft of ever

ke a Webster; she had ranged from severity to pathos; but her opponent employed that obs

got nothin' to sa

hat load of gravel. I can't

over, an' have a house bui

got nothi

h. She spread it out on the kitchen table, and began cutting out some shirts for her husband. The men over in the field had a team to

there was a soft roll of fair hair like an aureole over her forehead; her face was as delicately fine and clear

at

have any- wedding in this room. I'd be ashamed to h

en; I can put it on. I guess you won't have

rn," said Nanny, with gentle pettishness

ous expression. She turned again to her work, and spread

tanding as proudly upright as a Roman charioteer. Mrs. Penn opened the door

fine edifice for this little village. Men came on pleasant Sundays, in their meeting suits and clean shirt bosoms, and stood around it admiringly. Mrs. P

er feels about the new barn," he sa

odd fashion for a boy; he ha

sday; on Tuesday he received a letter which changed his plans. He came in with it early in the morning. "Sammy's been

enn, "what does he

ry right off there's a chance to buy jest the kind of a horse I

ing the rolling-pin into the crust, although

guess Rufus an' the others can git along without me three or four days. I can't get a horse round here to suit me, nohow, an' I've got to have an

an shirt an' collar,"

ed in the little bedroom. She got his shaving-water and razor read

nd hat brushed, and a lunch of pie and cheese in a paper bag, he hesitated on the threshold of the door. He looked at his wife, and his manner was defian

replied

the door-step, he turned and looked back with a kind of nervous so

, father," ret

on in them; her peaceful forehead was contracted. She went in, and about her baking again. Nanny sat sewing. Her wedd

ain in your side thi

lit

e formed a maxim for herself, although incoherently with her unlettered thoughts. "Unsolicited opportunities are the gui

had wrote, an' asked him if he knew of any horse? But I didn't, an' father's goin' wa'n't

n' about, mothe

thi

load of hay from the west field came slowly down the cart track, and d

my upreared from the top of the

"Don't you put the hay in tha

ymakers, wonderingly. He was a young man, a neighbor's s

arn; there's room enough in the old

"Didn't need the new barn, nohow, far as room's concerned. Well,

e kitchen windows were darkened, and a fr

father wanted them to put the hay int

ght," replie

load of hay, and came in

some bread an' milk an' pie. I thought we could get along." She set out some bowls of milk, some bread, and a pie on the kitchen

ent into the pantry, and they heard her moving dishes while they ate. Presently she came out with a pile of plates. She got the clothes-b

d voice. A sense of something unusual made her tremble, a

hrough, Nanny, I want you to go upstairs an' pack up your things;

what for?"

'll

of Abraham. It took no more genius and audacity of bravery for Wolfe to cheer his wondering soldiers up those steep precipices, under the sleeping eye

re is a certain uncanny and superhuman quality about all such purely original undertakings as their mo

house in which the Penns had lived for forty

lities. Those great box-stalls, with quilts hung before them, would make better bedrooms than the one she had occupied for forty years, and there was a tight carriage-room. The harness-room, with its chimney and shelves, would make a kitchen of her dreams. The great middle space

blots of foam from the brimming pails on the grass. Before the next morning he had spread the story of Adoniram Penn's wife moving into the new barn all over the little village. Men assembled in the store and talked it over, women with shawls over their heads scuttled into each other's houses before their work

r dinner. She looked up and returned his salutation with dignity, then she went on with her work. She did

he peas as if they were bullets. At last she looked up, and her ey

an' I believe I'm doin' what's right. I've made it the subject of prayer, an' it's betwi

minister, helplessly. His thin gray-bearded face was pathetic. He was a sickly man; his youthful confidence had cooled; he had t

en Plymouth Rock from her bearing. "I don't doubt you mean well, Mr. Hersey," said she, "but there are things people hadn't ought to interfere with. I've been a member of the church for over forty year. I've got my ow

minister. He added some more perplexed

parallel ones worsted him. But, after all, although it was aside from his province, he wondered more how Adoniram Penn would deal with his wife than how the Lord would. Everybody shared the wonder. When Adoniram's four n

