HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times, 1892-12-15, Page 5CHERRITEN'S CHICK.
(Continued from page 2)
er artist, and the prinoipa] figure was
an offensively realistic tramp.
"Nothing fancy about it, is there2"
ho asked. °' I told him I wanted, real,
and he obeyed orders. I think it's the
ugliest thing o£• the kind on the face of
the earth • 1 made myself up to look
that wayand. I don't think I over -did
my old self a bit.. .,But what do you
suppose happened 'when Chick learned
the story of that picture? V by, she
put this curtain before it the very next
day; she said it was to be her shrine.
Every night siuee then, before going
to her room, she kneels before that.
picture to say her prayers. I kneel
beside her; that is one of the many
habits she's taught me, and I'm not a
bit ashamed of it. If any one had told
me— Sh—h--hh ? She's coming !"
"Robert has come to tea, papa."
"All right, Chick, I'll be there in a
moment." Then he said to me, "Rob-
ert is my employer's son, and one of
the finest young fellows alive; I've
been noticing him closely for more
than ten years, for he is always with
bis father. He saw Chick one day
when she Dame in to ask me for some-
thing, and ho lost his head at once and
wanted me to take him home with me
some evening. I knew something of
the sort would happen some time, with
F� somebody, if Chick were to he as hap-
py as she had the right to be, so 1 told
Irina I would think about it, What I
did was to have a talk with his father
first making the' old man promise to
holcl his tongue, T made a ocean breast
of it, but the old man didn't scare
worth a cent; leGsaid his own parents
had come over as emigrants. As to me
having been a tramp, lie made light of
it, The fact was, as he acknowledged,
he had seen Chick himself, and he
would be delighted if the boy could
persuade her to make a mato; of it.
Chick did not understand it for a long
time, though the young fellow carne
very often. When it did conte over
her she tried to back out—said she..•
never would leave me, and allthat sort'
of thing, I told her she might always
count upon me being around. Then she
rc still -brought
�•slie
is
braver thinr,
rl a
the young fellow in here, showed him
this picture and told him the story of
it. By the merest chance I happened
into the room just then, and—
THE PHANTOM HAND.
A Oifea8TMA$ GHOST STORY.
1 sat alone ie the park at 'Deepdale
reading a favourite book,. Deepdale,
the country seat of my uncle, Norman el'er up the mystery ; not right sates- "your aunt is no more."
French, was a beautiful place with its factorily to my mind. .But that's not "Dead 4" I almost shrieked,
trine lawns and. pleasant park. my business." "Yes; be calm, for .our cousin's
y opsin s
1 had oom.e from Cambridge for my The man turned on his heel and left sake; she is wild with grief."
Christmas va:oation, as usual, and aunt me, and I went into the house. Aunt Dumb of tongue and soul, I follow
and cousin had made me welcome, of reading in the drawing• room. ed where - the
course; but, after all, I felt that some- andel waso t i ethey led.
and T took a seat near her, � White and still was the face I had
thing was lacking in their greeting: I had been worked up with the ex -seen a few short hours before so full
They were hardly the same as .wizcitement produced by the phantom ,enof unexpressed hatred. Long I gazed
photo was
living, I thought; yet 1 hand and the gardener's words to- 1 upon the waxenfeatures,but no emotion
could not define the missing feature. gether until I could not help speaking 1 of grief or pity stirred my heart.
An undefinable strangeness had comeof the subject further. I Ines hovered over the inanimate
between me and Deepdale, however. cc_ uut," I began, "was uncle ill the form, wringing her hands and wailing
Uncle had been found dead in the day he went to the park for the last' out her sorrow, yet I could not feel
park sornesixmonths previous, whither time ; that is clid he. complain of any ' toughed,
he had gone for a walk. He was ly-pain i" 1 Some days after the burial I went
ing at the foot of a tree lifeless and " Why, no, not in particular," she to my cousin, who, seemingly, could
eoid, with his limbs drawn up, his face answered ; but Ifancied her facegrew' not be comforted. "Donot grieveso,"
. nsd
contorted 'ts if in extreme agony, and white as she' shut her book and looked I said: "aunt wished for death."
his arra thrown over his head,with the, away from me.. A wild, terrified look came into my
fingers clutohing the sere grass. Being I thought 1 had touched memory's cousin's face. She beckoned me to
old and somewliatailing it is supposed. chord ton roughly,perhaps, and added,',follow her as she withdrew into
that he died in a fit. "Forgive me, aunt, I didn't mean to I the library, then she closed the door
1 was his favourite nephew, he hav-
ingpaid for my education at conerc �e.
