Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1892-12-23, Page 10a Christmas. The stars shone out with quivering light,. As shepherds, on that holy night, Their vigils lone were keeping. When lo from out the studded sky There burst upon the Wondering eye A vision that did earth outvie, - From Heaven's portals sweeping. The shepherds all were sore amazed, As trembling they upward gazed At form angelic flying. Rat lurk they her the angel aing, " Good tidings of grea. joy I bring, For unto you is born a King, He's in a. manger lying." Melodious rang the seraph's voice, " Fear not, but evermore rejoice, And cease fore`er your sighing, y For unto on is born this day, In David's city, blest for aye, The Sa.vior, Christ he living Way, Exult, with angels And now a host, a heavenly throng, Sweeps airthe air and earth along, Triumphant chorus raising. "To God be glory," now the cry, "Aud- praise to Him who reigns on high," "Good wilt to men," rings front the sky From choir celestial praising. ar A stmore bright than all the -rest Shone out that holiest night and best, The wise men -safely iding. - And lo! the star before them went, And to their path a radiance lent To lead them where their steps were bent, In worshipful confiding. And as they came to lowly inn, And found the new-born Babe within, They joyed with joy exceeding. And when they saw the holy child Within the arms of virgin mild, They praised, with lips pure, undefiled, The Lord's moat gracious leading. Law at his feet they humbly fell, And sought, in vain their joy to tell, But opened out their treasures. Rich frankincense and myrrh they brought, And gifts of gold with jewels wrought, To lay before the Babe they'd sought, Oatpread in fullest measures. Then let the bells their carols ring, To praise the manger -cradled King, The Christ a sacred story. Let every heart, with men of old. Pour out its frankincense and gold, In loyalty and love untold, To God, the king of glory. I replied. One has to who follows my, profession!? " Could you face a ghost in a country churchyard at midnight 7" "I never tried it. Then it is that sort of gentry which I am to combat 7" "Partly. But I will tell yon my story." This she proceeded to do, which briefly was as fellows : For years she had been a house- keeper for a man, a cousin, who was much older than herself. e was very much a miser, and her task with him had been far from an easy one. He barely allowed them enough for their n sustenace, and the old house and the land about it, which had once been a fine place was .allowed to go to ruin. Every pound he got was changed into gold, and carerully kept from the sight of all—even she never being allowed to behold only as much as he doled out to buy food. There was but one servant—an old man by the name of Jacob Stearns. He had been there when Miss Field- ing came, and he had disliked her from the first. Perhaps he saw in her a rival in the good graces of Antony Fielding. His master had threatened again and again to discharge him, so that he might i save what he ate, but he had never one so. Perhaps it was because the old man earnedmore than that in raising vegetables and doing odd jobs about the house. At length, one,day Antony Fielding died; but before he did so he made a will, in which he gave to Lucy Field- ing, his cousin, all his property. The old house and its belongings were there, but the gold was nowhere to be found. There was not a sovereign in his safe, where he was supposed to have kept it, and about his clothes there was only a small sum that he had for daily expenses. From attic to cellar the house was searched, as were also the out -buildings, but all to no avail. Jacob Stearns was questioned, but nothing could be got out of him. He had seen hismaster have a large sum of gold, but he had never fingered a single coin of it. The old man had been dead a month, and people had mostly ceased to talk of the missing treasure. Some were sorry and some were glad that the house- keeper had lost her inheritance. It depended whether those discussing the matter were evil-minded or not. This was her story, and the next day found me in H—e The house and its surroundings 1 Lound as she had described them. To the south lay an old grave -yard now eaveloped in snow, a.djoiring the land of the late deceased. Behind, and forming one boundary, was the river with a high bank. Atone time it had run so ckose that it seemed it must have disturbed the remains of some of the earliest buried there; but now the stream ran further. away against the opposite bank. It wag here that the ghost had been seen to walk when the moon was low or new or the sky partially obscured by clouds. I was no more successful in the house than others had been, although had searched every nook and cranny where it was possible for anything to be secreted. (Miss Fielding had given out that 1 was a distant relative come to pay her a visit, so that my calling might not be suspected; so I had no fear of interruption.) The lost (r. as- ure was not in the house I felt con- vineed. The