. There were brown-bread and baked beans and a custard pie; it was the supper that Adoniram loved on a Saturday night. She had on a clean calico, and she bore herself imperturbably. Nanny and Sammy kept close at

he went to the house door. It was fastened. Then he went around to the shed. That door was seldom locked, even when the family was away. The thought how her father would be confronted by the cow flashed upon Nanny. There was a hysterical sob i

nny and Sammy slunk close to their mother. The barn doors rolled back, and there stood Ad

but Sammy stepped suddenly for

airth you all down here for?" said he

ther," said Sammy. His shril

nd looked in the open door of the harness- room. Then he turned to his wife. His old br

t we've come here to live, an' we're goin' to live here. We've got jest as good a right here as new horses an' cows. The house wa'n't fit for us to live in any longer, an' I made up my mind I wa'n't go

r!" the old

an' get washed-there's the wash-

, mo

to lack the power. His wife helped him. She poured some water into the tin basin, and put in a piece of soap. She got the comb and brush, and smoothed his thin gray hair af

o ask a blessin',

n bent his hea

me was too sturdily healthy to be affected by his mind. But after supper he went out, and sat down on the step of the smaller door at the right of the ba

was a clear green glow in the sky. Before them stretched the smooth level of field; in the distance was a cluster of hay-stac

er husband on one of his thin

houlders heaved

o so, father,

titions, an'-everyth

o her face; she was over

t down the instant the right besieging tools were used. "Why, mother," he

SE

OF OLD

NELSO

e characters, both black and white, reveal the Southerner at his best; and the setting not only furnishes an appropri

SE

Ole Virginia," by

, by Charles Sc

ficant of the character of the race whose only avenue of communication with the outside world it had formerly been. Their once splendid mansions, now fast falling to decay, appeared to view from time to time, set back far from the road, in proud seclusion, among groves o

by hearing some one ahead of me ca

the path which led zigzag across the "old field" and was lost to sight in the dense growth of sassafras. When I rode up, he was looking anxiously back down this path for his dog. So en

an air of desolation that greatly excited my interest. Entirely oblivious of my proximity, the negro went on calling "Whoo-oop, heah!" until along the path, walking very slowly

as bline, I s'pose! Kyarnt heah me calli

without even deigning a look at the speaker, who immedi

Jes' ez able to git over it as I is! Jes' like white folks-think 'cuz you's whit

sedately through, and, with a hardly perceptible lateral movement of his tail, wa

er to witness what was merely a family affair, he added: "He know I don' mean nothin' by what I sez. He's

at over there, and the one a mile or two back-the pl

in's. Dey don' nobody live dyar now, 'cep' niggers. Arfter de war some one or nurr bought our place, but his name done kind o' slipped me. I nuver hearn on 'im befo';

is Marse Ch

rse Chan, he went in d

warn' gwine

all about it?" I

idle. I demurred a little; but with a bow that would have honored old Sir

about Marse C

boys togerr. I wuz older'n he wuz, jes' de same ez he wuz whiter'n me. I wuz born plantin' corn time, de spring arfter big Jim an' de six steers got washed away at de upper ford right down dyar blow

roun' de poach an' ax how de missis an' de young marster wuz, an' ole marster come out on de poach an' smile wus'n a 'possum, an' sez, 'Thankee! Bofe doin' fust rate, boys'; an' den he stepped back in de house, sort o' laughin' to hisse'f, an' in a minute he come out ag'in wid de baby in he arms, all wrapped up in flannens an' things, an' sez, 'Heah he is, boys.' All de folks den, dey went up on de poach to look at 'im, drappin' dey hats on de steps, an' scrapin' dey feets ez dey went up. An' pres'n'y old marster, lookin' down at we all chil'en all packed togerr down dyah like a parecel o' sheep-burrs, cotch sight o' ME (he knowed my name, 'cause I use' to hole he hoss fur 'im sometimes; but he didn't know all de chile'n by name, dey wuz so many on 'em), an' he sez, 'Come up heah!' So

use' to go 'long wid 'im an' tote he books an' we all's snacks; an' when he larnt to read an' spell right good, an' got 'bout so-o big, old Miss Lawry she died, an' old marster said he mus' have a man to teach 'i

se for 'im; an' he wuz so busy wid politics, he didn' have much time to spyar, so he sont Miss Anne to Mr. Hall's by a 'ooman wid a note. When she come dat day in de school-house, an' all de chil'en looked at her so hard, she tu'n right red, an' tried to pull her long curls over her eyes, an' den put bofe de backs of her

two chil'en to marry an' mek it one plantation, ez it did fur de creek to run down de bottom from our place into Cun'l Chahmb'lin's. I don' rightly think de chil'en thought 'bout gittin' MARRIED, not den, no mo'n I thought 'bout marryin' Judy when she wuz a little gal at Cun'l Chahmb'lin's, runnin' 'bout de house, huntin' fur Miss Lucy's spectacles; but dey wuz good frien's from de start. Marse Chan he use' to kyar Mis

ty proud o' 'im. I don' think he use' to beat 'im ez much ez he did de urrs, aldo'