I also had many reasons for believing
that I would be favourably mentioned.
in his will, but strange as it seemed to
those knowing his habits of order and
calculation, no last wish of his could be
found,
Inez, Itis only child, as a matter of
thought he might need something, as nay grief, 1 know not, but when the
he was not strong. 'But I allele, shadows lengthened across the snow-
thought it kind o' strange, though clacl lawn, and deepened under [the
'bout his death."
"He was old," I said,
's Yes, yes, he war old,but thatdon't
trees, some one laid a hand Oil my
arm.
" Come' into the house," they said,
YOUNG FOLKS.
The Twins' Christmas.
Chris and I are just eight years old
apiece. This is, because we" are twins,
and we look so much alike even mamma
can hardly tell which is which without
looking twice,
Bob comes next, Be is six, and he's
such a topsy-turvy 'boy ! When he
comes into the house, seems as if every-
thing was turned bottom -side up in a
minute. `Then he's got such lungs
Papa says he'll make a good brakeman
when he grows big.
Ctrl is the youngest of all, You
ought to see him, he is so lovely 1 He's
got the brownest eyes, and his hair
will curl whichever way you brush it;
and everybody that seed him has to stop
and kiss him, he is so sweet,
`Then he asks suohgrownupquestions
about God and everything, that we are
most afraid sometimes that we shan't
raise him.
Papa got hurt ever and ever so long
ago on the cars, His leg was all broke
lean ininside,—so
up; -not c two, but
he had to lie on the lounge, and be
She made no answer, and I continu- +' She wished for death. Do Sou tended. And mamma sewed for cross
ed. "1 asked beoause Simon said you know why?" she asked with white Miss Brown, who does dressmaking;
gave him a stimulant before he left the lips. and it made papa most discouraged to
house ; I imagined from that he was"Yes," I answered. have her sew so hard, to get things for
ailing." 1 "Then you know that she poisoned us to eat.
She turned on me w`th the fierce-' father, do you ?" I nodded in the af- But when papa groaned and looked
ness of a tigress at bay. "I want no ; firmative, and she continued ; "I did sober, mamma laughed at him, and
insinuations from you, she raped, and . not know until some time .after his sang and everything, to cheer him up,
he''s the dearest little mamma 1 and
paps. thinks so, too, I guess.
Chris and I did 'most all the work, so
as to help, and we didn't break a single
thing, 'eept one cup that was cracked,
and a bowl that wasn't.
Mamma used to call us "her little
comforts," and we did try ever so hard
not to fret about anything ; but some-
times it did seem as if we ` couldn't
help it, we were alI so tired of oatmeal
and baked potatoes!
Papa had nice things, of course, but
I s'pose pee couldn't afford anything
better.
One day Bob cried, and said be
'wouldn't eat any supper, else he could
have some pie. Chris and I coaxed
him out under the apple -tree in the
Mamma opened the door au
I
you think t It was the
man, and he began rolling inthin
into the hall.
Such piles and piles of them! A,
whole barrel of flour, sweet potetoss, a
big turkey and --everything/
We just danced around ,the room we
were so glad, an Bob almost made us
crazy.
But papa and mamma did act so
queer ! papa justput his arm around
mammas neck, and I do believe they
both cried ! I Mow mamma dkd.
The man said the things were sent
by the railroad hands. We never knew
before that it had any hands, and we
don't see haw itcan send things, if it
has,
Bat something beautifuller still came
after that -the post -man brought it.
'Twas a letter, and when papa opened
it he found a paper in it that gave him
pay for all the time since he was hurt.
Oh, it was just splendid 1 Mamma.
never sewed a speck all day. And.
I'm sure it was the best Christmas that
ever was ! And we were all so happy!