next day I made some inquiries %along the neighbours, and questioned old Jacob about the ghost, which had been seen walking among the old toinbstones. Several of the former declared that they had seen a form moving about, and on inquiry found that the object had not been seen until the old man Fielding had been laid there to rest. Old Jacob shook his head mysteri- ously, and admitted that he _too had seen it, and also -hinted that he could, tell more than he cared to, and I began to have my suspicions that he could. But how to make him speek was what puzzled me. That evening 1 told them that 1 was going out for a stroll through the town, and might not be in until late. Miss 'Fielding said that if she wanted to re- tire she would leave the door unlocked. Then 1 started off, and as soon as I was out of sight of the house I climbed over the low wall which enclosed it, and entered the graveyard at, a point where there was little danger of my actions being observed. Going back towards the river, I threw myself down on the grass close up at the base of an old monument, which had a tendency to lean like all such similar objects. Here tmade up my mind to wait for the ghost if it walked that night. The new moon would give light for a couple of }weirs yet, and if anything moved about 1'could not fail to see it. I had been nearly an hour on my ghostly watch when I saw a figure movirk among the gravestones toward the river. Pale as the moonlight was T saw that it was no visitant from the spirit world, but old Jacob in the flesh. Straight to the bank he went, end then over it out of sight. occupied, feeling sure that the task I had undertaken was nearly finished. the thief were on, the eve vered. his tracks at the bottom pushed aside the bushes The gold and of being disc Standing of the hank, and thrust my arm the into hole there revealed. . My hand Ouched an object, which -T grasped and dragged forth into the palepoonlight. A sudden thrill almost like that of terror ran through my being as I saw what it was that I. heiNtIO 'wonder, for it was a Altman • skull/ I alost dropped the ghastly object. It lipped from my bands, and as I recovered it it gave forth a jingling sou d. My fright as gone when saw what it held. A half dozen small, bags I were crowde1 into it, filled with .cain.-1- The lost tree ure was found, and Jacob Stearns, was the thief. 1 bestowed the gold about +, and put its strange re- ceptacle back from where I had taken ic. Then I -returned quietly to the house and went to bed. The nesO morning I acquainted Mist Fieldi g of my 'discoveries iand success. Tb He would c bags of gold he was as ab all. Miss Fi She did not but he was t saw his face I was_ree Fielding, a commission of one A. GRAVEYARD APPARITION. A CHRISTMAS STORY TOLD BY"'A. TORON- 'TO DETECTIVE. It was a day or two before Christ- mas Day, and business had been fear- fully slack, when I stood drumming on a window -pane in my office, gazing idly dawn into the wet, muddy street. The time was afternoon and the room so, dark that more than once I had been teuapted to light the gas. But I had not done so, fer I did not feel like reading or writing, or in fact doing any kind of work. All day it had snowed, and as the eight approached it gave no sign of leaving otr. The clouds came down until they seemed: to touch the tops of the chuhch spires and the roofs of the more lofty buildings of the city. It was a day to make one homesick, es- peaally if one had nothing to do as is often the case with a private detec- tive. That was tny condition to a nicety. I had not had a, professional call for over a week, and I felt as though I was getting rusty and stagnant. I felt almost as though I should like to have a-rinie. mysterious crime com- mitted, if I was sure of being employ- ed in ferreting it out. I was thus oc- cupied, when 1 became conscious that someone was coming up the stairs to the flight on whichmy office was lo- cated. The step sounded like one made by a person ef middle age rather then that of youth_ Was .1 to have a visitor—someone r m -who had a job for ! T sincerely hoped thee, it might be so. The step gained the lending, and I held my Iho rreath for what should come next. Tliere were rooms occupied by several others on the floor, but T knew the step was not one of theirseas I was familiar with them all. Yet the stranger might be seeking for one of them instead of me. If such should prove the case I felt that should be more forlorn than But ! The stfips approached my_ door, and a moment later was 0.; rap thereon. Come iu !" I said. it opened, and a WOlnall stepped nto the ,room. Only her face was visible, andbut a portion of that, as * she was covered from head to heel in a rubber waterproof down whieh the water was run ning in miniature rivers as the snowflakes gradually melted Ts this Mr. ffrant's office 9" she said. " it ie," I replied. "Will you take a seat 9- and I pieced a chair be,side her. „t' You are a, detective?" " ev-er. CHRISTMAS CHEER. MINCE PIES AND PLUM PUDDINCT. MEAT FOR MINCE PIES.