s day when dey come to de creek, it had done washed all de logs 'way. 'Twuz still mighty high, so Marse Chan he put Miss Anne down, an' he took a pole an' waded right in. Hit took 'im long up to de shoulders. Den he waded back, an' took Miss A

ne ride behine 'im; an' when he come home dat evenin' he wuz walkin'. 'Hi! where's yo' pony?' said ole marster. 'I give 'im to Anne,' says Marse Chan. 'She liked 'im, an'-I

ker'ige-driver, bring 'roun' Marse Chan's pony wid a little side-saddle on 'im, an' a beautiful little hoss wid a bran'-new saddle an' bridle on 'im; an' he gits up an' meks Marse Chan a gre't speech, an' presents 'im de little hoss; an

to de feedin' an' cleanin' de hosses, an' doin' what de marster tell 'em to do; an' when dey wuz sick, dey had things sont 'em o

o school too. An' in de summer time dey'd bofe come home, an' yo' hardly knowed whether Marse Chan lived at home or over at Cun'l Chahmb'lin's. He wuz over dyah constant. 'Twuz always ridin' or fishin' down dyah in de river; or sometimes he' go over dyah, an' 'im an' she'd go out an' set in de yard onder de trees; she

d to buy his M'ria an' all her chil'en, 'cause she hed married our Zeek'yel. An' don' yo' think, Cun'l Chahmb'lin axed ole marster mo' 'n th'ee niggers wuz wuth fur M'ria! Befo' old marster bought her, dough, de sheriff cum an' levelled on M'ria an' a whole parecel o' urr niggers. Ole marster he went to de sale, an' bid for 'em-r but Cun'l Chahmb'lin he got some one to bid 'g'inst ole marster. Dey wuz knocked out to ole marster dough, an' den dey hed a big lawsuit, an' ole marster wuz agwine to co't, off an' on, fur some years, till at lars' de co't decided dat M'r

t ez de sorrel's mane when de sun cotch on it, an' her eyes wuz gre't big dark eyes, like her pa's, on'y bigger an' not so fierce, an' 'twarn' none o' de young ladies ez purty ez she wuz. She an' Marse Chan still set a heap o' sto' by one 'nurr, but I don' think dey wuz easy wi

shot 'way up in de air; an' Ham didn' come back, an' de fire begun to lick out under de eaves over whar de ker'ige-hosses' stalls wuz, an' all of a sudden ole marster tu'ned an' kissed ole missis, who wuz standin' nigh him, wid her face jes' ez white ez a sperit's, an', befo' anybody knowed what he wuz gwine do, jumped right in de do', an' de smoke come po'in' out behine 'im. Well, seh, I nuver 'spects to heah tell Judgment sich a soun' ez de folks set up! Ole missis she jes' drapt down on her knees in de mud an' prayed out loud. Hit 'peared like her pra'r wuz heard; for in a minit, right out de same do', kyarin' Ham Fisher in his arms, come ole marster, wid his clo's all blazin'. Dey flung water on 'im, an' put 'im out; an', ef you b'lieve me, yo' wouldn't a-knowed 'twuz ole marster. Yo' see, he had fin

fter dat; an' I use' to wait on 'im jes' like when we wuz boys togedder; an' sometimes we'd slip off an' have a fox-hunt, an' he'd be jes' like he wuz i

no diffunce 'bout dat. He nuver hit me a lick i

han thought ole marster hed done gone 'way from home. We watched him git on he hoss an' ride up de road out o' sight, an' we wuz out in de field a-slidin'

ause I knowed dat wuz gwine mek him stop. Marse Chan he hed'n open he mouf long ez ole marster wuz tunin' 'im; but soon ez he comme

he b'longs to me, an' ef you hit

le, an' dyah dey wuz-old marster stan'in' wid he whup raised up, an' Ma

face, an' he chuck' Marse Chan onder de chin, an' tu'n right 'roun' an' went away, la

ur Marse Chan dat mawnin', an' he was jes' ez cool! Yo' see, it happen so: Marse Chan he wuz a-speakin' down at de Deep Creek Tavern, an' he kind o' got de bes' of ole Cun'l Chahmb'lin. All de white folks laughed an' hoorawed, an' ole Cun'l Chahmb'lin-my Lawd! I fought he'd 'a' bu'st, he was so mad. Well, when it come to his time to speak, he jes' light into Marse Chan. He call 'im a traitor, an' a ab'litionis', an' I don' know what all. Marse Chan, he jes' kep' cool till de ole Cun'l light into he pa. Ez soon ez he name ole marster, I seen Marse Chan sort o' lif' up he head. D' yo' ever see a hoss rar he head up right sudden a

e so. You have wilfully slandered one of de pures' an' nobles'