Chris and. I think it all came because
we wrote that letter, but maybe God
told the railroad hands about it. We
asked Him to help us, and 'mamma,
thinks He always answers wizen.- peo-
ple ask Him for anything.
We all thanked Him for the things,
anyway ; and now everything will be
all right, for papa is going to' work
next week,
course, became sole heir to his wealth, her eyes gleamed with a baleful fire. 1 death; never should have known, I
and I was left out entirely. My cousin_,1 To say that I was astonished at her I think, had she not imagined that she
was a beautiful girl of twenty, and.; unexpected demeanour would be put- , was haunted by a phantom hand. This
always seemed very fond of me; in- ting it mild. I was simply astounded, hallucination worked upon her mind so
deed, it bad also beenehinted to me byviand for a moment I had grave doubts much that one day she confessed to me
Aunt Cecil before uncle's demise that lin regard to our individual sanity.' her awful deed."
Inez and I were "born for eaeh,What was it 1 had said to arouse such "A phantom handl" I asked.
other." 1 fierce wrath 1 "Yes she imagined she saw one in.
In the face of this, however, I had jHad I been saying some insane the park, shortly after father's death,
the ungrateful audacity to fall in love, thing and insulting Aunt Cecil, or was and that it followed her persistent -
with au orphaned girl in the city, thus sae grieving 1
so deeply over uncle's ly."
putting a strong negative to aunts •death that my mention of him bad I shuddered and left the library. In
declaration. 'turned her heedI Flo! on second a week afterward 1 went away from
Deepdale never to return.
Some months after I received a
letter from Inez.
"• I have sold Deepdale," she said,
I told her of any engagement to' thought 1 heeled done either. Then
pretty Lulu Melville one day a short; wiry this outburst
time before uncle's death, and she' Whether she read my thoughts or
plainly told hie I was a scholar of the not I cannot tell, but she came toward
school of experience.
Uncle was present at the time, but
he only smiled, saying that everyone!
choose for them -
sero
should be allowed to c
e
u
selves in such matters." A.ud then, in'.
reference to my finances, he offered to
help me to the extent of afew the t- 1
sands when 1 should be married,
and"- -- With bis sudden death and failure
of leaving a will, this bright forecast
of the future, as a matter of copse- d
pence, fell to the ground. It wast
not on myown account so much that
I cared for this; but 1, lover like, had
planned so many comforts for Lulu'
when she should became my wife that
it made it very hard for nee to believe
any of the old boys if you meet any of 1 was not remembered.
them. I wish you'd come to the wed- I was seate linthe library on Christ-`
ding, ; I'll send you an. invitation. If mos Eve, and had been thinking of alt
you want to see the happiest man there, this rather bitterly, it must be confess -
though, look at me— not at the bride- ed, before I opened my book for an.
groom." hour with my favourite author; but in
IA the interesting story 1 soon lost the
Hints About Christmas Greens- bitter reflections and was enjoying the'
narrative, when sucldeely the shadow;
It is best not to put up the decora- of a human hand fell across the page I
tions until the afternoon before Christ- was reading.
ruas. The halls, sitting -room, dining -Por a moment I was dumfounded,R# .• .'
room and library are the most appro- Then I thought some one was, er �r+yj 0:
priate places for the holly. Place large haps behind me testing any creulity % > 7 �,.. �- f� t
branches over the mantels and side- r r tj� =—J
board and some of the pictures. Fill and began investigating. To my utter / i!:.
the fire- laceswitlilar a dishes contain- astonishment, not a living thing was' : " r f-- t> ' ar :. t`
p g visible. • `"`-,-'rte{ c ea,,,,
ing holly and laurel, unless you are to Finding no one near, I felt strange, y w ti•' �%
have a fire at once. Have long sprays but resumed my book, saying to any.:'� „see--
of
see"of English ivy in small wide -mounted self that it was only a trick of the
bottles which can be hung behind pie- vision.
tuts frames. Twine the ivy around In a few moments, however, the
the supporting wires and the frames. shadow came again, this time resting.
