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Home My WebLink AboutThe Signal, 1899-3-2, Page 7etir Soo re. 4+z14.'t., MIRY 8Pll11'8 FEVW.I. By OARiiiDLAU MORGAN. tooperioltt,-11e. bt the Author.! Abraham epenoet came up the lane trout tits fields, carrying bis dieoolored old draw bat iu hoe hand mud mopping his face with a red cotton bandkercblef He walked stiffly mud slightly bent for- ward front ib. hips, as do most hard workiug wen who have pawed the half eeotury mark, but he but his heavily thud feet down with a firmness that be - •poke m•seder'e1Jr aa well as mental deoitkm. - - He aoanued the house sharply aa b approached, and his shaggy brows were drawn almost together in a frown. 11 was the middle of a sultry August aft eruoo0, yet the doors and windows were all closed and the green holland blinds were drawn down. He tried the back door and found it fast. and, though be pounded ow it with hie horny kuuokles. there was no responme. save a startled "auk, oak, cuk I" from an old ben witb • brood of downy chicks waltowing in the dost Iodide the taps "Now this 1s mighty strange,". be muttered perplexedly. "I wouldn't 'Ye thought Hairy 'd go away tram borne this way all of a sudden. She didn't ay a word about it at uuuntlme. 8be'e never dont snob a thing before ■e 1 know of." He stood still for • little while, medi- tatively rubbing hie tbumbs and fore fingers together while be pondered the unprecedented situation. "Couldn't be asleep 1 reckon," be 000jeotured. "Never knowed ber to sleep to daytime." Nevertheless be came down the steps and went around the house to a cbam Ger window. where he ported • tangle of bop vines and rapped sharply on the math. "Salty i" he called. "8abry I Are yea to home?" There was a dight sound from within, as of • creaking board beneath a careful footstep; then the shade was lifted at etre gide and a thin. startled, elderly lace looked out. "What on earth Is the matter, /airy? What'e the boom all .but up like a jail for?" demanded Abraham Spenoer in a high pitched, irascible tone. "Don't you know the Itbyuearaon. 've been M bene and gone away again?" he went an. "1 saw 'em from the north meader. and I've -berme clear home t0 nee what's the matter Was you asleep? Didn't you bear 'em knock?" Mn Spencer rolled op the shade and lifted the sash with hand* ,bat trem- bled. "Dome now, speak np quick," added ber husband Impatiently. "for I'm go - in after 'em and bring 'em book, and 1 want to know wbs{ to tell 'em " "No, no, Abram, don't go after 'em. " Mrs. Spencer dropped an ber knees and lathed her arms wearily on the win- dow rill. She spoke pleadingly. and there were tears in bet voice as well as to ber eyes, "Oh. Abra'm. I kep' 'em out a purpose." "You—what?" Abraham Spencer's sone implied ,bat he was forced to doubt the evidence of the ears that had served him well fur nearly threescore yearn "I kep' 'em out • purpose I knowed you'd be -mad. but 1 couldn't belp it I'm just too mortal tired and mlaer'ble so tan 4that becomes of ma 1 ain't able to get .upper tow you and the swelled at tba-}olnte with years of toll, and her fans was deep Hued and seinen': lust now es war am near white as it oould be, and a nrddeteet eted, desperate look bad tome tutu it, a look that stop- ped the words un her busband's lips. Ile broke off abruptly and looked tot ber in stere surprise and displeasure, "1 never kuowed you to act up so cranky, Sairy. 1 can't see what's gettin foto you. Now, I've got no time W tool away. 1'11 tell Mis' Rbyuearsou you wag .sleep and didn't hear 'em knack, alt.11 1?" "Tell her anything the reply In a strange, suited the look in her optttradict you." "-But bow do you knovi you won't?' We ought to heves clear uuderetandiu. What you goiu to tell Mis' Rbyneareon when she asks you where you was?" "bite won't auk me." "Well, now, I'd like to know bow you know the won't?" "Because Pm not goin to give ber • ohanoe." The wiudow sash did down to the sill, and the .bade dropped back to its place. Abraham dpenoer let go the bop vines and watched them el ter together again with a slightly dazed look in his deep ret gray eyes. "Now, what in blazes (could abe 'vs meant by that last?" he meditated un - you like," wee still voice that face. "I won't baoda, let alone all that Rbynearaon gang. I've worked ao bard today, and 1 didn't sleep much last night for my rkeumatis. I'm nettle old fast and breakin down. Abra'm 1 can't bold oat much longer if 1 don't slack op a little g• bard work. " "Wall. why in thunder don't yon clack op then? What's to hinder you from goin to bed after breakfast and atayin tbere till dinner time?" "Now, Abram, that's what you al- ways say, and it's ao nnreaeonable Wbo'd do the work If 1 went to bed? Who'd feed the chickens and pigs, and milk the cows, and churn the butter. and clean the vegetables, and bake the bread end pies, and keep the whole bones in order? You'd Dome out dim if I went to bed, Abra'm." "Well. slim or no slim, I want you to