a'd an' he pitch'd. He said he wa

l,' says M

' mumble to hisse'f now and den. When we got to Mr. Barbour's, he got down an' went in. Dat wuz in de late winter; de folks wuz jes' beginnin' to plough fur corn. He stayed dyar 'bout two hours, an' when he come out Mr. Barbour come out to de gate wid 'im an' shake han's arfter he got up in de saddle. Den we all rode off. 'Twuz late den-good dark; an' we rid ez hard ez we could, tell we come to de ole school-house at ole Cun'l Chahmb'lin's gate. When w

ion ole Cun'l Chahmb'lin's name. When he got up to come out to de office in de yard, whar he slept, he stooped down an' kissed 'im jes' like he wuz a baby layin' dyar in de bed, an' he'd hardly let ole missis go at all. I knowed some'n

I wuz boys toge

, 'Marse Chan

een to it that you are well provided fur. You want to marry

y wife ez long ez we lived. He said he'd like me to stay an' tek keer o' ole marster an' ole missis ez long ez dey lived, an' he said it

er, we stopped whar dey wuz a little clearin' wid elder bushes on one side an' two big gum-trees on

'lin's. When dey hed tied dey hosses, de urr gent'mens went up to whar Mr. Gordon wuz, an' arfter some chattin' Mr. Hennin step' off 'bout fur ez 'cross dis road, or mebbe it mout be a little furder; an' den I seed 'em th'oo de bushes loadin' de pistils, an' talk a little while; an' den Marse Chan an' ole Cun'l Chahmb'lin walked

Gent'mens, is yo' ready?' and b

e ball went th'oo his hat. I seen he hat sort o' settle on he head ez de bullit hit it, an' HE jes' tilted his pistil up

shot. De seconds dey wuz talkin', an' pres'n'y dey put de pistils up, an' Marse Chan an' Mr. Gordon shook han's wid Mr. Hennin an' Dr. Call, an' come an' got

Chahmb'lin wan' to sh

ter or nobody. Ole missis didn' fin' out 'bout it for mo'n a month, an' den, Lawd! how she did cry and kiss Marse Chan; an' ole marster, aldo' he never say much,

b'lin he nuver did f

too. Wimmens is mons

fish: you can n' tek

u gits 'im yo' can

I gi' Marse Chan's dawg sweet 'taters, an' she git mad wid 'im ez if he hed kill 'im 'stid o' sen'i

member da

he pahss, an' she looks right at 'im wid her head up in de yair like she nuver see 'im befo' in her born days; an' when she comes by me, she sez, 'Good-mawnin', Sam!' Gord! I nuver see nuthin' like de look dat come on Marse Chan's face when she pahss 'im like dat. He gi' de sorrel a pull dat fotch 'im back settin' down in de san' on he hanches. He ve

up wid sweat an' mire sut'n'y did hu't me. He walked up to de stable wid he head down all de way, an' I'se seen 'im go eighty miles of a winter day, an' prance into de stable at night ez fr

ver dat thing, seh-he

but he wouldn' tek it. He said Firginia hadn' seceded, an'

he wuz gwine tek me wid 'im. He wan' gwine widout Sam. An'

, an' she met Miss Anne in de road, an' c

e come out, an' den Marse Chan he went to Richmond an' listed, an' come back an' sey he wuz a private, an' he didn' know whe'r he could tek me or not. He writ to Mr. Gordon, hows'ever

rster's sword, whar de State gi' 'im in de Mexikin war; an' he trunks wuz all packed wid ev'rything in 'em, an' my chist was packed too, an' Jim Rasher he druv 'em over to de depo' in de waggin, an' we wuz to start nex'

to Cun'l Chahmb'lin's, an' gi' it to Miss Anne wid yo' own han's, an' bring me wud wh

I soon foun' my gal, an' arfter tellin' her two or three lies 'bout herse'f, I got her to go in an' ax Miss Anne to come to de do'. When she come, I gi' her de note, an' arfter a little while she bro't me anurr, an' I tole her good-bye, an' she gi' me a dollar, an' I come home an' gi' de letter to Marse Chan. He read it, an' tole me to have de hosses ready at twenty