Do not hang the greens near a fire or considerablylonger on the page and
over a register. They curl and wilt . g P b me, with one jewelled hand clutching "and I am going abroad. I find 1
very quickly when exposed to dry in addition to the strange manifests the heavy crape of her dress, and the cannot live here alone, after all that
heat. tion I felt a strong, cold wind go by. other, with extended index, pointing has happened. Enclosed find a portion
At least a `week before Christmas Thoroughly mystified, 1 now arose, menacingly into my face. of the money realised from the sale of
get at the florist's about fifty cents pato tut h grounds,book in mond began -walking ent out"Do you dare to insinuate anything, the estate. . Z have no one else to
worth of the green stuff called "Wan- g g you ungrateful, poverty-stricken strip- divide with, and I am sure father
about. ling t" she hissed, in a low, insulting would desire me to share with you if
Wan-
dering Jew." This will fill several
What could it mean? tone. he were living.,"
bowls and vases. Arrange it grace-
Surely there was a reason—or should AIy blood was up. I sprang to my In her letter was a draft for a con -
fully in the various dishes, and fill with T say warning? in this uncanny visits- feet and faced her, " I have no idea," siderable amount, of which I made
water. After wiping the outside of the tion. If so,what threatened me,or «
receptacles perfectly dry, place on the T exclaimed hotly, what you refer to; good use.
corners of mantels book -cases, etc.
why
Tshould
1 thus
curiosity seized me. Bam innocent of any such base intent. Tam several years older now; but I
I Change the water every other day. To "—and a.terrible suspicion crept never think of Deepdale without a
do this do not disturb the plants; I would go back to the library, and in- into my sou]. "Your fury throws a shudder, and I often close my eyes on
ice vite another visitation. . strong light on something which, I Christmas Eve for fear I shall see a
ex simply hold the vase under the faucet I had not long to welt. A din the
and let the fresh water run until allg swear, I never thought of before. If phantom hand or Aunt Cecil's rigid
, shadow rested on mybook and again the yourself-condemnationsaw an insinua- features.
the old is displaced; In.a week's time lay wind struck my face. ' By this tion in. my question it was because you
the vines will have grown into a grace- time I had grown used to the mystery are—guilty 1" Fattier Christina
ful, :luxuriant mass, and with care somewhat and watched it more close- I leaned towards her and spoke the 1
i they can be kept in this condition for p Hark the Christmas Dells are chiming 1 ie last word meaningly. It was a risky Let your voice with them be rhyming
months. After a few moments' pausing on shot, but fortunately it told. One this festal morn.
Smilax, asparagus. fern and other the page the shadow dropped to the Sheput her handonthe table and Hoer them heralding my coming.—
delicate vines can be used for pictures floor, where it continued g to Hoard you not amid their humming
and statuary, but the expense ptsmoving stood trembling like an aspen leaf. Blast of bugle born ?
y p P and fro until it disappeared suddenly. " Oh ! Maurice `doyou think I gave
them out of the reach of the majority "h I am patron of the season !
1 once more left the house and stroll- your` uncle a poisonous draught $ she- From my realm I banish treason
of people. There is a hardy wild fern ed through h thegrounds to think thepale, g
which all florists keepnow and sell for g gasped.. Her face was ashen and Crown me Christmas' King r
matter over. her eyes took on an expression of deep -
And
children T am gracious,about ten cents a dozen sprays. Buy r� Well 1" ejaculated T feeling utter- And for them in ba capacious
, g est anguish. Gifts of toys I bine
a few dozen of these and place them on i nonplussed " this is strange; some- " T stood still 1 felt m blood rim y g.
the cellar floor. Sprinkle well and .y• P evidently about to ha eu- overwrought fount. By my beard and hair so hoary,
theywill keepfor' weeks. Alar e thing is e ayPP coldly, back to its overt o bgetNeer was known in lite or tory
g perhaps to Lela," With this I started " Aunt Cecil, I began, but could Such a king as I.
bowl filled with these and a few flowers •for the house. no further ; a faintness came over me Christendom, I rule suprernely,
will make an effective piece for the .' " And, though old I am extremely,
Just eel was about"to enter the ,and 1 sank prone upon chair: Oh; g 1 y,
center of the dinner table; or,'thebowl door I'met the gardener. "Bin,out in Uncle Norman 1" I moaned. Never shall Y sire .
can be placed on a low table in any of nds haveye ?" he said and be- " still," Bred she, Torozzto. VPirs Inez T. JAMES.
the rooms. These suggestions are for the grow ,. _ Maurice, be s , p
bg fore I had time to reply he commenced "You drive me frantic, frantic, frantic!
with modestpurses. 1„ Carols.—Originally religious songs
r people P dwelling on the loneliness of the place Iph, God, how I have su!}erecl .
n 1/ i Mr. Trench's cur'us death, and veelthrou h filehall dating back to the second century.