—The best proportion ,of meat for mince pies that I ever tried was beef tongue well boiled, and all the tough outer skin cut off, two parts; and roast mut- ton, one part. Mutton was the_ meat usechfor these pies when first invented, as I have k'aid, but later authorities substituted neat's tongue, then beef's heart, and we cone down to quite re- cent times before ve find the tougher fiber of the beef round used. Our pioneer mothers often made mince- meat with pork, in lack of other meat, but those blessed dames could make good things out of the most unpromis- ing materials, so well had necessity .sharpened their inventive powers. I would not, however, advise my readers to try to emulate them with a pork imince pie; it would be labor wasted. And in advising the use of a propor- tion of lean, cooked mutton in mince- meat I must not tail to warg you never to put in any Mutton suet; it is a fatal error. :Beet suet must be used, fresh, sweet and dry; the ancient formula was equal parts of beef suet and apples, but if you wisely cut down the proportion of .suet to the very smallest amount that you find your family approves, the result will be -a decided mellowing of the mince pie visions" that follow. The goblins are fewer and of a gentler breed, not to say better looking. A GOOD MINCE-MEAT.—The fellow- ing is a recipe for mince -meat which combines the qualities of excellence and richness in a very satisfactorf manner : Cook a small beef's heart, or two tongues, by simmering, not boil- ing, until perfectly tend r. When i qute cold, cut away an gristle or 4. I "Are you so busily engaged that "ou cennot go into the country for a ew days'?" " flow far . " San tatting like fifty miles ; in-fect to. 1 1----- - ;' and she mentioned a toivn something like that distance away. - e I think I might manage to go," I grid, in a moment, while 1 tried to metae my countenance express whether or not 1 could -get away from my other engagements. It would not doto elate a bargain with her too quickly, or she miglit suspect —wliat Wag the truth — that 1 had not had a job for sortie time. e 'When can you go r' ."110-morroe , if you wish it. T can put other matters off for a day or tate But what is the nettle@ of the tole you . wish me to undertake ?" All this time my visitor had not taken the chair r had proffered her ; - but now she sank into it and threw, haek the hood of her waterproof. When she had done this, 1 got a full view of her face, and saw that she was a woman of about middle age, with that about her that showed that she might be a working- woman, or, rather, perhaps a companion for someone who was better offin this world's goods than herself. . " I suppose you have plenty of cour- age, Mr. 0 rant ?" she said, with some n old Jacob was called in. •nfess nothing until the were shown him, and then ect as a cur, and confessed Iding was magnanimous. turn him over to the law; Id to go, and If-- never again. arded handsomely by Miss d am open for a similar his Christmas, if you know What was Joan of Arc made of 7— She was Maid of Orleans. If compelled to swallow a men,what sort would you prefer ?—A little Lon don porter. In less than two minutes I was et the bank also, and peering over it 6, little above him, I could see every mo- tion he made. He had taken some object out of the bank and seemed to be fondling it upon his breast, inueli as though it had been an infant. For some minutes this pantomime went on, and then slowly he bent down, and thrusting in his arm seemed reluc- tantly to replace it in the spot whence he had ta,ken it. Then, standing up- right, he gave, quick glances in all directions about him. There was no one to be seen, and re-entering the graveyard he glided in and out among the tombstones, and left it by the way he had come I waited until his form ha dieap- 44. THE PHANTOM HAND.• time • that iei did he comp 1 am o ' f any 1 These mince pies are very digestible , "Why, no, not in particular," she meat u ed has been roastednstead A CHRIsTMAGHOST pain 7" owing t three things : Firstthe iS STORY. answerede but 1 fancied her face grew of boilcdl, and therefore has a softer fiber • sehondly, the cempound is not re:Zg a avouri e oo . eep a e, alone away from ITIC.ne in,t.the tart atDDeepddaile white as She shut her book and looked I thought T had touched memory's chord too roughly,perhaps, and added, "Forgive me, aunt, 1 didn'tmean to hurt you. She made no answer, and I continu- ed. "T asked beeauee Simon said you gave him a stimulant before he left the house; 1 imagined from that he was cooked fter it has been chopped • and the country seat of my uncle, orman thirdly, he usual variety of spicles ie French, was a beautiful place with its not use I may be wrong in my chem - t I judge that these combined trim lawns and pleasant park. . .had come from Cambridge for my ccount for the ready asiithila- 1 Christmas vacation, as usual, and aunt ies made after this recipe. a,ncl cousin had made me welcome, of HER MINCE PIE. The follow- course; but, after all, I felt that some - es thin was lacking in