eitber go to bed or else Mint up your cow plalnin. " "Now, Abram. if you ooly would be a little reasonable All 1 ask is that you let me slack op • little bit in ways that 1 can Thele ain't no genes in OR bavit @o much comp'ny now since the girls are married and gone. (onep'ny makes so much hard work 'specially town oomp'ny Them high flyio town folks don't oare a map for u., Abram They just like to be cooked foe and waited on, and kep' overnight and over Sunday, and fed on the beat of every thing, from spring chicken to water Melons. Now, them Rhynear.ona"— "Them Rbyneer.ons 're my blends,' sternly interposed Abraham Spencer, "and so long's I have a roof over my bead my friends 're welcome ander it I wouldn't 've b'lleved such a thing of Ica. Sairy. I hain't any doubt you're tired. I'm tired myself most of the time, but I don't make that an excuse for @nghtie my friends." "Bat you don't have to ex,k for 'ere and wait on 'em. Abn'm, when you're so tired and worn oat that you can't hardly drag o*le foot after the other. and"— "Don's begin that old tone all over again I've beard it a many • time al- ready. You're gestin .o you're always oompleinlu, and if there's anything 1 hate it's a neggin woman. Now, ander stand, I'm gotta after the Rhynearsona. I'm goin to makk 'mw oome back If I can. Am Ito say you was awry from home or asleep or what? It won't do for are to tell 'pm Dee thing and yogi an- other, .o jnet tell me what to say, end be gnlnk about it." "Tell 'ens anything you like, Abram I don's care what All I oak of ynn, 1f you're bound t�oQ go after 'em, Is that you'll stop et8elwood'waad get 8ophro- of to emu, neer end do the work while they're her, "What, hire her?" "Why, of o .:.sea. Yon wouldn't sok a poor girl like Snphrony to work for yen for nothin, i reckon." "My lend, Salty, hew often 've I got to tell yon I can't afford 80 pay 001 looney fee help in the Masse? If ynn once begin it yoa'li he always wantln help, end tbere'■ nn manse In it. Why. there was my mother"— Mrs. 8penner staggered to her feet She was a tall, steep shoulinred, weak cheated woman; her meant hair was iron Ire?. bar baud. were hardened and 4 r . r A. "What, hlee her/' ashy Than h s t 1, .tiiinijtsL,014. Jjpt. closed ter'G`t,sta tine, and lee ati?led am bedy can't b'Ileve ire the rest that's ill On graver I'd like to knew what we ems b'Hws in. 1 never beard snub roan d'loa. doctrine elute 1 was butu.ye"" Sbe {ornrd abruptly and went into the bouse, (dories the door betweeu bewail( mud her unorthodox neighbor, and Ila erred petit the sound of receding fo utstepe died away. "There, 1 hope she's gone, with her oroakiu. 1 was ,but atoned she'd haug arouud and hinder err cru long. Laud, 4 o'clock a'resadyl" as a timepiece iu an truer room gave four bard, wetallio stroke.. bile hurried into the bedroom and came out rolling a pair of heavy gray blankets-juto an uncouth buudie. Them she toolej . bottle Lunn &Admit iu the pantry and filled it witb resin sweet milk. ` As she pat the cork in she emd- douly .topped and listened, thea opened the door • little way and listeued mgaiu intently. "Wheels!" she ejaculated. "Now, 1f it should be them, goodness help me to get lulu the cornfield before they come in sight." Sbe caught up the blaukets and matched a raspberry pie in its lin plate from the table. Thus equipped for flight she opened the door and went hurriedly out. At the tout of the step the brood of little cbickeue met her in full force. fluttering ,round her feet and impeding ber progress. "Stool Stool" She pushed them aside with one foot and waved the pie at them frantically, but tbey followed close at bur skirts, with dismal chirps that went to ber heart "Poor little things, how well they know it's their supper time! If I'd only had time to feed 'em. Like as not no- body else'II think to do it." She hesitated and looked back at them pityingly. But the rattle of wheels seuuded closer now, and ber heart hard- ened.. She went on again, striving to redouble ber speed, but the blanket'. were cumbersome, and the raspberry pie was sbeddiug its sticky juice up her deeve. Her arms were near to breaking and tears and perspiration mingled in the bellows of bed chpela when at last she reached the crufield and stumbled in between the tall green rows. She drop- ped the blankets and almost fell upon them in ber exbanetion. The bottle and piawere allowed to shift for themselves, and the latter poured out the last rem - mint of its crimam juice •t the rootauf a Dorn hill. 241$8 401.4. Mea apaA ,.