M --K-4--8 -
jCRIPPS, THE
DY
R. D. BLACKMORE
Author of "LORN A DOONG," "ALICE LORRA I N E," ETC., ETC,
CH APTEIt XXI II. (Continued.)
'Auen Mini 1'ittcli (with her dress tuck
ed op and hse spectacle nl their bright
marchrd towards Uio carriage, whro
Grace must be waiting for her. The
loping of the sunset threw her shadow,
ami the rlng-dores in tin wood were coo
(mj. The peace and tin beauty touched
ron her heart; and the hushing of the
winds of evening In the. nestling of (lie
wood, appeared tint rultied miiiii to that
simplicity of childhood, where Clod anii
good arc one.
Hut just ns niic wn? shaking hands be
nevolently with Mr. Shurp, before got
ting Into the carriage, buck rode Mr.
Sharp at full gallop, and without any
ceremony shouted, "Where' the girl?"
"Mis Oglmidor! Why. I thnuglit she
was here!" Ilanuaii l'atcli answered,
with a little gasp.
"And I thought she was coining with
you," cried Mrs. Sharp: "as well us my
dear boy, Christopher."
"I let hor go to meet him as you ar
ranged," Miss Patch exclaimed decisive
ly; "I had nothing to do with her after
that."
"Is it possible that the boy has roguod
me?" As Mr. Sharp said those few
words, his face took a color never seen
before, even by his loving wife. The
color was a livid purple, and it made
his sparkling eyes look pale.
"Thoy must be at tho cottage," Mrs.
f)iarp suggested; "let mo go to look for
the naughty young couple."
The lawyer had his reasons for pre
venting tills, as well as for keeping
himself where ho was; and therefore at
o. liign from him, Miss Patch turned buck.
Hurt set off with all haste for the cot
tage. No sooner had she turned the cur
DlltECTLY IN FRONT OF TNEM. FUOM A THICK BCSII, SPHANG A
BEAUTIFUL (UUL
ncr, than Jon Smith, the tall gypsy,
- emerged from tho wood with long strides
Into the road and beckoned to Mr. Sharp
Urgently. The lawyer was with him in
a. moment, and almost struck him in his
' fury at what ho heard.
"How could you allow it? You great
tinkering fool! Bun to the corner where
the two lanes meet. Take George with
you. 1 will ride straight down the road.
. No, stop, cut the traces of those two
horses! You jump on one, ami Black
- 3corge on tho other, and off for tho cor-
.uer at full gallop. You ought to bn
there before tho carl. I will ride straight
.fov that rotten old joltcr. Zounds, Is
one man to beat five of us?" Waiting
. for no answer, ho struck spurs into his
" horso and, stooping over tho withers,
dashed into a tangled alley, which seem-
til to lead towards the timber track.
No wonder Mr. Sharp was in such a
rage, for what had happened was exactly
edits only much of it happened with
cioro speed tlmn words.
Cripps, the Carrier, had boon put up
by several friends and relations to bring
'things directly to a point, istead of let
ting them go on, in a way which was
' neither one thing uor the other. Hence
was that llardenow, gazing betwixt
tho two feather-edged boards, beheld
Just beforo he lost ma wits tho honored
vehicle of Cripps, with empty washing
Wskct standing, on its welcome homo
4rnl road, to discharge the fair Etty at
'!fjtv brother's gate. Tiokuss was nway
xrm Mr. Sliarp'B business.
Therefore tho Carrier kissed his sis-
-tr in the soft gleam of the sunset clouds
uid touched up Dobbin with a tickle of
Uia whip, and that excellent nag gave
nlittle grunt at fortune and resignedly
. net off. Alas, when ho grunted at a
' Ight day's work, how little did he guess
h,at unparalleled exertions parted htm
3t trom Ills stable tor tuo nlgnt
l.' or wiuio Piaster uripps, witn an
, equable mind, was jogging it gontly on
the silent way, und was balancing In his
.-XJihI the respective charms of his three
Kanirers, Mary Ilookham, Monly Hiss
nd SoJly Brown of the "Golden Cross,"
J &hd sudly concluding that ho must make
"dp his mind to one of the three ere long
suddenly lie beheld a thing which
frightened him more than it dozen wives
. Directly in front of them, from a thick
Imsh, sprang a beautiful girl into tho
. middle of the lane, nud spread out her
Laud, to stop them. If tho cvoulng light
Siud hi'Mi a little paler, or ovou the moon
tutd boon behind her, a ghost she must
aTe been thou, and for ever. Cripps
miiwmum'mi'iiinn
CAM
st a red as if he would have no eyes nny
more; but Dobbin had received a great
many comforts from the little hands
spread out to It 1 tn ; and he stopped and
sniffed, and lifted up his nose that it
might be stroked, and even possibly re
galed with u bunch of wliite-bloasomod
clover.
