TJIK OMAHA PAJLY BT3Et SUNDAY. TlECftM liHU 17 , JSO .
< &
Author of'The Stlckit Minister , " "The KiiJUers , " " 1'hc Lilac Sun-Konnct , " "Cleg Kelly , " "The Red Axe , " 1-tc.
COPYRIGHT , 1808 , UNDER THE NAME OF "LITTLE A.N.VA MAIIK , " UY It. S. CROCKETT.
( Copyright , HW , by S. It. Crockett. )
< ; n\i'Tiii : i.
I Moot My rnthrr.
"Come1 In hither , Joe Janctl Hero jou
will ncc nt one cjc-bllnk the whole curacd
pack kenneled , the lying priest thnt slan
dered me. the fatted English cult that dla-
Inherited me nnd thu gap-toothed old hound
that begat me and did mo other disservices
beside' ! "
Thcnu nrc the first words that over I re
member hearing my father speak clearly ,
thiU Is , for I must have both seen nnd heard
him often cnouch In my Innocence before
that f giew word-canst'lous.
I can recall the scone yet as clear In my
mind's cyp ajc , clearer thiin thu dinner I
have this day eaten or the pattern on thu
lnccdllk waistcoat which IICH folded In the
drawer at my elbow.
It was In the wide hlltlicn or house-place
of JamoD Brydfion's change house or com
mon wayeldc inn which slln on the hrno
overlooking the little Scottlfih town of 'New
"Mllns. A low door It had , to enter whirl
jour head hart to bow nnd your feet nlinul-
taneoiiiily to descend till with a crick am
douhlo twlut of the nplno presently yoi
found yourself within and after the uunahlno
blinking nnd sneezing In the bluish smother
of the peat reck that billowed and bejllct
between yon and the thatch nut Bryrt-son'n
Inn was mostly frequently by we.ivcis am'
they had bowed hack Imyway. So Its pe
culiarity of access mattered little , though
now and then -gentleman or hill farmer
broke his head on the crossbeam.
1 remember t wan Bitting on a crcoplo
ntool by the peat lire warming my feet at
the red glow ami admiring thu glinting o
tlio little flames on my new silver sh e-
bucklct' , ] had gone thlthur from the lodge
Yctt. which was my mo hcr's dwelling , fling
ing to my grandfather's hand. As 1 woni
my feet had hardly touched the ground , no
firm a bold be took of my wrist and nu"l
long utricles as he conquered thu ground
withal. Sir James Stnnsfleld of Now Mllns
he wan called , a fine , upstanding , well-re
garded man as any In that country , rever
1 end of demeanor , gracious of speech and
exceeding seemly to the eye- with his broad-
brimmed hat , wide-skirted , coat of line blue
cloth , whlto silk undercoat , whlta stocking's
nnd the silver buckled shoes that were cop-
lei In grent of mine. There was no liner
gcntlonian In all the southlands of Scotland
than my grandfather.
Ho seemed nt once to ennoble and to Il
luminate that smoky little hostelry as he sat
In the high-backed elbow chair and tapped
the bare bcardn lightly with his glove tips.
With him were Mr. John Sell , preacher-of
the gospel. In whose discourse my grand
father stmetlmes delighted ( at other times ho
would laugh heartily at his simplicity ) , and
Umphiay Spurway , the old manufacturer a
great red englishman from Yorkshire , nt
whose laugh jon seemed to nee the rafters
dlrl as ho throw back his bead and blat-
teied npplnuso with his palm on the white
scoured deal of the Inn table.
To these three gentlemen , sitting at their
wlno In the change houbo kitchen of Now
Mllns that snowy December night In the
year of our Lord's grace 17 there entered
a fourth , and with him presently n fifth , at
sight of whom silence fell upon the men
and Constraint upon the women folk. Jamca
Brydson , the landlord , was out upon his
occasions , and I mind nothing of him. But
MUtrcss Brydson , the landlady , Bat In the
corner by a nickering crulalo lamp deftly
and silently as n Hpldar spinning a web
across a \ \ fiidowpnne ; and , smiling good-
humoiedly all the while she glanced up and
caught the eye of this one and that among
her guests , proud , I ween , that Sir James
himself did not disdain to leave his great
furnished house to sit with his guests In her
kitchen. A-proud woman , as all might see ,
was Lucky Brydson , smiling and becking at
her ease an. the whlto bono knitting pins
clicked nnd twinkled In the crots lights.
Shyly and nt times slylng whispering , nod
ding nnd confiding secrecies to each other ,
as girls will , her two daughters , Elsple and
Marglt. stood by the door of the Inner room ,
where the entrance to the cellar was , I
suppose they were bonny enough rosy-
checked wenches. I was not yet of an ago to
note or care , illut thin I know , that duple
was kind to mo , and often ga > e mo line
farlcs of cake wth | honey In the comb spread
thereon liberally I had no fault to nnd with
Elspctu Drydson that nlgjil or any night ,
but sat composedly munching my piece nnd
duttlng the crumbllngs from my hosen , lest ,
when I returned to New Mllns , my grannie's
eye should note that I had been eating bo-
twcod mania-a ; heinous sin In the decalogue
of Lady Orlselda Stansfli'ld. which must In
deed haNU been written upon two tables of
stone.