[ll►1 .ftp .s.i be turned shortly away: "1301 1 ain't a-goiu to ask her. When a man can't be master 10 bis own house, tea -time for him to burn It down or blow his brains oat." - Mrs. Spencer heard his beavy heels ,wounding ou the bard beaten path es be went around the hoose, and each re- lentless step meenteel to grind its way into ber quivering 'nerves. Ordinarily she would have taken timid note of bit movement. at the edge of • window shade, for her hustmnd's anger bad al- ways been • dreadful thing to ber, but now sbeopenrl the outer door and stood there, watching, while be brought a horse and wagon oat of the barn and drove rapidly •way. When be bad passed out of sigbt, she exclaimed bit- terly : "1'11 not stand it I'll hide myself! I'll get o01 of this before be gets back with that gaug if I drop dead in my tracks!" As • first and very womanish step in the execution of her resolve she sat dens on obs doorstep and cried. Her meager frame @honk with dry, convul- sive sobs, such as are bora of wornoat nerves, aching muscles, a lonely heart and • starved soul. Site did nut heed approaching foot- steps 'and scarcely started when a neighbor ptosed at the loot of the stepe and spoke to her. "Why, Mis' Spencer, what's the tatter? I hope nothin's gone wro0g?" Mrs. Spencer's gobs ceased and her face hardened aa abe met the woman's inquiring eyes. "1t ain't terrible that 1 want to talk about, Mis' Howard. I've about got to the end of my rope; that's all. I'm tired of Ii,in and wish to heaven I was dead this mindte. " Mrs. Howard held op her hands. "Don't say that, Mis' Spencer." she remonstrated. "Now, I don't know. what's gone wrong. and I hain't the least notion of tryin to find out. 1 only beg of you not to wish you was dead. It's such k fearful with. We don't -any of os know what death is." "We ■l1 know )t'@ refit, and that's all 1 care to know," mid Mrs. Spencer. She leaned her chin on her hands, her elbows on her knees, and gazed into vs.• essay with red rimmed. unlovely eyes. "No, we don't even know that," said Mrs. Howard, with impreeeive earnest - Dees. "That's fart one of the things we've been taught, and we like to think it's ao We don't know the first thing about death, Mis' Speinoer, except that it turn. ms cold and stiff and fits us for the grave. We don't any of as know what goes with the livin, thinkin, mut feria part of os. Sometimes I think maybe it stays with ne in the grave, po that we hear and know things, same se whets we was livin. I shouldn't wonder if we oould lay In our gravea and bear the birds single and the ruin fallin and Leel the sur, ahinio above nm. Now, . 'poein you waste your grove, nal there in the little buryln ffrolond in the seder, and a'po.In you oonld bear these little chick* ohirpin to be fed at sundown sod you not here to feed 'e m, and the cows oomin up the lane to be milked and you not here to milk 'em, e nd yonr hnmbend trudgin home, *low and tired and hungry, and you not here to get popper for him, do you reckon yen could red then, Mitt' Spencer? "And .'pain that after a bit you'd bear snnie other woman's voice .-callin the chicken' and some other woman's bander rattlin the dove lido around, a-atartin • fire to cook mapper for your hnehand. You'd most likely want to get op out of your grave then, hot yen couldn't. You'd jnrt hove to lay there e nd hear things vitt on without you filly In and day nut, year in .red year Mit, and watch yourself tenth to pieces inch by ineit and crnmhiln to dost. There wouldn't be winch refit about that, Mier' Spencer, wnnld there, now?" Mee. Spencer atom with the slow patntnlnee* of eitffmned rhenmatin joints and turned a dtnnked, reemnttnl fare wpm her vieitor. Mis' Howard," ohm Need sternly, "If I found a fellow mortal in tremble and ooeld0't think of a .inglm ommfnrtin thing to gay to bee. I'd an away and leave her glove I wnnldn't try to knnnk oat thtt last prop from under bar. It • listened again. Sbe could no longer hear the sound of wheels nor any errand save the rustling of the millions of Dorn blades in the great field about her and the voice of a meadow lark singing from/be top of a tall charred stump near by. Sheba still and rested a little while longer. Tben she stood up and tried to we the Boase, but the tasseled tops of the corn were two feet above her bead. -She made her way cautiousij)' to the outer rovr'aod peered out between the stalks, bit the townie best straight into her eyes, and the higher ground of the meadow, full of baycocke,. 'beef; vened. Sbe conld ere only the weather worn roofs of the Ionise and been. She crept heck end took up ber burdeu again of blankets and bottle end pie and trudged on deeper into tbe sheltering labyt iith of corn. When she had put ball the widtb of the field between ber self and the, bona,, she felt safe for the time being and sat down again to rest and bide her time. Her objective point was an old dug- out in the Noe of a atony ridge putt be youd the cornfield. 