' Whyare wheat andpotatoes like the since She turned n b Gradually degenerated until theywere
p " Oh 1" I replied, . ` UTncle Norman an as if the l+'ather of ]evil Y g
d upstairsn
a idols of old ?—Eyes have they but they, iter her. '� My God 1 can it be prohibited by clergy, Under Saxon
Pikears have theybut theyhear would not harm anyone, living and were e y
see not, could not. But, T man 1" I kings in England they were revived
faa dead I am sure he o that she poisoned Uncle Nor element introduced. Puri-
uo not. tell me about hum. Was he ill the day uestioned as I rose - Mid began to and a gayer
tanjto thepark to elle l" q sal about the'rouncls tans abolished them and substituted
Christmas -box. ---A gift made to a he went in wander •aiz?le
the'ri� "unno seems he must �,; e me severest with psalms in y sou At present, in Eng. -
tans
servant or one in at lower position than Well, 1 a ,now gradually beeoma o- r
remifrland, merry songs sung on Christmas
he stoner. An : English custom � and have' been, too,'for your aunt gave him st1ow. - •
e he started, 'cause she
morning, ... ,
erre, a stimulant afore ,
How long 1 ti� all:ecl,half crazed with
"Tell?"
" Woil, Robert threw his arms
around her, and instead of seeming
embarrassed when he saw me he spoke
up as manly as you please, and said : -»
"Thank you, Mr. Cherriton."
" That's about all there is to the
story. You're welcome to tell it to
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�� 'a �I1
Av ANXIOUS MOMENT.
'I say, B3V,, 1 doan' feel like 'vesttn' in tu'key 1V,4 dtt dog ob rolt'n a'ehawn"way at me ; so
yo"blige me by cdllin him off: Gideon's Ban: how dem toef of his'n do lashcratel„Snt doan
boddah yo'so'f co:nin'roun'; es whistle him off, Boss, right whore yo' is."
The Birth of Motherhood.
To me, that 'Christmas night at
Bethlehem has no more beautiful sig-
nificance than that ib was the birth of
an honored motherhood as well as of a
Saviour. Two angels on their wings
might have brought an infant Saviour
t.o Bethlehem without Mary being there
at all. When the villagers, on the
morning of December 250, awoke, by
Divine arrangement and in some un-
explained way, the child Tesus neigh
have been found in some comfortabl
cradle of the village. But no, no !
Motherhood for all time was to be eon-
seerated, and one of the tenderest re
lotions was to be the maternal relation,
yard, and told him it was 'most Christ- and one of the sweetest word
mas, and then we should have every- "Mother
1
In a11 ageses God has as lenor
thing mice; chicken and pie, and p'raps ed good. motherhood. John Wesle,
cranberry sauce ! had a. goal mother ; St. Bernard hat
After that we had to tell him all a good mother; Samuel Budget, a goo
about it over and over every day, so mother ; Doddridge, a good mother
as to keep him from making a fuss, and Walter Scott, agood mother; Benjanf
worrying mamma. West, a good mother. In a grea
But one day something dreadful audience, most of whom were Chri
happened. I was washing dishes, tiaras, I asked that all those who ha
and T heard papa and mamma talking beenblessed of Christian mothers a
low together, and papa said, "Poor and almost the entire assembly stag
clears, they won't have much Christmas up.. Don't you see how important
this year !" is that all motherhood be consecrate'
Mamma said, "Never mind. You When you hear same one in sereno
will soon he at work, and then we'll or oration speak in the abstract of
give them a treat."