"Oh. Cripps, good Cripps, you dear old
Cripps," Grace Oglander cried with great
tears In her eyes, "you never have for-
gotten me, Zaechary Cripps.' '1 hey say
that I am dead and buried. It isn't true,
not a word of it. Dear Cripps, I am as
sound alive as you are. Only I have
been r.hamefully treated. Do let mo got
up in your carl, jrood Cripps, and my
father will t lunik you for ever.
"But Missy, poor Missy," Cripps stam
mered out, drawing on his heart for every
word, "you was burled on the seventh
day of .la unary, in the year of our Lord
18118; three pickaxes was broken over
digging of your grave, by reason of the
frosty weather; and all of us come to
your funeral. Do Vo go buck, Miss",
that's a dear. The churchyard to Beck
ley is a comfortable place, and this here
wood no place for a Christian."
"But Cripps, dear Cripps, do try to let
mo speak. They might liaxo broken thir
ty pickaxes, but I hud nothing at all to
do with it. May I get up 7 Oh, may I
get up7 It is the only chance of saving
me. 1 hear a hone tearing through the
wood! Oh, dear, clever Cripps, you will
repent it for the rest of nil your life.
Even Dobbin is sharper than you are."
"You blessed old humbug," cried a
stem young voice, as Kit Sharp rushed
forward, "tliore is no time for your heavy
brain to work. You shall have the young
lady, dead or alive. Pardon me, Grace
no help for It. Now, thick-headed bump
kin, put one arm round her, and off at
full gallop. If you givu her up I will
mug you by the neck to the tail of your
broken rattletrap.
"Oil, Cripps, dear Cripps, I assure you
on my honor," said Grace, as tossed up
by her lover, she sat in the seat of Es
ther. "I have never boon dead any more
than you have. 1 can t to 1 you now-
oh, drive on, drive if you have a spark
of manhood in yon.
A horse and horseman came out of
tho wood, about fifty yards behind them,
and Grace would have fallen lieadlon
but for the half-reluctant arm of Cripps,
as Dobbin with a jump set olt full gallop
over rut and rock, with a blow on his
back from the fist of Kit, like the tumble
of n i')iiiinif.v lint
of a chimney pot
riieu Christopher Sharp, after one sad
look at Grace Oglander's Hying figure,
turned round to confront his father
"What means all this?" cried the law
yer fiercely, being obliged to rein up his
horso unless he would trample Kit un
der foot.
"It means this," answered his son, with
firm gaze, and strong grasp of his bridle;
that you have made a great mistake.
sir that you must givu up your n an al
together that the poor young lady who
has been so deceived-
"Let go my bridle, will you? Am I to
stop here to be bullied by you? Idiot,
let go my bridle!
ttlV.ll ..!...! . f
I'uuicr, you hiiiiii not ior your own
sake, you shall not. I may bo an idiot,
out l will not be a lilaekguard-
"If by the time I have counted three
your hand is on my bridle, 1 will knock
you down and ride over you."
Their eyes mot in furious conflict of
will, tho elder man's glarlug with the
blaze of an opal, the younger one's steady
with a deep brown glow,
"Strike me dead, If you choose," said
Kit, ns Ids father raised his arm, with
the loaded whip swinging, and counted,
"One, two, three" then the crashing
blow fell on the naked temple; and It
was not needed twice.
Dashing the rowels Into his horse, the
lawyer, without even looking round, rode
madly after Zacchary. Dobbin had won
a good start by this time, and was round
the corner, doing great wonders for his
timo of life tossing the tubs, and tho
baskots, and Grace, and even the sturdy
Carrier, like fritters 1 a pau, whllo the
cart leaped and plunged, and tho spokes
of the wheals went round too fast to bo
counted, urinps tugcod at Dobuln with
all lu might; hut tot the flrt time in his
life the old horse rebelled and flung on
at full speed.
I "III. kiuiivoih iipsI. Tni4! lii knowetJi J
i bist," cried Zaechar.", while Grace dung
i to him; "lie hath a divination of his own,
If ho dotlm't kick the cart to tatters. But
never would I turn tall on a single piait
wkho is yon chap riding after us?"