The talk bad been brisk , and merry all
the ovonlng , and such of It , as > I can re
member now , goes lo show how dcbonnalr
nnd kindmy grandfather wus when ho
i-scapcil from his , wife's leading strings fjr
an hour , unbinding his wits nnd unglrdlng
his waletbund In a plate where mirth was
not counted ungodliness and laughter com
pared ( with trllo asperity ) to the crackling
of thorns under R pot.
"Ha. KUplc , late , " he. . had cried , when he
canio In , crooking -finger to the older
maid by the Inner door , "como hither to
my knee. Nay , what , never bashful ? \Vby ,
'tis but yesterday that you would have run
to It and climbed for klssru. And today
jou are as welcome ovcry whit ! "
Whereat right merrily Umphrny Spurway ,
the Kngtlshman , laughed , but not so ( ho
minister , Mr. John Bell ,
The girl canio slowly forward , lifting the
coiner of her white apt on with ono hand
nnd picking blushfully at It with the other.
Sir James , lifted ono of the tall candla-
stlcka and held tt up , eo that IU light fell
on the perturbed face and Bhi Inking figure
of this tall slip of a laes ,
"Odn fish ! " ho crM , "this will never do ,
I must find a match for jou , my lady , You
grow o > crly handsome. We will have heads
cracked , and all the joung gamecocks rf
the neighborhood tearing nt each other's
combs tor your sake , I am n magls'ratc ,
nnd I will not have the lade quumllur ; la
jny parish If I can help It Mistress Bryd-
son , I must have this pretty Ulspoth of yours
shnckeled and handcuffcred ere uho begin to
bictxl lll-blood among our youth. "
The girl tossed her head and brtdlol like
a wilful country beauty ,
"I deal not to , be wrfldcd , " she said ,
blllne at ft stiand of her flowing dark hair ,
r < s If ho had n .spltu nt It ; "It Is n psor
business , besides "
"Bravo' ' well said , my laas. " said His
rnKllalini n. smiting IIB ! Unc- , " 'tis nn
opl Ion 1 have nlwajg hold mys-lf. "
"Hush , Umphray ! Besides what. Klsple. ? "
persisted Sir James , wishing to hoar how
the lass would finish her sentence.
"BesldcH , " he hesitated , "there are many
Wed who would gl\c all they pcescss to bo
unwed again. I * \ \ < tnl not to make one
more. "
Sir .1 nines laughed outright , whllo his two
friends discreetly looked hard at the table.
"A shrewd lass , and. faith , " ho said , "very
true \ery trur. I know nmo such myself
But all the name tt Is not well becoming in
my jurisdiction that such a prcltj cno shoul 1
lack an husband. HO long na Umphrny Spur-
wnj , great Kngllsh lout that he Is , hhth
neither wife to keep him warm anights nor
bairn to holr his goods and go clad In cloth
of his weaving. Look lo It , man ! Look to
it1"
At this the great red nngllshman laughed ,
being well pleased , as all men do when they
nro rallied concerning women.
"Ah. Sir Jnmeo , " he snld , epcaklng with a
curious butr In his utterance , "had I lands
nnd houses , mllna and water powers llko
jou , I had not so long been eating the broad
of nn hireling's baking. Elsple hero la n
pretty lass and nn honest , but I wet well Hhe
'
Knows her value far too well to r'a\e aught
to say to an old graybeurd Englishman ! "
By this the lass had recovered from her
first daunting and found the sharp tongue
wherewith to hold her o\\n whloh cornea
WE COULD SEE IT FLITTING LIKE A
SNOWFLAKB ACROSS THE TOMB
STONES TOWARD THE VAULT OK
THE STANSFIELDS.
naturally to women bred and born In Inns
nnd liostchlcs.
"Never before have I gotten the chance
to say either yea or nay to that , Master
Umphray Spurway , " she said , dropping her
pinafore and standing with her hands be
hind her a little defiantly ; "but , after all ,
1 'tis better late than after dark , " as the sayIng -
Ing is ! "
Sir James laughed loud and heartj- , and
even the minister chuckled over his cup of
wine.
"Thero you haNO it to the hilt , Uraphray , "
cried Sir James. " 'TIs a fair challenge.
Speer her , man. Wo will be your witnesses ,
bonny lass' "
"And by mine ofllce I will wed you hero
across the table If you get him to agree ! "
added the minister , speaking for the first
time. '
Umphray Spurway made an attempt to re
cover himself. He laid down the small
brown-bowled witch's pipe he had been con
tentedly smoking.
"Well , my lass , " lie said , "listen to me.