'Well, seh, I granted your favor. I wished to relieve myse'f of de obligations you placed me under a few months a

a minit, an' den he said: 'Who

sez she; 'I

ome all through those woods by

z she, (An' heah dis nigge

ez she stood dyar wid de green bushes behine her, an' she hed jes' a few flowers in her breas'- right hyah-and some leaves in her sorrel hyar; an' de moon come out an' shined down on her hyar an' her frock an' 'peared l

an' quite so straight arfter dat. Den Marse Chan he went on talkin' right fars' to her; an' he tole her how he had loved her ever sence she wuz a little bit o' baby mos', an' how he nuver 'membered de time when he hedn't 'spected to marry her. He tole her it wuz his love f

e hed done tuk Miss Anne's han', an' wuz lookin' d

said somethin', an' Marse Chan

you love

head 'way from 'im, an' wait' a mi

a coffin when yo's buryin' anybody, an' seys, 'Uth to uth.' Marse Chan he jes' let her hand drap, an'

see you h

Marse Chan leanin' dyah 'g'inst de gate-pos' in he sodger clo's, wid he eyes on de groun'. She said 'Good-bye' sort o' sorf, an' Marse Chan, widout lookin' up, shake han's wid her, an' she wuz done gone down de road. Soon ez she got 'mos' 'roun

p, an' he alwuz rode at de head o' de company, 'cause he wuz tall; an' hit wan' on'y in battles whar all his company wuz dat he went, but he use' to volunteer whenever de cun'l wanted anybody to fine out anythin', an' 'twuz so dangersome he didn' like to mek one man go no sooner'n anurr, yo' know, an' ax'd who'd volunteer. He 'peared to like to go prowlin' aroun' 'mong dem Yankees, an' he use' to tek me wid 'im whenever

pot, 'cause one o' de lieutenants got kilt de same day, an' turr one (na

ut a half-strainer, an' 'cause she like Marse Chan, I believe, dough she didn' speak to 'im; an' Mr. Ronny he got drunk, an' 'cause Cun'l Chahmb'lin tole 'im not to come dyah no more, he got mighty mad. An' dat evenin' I'se tellin' yo' 'bout, he wuz talkin', an' he mention' Miss Anne's name. I see Marse Chan tu'n he eye 'roun' on 'im an' keep it on he face, and pres'n'y Mr. Ronny said he wuz gwine hev some fun dyah yit. He didn' mention her name dat time; but he said dey wuz all on 'em a parecel of stuck-up 'risticrats, an

l Chahmb'lin, an' I tole her how Marse Chan' wuz a-dyin' fur love o' Miss Anne. An' Judy she gits Miss Anne to read de letter fur her. Den Miss Anne she tells her pa, an'-you

arn' he'p be

one tu'n away her haid an' wuz makin' out she wuz fixin' a rosebush 'g'inst de poach; an' when her

An

'ned roun',

o' wan

t her head on he shoulder a

tween yo' no longer. Wr

u'ious, an' he han's trembled so I couldn' mek out what wuz de matter wid 'im. An' he fol' de letter up an' wen' out an' wen' way down 'hine de camp, an' stayed dyah 'bout nigh an hour. Well, seh,

wuz jes' like 'twuz dat mawnin' when de sun riz up over de low groun', an' I see 'im stan'in' dyah wid de pistil in he han', lookin' at it, an' not

ide; an' den he tole me he tho't mebbe we wuz gwine hev some warm wuk in de nex' two or th'ee days

on de groun' 'hine a bush an' read dat letter over an' over. I watch 'im, an' de battle wuz a-goin' on, but we had orders to stay 'hine de hill, an' ev'y now an' den de bullets would cut de limbs o' de trees right over us, an

married; an' I'se goin' home wid a star on my collar.' An' den he sez,

an' stop; de cun'l was kilt, an' I b'lieve dey wuz jes' 'bout to bre'k all to pieces, when Marse Chan rid up an' cotch hol' de fleg an' hollers, 'Foller me!' an' rid strainin' up de hill 'mong de cannons. I seen 'im when he went, de sorrel four good length ahead o' ev'y urr hoss, jes' like he use' to be in a foxhunt, an' de whole rigiment right arfter 'im. Yo' ain' nuver hear thunder! Fust thing I knowed, de roan roll' head over heels an' flung me up 'g'inst de bank, like yo' chuck a nubbin over 'g'inst de foot o' de corn pile. An' dat's what kep' me from bein

oted 'im back jes' like I did dat day when he wuz a baby, an' ole marster gin 'im to me in my arms, an' sez he could trus' me, an' tell me to tek keer on 'im long ez he lived. I kyar'd 'im 'way off de battlefiel' out de way o' de balls, an' I laid 'im down onder a big tree till I could git somebody to ketch de sorrel for me. He wuz cotched arfter a while,

up in her best Sunday clo'es, an' stan'n' at de head o' de big steps, an' ole marster settin' in his big cheer-ez we druv

ey use' to dance in ole times when Marse Chan wuz a schoolboy, an' Miss Anne Chahmb'lin use' to come over, an' go wid ole missis into her cha