I ran out under the apple -tree and
told Chris, end we cried and cried till
all the grass was wet with tears. It
seemed as if we couldn't stand oatmeal
another single clay. But we didn't
dare to let Bob know, and we couldn't
trouble mamma, so we had to bear it.
After a lone time we thought of
something. We got some paper and
and. this
a c n
' and wrote lotto
a. pencil, ,
was what was in it :
MR. PRESIDENT.—Our papa worked on
the cars, and got all smashed up—he wasn't
one bit careless, but %was trying to save an
Irish boy from being killed. Sometimes he
gets pretty blue, mamma says, but we think
he is real white, and we are too poor to have
any Christmas, and it seems as if our hearts
will break, else you can help us, we are so
sick of oatmeal; but if you cant, maybe
God Will.
CHRISTINE AND MORA..
P. S. Our papa's name is Arthur Cordes.
good, faithful, honest mother your ey
fill up with tears, while you say
yourself, that was my mother. Tl
first word a child utters le apt to
"mamma," and the old man in h
dying dreams calls," Mother 1 Mother
It matters not whether she was broug
up in the surrounding of a. city,
in affluent home, and was dressed
propriately with refer, pee to t
mandc of modern life, or w enter
wore the old•tirne cap, and gre
round spectacles, and apron of her of
make, and knit your socks with h
own needles, seated by the broad fi
place, with great black log ablaze o
winter night. It matters not h
many wrinkles crossed and recros
her face, and how much her should
stooped with the burdens of a 1
life, if you painted a Madonna h
would be the face. What a gentle h
she had when we were sick, and
a voice to soothe pain ! And was th
any one who could so fill up a ro
with peace and purity, and lig
And what a sad day that was w
we came home and she could gree
not, for her lips were forever s
Come back, mother, this Christ
day, take your oke place, and
ten, or twenty, or fifty years
come and open the old Bible you
to read, and kneel in the same p
where you used to pray, and look u
us as of old when you wished u
Merry Christmas or a Happy
Year ! But, no 1 That would not
fair to call you back. You had trou
enough, and aches enough, and berg
meats enough while you were
Tarry by the throne, mother, ti
join you there, your prayers aliens
ed, and in the eternal homestea
our God we shall again keep Chris
jubilee together. But speak from
thrones, all you glorified mothers,
say to all these, your sons and daug
words of love, words of warning, :w
of cheer. They need your void
they have traveled far and with
a beart-break since you left them
out there was only a little silver left ; you do well to call from the heig
but then, she smiled just the same as }leaven to the valleys of the
ever and said God would take care of Hail, enthroned ancestry ! W
US. coming. Deep a place for ns,
beside you, at the banquet.
Slow -footed years 1 More swifty
Into the gold: of that unsetting's
Homesick we are for-thee—
Calm land beyond the sea.
T. Ds WITT TAU.:
Then we put the letter in an enve-
lope and carried it to the post -office.
The man looked at it and asked us who
'twas for. Chris told him, "The Rail-
road President."
He was so kind and asked us ever
so many questions, and before I knew
it, we had told him all about it. He
had such a cold he had to keep using
his handkerchief most all the time.
Then he wrote something on. the
envelope and said it was all right.
And we ran home and waited until
the last day before Christmas but no-
body sent anything, and Chris and I
felt so we couldn't eat a mouthful of
supper—hardly-though we made be-
lieve to.
But Bob and Carl kept talking all
the time about the nice things they
should have to -morrow for dinner.
Just then Chris pulled my dress
under the table, and I ieoked at papa
and he was slying putting all of his
nice toast and dropped egg on Carl's
and Bob's plates.
Even mamma looked sober when the
rent -man came that night for the
money ; and when she had counted it
When Chris and I went to bed
that night we had another spell of cry-
ing, but we kept our faces in the pil-
low, so nobody would hear us, and we
both said we could not sleep a mite all
night.
But it was so funny, the very first
thing we knew, it was morning, and Christmas was once observed o
there was such a pounding at the out- Roman Catholici led aped ed Episcopal
s opal boll
side stool' ! I
all the churches and there exists al
all
bed and peeped universal brotherhood in the eAl ,
We jumped out of p r
through the door -in our ni:rcht-dress- this day. More than any oth?
es lby it will be the world's holitla