Tell us whether you would prefer to have
mo or my 'prentice , Henry Bowman , with
whom I saw you so canty at the gable-end
todajHo Is a limber lad and likely of his
taco. "
"Mean you for u husband or for a lad
to court me ? " queried the girl , as prompt
as an echo at the wooJ's edge.
"For a husband of course , " quoth Sir
James before- the other could reply.
"Then I choose Umpnrny Spurwaj' , the
cloth merchant ! " cried Elsie Brydson. "Lads'
sonny faces makes lasses bare downalt-
tlngs' ' "
"A wisp la 3 remarkable , " mused Sir
James , nodding slyly to the company nt
arge. Then turning to the Englishman ho
went on llko ono giving good and welcome
adUco "I do not think that jo could do
better , Umphray. Think of It , man ! "
And It was while the cloth weaver
hummed nnd hawed and shifted his legs
first over ono knee nnd than over the other ,
thumbing the dottlo all the time Into the
bowl of his pipe , that I first heard my
'atber's ' words , as I have reported them nt
the beginning.
"Como your ways In here , my Joe Janet ! "
I saw a tall , swart-vleaged man standing
erect by the outer door nnd reaching back
x hand to ono who stood without on the
steps half bowed to enter , yet reluctant
o descend , Philip Stnnstleld was of a fiery
visage , with eyr a little bloodshot , his
cheeks mottled llko day-old butcher's meat
on a stall , and all his gay clothing ( ashed
and frnj-cd nt oleovo and braiding. Yet
hrougb all disguises It was the face my
mother looked nt every night when she
rose , sobblnjr , from saying her prayers nnd
opened n little leathern case which lay be-
elde her blblo on the service stand of her
> edroom. I had looked at It a thousand
lines when she was In the garden or gone
ip to the great house.
And , though no one had ever told me , I
< ncw that the man I looked upon was my
ather.
He blood on thu threshold -with a naturally
gallant air , one hand on the hilt of his
word and the other , us I say , reached back
o puir his companion within.
Kho came , shame-red and smirking , a
mooth-faccd , apple-cheekoa younglih
Noiuan. slatternly , careless of dreas. short
of skirt nnd lavish of shoulder , a blur rib-
> on crls-crosslng loosely over her breast and
only half holding her bodlco together. This
woman laughed a ncnous , fleering laugh ,
when she found herself In face of the grave
trio seated at the table , \\ho turned with
ono accord to look at her Yet a monunit
after she seemed to care nothing f'r tbe-n ,
and centered her disdainful attmt'ou iion |
.the women on the other side V. the Inn
kitchen. As I say , eho was Inclcsdcry
i huxom nnd hoj-denlsh or feiture , but ( this
jl learned afterward ) there was no stindfist
or housewifely look In her ejcs. And < hat ,
after nil , Is the way to tell a gooJ wmian.
The young man with the haughty air and
handsome damaged countenance teak his
hand from hla sword nnd pointed scornfully
at the table.
| "Look , Janet , " ho cried , "look wo I nt
I them There sit nil the three. For a silver
'groat ' I would send them all to ho'l aye ,
I and swing for them in the ( Jrnss Mercat In
I the morning , Janet ! "
I The rosy mirth of the wine beat had
I ebbed quickly from my grandfather's lip ? .
j Ho gripped the tnblo to steadj himself not
' that ho was In the least overcome with fear
or apprehension , but thnt he might worthily
snj that which ho had to say.
"Philip , " ho murmured , and then put his
fingers to the goffered frill of his neeker-
I chief. "Philip , my lad , you are my eltSoH
I son. Will jou not take warning and lejd
n new life ? Gladly would I fcglve you for
I the sake of the bairn I learned to sny his
\ prajcrs kneeling at my knee. Put away this
wicked , wanton woman thnt has made you
live llko a boast Return to your wife. She
greets for you. She praj's for jou. Look
Upon this bairn " '
My grandfather had now his hand up-n
my he-ad , for I had run to him at the flm
sight of my father. He- would have En'd
more. I could hear his heart thumping In
bio side and his breath wheezing dryly In
hla throat. But at this moment ths woman
broke In shrill revlllngs , demanding furi
ously who he was thus to filch from her her
good name.
"I would have jou know that I am an
hontst man's wife ! " She shouted the words
nt him llko throwing stonos.
Sir Jnmes' eyes were steady on her face.
"Said you by any chance , " he Inquired
gravely , 'a man's honest wife ? ' "
He dropped his words quietly as a fisher
drops u bnlt Into a pool.
At which the woman swore a horrid oath
and turned away as If to escape the ques
tioning eyes of these present. She even
made as If to leave her companion's side
and go over to the other side of the fire
place , where Mistress , Brydson still sat knit
ting with her daughters gathered In beside
her like chickens when the hawk hovers.
But the women folk of the house readily
t'ivlnlns her Intent , gathered the skirts il
their klrtlcs closely about them and swept
oft Into the Inner room. The door slam
med In her face and with a heartsick little
laugh the woman returned to the side of her
paramour. There was no weakness In his
attitude.