"Oh, Cripps, it is that dreadful man'
whispered Grace, with her teeth Jerking
into her tongue, "who has kept me in
prison, and perhaps hilled my father.
Oh, Dobbin, sweet Dobbin, try one more
gallop, and yon shall havo clover for-
ticr.
Poor Dobbin responded with his best
endeavor; but, alas! his old feet, and his
legs, and his breath were not as In the
palmy days; and a long shambling trot,
with a canter for a change, were tho ut
most lie could compass. lie wagged his
grey tall, in brief expostulation, convey
ing that he could go no faster.
Now for it," said Cripps, as the foo
overhauled them. "I never was afeard
of 010 t u(, j (,on miuip to be.
B, at t,,:H t,Ilp (f Ufe MiMSV( g0 llown
hlto tllu ,)mh. ()f ,,, (,nr Iler rj(lcth
nisily enough by now; and cover thee up
with the bucking baskets. Cripps will
take thee to thy father, little 'un. Never
fear, my deary!
She obeyed him by jumping back into
the cart but as for hiding in u basket,
Grace had a little too much of her fath
er's spirit. The weather was so fine that
no tilt was on; she sat on the rail there,
and faced her bitter foe.
"That child Is my ward." shouted Mr.
Sharp, riding up to the Bide of Cripps;
while his eyes passed on from Grace's;
"give her up to me this moment, fellow.
I can take her by law of the land, and
I will."
"Mar Sharp," answered Master Cripps,
desiring to address him professionally,
"this hero youug lady belongeth to her
father; and no man else shall have her.
Any reasoning thou hast to como down
us will hearken; as we goes along;
il u uc mat inou ueepesu to a civu
tongue. But high words never bate me
down one penny; and never shall do so,'
while the Lord is with me."
"Hark you, Cripps," replied Mr. Shnrp,
putting his lips to the Carrier's ear; ami
whispering so that Grace could only
guess at enormous sums of money "down
the rail, and no man the wiser!"
"But." said the Carrier, grinning gent
ly; "now Liar Sharp hath outwitted liis-
self. What Liar would offer such a sight
of money for what were his own by the
lai of the land 7"
You cursed fool, will yon die?" cried
Sharp, drawing and cocking a great
horse pistol; "your blood be on your own
head then yield."
Cripps, with great presence of mind,
made believe for. a moment to surrender,
till Mr. Sharp lowered his weapon, und
came up to stop the cart, and to take.
out irnce. In a moment, the Carrier.
with a wonderful stroke, learned from
long whip wielding, fetched down his new
lash on the eyeball of the young and tick
lish Horse ol the lawyer. Mad with pain
and rage, the horse stood up as straight
as a soldier drilling, and balanced on the
turn to fall back, break his spine and
crush his rider. Luke Sharp in his peril
slipped off, and the cart wheel coife'ort
ably crunched over his left foot. His
pistol bullet whizzed through a tall old
tree, lie stood on one foot and swore
horribly.
"Gee wugg, Dobbin," said Cripps. in a
cheerful, but not by any means excited.
ein; -us needn't gallop auy more now.
I reckon. The Liar hath put his foot
in it. Pluizo now, Miss Grace, como
and sit to front again."
"We shall have you yet, you old clod,"
Mr. Sharp in his rage yelled after him;
"oh, I'll pay you out for this trick.
You aren't como to the corner yet."
llo, ho!" shouted Cripps; "Liar
Sharp, my duty to you! You don't catch
me goin' to the corner, sir, if some of
the firm be a waitin' for me there."
With these words he gaily struck off
l(1 the r, ht th h a x , unkn
hnt just nnssnUle wliePU thw R0UU(1 f
whcols WH3 no ,0 , , , ,
, bo hs cloS(,(1 , , Q
clung to his arm; and glory and glad
noss tilled the simple heart of Cripps.
.Meanwhile Mr. Sharp, who had stuck
to liis (iridic, limped to his horse, but
could not mount. Then he drew forth
u,e other pistol from the near ho
I . .... . . .... ..w.jn..,
ami oockou it and levelled It at Cripps;
but thanks to brave Dobbin, now tho dis
tance was too great, and ho kept tho
charge for nobler use.
(To ho continued.
For Anothcr'M Need.
No Japanese In the struggle before
Port Arthur ever sliovel more gener
osity and courage than did an obscure
Japanese woman far from the scenes
of war.