their greeting. some - good formula, for rich mince - t it should not be cooked after but should be kept for at least s before being made up into ake one fresh tongue, boiled ped fine; four pounds each of istry, bt causes tion of ANOtF . . ing is a meat, b mixing, six wee pies. and cho, stoned .a,isins, well -washed Zante cur- rants, and peeled and chopped applei, with three pounds of minced suet, and nds of yellow C sugar, made rup and well skimmed. Also, one pound each of slicednitron andied lemon peel, and add to ture, eqth one pint of good or of sherry wine. Finally,add two po into a s cut fin and of the mi brandy ground cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg to suit our taste, then put the com- pound into a stone jar with a close -fit- ting, and stand in a cool place. if it dries' out in keeping add a little more brandy l When I make up this mince- meat, t sometimes add a few candied cherrieS, with a cupful of boiled cider, thus gitting the pies a, peculiarly deli- cious 4vor. Pete PUDDINGS.—The progenitor of pudding, the pride and glory nglish Christmas,was the plum or pottage. In medieval titnes the phi of the porridg it was 'always served with the first course of a Christmas dinner. Tt was made by boiling beef or mutton with broth thickened with brown bread; when balf-boiled, raisins, currants, prunes, cloves, mace and ginger were added, and when the mass had been wee._ - re•—• • t • * 1 ;)- --- • 1 •YOUNG ,CANADA. C011111111(1111111$ For Xmas Night, tough outer surfaee, and then chop very Why, i4 the Ihter "B" like a hiot fine. Totwo pounds of this add one fire 7-13ecause it makes oil Boil. Which is the most modest piece ;o furniture ii—TIte clock; for it always covers its face its hands, and runs itself down, however good its evoliks maybe. 1 Who were the first a,stronomerst— rhe stars; thy first studded elfrhe heavetis. What 1 ngtli thould a young lady's dress be feet. Why is the Ireer "0" like a d isorder- ly' home? Beepers@ it is always in Chn fusion. Why is the ;defter "J" Iiice the end of spring —Bimause it is the begin- ning :of ne. " Why is a hiendle nearly burnt ,out like .a ce •tairi county in Trelandl— Because i is Wick -low. Why is a solar eclipse like e mother wore(•?—A little elmee two .2! pound of minced roast mutton. Then add one and a half -pounds of suet, chopped.' very fine. Chop also four pounds of pared a,pples, two pounds' each of currants and stoned raisins,: and one-fourth of a pound of citron. Put it Over the fire, with one pound, of yellow sugar dissolved to a syrup in water, two quarts of cider and half a pint of brandy. While it is heating, add ground spices as follows: One tablespoonful of cloves, one of allspice, one' of salt, one of ginger and one of mace, with one nutmeg grated; the grated rind of one lemon and the juice of two. Let it all simmer together till the liquor is reduced one-half. Satisfy yourself by fasting it that the provortion of spices is entirely' to your liking. When it is cold make your pies with nice puff paste. FRENCH MiNce-mewr.---In.stead of the above I have often used a French recipe fat mince pies with altogether They were hardly the same as when ailSt"turned on me wall the fierce - uncle was living, I thought; yet could not define the missing feature. nes s of a tiaress at bay . " want no • An undefinable strangeness had come gaggigatigg; from YOU," she raged, and her eyes gleamed with a bale u fire. To say that was astonished at her unexpected demeanour would be put- ting it mild. 1 was simply astounded, iand for a moment I had grave doubts in regard to our individual sanity. What was it T had said to arouse such fierce wratli 7 Had been saving soine insane thing and insulting 'Aunt Cecil, or was she grieving so Leply over uncle's death that my mention of him had turned her head 7 No! on second thought, I had not done either.. Then why this outburst? Whether she read my thoughts or those knowing his habits of order and not I cannot tell, but she cense toward calculation, no last wish of his could be me, with one jewelled hand clutching found. the heavy crape of her dress, and the other, Aith extended indsx, pointing menacingly into my face, "Do you dare to insinuate anything, you ungrateful, poverty-stricken strip- ling ?" she hissed, in a, low, insulting tone. My blood was up. I sprang to my feet and faced her, " I have no idea," I exclaimed hotly, "what you refer to; I am innocent of any such base intent. But"—and a terrible suspieion crept into my soul. "Your fury throws a strong light on something which, I swear, I nevet: thought of before. If yourself-condemnationsaw an insirma- don in my question it wile le cause you are —guil ty !" T leaned towards her and spoke the last word mainingly. 