Philip Stansficld stood browbeating all
that were In the Inn kitchen except perhaps
Umphray Spurway , the Englishman , who sat
sipping his stone ale contemptuously and
flinlllng In n way that was a vast admliatlon
to me to behold.
* CIIAl'TEH If.
The I.iiHxlc llnlrn.
Then the minister man uprose nnd lifted
his hand with great appearance of solemnity ,
which made the Englishman cough bshlnd
his palm. Fcr Master Bell began to exhort
the young man and the woman to repent and
put away their sin , citing Instances of well
accredited reformations both from scripture
and ( na he added ) from the records of pro
fane history.
But this timely and Improving rebuke did
the young man no good. Nay , It even made
him more angry than before , such Is tha
hardness of the human heart.
"Out upon you , canting hound , " he cried ,
breaking in on thu preacher's sermonizing.
HE SKEMKD AT ONCE TO ENNOBLE
AND TO ILLUMINATE THAT SMOKY
LITTLE HOSTELRY.
"I toll you plainly thnt had I as muckle to
fill my belly as a great a day , I would never
trouble my father again. "
"Come this night only to tbo great house , "
continued Mr. Bell , "bideto supper and the
worship of the family altar. Then will I be
seech for you n new heart. I feel that for
this very purpose I have been sent to Now
Mllns from the wicked city of Edinburgh , "
"Tho devil fly away with my father and
you both to Edinburgh If ho will ! Think
you I would frequent his table to have him
forever grinning at mo llko n sheep's head
on the tongs ? Yo dog In handstrlngs" ( here
he broke out In sudden fury ) "what Is your
concern In the matter ? Know you to whom
yo speak ? " .
Philip Stansfield suddenly left the woman's
side. Ho strode , across to where I stood
trembling nt my grandfather's elbow , clutchIng -
Ing his coatslecve.
"And so this puker Is my son the bantam
that hath disinherited his own father. I
will have no more folly. I will tuku him
and ho shall learn to chop wood and scour
potb for them that realjy love mo. He hath
a face llko a dlshclout , and I doubt not tbo
spirit of a sheep maggot. I will ( rain him
hotter. Faith , we will * eo If the law of the
land will deny n son to his own father. "
Whnt would now have happened I know
nqt , for at his son's throat Sir James eat
still , and , as It were , bereft of speech. But
Utaphray Spurway , who up to this tlmo bad
been listening with n smllo on his lips , sud
denly whipped a pair of platolu out of hU
pockctn and laid them bended on the table
before him.
"Unouith and to spare of 111 talk , " ho said ,
"out of this house with you in the Instant ,
t
Philip Sunsflcld , you debauched mnn And
blnsphcmer of your father' "
'
The young mnn was hold enough , but the
plstolx daunted him sorely , and with a shrill
cry of fear his companion clasped his arm
to draw him way.
"As for you. Janet Mark , " Spurway con
tinued , speaking to the woman , "you shall
bo whipped from hero to Morchnm aye , If I
ha\o to lay on the lashes mjself ! "
At which , after n volley of oaths from"
Philip Stansficld and n snarling llko that ot
n trapped wild "benst from his companion ,
the pair went forth Into the night , vowing
vengeance upon us all.
The three gentlemen sat n Inrtg lime silent
without touching the wine whlsh remained ,
nor KO tr.uch as emptying their glasses. Thru
Umphrav Spurwny rose
"Let us take the boy home to his mothT1 '
he said. '
And with thai he handed one of the pis
tols to Sir James , reserving thoio'her for
himself. The minister placed himself ne\l
to my grandfather on the Inner side , on.l
commended hfs llfo nnd work to (3od ( In
moving words. I thought he might have
spared a prayer for my grandfather nnd me ,
but ho did not.
In this order wo were Just aboXit to go up
the steps of Brydson'a change hoifce , nnd
nihrntuio forth Into the nlxht , when -ot a
sudden before ui there nppcard the strong
est little figure.
| A l.isslo bairn stood at the door birring
the waj a girl of 6 years or thereby. Htr
hc-ad was a tangle of light brown curls ,
which the firelight netted with go'd. Her
cjcs danced light. Her mouth smiled led.
, Slip herself Eoemod to smllo nnd dance as
, Is ehe could hardly keep her feet still. I
thought .sho looked kindly and prcttV nnd
little moro than a babe , but at Bight of her
the womanfolk of the houue cnmo running
Indignantly foiward to thrust her forth.
"My mlthcr where ha\o je put my
mlther ? " cried the child.
"Got o' thla , dcll'st brat ! " they nnswerfd
drily , "wo would onll her "God's ehlld. ' That
la little Anna Mark ! "
CIlM'Tnil lit.
The Orrnt llniinc of TV Mllim.