nowed dat wuz what Marse Chan he'd 'a' wanted me to do. I didn' tell nobody whar I wuz gwine, 'cause yo

ed by de way I walked dyar wuz somethin' de motter, an' she wuz mighty pale. I drapt my cap down on de een' o' de steps an' went up. She nuver opened her

shook, but she didn' fall. She tu'ned 'roun

, an' wuz ready. Ez she got in, she sey to me, 'Hev yo'

de letter in Marse Chan's pocket, wid de love in it, while I wuz 'way, an' she wuz a- waitin' on de poach. Dey

ar on de poach, an' jes' falls right down mos' to her, on her knees fust, an' den fl

down at her, an' den she drapt down on de

o'; an' I heahd 'em say, Miss Anne she tuk de coffin in her arms an' kissed it, an' kissed Marse Chan, an' call 'im by his

r mo'nin' fur 'im. I don' know how dat is; but when we buried 'im nex' day, she wuz de one

g wrapped roun' 'im, an' he face lookin' like it did dat mawnin'

behine him. We buried her by him next summer. Miss Anne she went in de hospitals toreckly arfter ole missis died; an' jes' fo' Richmond fell she come home sick wid de fever. Yo' nuver would 'a' knowed her fur de same ole Miss Anne. She wuz light ez a piece o' peth, a

whar ole missis hed tole us to leave, an' dey's bofe on

e Bible sey dyar won' be marryin' nor givin' in marriage

s," as he called them, for which he seemed humbly grateful. And as I rode away I heard him calling across the fence t

arse Chan's d

SON

RGE W.

d circumstances, blended into an artistic whole that defies analysis." It

SON

" by George W. Cable. Copyright,

nd of having been taught by a stony-headed Capuchin that the world is round-for example, like a cheese. This rou

concluded that, papa's patience and tante's pin money having been gnawed away quite to the rind, there were left open only these few easily enumerated resorts: to go to work-they shuddered; to join Major Innerarity's filibustering expedition; or else-why not?-to try some games of confidence. At twenty-two one must begin to be s

ight. Upstreet, and across the Rue du Canal, one could get glimpses of the gardens in Faubourg Ste.-Marie standing in silent wretchedness, so many tearful Lucretias, tattered victims of the storm. Short remnants of the wind now and then came down the na

was the mud laboratory of the mender of broken combs. Light balconies overhung the rows of showy shops and stores open for trade this Sunday morning, and pretty Latin faces of the higher class glanced over their sava

ss-goers, were out. About the entrance of the frequent cafes the masculine gentility stood leaning on canes

g his head that somehow he felt sure he should soo

l you do

; "I will go and see the bul

bull-fight? But wh

s, they are to have a bull-fight-not an ordinary bull-fight with

, Cubans, Spaniards, San Domingo refugees, and other loungers-can they hope it is a fight? They hurry forward. Is a man in a fit? The crowd pours in from the side-streets. Have they k

s the m

caught a re

" asks some o

in the gutter; but he has it now. Jules pick' it. See

?" asks a second sh

West-Flori

t! he is spea

is he

sh! to

es w

-Ange, what howe me a bill

voice w

e those of an ox. His face was marked more by weather than age, and his narrow brow was bald and smooth. He had instantaneously formed an opinion of Jules St.-Ange, and the multitude of words, most

op of the still uncovered head, when the nervous motion of the Americain anticipated him, as, throwing up an immense

longs to Smyrny Chu

s to make your money e

d St.-Ange, counti

ave a start and

might have passed for consummate art, had it not been the most run-wild nature. "And I've done been to Mobile, you know, on busiNESS for Bethesdy Church. It's the on'yest time I ever been from home; now you wouldn't of believed that, would you? But I admire to have saw you, that's so. You've got to come and

said h

old negro, very black and grotesque, who had introduced himself to the mulatto, wi

tioned, as illustrated in the perplexities of cotton-growing, and concluded that there would always be

' to make one baril sugah to fedge the moze high price in New Orleans.' Well, he take his bez baril sugah-I nevah see a so careful man like me papa always to make a so beautiful sugah et sirop. 'Jules, go at Father Pierre

Parson Jones, "that

ah din fedge the more high cost than any other in the city. Parce-que, the man what buy

growin' out of the holy-

the quitte, because my papa keep the bucket, a

es was dis

on't think that was right. I rec

gged. He would n

tening as he hoped to recommend

inute in Mobile, and I plum lost him for two days. Here's the place; come in. Colossus

aw him aside and addr

olossus, you shayn't talk so, saw. 'Pon my soul, you're the mightiest fool I ever taken up with.