1t had been con - Wearied for a potato coffer and wan used only for storing those edible tubera in winter. From Meech to November it was empty and forgotten, given over to rata and spiders. She had clown it for ber refuge over all the other nooks and crannies on the farm became of its iso lation. No roving member of tbe objec- tiouable "gang" would be likely to stumble upon it and discover her. Bot it wits well up the time of the ridge and viable from the house. so she did not think it beat to risk discovery by •p poaching it in open day. She partly unrolled the blankets end lay down upon tbem, turning her worn face up to the sky with s deep drawn breath of rest and a delioioue new settee of freedolp. Her close environment of tall corn shot out the horizon, hot she knew when the sun bad sunk below it by the tinted glow that overspread ber small vista of sky and the fresher breeze ,bat Came whispering among the Dorn blades, precursor of the coming night. After • time dark shadows began creeping along the furrows, as if striv• ing to steal upon her unawares, and in the purpling firmament above two or three pale stars took Corm and blinked coldly down at her libe sat no and shivered, and her heart intik a little at thought of the potato cellar and the lonely night. "Dew's ■-fsllin I" abe exelaitned in dismay, with care for ber rbenmati,m, and as gniekly es might he abe gathered °p her belongings and relearned her flight. 1n the fast withering night the way to the potato cellar seemed long and rough, and when she had reached it the found it a etrongholddefended by wild blarkberyy •Ines that she meet tear away with ber naked bands before she could gain an entrance. The clom.y door opened outward, and yielded only inch by inch to her repeated jerks. Koch time a blackberry eine was wrenched tut by the roots it brought down a shower of lootened gravel upon her defenseless bead from the crumbling banks that towered high on either gide, but at last a dark aper- ture yawned before ber wide ennngb M give ber entrance. She wondered why she had not foremen the need of • can- dle end Rome matches .e the groped her way within and polled the door shat. As she did so there Dame • great roar and crawh of falling gravel nntmide. It sounded a perfect avalannbe, and the congratulated hermit on baying peeped 1, The atmosphere 01 the little cavelike place was nines and meaty from long lank of ventilation, end Mew. Spencer toned the abrupt Mange from the pnre outer air almnmt Milling. She decided that the most reopen the door and leave It an through the night, tut when she attempted to do it ib' found the door immovable, bend Ant by t;,e masa of gravel that had fallen against it. The discovery left her aghast "Why, now—if I moil get not •,,4 nohndy hes the levet notion where I an, why—it's 'moat like burin burled alive?" The 'ientition was disheartening, but abe direst forebodings meet yield to et teetum bodily wetelnmaa, and morn she bad woad hoe blankets on the dry straw of • potato bin and atrNobed Der whiug trams uebit them. For au hour ur more her mental war ry mod lbw "rbeetaneto ! . nisi d to tor- menting ber ; then Dame sleep and wooed her to rest with the welcome thought of Do breakfast to pet in the morning and no disturbiug voids to break in upon her slumbers with tits anuounoement of "gsttiu up time." But she dreamed, and all through her dream auauded the chirping of hungry little oblottoes, the lowing of unmilked cuws and the slow, heavy tread of her bosbander feet catnip( op the lane •t evening time. "Tired and hungry and you not bore to get supper tor him," droned the reproachful voice of her nefgbbot. rnniti'd( like M diftelbeeneatry the other souuda and making elf the dream a wretched, haunting nightmare. "Drat that Mis' Howard! I'l1 never speak to ber agate," was Mrs. Speuoer's first waking thought- A thin shaft of daylight with the yellow glinted a well risen sun in it was forcing its way into the oellar tbrough • crevice an inch wide above the door. Involuntarily Mrs. Spinout sat ap and listened for the fa• miller souuds of ber dream. But she heard only the bickeriug of • pair of wrens in the blackberry vines outside and the scurry of • rat that eoampered across the cellar door and plunged into his bole in a oorner. This nerved to draw her attention to ber surroundings. In an opposite bin lay tome sorry looking potatoes, with long, ghostly white sprouts end a winding sheet of cobweb• Near the center of the earth floor stood • battered old .beet iron stove with some rusty joints of pipe rising shakingly to the thatched roof, feu feet above. The hired men had set it up during the oold snap in Marob and built • Ore in it to keep themselves warm while they out potatoes for seed- ing. A dozen matches and • clay pipe half fall of burned tob•000 lay on its hearth forgotten. Mrs. Speucer felt • little light bead- ed when she stood op and thus was brought to remember that she bad eaten nothing ,ince noon of the preceding day. She looked about for the pie and bottle of milk. The latter was intact, but the former bad vanished, leaving only it, tin plate as tangible evidence that it had exiated. Two little know - She partly unrolled the blankets and lay down upon them. ing, exultant eyes were shining up from the rathole in the corner, Mrs. Spereeer looked troubled " Weli"—a long, quivering breatb— "I oert'nly said I wished I was dead, but—slow starvation is ■ little more'n I