That night they took mo not back to my
mother's house , whloh was the Ixxlgo Yett
nt the end of the avenue 'which leads to the
south from the- mansion house , my grand
father not wishing , for reasons of his own ,
to bo parted from me. But when wo cnmo
right to the door of the great house of New
Milne , Sir James said to John Bell , the
ihlnjstcr , "Sir , 1 would ask you to go down
to the lodge and sny to this lad's mother
that he Is to bldo hero this night , so that
she may .not expect him. Alsa bid Caleb
Cllnkabcrrj- , her manservant , make all fast
itnd"kcep this musket loaded. Tttl him this
apart He will know the rcsson why. "
Clearly the minister did not like his mis
sion. Young ns I was I could sec that , for
the place nas lonely nnd the road dark , But
ho feared my grandfather , as I think now ,
because ho was the patron of several good
parishes , and ho as jet bath unbeneficed and
expectant.
Then Sir James let himself In with a key
\Uilch he tcok from n belt at his waist , and
Umphray Spurway nnd I prcccdeJ him Into
the hall , n wldo place whore there was
armor nnd old swords and a great brass-
faced clock ticking composedly In a corner.
A lamp stood ready llfthtcd nnd the pHco
smelt habitable and homelike. It was good
to be once more within walls , though c\en
now 1 could not get the thought of the witch
child out my head.
My grandtather's old sfcrMng man , Hcbln
Green , came to take his master's overcoat ,
letting Umphrny Spurway nnd mjsolf ehtft
for ojirselvcs.
"Her lad j ship ha * gone Jto bed , " he said ,
"sho wearied waiting for jou. "
"Did she ken that I was t the change
house' " asked Sir James , n little anxious ,
-ecemcd to me.
"I tolled her leddyshlp that je were ga'en
I SAW A TALL , SMART-VISAGBO MAN STANDING ERECT BY THE OUTER DOOR.
as with ono voice , and would ha\e driven
her forth Into the night with their hands ,
but that she seemed to flit before them up
the steps and to disappear In the darkness.
After a moment's hesitation Umphray Spjr-
way followed , and we all found ourselves In
the crisp silence ot the wIntel's night. I
looked nil about me for the IHtle , figure In
the dress of red soldier's blanket , but I saw
her not. It was cold , and a stray pellet of
hall or two spat In our faces , for the frcst
was too' keen to let the snow come down
with any freedom , though the sough of the
wind from the north told us that it was not
far awaj.
For seural hundred j-ards beyond the
circle of the yellow lights of the change
house windows the street of the village of
New Mil'ns ' Is bounded by the klrkj-nrd wall.
As wo passed along I think we all looked
up apprehensively to it. And I for ono felt
certain all that while that Philip Stansfleld'a
gun barrel'would be peering down upon us
from Its long , irregular ridge.
But what we made out was quite different.
Again we saw the little girl. She stood erect
upon It , just by the lintel of the gatepost ,
her blanket-swathed figure Wetting out n
slim belt of stars. Again wo heard her voice
speaking to us as she had done on tbo steps
of the Inn.
"My mlther ! Ill men , what hn\e ye done
with my mlther ? "
"Go home , little one , " cried Sir James ; ' . 'go
home where you belong. "Tis no seemly
hour for a bairn to bo sitting on the wall of
the klrkynrd. "
"I want my mlther ! I will not go home
without my mlther ! "
The answer came down to us with a
strange lilt to It , as If the speaker wore
speaking and dancing , too. Then after a
pause
"And I'm no slttln' . I'm fitandln' . I want
my mlther. "
"Wo do not know jour mllher nor where
she Is , " snld Sir James. "Go homo when you
are bidden like a good lass. And If ye are
feared to gang , tell your mlthor that I sald ,
yo were no to be Ilcklt this time for bldn' |
oot late. "
"And who. are yo that bids folks that
gate ? " said the elf's u > lco fiom the wall
shrewdly.
"I am Sir James Stansfield , " said my
grandfather simply. Whereat from the kirk |
dyke came- peal on peal of the strangest , .
merriest laughter , like bells on harness
heard across the snow.
"Why do you laugh nt my name , bairn ? "
my grandfather asked with a certain stern
ness.
ness.The laugh stopped short as If cut off with
shears.
"Because my mlther laughs llko that when
she lays oot your washln' , " she answered.
"Lays out my washing ? " said my grand
father uncertainly.
"Ayo , " returned the child ; "wen my
nilther folds up the linen sheets she aye
laughs when she comes to the hindmost
ono. 'This is Sir James Stansfleld's wlnd-
ng sheet , ' she says. And then she laughs ,
and so I laugh , too , though I do not ken
what for. "
And again there came the sound of childish
mirth from the top of the klrkynrd wall.
Then , all suddenly , the ( little dark figure dls-
ippcared and the sound of her laughter |
.Inklcd away Irregularly Into tbo distance , '
coming back to us now clear , now faint , till
t was heard no more , And looking through
.he bars of the kirk yet , we could see It fitt
ing like a snowflake across the tombstone *
.oward the \ault of the Stanatlclds.