When Miss Helen Keller was at tho
exposition in St. Louis, she visited the
Japanese tea house, and for a few
minutes shook hands with some of
the waitresses, little olive-colored
women who spoko almost no English,
but expressed their Interest and Intel
llgoneo without words.
Many weeks after Miss Keller had
returned to Boston she heard from an
oilk'Inl of the exposition that one of
tho Japanese waitresses had gone to a
St. Louis physician and asked to havo
one of her eyes taken out and given to
Miss Keller. When she was told that
such a gift was Impossible, she wept
In bitter disappointment.
Too Lute for i tin Coll..
Confidence Dan (at tho St. Legls)
Is Mr. Harube, of Ulcks Corners, stop
ping here?
Hotol Clerk Yes, sir.
Confidence Dan Where can I find
him?
Hotel Clerk There he Is over ut the
countor, paying IHb bill.
Confidence Dan Curse tho luck
Foiled again! Cleveland Leader.
FUNERAL OF A PRINCESS.
Bond Made for tho Procession tunl
Temple Built Ln Korea.
The Crown Princess of Korea linfl
been dead a month beforo her funeral
took place. During the interral a road
was made seven miles out of tho cltj
and a temple was built to hold th
borty, snys the London Graphic. At
the procession left the palace gatei
Homo of the mourners, according to an
clent custom, tried to stop the coIIId
by pushing back the bearers, who ic
their turn steadily drove forward. Tlw
Idea of this Is to show regret at the
passing f the body, while the inexora
ble power o-f death, overcoming all op
position, holds Us way.
During this commotion Uie priest on
each end of the platform holding thfl
bier urged the bearers with a long pole,
the end of which was painted red. In
accordance with ancient custom tho
pole was dipped in a pot of red paint
and thoso bearers who neglected theii
work received a dab of red oil their
white garment, and at the end of the
day those bearing the marks were pun
ished. Funerals in Korea are always sup
posed to take place at night and o
koep tip Oils supposition men carrying
long gnuzu lanterns on small poles run
by the side of the colllu und line tho
route at tho start. Curious and won
derful are the ancient costumes whloh
make their appearance on such uceu
sions. Their beauty Is not shown tc
advantage by their wearers, as they
are the poorest of horsemen. Evon
holding on to the saddle- with both
hands is not a sufilelent guarantee of
safety, but they must have two groomH
to walk by the head of their tiny
mounts to prevent accidents.
In tho procession, Avhlch takes the
whole day to pass, are chairs contain
ing figures of devils. Great paper
horses, hideous in appearance, accom
pany the colllns, presumably time the
deceased may have a mount In the
other land. There are two colllns, tho
one in this Instance contained the body
of the princess, the other being intend
ed to deceive the evil spirits. At the
graveside, ln a covered temple, tho
women of tho palace In ancient cos
tumes howl und moan the night
through, their wailing rising above nil
other sounds.
Tho princess' funeral as a whole ap
peared more like a page from the
"Arabian Nights" than anything else.
Notwithstanding the empty coffers of
the Korean ministry the sum of some
thing like one million yen avus ex
ponded on this funeral.
A WOMAN'S WIT. J
A good illustration of tho quick wit
of a woman appears in the following
incident of the old coaching days of
Mie far West- The man of the tale
does not show off ln the best of lights,
luut did not deserve his reward. The
cUich was on its way over a lonely
r.iad, and carried among its passen
gers a lady going to join her husband
ind a man traveling by himself.
"1 have one thousand dollars in my
pocketbook," confided the lone traveler
to the lady, "and 1 feel very uneasy.
"Would you mind concealing it ln your
dress? If we are held up they are
less likely to search you."
The lady consented, and hid the roll
of bills. Toward evening the shout
of "Throw up your bauds!" brought
the coach to a standstill, and four
men, masked and on horseback, de
manded, at the point of tho pistol,
that all money jshould be immediately
given up. The lone traveler passed
over all Ids remaining cash, consist
ing of a few dollars, and was con
gratulating himself on his escape,
when, to his horror, he heard the lady
say:
"I have a thousand dollars here, but
1 suppose 1 must give them up," and
without further hesitation she handed
over the precious pile of greenbacks.
Tho robbers rodo off ln high good
humor, but as soon as they were gone
I he traveler let loose his wrath, llo
abused the lady In no measured
terms, and hardly stopped short of
calling her a coward. Tho accused
said little, but when tho end of Uio
Journey was reached, she invited the
angry man to her house.