bargained for." She spoke aloud and atrenk from the sound of her own voice, it was so shut in and eepnlchraL She turned to the door and strove now with all her strength to push it open. but it with- stood the ouelangbt without • tremor. She desisted at length and sat down on an upturned apple box, exhausted and gasping for breath. The plaoe was stifling. Ob, for a breath of pure, sweet air! Her outraged longe seemed burn- ing in her breast, and ber month and throat were parched. She opened the WWI, of milk and took a portion. She was tempted to drink it all at one wel- tome draft, bat refrained and corked it ap agtito rm,dlUtety. During the long hours of that fore- noon she attacked the door repeatedly, but always futilely, and finally, when the sweltering heeled sun had passed the meridian and was beating down meroileesly on ber retreat, the gave up, and, bursting intros wild fit of weeping, she crept beck into the bin and lay down on her blankets. Hours later, when' -abe had wept • great deal and dept a little, abe opened leer swollen eyes and saw the red gold of 'onset shining In above the door. "Twenty-four boors," she said to herself, and a great longing came upon ber to know how "Abra'm" and the old home were doing without ber, She hogged the apple box alone to the door and mounted npon it, thus bringing her eyes to a level with tbe areeloe. There lay the Urethanes and its peaceful sur- roundings spread out below her like a quaint, sun 'timed old picture; but, oh, bow distant it was, bow far beyond the sound of her voice, even thongh etre should shriek stood 1 The broad meadow and the great field of rattling Dorn lay between. At flr.t therein* no sign of life about the place, exoept the patient oows standing in the lane waiting for the bare to be let down, but presently, while the waited and watched for the men to come in from their work in tbe far north meadow, the decried a curl of smoke rising from the kitchen cbimney. A queer, ghaetly little caricature of a Mlle flashed across her Noe. "Now, if I was near enough to beer the stove lids rattle," Wm whispered, "1 amid 'moot Imagine I cent dead and in my grave, like MU' Howard Wald." Far a long time the stood with her eyes at the creeks* end her band' graop- ing the rental frame of the cellar dorm, watching that changing, darkening spiral of .make. ()nee the kitchen door opened, and a woman stood fro en in- stant in sight. The watcher squinted her eyes In a desperate endeavor to o0•- eentrate her gaze. "I .'pcte it's Mis' Rbyneareon," mho mattered, with • resentful .nap In her tons "it'. loaf like bet ebeek to take posepesion if a body'. brume end act as if the eon. d 111 I can't ane how Abre'm ran like then, Rbvnearunns stn well; they're thole peatiferoon folks. To think of her there, a•lIvin high off the fresh Armlet and cake* and pie, that I baked, and the sheen, i made, and the batter I churned, end me here, ■•mtervin 1" The rv,ntraet was too pliifol. In all her hard, meager Me elm had never be fore known the mot of hanger and thirst Her eyes filled and•the vision was for • time abut out. When Atte looked again, the mutts( amokewas grpIly discernible and ell the angled of the old bougie were toned down by the twittering shadow of appru.obrno night Sim could make out the figure of • man standing by the hart It might be one of the bands or—ti might be—yea. It was Abra'ml He had turned and was going slowly toward the bans., and she knew bim by the forward sloop of his body and that cbaracterietic something 1n the way he est his feet down as be walked. She thought be would go in at the kitchen door, but he passed ou around td the front paB%i. Mod seribtf*m,, ansere on the steps. Preseutly it struck ber that his bead was bowed upon bis bands mud that bib attitude was one of deep dejection. But she was not quite sure. He -was so far away, and the shadows lay deep be- tween. Still the longer aim looked the more his fading outline seemed to ap- peal to ber, until at last she war over- oome with the oouviotion that Borrow, rather then auger, ruled 1n her bus - baud's bears -He ain't mad at me 1 1 just seem t, feel he ain't mad at me I Oh, Abra'm, Abra'm 1" She shrieked his name •loud again and again, each frenzied effort shriller than the last, but the narrow orerioe {brew the greater part of the sound back into the cellar, and Abraham Speucer sat still, with bent bead, un - bearing, until, the night had thickened and abut him from ber sight The black boars that followed were terrible to her. Remorse and • reawak- ened longing to live and to go back to her deserted duties now united with hunger and thirst to torture her. In the middle of the hot, stifling night the was forced to drain the last swallow of milk from the bottle, and still ber thirst was so great that the tossed and moaned in the fitful bits of sleep that came to her. Once she was awakened by • touch, a weight like that of ■ band upon ber shoulder, and the started up with a glad cry on