d; the master w

z I tell you, or shell I

he ventured nearer-"don't on no a

ne foot in the gutter, and fell heavily agains

azy.-Humph, come on, Jools, let's eat! Humph! to tell me that when I never ta

rs began to a

y; I would sell him

eo

e is a rascal. He's a powerful smart fool. Why, that boy's got money, Jools; more money than

of a low grocery, where, the law notwithstanding, liquor was covertly sold to slaves. There, in the quiet company of Bap

know- whilst he has eddication, I has 'scretion. He has

ounter, and, laying half his leng

de Sabbaf, de playin' of de fiddle, and de usin' of by-words, dey is de fo' sins of de conscience; an' if

was sure

wallowed the contents with a dry eye-"mind you, a roytious man, sech as ministe

ce must not mislead us; this is the story

t touch; it was too wretchedly bad. At the French Market, near by, there was some

has his conscience to guide

S wrong; you thing it is wrong to make the sugah to ged the so large price -well, then, it IS wrong; I thing it is right-well, then, it IS right; it is all 'abit; c'est tout. What a m

oo

at

e buyin' of it on a Sabbath. You must really ex

me, he thing it was wrong to go to cock-fight Sunday evening. I thing it is all 'abit. Mais, come, Posson Jone'; I have got one friend, Miguel;

u know," said the shamefaced pa

asked the as

ones, smilin

r vis

amongst church-member

mber'-certainlee! They love to talk about rilligion. Come at Migue

s hat from beneath h

giant, "I ought to be

tairs, "I thing every man muz have the rilligion he like' the bez-me, I like the Catholique rilligi

rly upon the Creole's shoulder, as they stepped out upon the

thing you will go, et I thing Miguel will go, et Joe-everybody, I thing-mais, ho

pping in his walk-"Jools, I D

him. With Baptiste h

s master was

ying, "this is jest the wa

one'," sa

ha

. We goin'

asked Jone

ng," said Jules,

nd by and by turned into a cross street. The parson stopped

kin'?" asked

parson, with an anxious face; "I reckon

wsprit from one of its great windows, and a pair of lamps hanging before a large closed entrance. It was a theatre, honey-combed with gambling-dens. At this morning hour all was still, and the only sign of life was a

enile company were laying alternate eyes and ears to the chinks, t

, without bettin'! I hev a right to my opinion; I reckon I'm a WHITE MAN, saw! No, saw! I on'y said I didn't think you could get the game on them cards. 'Sno such thing, saw! I do NOT know how to play! I wouldn't

eemed to direct hi

o bet for me. I didn't suspicion this from you, saw. No, I won't tak

ly the parson's indignation and anger began to melt. "Don't ask me, Jools,

matt' of conscien'

ney's none o' mine,

, you

e, "I would leave this place, fas'-fas', yes. If I had thin

Jools,

osson

win?" said the

is not to win that I want;

I'll loan you some of this money if you say you

His head dropped upon his breast, his eyes were for a moment closed, his broad palms were lifted and pressed against his forehead, a tremor seized him, and he fell all in a lump to the floor. The children ran off with thei

has since sprung up and grown old, green with all the luxuriance of the wild Creole summer, lay the Congo Plains.

come by night, and with one fell swash had made an irretrievable sop of everything. Th

he Spaniards, looking up at the glorious sky with its great, white fle

fruiterers, swarthy Portuguese sailors, in little woollen caps, and strangers of the graver sort; mariners of England, Germany, and Holland. The lowest seats were full of trappers, smugglers, Canadian voyageurs, drinking and singing; Americains, too-more's the shame-from the upper rivers -who will not keep their seats-who ply the bottle, and who will ge

cowls with laughter. Some of the more aggressive shout pretty French greetings to the women of Gascony, and one bargeman, amid peals of applause, stands on a seat and hurls a kiss to the quadrooms. The mariners of England, Germany,

ll is raised for the bull:

little Creole in elegant dress and full of laughter, wish to stop him, but the flat-boatmen, ha-ha-ing and cheering, will not suffer it. Ah, through some shameful knavery of the men,

lish Bible and temperance cup and song are cheering him on to mad disgrace. And now another call for the

s dead, that

om singers who toss their hats aloft and roll in their seats;

old gray coat All bu

s raise one mighty cry for silence. The big red man gets a hand

"to draw the terrible animals from their dens,

e standing up by hundreds, and women are imploring to be let out of the turmoil. All at once, like the bursting of a dam, the whole mass pours down into the ring. They sweep across the arena and over the showman's barriers. Miguel gets a frightful trampling. Who cares for gates or door

ck to his breast, his arms clasped under its shoulders; the wretched brute had curled up caterpillar-wise, with its lon

ith this varmint from head to foot! The tiger and the buffler SHELL lay down together. They SHELL!