"I shall have to accept,', ho said,
sulkily. "I haven't a cent in the world
through your stupidity."
As ho was dressing for dinner that
uighl his host camo to his room.
"Here are tho thousand dollars," ho
said, "which my wife ventured to
borrow. You see, she had twenty
thousand dollars hid In her gown, and
she thought If she gave up your thou
sand It would save further search.
Thank you for the loan, which saved
mo a heavy loss."
No Humor Th re.
Dumloy He's all broken out and
looks quite badly. Do you think any
thing Borious
Dr. Wise No, I believe Ifs merely
i hereditary humor
Dumley Impossible! He's an Eng
tishmau. Philadelphia Tress.
Every automobllo owner should take
lessons In physical culture, Ui order
to bo able to fight farmers.
KEEPS THE LOAF MOIST.
A l'lntc Arrnnueit to Fit Over tho
Cut ICnd.
There is no field of inventive activi
ty that is so thoroughly worked m
that pertaining to the household, und
particularly to the culinary depart
ment. A week never passes but somo
observant man or woman does not hit
upon some kind f device for light
ening labor in this department of Uio
household or avoiding waste and
economizing materials. One of flu
most original that has appeared for
some time is a protecting plate fo
eaccludo air from the cut surface of
I'lli.VHNTS IIICIIA1I FKOAI DllYINO.
the bread loaf. Everyone is familiar
with the phenomena of bread drying
out nud becoming stale when exposed
to air, particularly observed at tho
end of a cut loaf. The crust forms a
natural covering, which prevents rapid
loss of moisture, so that If the end
of the lonf is protected the bread
will keep in good condition for a
much longer period than If left ex
posed. The device referred to con
sists of a fiat plate of u contour eon
forming to the usual loaf shape, and
attached to It are two arms, provided
with points, adapted to penetrate thu
crust surface and hold the plate ln po
sition. These arms are quite elastic,
so that they can readily be sprung tf
allow the loaf cover to be removed.
Still Unrufllod.
Uncle Itufus was one of the cahncs
and most equable of mortals. Nobody
had even seen him excited or impa
tient. But there came a time that trk
him. The furnace in the basemen."
of his house was working badly, lie
had been experimenting with a new
variety of coal, In which there was a
considerable proportion of "slack," ajKl.,
It did not seem to be burning.
threw open tho door of the furnace,
thrust the end of a long poker deep
Into the smoldering mass, and stirred
it up vigorously.
The result was startling. A tiered
burst of Uame and smoke came forth,
not only enveloping Uncle Itufus, but
blowing out the Hue caps in the rooms
above and filling the Iiouko with soo
and ashes.
In the midst of the excitement Uncle
Itufus came up from the basemen!
with his usual slow nnfl regular step.
His face was black with grime, hK
eyobrows and eyelashes were singed to
a crisp and what was left of his hair
and board was a sight to behold.
lie went to a mirror and took a good
look at himself.
"Wal," he said, slowly, and deliber
ately. "I was needing a shave an1
a hair cut, nny way."
Tho Conductor Scored.
Some time ago . several traveling
men were sitting together In a car
on a train which daily makes a round
trip over a certain division of tho Bos
ton & Maino Railroad. One of the
number, tho Boston Herald says, had
not only monopolized the conversation,
but from time to time had poked fun
at the quiet conductor.
As the train approached tho Haver
hill station, tho traveling man turned
to the conductor, who stood near by,
and shouted boisterously:
"Say, George, what made them lo
onto the station so far away from the
village?"
"1 don't know," the conductor gravc
Iy replied, "unless they thought U
would be more convenient to have It
down hero near the railroad."
Ono Request.
"Our society," said the m-lson vis
itor, "is anxious to help you. Is there
anything you'd like us to secure for
it
you
"Well," replied tho convict, "I would,
like to havo permission to inveutLl
Hying machine and uso it." Phlladcp T
phla Ledger.
Ills Order.
"WJiat did that health food raanih
facturer order for broakfast?" aske4
die refltaunant proprietor.
"Ham and eggs, French fried pota
toes, strawberries and coffee," answer,
td the waiter. Detroit Tribune.
Tliero Wub tho Evidence.
"JomMrt is a man of strong faith,
whatever else you may say of hlm.
"How do you gueBS it?"
"Just henrd him order Hamburg
steak." Atlanta CtaMtltutlon.