her lips, but it was only ber collimate, the rat lie scam- pered away to his own corner, and the lay there with a convulsive horror upon her, watching and listening lest be re turn. She told herself that be would come back tomorrow night, wben she would have les. strength to frighten him away, and all the nighte after, when her poor body might lie there Meisel et !bowmen?. - She wondered, with an awfulsbud' dering wonder, whether it could be that her Foul must linger near and witness the degrading annihilation of its erst- while tenement A maddening horror of death seized her. She staggered across to the opposite bin and made a deeper - ate attempt to eat one of the raw, moldy potatoes At the filet bint of morning abe was again on the apple box, with her eyes at the crevice. Bat now there was a thick white fog all over the land, and no vaguest outline of ber 'home was visible to her. The wrens were bickering' spitefully over tbeir nest, not an arm's length away from her face. "Oh, bomb 1" she said to them pity- ingly from the bitter depths of her own experienoe. 'You poor.. tijind little things, you don't know how short life is, after a11, and how little it matters if thing' don't go just to wait your The small pair were struck motion- less and dumb by the mere eoutd.of her voi.•e and forgot to renew theft quarrel. Preerutly the father bird went away to h is day'. work, and the little mother fettled dowu to the monotony of her home duties, both unconscious of the yearning of the lone watcher et the orevioe. Many times that day .he crept back and -forth betweei the bin and the' ap pie box. When her bead imam and her trembling limbs gave way beneath her. the would stagger to the bin and fall upon the blauketm. Bnt no sleep came and no rest, and after a time ber strength so far forsook her that she could no longer mount upon the box. Then she lay .till and gazed at the strip of light above the door until it seemed a streak of fire .torching her eyeball.. And all the time she was listening, tietoeing, for tbe sound of a footstep or • voice. Theis the night found her and again added its horror of darknes and rate. The fever of hunger and thirst was upon her. Her tongue and lips were swollen, and • devouring flame burned in ber w ground. faux dowawarde in • mold ego." to get away No longer fed, obs Maw ere 1 guisbed and went out, but ier misobief waa dove. Y'rtrdr'y thatch of the roof bad caught from the ' redhot pipe and was Waziug up, slowly at first, but ever ',rely. Soon the eiudere began to fall into the °eller, and one rtrucke her bare neck as rhe lay She cried out with the pain and struggled ■ little farther ■way, but the brauds fell faster as the aperture around the pipe broadened, and her doom would have been Certain had there nut beau *Pother restless heart and • pair of sleepless eyes on gibe old farm. The bleed men were .wakened by the aaetted. -- ,pioe of l,brabam Spee shotstingr.u,:,,, v _. "Up, boys, 'Ops $ring waters The potato cellar's aflre!" He wee away with two great pails of water iu his bands before the men were fairly awake. When obey followed bim, they found bim on the roof of the °el - lar. He bad suooeeded in extinguishing the fire, and as they approecbed be sud- denly dropped big pails and, falling up- on his knees, crept close to the charred edge of the ohaem in the roof. Leaning far over, be shaded his eyes and peered keenly tutu the rtreamiug depths below. A faint moan bad r'eapbed bim, and cow, as be listened. another Dame quiv- ering up to him. "My Clod!" he cried, springing up. "She's down there, boys! :airy! Run for abovele I Ob, run, ran 1" He himself ran like a madman, but only a little way. Then be turned and ran as madly back to the cellar, where be attacked the fallen gravel with his hands aud beat and tore at the door un- til the heavy boards, all stained with his own blood, were rended from their fastenings and be bad leaped iuto the ostler and caught op tbeprostrate figure he found there. It was hours afterward that Mrs. Spencer aroused from the stupor that was upon her and began to oomprebend again the realities of life. She was in her own Olean, soft bed, and the 000l breeze of seeming was fluttering the bop vinea at the window. She felt pain when the attempted to move. and there were bandages on her hands, her bead and ber nook, but the pain was not acute, and the soothing effect of ■u opiate still lingered witb • her. Some- where in the outer distance abs heard the faint, familiar tinkle of a oow bell and—yes, the subdued rattle of stove lids in the kitchen. She lifted her head from the pillow to listen and fouud her tigilabatid pitting, etteentt• quern bestdeleer. "Who is it, Sairy! What do you want?" be asked aa the felt the strange tenderness that vibrated it its rough voice. 'Who's in the kitchen, Abram? Is it—Mis' Rhynearsou?" "No, Sairy, it ain't. Mia' Rhynear- mon went home rouble gnma when she found there wasn't anybody bere to wait an bee You knowed her better than I did, Sairy. That's Sopbrony teen wood in the kitchen, and she's goin to stay there till she die.