I think I never felt my b-nnet lift off my
head more plainly than that night. Even
ho minister beside mo was groaning and
quaking
"Who Is this deUI's bairn ? " he asked of
Umphray Spurway , "I will have tor In-
llcted at the Presbytery for a witch "
"Some chance bairn the child of an evil
mother , " said ray grandfather.
"In my country , " said Umphray Spurway
w ! ' the minister to a meetln' . I conde
scended not on particulars cither o' time or
place , necessity not being laid upon me. "
Sir James was visibly relieved.
"I will not forget this , Robin , ' " be said ,
making his wonted grimace of rain as the
servitor eased his coat over bis rheumatic
shoulders.
"Thero Is a fire In your bedroom , never
theless , " said Robin ; "her leddyehlp bade
me say that she wished not to be disturblt. "
At this Sir James clapped his hands sud
denly together.
"Come , ben , Umphray ; come jour waj-s
ben ! " bo said , hcartllj"Robin , put a lire
In the parlor not her ladjship's parlor , but
! the'other. "
j "Thero is a guld lire In ithe east room ,
sir , " answered the old man gravelj , as If
i saying his prayers ; "I llthtlt It as soon as
| her ( eddyshlp gaed up to her bed. Also I
took ben the gunrdcvlnc nnd "
"Robin , " said my grandfather with equal
gravity , "jour wages aie raised a pound In
the half year. "
"I thank ye kindly'sir , " said the man
nodding with simple gravity.
"Tak * that bairn with ye , Robbin , " added
Sir James , his oj'c suddenly falling on me ;
"or , Btaj' , let him have some supper In the
parlor flist , and then lay him In the blue
roonj that Is next to mine. "
At these woids , glad to be rid of my
grandfather for a llttlo , I wont gladly with
Robin to his pantry. It hod the word "Still-
room" printed legibly on the door and smelt
of cheese. Hero Robin would not let me bldo
long , sajlng that It was cold and uufircd , but
putting a tumbler of milk and a liberal
wedge of pastry upon a trajho took my
hand and led mo back Into the lighted parlor ,
which , like most of the rooms In the old
house of Now Mllns , had old arras about the
walls. The curtains were drawn close. The
fire Robin Green had lighted was sparkling
, nnd spelklng over the great Iron dogs. Bil
lets of birch wcro piled up beside It , and Sir
Jamen sat tossing first ono nnd then another
upon the heap absent-mindedly , talking all
the whlTo to the English cloth merchant.
As soon as Robin saw this ho set down the
tray on the tableland going over to bis
master , he took the billet of wood out of his
hand nnd led him back to the table. Sir
James looked at the birch faggot , then nt the
hand on his arm. The old servitor was firm
and rctpcctfiil. So without Intermitting his
discourse for a moment , my grandfather
permitted himself to be led back to the table
and Installed opposite the great oaken
guardevlno , which , with Its silver-capped
square bottles and shining ladles and iiira-
incrs , looked most comfortable apd appetiz
ing.
ing.Then
Then Robin Orren went back to the
hearth , and , stooping ON or the fire , be care
fully removed the entire armful of faggots
which Sir James had tossed on , blowing out
each if It had caught , and laying It at the
sideso that presently the whole room was
full of the acrid blto of wood smoke , and the
teau began to run down my cheeks Into tbo
milk I was drinking.
But Sir James continued his story without
stopping to notice ttohln Green , nnd as bo
talked the tears ran down his checks also ,
but whether from the pity of the tale he was
telling or because of the wood-reek I know
not ,
My grandfather had compounded a steam *
Ing glassful for his guest and then for him-
cuf , but so absorbed was he In his narra-
tl\'o that ho qultu forgot at the end nf the
operation to add ( ho spirit to Umpbrny Spur-
way's glass an nmUtilon whlcji the Eng
lishman Immediately repaired Hhout com
ment , reaching his hand for the decanter
and pouring In the rich jcllow liquid wlh ( a
11 Horn I hand , nil the time looking Sir James
In the i'e and nodding at the proper plates
In the story , as If thnt were his oln concern
My grandfather , after having bidden me
hntto and dlepat'-h my supper , because It
was late and my mother wculJ with me In
msmmstm : ; : : : * : : : tmtmi
| Strong [ vidence |
Tbo strongest cvidenco in tlio world , nsido from * *
55 personal experience , is the direct testimony of an
5 honest mnn.
The word of Bomo ono way off East , or West , JJ
99 of whom we never heard before , may be true
G9 But we are not so sure of it as wo are of the $ .