in the wake of the buffalo. This creature the Latins had secured by a lariat ove

ursing and knife-drawing, until Jules St.-Ange was quite carried away with the fun, laug

led him to the sod, the terrible crowd swept over him, the lariat was cut, and the giant parson hurled the tiger upon the buffalo's back. In another instant both brutes were dead at the hands of the mob; Jones was lifted from his feet, and

th a key. The lock grated, the door swung, the turnkey looked in and stepped back, and a ray of moonlight fe

one'," said the

Joo

de matter, P

, Jools,

get sometime a litt' bit intoxicate? Mais, if a man keep AL

is darkened-oh! Jools, wh

never min'; he

he

id Baptiste. Baptiste is a beau

u, Jools?" asked Par

slightly

a nigger cannot be good as a w'ite

and dropped his ch

ow, sun-up, on the Isabella schoon

was you I would say, me, 'Ah! 'ow I am lucky! the money I los', it was not mine, anyhow!' My faith! shall a man mak

ermon many time ad the theatre St. Philippe. Hah! you is the moz brave dat I never see, mais ad the same time the moz rilligious man. Where I'm g

man only sh

', I have the so g

ooked up with

is the judge. So soon I was entering-' Ah! Jules, me boy, juz the man to make complete the game!' Posson Jone', it was a speci

parson, regarding the money with a

ke the effect so s

nd, your kindne

face became a

must really excuse me, Jools, you know, but the pass has been got onfairly, I'm afeerd. You told the judge I was innocent; and i

al heroism; but an artifice was presently hit upon. "Mais, Posson Jone'!"-in his ol

son, bounding up with radia

tenderness was opened. He made the sign of the cross as the parson knelt i

ehind the city, nestled under live-oaks and magnolias on

and one cheek-bone bore the official impress of every knuckle of Colossus's left hand. The "beautiful to take care of somebody" had lost his charge. At mention of the negro he became wild, and, half in English, half in the "gumbo" dialec

the deep shadow of a great oak, the Isabella, moored among the bulrushes, and just spreading her sails for d

ever forget you-I'll never forget you, nohow, Jools. No, Jools, I never will believe he taken that money. Yes,

's arm with genuine affection, "hol' on. You see dis money- w'at I

," said the humbled

in a myst

ers to p

his money in the mysterieuze way. Mais, if I keep

't say," repl

" said the sweetly

n, leaning against

laughed

s, you

w'at I shall

parson; "better donate i

s w'at I want. You los' five h

wa'n't

, it

N

d dollar'; I wish you shall take it. Here! I don't got no use for mo

ed with tears. "When

Lord show you your errors better'n I kin, and bless you for your good intentions-oh, no! I cayn't touch that mon

e was p

ds, and he's very merciful, which I hope and trust you'll find it out

roused

me hany'ow dis promi

ome back to

d willin', I'll nev

Adieu, Posson Jone'. My faith'! you are the so fightin

tly ran by his master toward the

in time to see the sa

vessel's hold, and th

ize him in

andish old nigger! Th

rd

laughing and swearing, and making confused allusion to

ipping his mulatto into a bog, the schooner came brushing along the reedy bank wit

nelt his slave. In thundering tones he was confessing himself "a plum fool," from whom "the conceit had

ped his hands

ayed for a co

!" cried

nowledged coun

!" cried

that they might st

lack man, clapping h

re, backslidin' jackace of a parson and this po

money!" cal

rson praye

MONEY!" repea

servant back that

nstant over the master's hat to grin an acknowledgment of his beholders' speechless interest, he softly placed in it the faithfully mourned and honestly prayed

ssus, meaning to b

ough I be-"

eiterated

" said Par

ds and rolling eyeballs; but when he became aware of the laughter and cheers that greeted him from both deck and shore, he lifted eyes and hands to heaven, and cried lik

the breeze was in her favor; another shout of laughter drowned the maledictions of the muddy man; the sails filled; Colossus of Rhodes, smiling and bowing as hero of the moment, du

d the tops of the high undergrowth; but, when an arm of the forest hid it finally from sight, he turned

t I goin' do

m'si

dead if I don't goin' to

ways of Providence are indeed strange. In all Parson Jones's after-life, amid the many painful reminiscences of his visit to the City of the Plain, the sweet knowledge

OMATIC

CUYLER

d. It is warmed by family affection and fragrant with romance. This romance, as Mr. Grabo points out in "The Art of the Short Story," is suggested rather than recorded. The running away of the Judge's son and of his little admirer, the butcher boy, really lies outside the story pr

OMATIC

in Old Cloathes and