—or gets mar- ried." ...She closed her eyes t0 bide the start- ing tears, but they forced their way through the interlaced lather. Sodden- ly the turned to him and • spoke the thought that filled h. r heart. "Oh, Abra'ru, it was so longl Wby didn't you try to find ac? Why didn't you come sooner'''/ ' ' "My laud, fishy, 1 never once thought of the dugout! Lwas too bogy lookifl everywblr* else for yon.- First of all, I drove clear over to Liay'oe to .me if you was there. That's a good Ie miles, you know, and took a big dice out of the first day. Then we went to all the neighbors and haute(' the whole place over, lint none of us ever thought of the dugout. I don't know why, but we didn't. Then that night.Mis' How- ard come over *Pd told me—well, what you said to ber, you know, Sairy, and .he—abe spoke of the crick." "The crick%" wonderingly. "Sairy"�-be suddenly bi,ut over and put his erns around ber arid drew her to him—"I was goin to have the crick dragged today, and if I'd found you there, Sairy—I couldn't ever 've stood it." "Pshaw, Abra'm I" she whispered ohokingly and put ap ber bandaged hand to stroke the farrowed stubble of his sunburned face. ea.` At drat Met of wtornMtp.fti te•g wrote on the tipple bor. • vitals. Her sentee wets no longer nor mal, and she heard sounds end maw ol. *tots that had no existence In reality. All night long she watched the dark oorner where the rat dwelt, and her die torted fanny magnified him intos mon- ster of the innate.. in the Cunning of . emidelirinm the made plane to frighten him and keep him at hay, and finally, in the dark hone before dawn, ehe crept stealthily from the bin, whimpering tbrongh her swelled lips: "Fire! Fire will keep him away l" She clutched an armful of straw and Drawled on hands and knees amass the earthen floor to the sheet iron stove Keeping keen watch of the dread tor- ner, the thrnet the arrow into the stove end groped ter the mateheet en De hearth. A scratch, • Oath, • tiny flame, Ib jsr9a- r_as &—ifut brought move {,raw and more until the thin Iron of the Wove and the rickety pipe clear to the roof were red and rust Ing. The already hot and vitieMd at- mospbere ret the teller was now relied to en nti earahle tempevatnre, and anon t he iocumbed to it, falling upon the A Critic -al child. School children are en obeervant says the Cleveland Plain Dealer, especially of their teachers, and more especially when tbey are just starting out in school. A little Cleveland girl of a years came home one day with her mind filled with that new wonder, the schoolroom "How do you like your teacher?" her mamma asked. "She's a very nice teacher, " raid the little one, "only ht's tench ■ pity she doesn't speak we many of ber word. right. I shnnldn't think they'd let her teach 1111 she learned to say them so people could understand. "Why, what does she my that is wrong?" 'Well, yesterday she was going to say, 'Pass from the room quietly,' and what do yon f1' did say? She said 'pawns,' just like that. I esu nobody didn't understand her at trot, and then thin morning we were tel ing stout tree,, and she said 'brawnc es' —yes, ma'am, just like that. She a nloe teaober, bot you got to get a to ber before you can understand her 1 e goage tam paoa'a ,Aaesomerer. When Admiral Sampson wan a liten- tenant in command of a email naming Tenet, he worked nn a kind of anornhm star or wind gauge Finally it was complete, and one day 14 stood ort the root of the cabin, which protruded Inc tome distance above the (leek. The 1it ole boat was rocking idly to sad fro in a calor. Lieutenant Hampson waft be- low, enjoying a siesta Hnddenly n Bunt of wind rippled the water and the main mail boom awnng violently mortise the dock. Smash, and neer into the fathom less deep went that preoione anemone ter. "Orderly!" called the offfeer of the deck. "Yee, sir, " replied the binejanket sainting "info,rm the commander of the chip that his anemometer bus gone over board." "Yes, .1r. " The orderly made for the cabin enm paniotway. "And, orderly"— "Yee, air." "Break it ke him geity."--Argo neat gig((((((((((((((((( DON'T CHIDE., THE CHILDREN, Don't scold the little once it '7' the bed is wet in the morning It Isn't the child's fault. Weak kidneys , u • e d strengthening -- that's all. You caul afford to risk delay. Neglect may entail • lifetime of suffering. DDmttlintnY P -s- .treattbea the Kidneys 611111asr, thea en treektr Mr.ohn Carson, employed at M. S. Bradt & Co.'s store, Ham- ilton, Ont., says : "My Mole bo seven years 9f a/s has been troubled with kis kwwnays since birth end could nor ►ofd hfa water W. spent hundreds of dot- ter* doctoring and tried many dl♦ fersnt,remed:ew but they were of no avail. One tea of I)oan's Kidney �r PIIL completely cared bim." N 441414141414441444441444441414 itsou blur ditivrrcTE. *-1O LIBRA YANHA EAMITO Bli000, wS l7t LIHNABY AN61t of