4 A.
statement of a
who lives in
" * 5\ / Bamotown with usj }
f' ' jtf \ / / a inan w ° cnn Bo ° SS '
and talk to any
wovant to
, r r " / time wo
iSsJlvN } > * depend - '
. \ wo can pos-
' W itivoly upon the ; ;
evidence of such a man. S9
And that is just the sort | |
of men who are testifying for
Men who live right here99
in Omaha. ® *
Men whoso statement can bo ee
veriiied in an hour any time. Men who have suffered 99
from every form of kidney trouble , and who have been *
QB cured by the Little Conqueror of Kidney Ilia. It is
99 their own experience they are telling , and it is true ,
every word of it. Here is the story of one Omaha man : 99 eo
Mr. Jphn f. Hoeller. stoc-U keeper of 90
O ® the third lloor In McCord-Urndy Co.'s
QS v ttho'esnle ' piocery , living at "til ! "
_ * ( 'li.\tle-s stieet , says : "I had a weak
08 . luck for nearly thiee yeaii. Sometimes 09
99 n m'hed eonstantly , particularly M > If 9&
O3 1 stooped or lifted. I used medicine . e ©
® O Kai [ to he good for the kidneys , hut 08
the tionhle still continued. An an- eo
® ® nonnccinent about Duan's Kidney 1'lllH Od
® ® In our dally papers led me to piocmc
® ® a hex at Kr.hn & Co.'s dniR stoic , eor-
O ® ner loth and Dotifjlns sts. The tteat- OB
O ® munt cured me. "
® * DOAN'S KIDNEY PILLS arc for sale 09
J * tit all drui ; stores , 50 ccutu a box. 00
® | Fostcr-Mllburu Co. , UufTalo , N. Y. 98
ea
pQR > G > COC SJO < 5 < _
9Q99Q9Q9QQ99 G89&999Q9 © © O
TURKISH T. & P. PILLS brings monthly men
struation suru to Ihodtiy never dtsappomtyou !
SI. box. 21x xos will help any cast' . Ilynmll.l
Hnlin'.iDrugstore , i8th iSFarnaniOmahaNeb.
' mWi1WlVHl \ , PWVW i
bed , presently forgot all about me , and pro
ceeded with his argument. Still talking , he
rose from his seat , and , going to one of the
shelves which went about the deep window
ecat , he took from that which \vas readiest to
ils hand a little book covered in crimson
leather , nnd with the pages grown yellow
with age and handling.
"This , " he said , holding It up , "Is now my
chief comfort. No , Master Spurway , It la
not the Bible. Her ladyship yes , ccitainly ,
ahe to a comfort but of a mild nature , and ,
as one might say , occasional In action. Hut ,
air , I would have you know that thla Is Bur
ton , his 'Melancholy , ' or the right edition ,
Before he grew clumsy. 'At Oxford : Printed
jy John Lltchfield nn'd James Short for
Henry Crlpps ; Anne Dom. 1C21. ' By that
jou may know It. Without this written
cordial I can neither live merry hour nor
sleep quiet night. Having Burton's fellow
ship , even though my son atrhe after my
death , I can go on merrily toward heaven ,
as Indeed saeth mine author. "
Then Umphray Spurway , with a curious
amlle on his face , asked my grandfather If H
jecamo him as an elder of the kirk to pass
ils time with Burton , who , after all , wan
little better than a pagan ( or at least an
episcopalian ) , when ho might be In medita
tion upon "Naphtall" or "Lex Hex" or , If
hs/mlnded not these , nt the least casting up
in his mind the points of Mr. John Boll's
Sabbath sermon upon a miltablo passage in
Canticles.
To which my grandfather replied that to
his thinking there was moie egg meat In ono
page of honest Burton than In all the songs
of Solomon the king.
At which saying my own heart was
troubled , nnd even Umphrny Spurway co\-
u'rcd Ills face with his hand ,
"Walt , Umphny , " ho went on , "only wait ,
my nimble bachelor , till you nru a man with
n family and know something about the mat
ter. What comfoit will you find In n homo
that Is ono continual strife of tongues , your
sons waiting for you without your gate ,
wishful for your death , their tcctch bared to
bite , jour wife peevish of face , bitter of
speech' "
In answer to this outburst Umphray Spur-
way ald no word , but held out his hand
across the table , nnd IIP smiled no more behind -
hind hla palm. Sir James took It and held
It hard in both of his.
"I will not m.iko n stranger of you , Um
phrny , " ho aald , "It Is not debts that trouble
me. You have put mo out of ithe" reach of
that. It Is thnt one of my eons hates /12.
Yo have heard his best word o ( mo this
night. My second , to whom I had thought
to leave the bulk of my money , now every
night comes homo disguised In drink and
rails upon mo worse than thu other. My
wlfo cries out constantly that I have been
well served for being BO long over-lcnieut
with the children. "
"Speaking of your non I'hlllp , " ald Urn-
phniy Spurway , quietly , "have you tried oil
ways with him the severe as well as the
Indulgent ? "
"Aye , " answered my grandfather , hope-
leesly , "all wajs , I sent him abroad to take
service as a common soldier In the Scots'
Dutch regiments. I thought this would ect-
tlo him , But In a month ho was In prlHon ;
and when , through the influence of our am
bassador at The Hague , I got him rclcaiml
In another month I have HOWB that ha as
been condemned to death at Trcvea. Then ,
when I had provided money to bribe his
jailers and bring him home , ho only brrakn
out more and more furiously , to thnt I never
know when I go down to mine own dining [
hall whether I will get the contents of a' '
musket or a decent meal of meat Into my
\\nme ! "
At this moment wo heard noise In tha
passageway , and both of the gentlemen rose
to tholr feet , my grandfather pale and per
turbed'Umphray Bpurway with his hand
ngaln In bis tall pocket , hrro ho had put
Ida plBtolB.
