The Crisis, Complete

ree of charge to any citizen who loved sport, Mr. Eliphalet Hopper was at work like the industrious mole, underground. It is safe to affirm that Colonel Carvel forgot his new hand as soon as

. He had no time for skylarking, the heat of the day meant nothing to him, and he was never sleepy. He learned the stock as if by intuition, and such was his strict attention to business that Mr. Hood was heard is s

be dragged into political discussions at the boarding-house table. He listened imperturbably to the outbursts against the Border Ruffian, and smiled when Mr. Abner Reed, in an angry passi

ears of the Congregational Church. For Mr. Davitt was a good man, zealous in his work, unpretentious, and kindly. More than once Eliphalet went to his home to tea, and was

ions abroad concerning him, he was admittedly a model. There are many kinds of models. With some young ladies at the Sunday School, indeed, he had a distant bowing acquaintance. They spoke of him as the young man who knew the Bi

ten into the subscription biographical Encyclopaedias. In several of these volumes, to be sure, we may see steel engravings of him, true likenesses all. His was the type of face which is the glory of the steel engraving

ut the stock than Mr. Hood himself. On this particular morning, about nine o'clock, he was stacking bolts of woollen goods near that delectable counter where the Colonel was wont to regale his principal customers, when a vision appeared in the do

o' pa ain't heah! An' whah's Eph

work and stared. The vision was searchi

this trouble to surprise him, not to be here! Wh

at Miss Crane's were not of this description. As he came forward, embarrassment made him shamble, and for the firs

e, "are you e

ttle know the man you have i

es

? And tell him that his daughter has com

phalet. He went back to the pile of dry goods, and began to

name?" Miss Ca

ppe

, please find Eph

orner of his eye he watched her, and she seemed very

arvel," he said, with a me

nows he's loafin' somewhar hereabouts. An' I ain't seed him

am

Eliphalet, electrified, looke

ed by Mr. Carvel, and r

peated doggedly. He felt that he w

ce. He was perhaps twenty, and wore a coat that sprung in at the waist, and trousers of a light buff-color that gathered at the ankle and were very copious above. His features were of the straight type which has been called from time

y!" he cri

ung man's polished boots, to have worn his clothes, and to

s dancing in her eyes yet she did not move. The young man took a step forward, and then stood staring at her with such a comical expression of

ntleman very pro

d. "Why didn't you let me know that you were coming home?" His

rom New Orleans as far as Cairo, where I found Captain Lige's boat. And Mr. Brinsmade brought me here to the store. I wanted

t you home," said

olfax," she cried, imitating him. "I

first cousin. And it seemed to him that he had heard a rumor, a

manded Mr. Colfax, swingin

ked hard at

know,"

m! Easters where the deuce is that

ence. 'Spec he whah

the stooping fi

rk here?"

alla

ha

ponded Mr. Hopper a

. Colfax, with a wave of his cane,

gled, which did not have a soothing effect upon either of the young

Clarence continued, with a note of

sin did not deign to look at her.

her you hear m

ans

nd the first time his daughter comes in here you refuse to

of attention, but began marking t

t Colonel Carvel walked into the store

ssing her, "thought you'd

reproachfully up at his Fac

y. I was off to Alton. But what are these goings-on?" said the Colonel, staring at young Mr. Colfax, rigid

's only Clarence. He's so tiresome. He'

e Colonel, with the mild unconcern whic

daughter. She told him, and I told him, to notify

ccupation, which was absor

pulled his goat

establishment without any help from you and Ji

ave the store by the side entrance. He walked as rapidly as his legs would carry him, for they were a trifle short for his body; and in due time, as the lamps were flickering, he arrived near Colonel Carv

ematical chances. It is a fact that the discreet sometimes take chances. Towards the back of Mr. Renault's residence, a wide area was sunk to the depth of a tall man, which wa

s, and the shades not yet drawn. There was the dining room, where the negro butler was moving about the table; and the pantry, where the butler went occasionally; and the kitchen, with black figures moving about. But upstairs on the two streets was the sitting room. The straight figure of the Colonel passed across the light. He

ked and bumped against the curb in front of him, and Eliphalet's head dropped as if it had been struck by t

ou, Capita

" was the

brought the wood. I though

what I say,

ied Mr. Renault, an

ain, and it was cold. But directly the excitable little man, Ren

avois with a load of wood, C

Mr. Renault," was the

nse!" A door opened in the back wall.

, M'

y this taciturn handler of wood was calle

ight, Mr. Renault," said he. "You

phalet's heart was in his mouth. A bolder spirit would have dashed for liberty. Eliphalet di

so that he knew him instantly when he saw him years afterward. Little did he reckon that the fourth time he was to see him this man was to be Presid

ed down and hauled Eliphalet to th

ere?" demanded he of th

and ran down Locust Street. At the corner, turning fearfully, he p