Lsat street and ego*4 r tut.tatrst. Open from to ir.a., and from to 10►.tx ABOUT 2000 VOL'S 1N LIIBRA.MT. Leading Dal, weekWt�er weekly end 1(rated Pap% ag►►tuas, a(:., on rue. MEMBERSHIP TICJIET ONLY •1.0111 Onottna fres use of Otwery and Reading pplieauon for membership received M LI , to ram K. NAYZ� I.13e,¢xlt, O.derlch Ida. E iota -= •. t. •.. • THE AMERICAN VOICE. Oeaadlaae Speak 1n a Mere rleaeent Teed Than That Heard Aerates the 1.1"e. The subject of the disagreeable quail - Ilea of the American voice was treated at length in a recent address In Brookline, Mass., by ltlubard Wood Cons. It Is not an ineradicable fault, Mr. Cone any", and 15 1. not due, es has been claimed. to the extreme and frequent climatic changes He points o t that the people of tar more trying oases than oure—notably our neighbors, tbe Canadians — speak with much more sweetness and suffer far Ice dIOloult)es of the vocal mechanism than we. Again, the nervous tempera- ment and supereenddvenese of our people ars suggested as causing the bleu pools which is .o mtrationie Meted.. ae eeelelt among women; also, the hurry and rile of business, the crowding and pushing notloeable in all fields, professional, com- mercial and industrial, None of these reasous, however, are thoroughly satisfy log to Mr. Cone, "gimes 1t U demon - steatite ," be ,.says ' that the values of Amerlrans May be quite as musical as those 01 French or Italiana. dor genera- tions sharp, high pitched voices, need with er reckless disregard of all abe laws' pertaining to sweet, melodious speech, have w fastened these faults upon us that the result 1s the unpleasant tone which Is so nearly universal and whlob Is Jeolgnated as 'American.' A mistake tba most eominon among our many faalle, and fatal -its rho :production of • misdeal tone, is the too great exertion of musonlar effort In the throat and cheat; herein lies the main cause of ludlstlnot- nese as also of hoarseness and exhaustion. The voice should be purely pulmonle, this being 11e natural quality, attained when there is aboluie freedom of tee vocal parts " To eorrect the faults enumerated, Mr. Coots recommends that a scientific method of volae training be engrafted into the collie school arson. Vr"l. th.r Items. Ws lboald hardly expect to bare a handsome and accurate portrait bust of an upper class lady from Neolithic times. But the marvels of snlenai do nos dimin- ish. At the last meeting—in August—ol the German Association of Physicians and Naturalists, Professor Kollmann of Basle exhibited the bust of a finials whose skull and portions of whose skate - ton had been exhumed from a Neollinle g rave in one of the caverns of southern Francs The principles of reconstruction, as well as modern exarhples of obs method prove Its aoeuraoy. The soft parte of the bead and obeet can be re- atored'wttbout risk of error. This Neon - thin dams was rather good leaking mod presented the undoubted features of the white race, demonstrating, as Professor Kollmann Insisted, that empires may ornwble and states decay, but the moan - &M1 features of each human race perste, indefinitely and uuobanged.—D. el. Brinton fo Saltines. rS • What London Drinks Yearly. Some cartons particulars are gives 1a The Home Magazine oonoe3ping what London drinks every year, No lea than 970.000 000 gallons 91 water find their way annually dollen the throats of Lon- doners. But 'Londoners don't drink water only. The bear noneumed amounts Se 113,000,0oo gallons evert year, equal to • --, dlatrlbutlou of almost a pins to every man, woman and child 1n the work!. Of neat spirits London demands about 4,400,000 gallons a year. Our tea drink- ers ars an army of millions, and call for 96,000,000 pounds of tea, whfob, whoa reduced to llq iid 000,iitenoe, meant something like 1,160,000,ie0 pint.. or nearly • pint for every fnbabltent of the world. Our teapot, if properly shaped, would comfortably take In the whole of St. Peril's Cathedral, for It contains over 929,000 cubic yards. Of aerated waters London drinks 50,000,000 gallons every year.—London Telegraph. 14 Nom. Trlts Sur lug,. Society is founded on bero wor,bip.— Carlyle. The world can go on without os— Longfellow. The mind that Is unfed is also on- . inred.—S. P. Whipple. Cbrlitlan11y to the highest perfection of bapptnanity.—Johnson rehor U the greatest producer a wealth; 1t moves all other aaumem.—I)an- lel Web,ter. To he Ignorant of one's ignorance la the malady of .be Ignorant. ---A. Broomall Alcott. A n..p Oovernntens experts are going te flnd o ut If it is practicable to stork wilds trout Crater fake, ore., the deepest body of fresh water In Atnerin.. Only nee lake in the world—Lake Baikal—exoesde It la depth, and is only 400 feet deeper. lintel recently it was aaser'ed Crater i..ke was b,ttomlems, but soundings have shown Its greatest depth to he 9,000 feel. Is h five miler la diameter, nearly nireul.r, and oeooplsa the orator of an oxlip.* vol. e.eo.—[.►pleas r?itna p Fot al BUSINESS MAN 7