Hut after all , It was only the mlnlitcr ,
Mr John Bell , who cajiio In hastily and mnk
Into a chair , all shaken and for the moment
unable to speak.
"What l 't ? What Is't ? " ald my grand
father , bending over him anxiously
I'mpbray Spurway went to the door and
looked down the pni ° agc , Then ho came
back nnd compounded a stout rummer of
strong waters , the which , when the minis
ter had sipped at awhile , the power of
speech returned to htm , and ho lifter up bis
hands to heaven nnd rolled his eyes.
"Let the doors be barred , the windows
looked to , for a man of blood goes about
the houne this night. Almost ho had made
an end of mo , but mercifully hie hand has
wlthholden and I escaped like u bird out of
the fowler's snare. "
"Speak plain , man , " t > ald my grand-
I father : "who or what molested you ? "
1 The minister feebly waved a hand to in-
, tlmato that he would speak more as ho
could , and presently with many fallings away
and applications to the rummer , he began
to tell bis tale.
"As I came back by the fir plantation ,
after leaving behind me the hou o of the
lodge , where I had delivered your message
faithfully , I came upon Philip StansHcld
Ui the way with n drawn sword In bin
hand.
" 'Dog ! ' cried ho In a terrible voice ,
'down on jourmanow bones , dog ! Ye bavo
mumbled too ninny Indulgcncea. Ye shall
have none from me. Tell me what yo did
In my wife's house at this time of night.
Oh , nay , lie not to me. That will not servo
jou. I know the way of your cloth with
female saints. Out with It , dog , or by the-
devil's dice bo * I will forthwith disem
bowel you with this sword ! '
"So , seeing him thus urgent , to keep the
pcnco I gat iloviii on my knees and told
him all.
" 'Bides Umphrny Spurwny at the great
house this night ? " ho asked me ,
"I told him that I know not as to that ,
nddlng that I was a poor uon of the kirk
nnd that I looked to him to uparo my life.
" 'What monejfi have yo cozened from the
old greyhound this week ? " ho cried. 'Out
with It ! Kmpty your pockets ! '
"I told him thai. I had not on mo the value
of ono dolt , but that ho wno welcome to my
poor prayeis. At thld ho laughed n wicked ,
ribald laugh. 'Poor prayers Indeed , ' ho said ,
spurning me painfully with his foot ; 'a
connrd'ti prayers are poor prnyurfi Indeed !
Hlse up , bravo saint' Go to your patron
and bid him prepare for a longlsh journey.
My Hervlco to the cloth weaver. My filial
duty lo my honored father ! '
"With that the young man laughed and
went out of ray eight , with thu naked aword
jet over his uhouldor , and EO , rising up , I
ran hither so noon as tbo blood cumo back
to my heart ! "
"You Imir , Umphray ? " ald Sir James ,
looking acrosH at the ISngllnhman ,
"I will go eek Master Philip , " ald the
man from YorkB , taking out Ills pistols and
bending them In IIH ! hand. /
Still do I remember that procession down
the long pnesago to the outer door , my
grandfather leading the way with a candla
In a great silver candlestick. Then cama
Umphrny , the Englishman , his face grim and
net , striding on with his heavy footfall , Be
hind him again wcro the minister nnd my
self , fcorful , I trow" , to go , but Htlll morn
fearful or being loft In the parlor alono.
I mind the shooting boo kof the bolts ona
by ono , the swinging noUo of the hinges ,
the widening of the black crack when tha
door opened and the night looked In , tha
expectation In my heurt Unit I Hhould nee
the facn of a fkud look out of the black-
nrm Then I heard Umphrny utrldo down
the ttepH. My grnndfathei'ti randlo shonn a
im -nt on a stretch of whllo , glistening
snow , over which the wind moaned. Then
tbo heavy door clanged , the boltH were shot
and Sir James turned nnd found mo at hla
feet.
feet.Ho
Ho gave a little start nt sight of me ,
"Philip , " ho said , In a sti.ingo tone , "my
boy Phlllpl"
"Then , with a long sigh , ho added : "And
now ho seeks my life "
In a little ho recalled his mind fro-n tha
past In which It Imd been wandering ,
"You must tot bed Instantly , " ho wild !
"there la a flro in the blue room. U Is next
to mine , eo jou will not bo feared to be
alouu. Tonight jou shall ledge there and
tomorrow wo wll Uiond you hack t\
your mother ( loud night to you , Master
Bell- this way. non Philip , "
( TO BK CONT1UKD. )