1 e was a risky shot, but fortunately it She put her hand on the, table and stood trembling like an aspen leaf. "Oh ! Ma.urice, do you think I gave your uncle a poisonous draught 1" she gasped. Her face was ashen pale, and her eyes took on an expreesion of deep- est anguish. stood still; T felt my blood run coldly back to its overwrought fount. " /hunt T began, but could get no further; faintness came over me and I sank prone upon the chair. " Oh, Uncle Yormam !" I moaned. " Maurice, be still," whispered she. "You drive me frantic, frantic, frantic! Oh, God, how I have suffered I" She turned and iled througli the, hall and upstairs as if the Father of Evil were after her. "My God ! can it be. that she poisoned .I.Tircle Norman ?" T questioned as 1 rose and began to wander aimlessly about the grounds, now gradually becoming covered with snollavo.w. long I walked,half crazed with my grief, I know not, but -when the shadows lengthened across the snow - clad lawn, and deepened under the trees, some one laid a hand on my armit•Come into the house," they said, "your aunt is no more." "Dead ?" I almost shrieked. "Yes; be calm, for your cousin's sake; she is wild with grief." Dumb of tongue and soul, I follow- ed where they led. White and still wae the -face I had seen a few short hours before so full of UEIexpressed hatred. Long I gazed upon the waxenfeatures,but 11,0 emotion of grief or pity stirred my heart. Inez hovered over the inaninutte form, wringing her hands and wailing out her sorrow, yet I could not feel. touched. Some days after the 1). urial T went - between me and Deepdale, however. Uncle had been found dead in- the park somesixmonths previous, Whither he had gone for a walk. He was ly- ing at the foot of a tree lifeless and cold, with his limbs dra,wn,up, his face contorted es if in extreme agony, and his arm thrown over his head,with the fingers clutching the sere grass. Being old and somewhat ailing it is supposed that he died in a fit. I was his favourite nephew, he hav- ing paid for my education at college. I also had many reasons for believing that I would be favourably mentioned in his will, but, strange as it seemed to Inez, his only child, as a matter of course, became sole heir to his wealth, and I was left out entirely. My cousin was , a beautiful girl of twenty, and always seemed very fond of me; in- deed, it had also been hinted to me by Aunt Cecil before uncle's demise that Inez and I were "born for each •-t"he face of this, however, I had othienr the ungrateful audacity to fall in love with an orphaned girl in the city, thus putting a strong negative to aunt's declaration. I told her of my Angagernent to pretty Lulu Melville one day a short time before, uncle's death, and she pleinly told me 1 was a scholar of the school of experience. • Uncle was present at the thue, but he only smiled, saying that everyone should be allowed to choose for them- selves in such matters." And themin reference to my finances, he offered to help me to the extent of a few those sands when I should be married. With his sudden death and failure of leaving a will, this bright forecast of the future, as a matter of conse- quence. fell to the ground. It wee not on my own account so much that 1 cared for this; but I, lover like, had planned so many comforts for Lulu wi en s hould become iny wife that, it thade it very hard for me to believe r was not remembered. I was seated in the library oe Christ- mas Eve, and lia.d been thinking of al' this rather bitterly, it must be confess- ed, before I opened my hook for an hour with my favourite author; but in the interesting story I soon lost the bitter reflections and was enjoying the narrative, when suddeely the shedow of a human hand fell acress the page I was reading. For a moment I was dumfounded. Then thought some one was, per- haps behind me testing my credulity and began investigating. To my utter astonishment, not a living thing was visible. Finding no one near, I felt strange but resumed my book, sayieg to my self that at it was only a triek of the In a few moments, however, he shadow care again, this time resting considerably longer on the page, and in addition to the strange manifesta- tion I felt a strong, eold wind go by. Thoroughly mystified, I now arose, put my book in my pocket, went out into the grounds, and began walking about. ° What. could it mean? - Surely there was a reason—or- should thoroughly boiled it was sent to table with the first or meat course. This dish is so ancient that the date of its origin is not known. The Puritans objected to the plum - porridge as they did to the mince -pie, regarding the dish as a symbol of ex- travagance and luxury. The lovers of good eating, however, preferred to charge this prejudice to the Round- head's sour temper. When Sir Roger de Coverley saw a dissenter eating his plum porridge with obvious enjoyment he thought there was hope for him. This once indispensable dish has not been on record -since the first decade of the nineteenth century. When it began to give way to the richer after - course of the plum pudding we cannot say, but the latter is mentioned by name in the " Tutler" and we find a recipe for it in a book published in 1791. The English custom is usually \ to make the pudding some weeks or even . 1 months before Christmas, or the time beating her lloy I—Bee:Luse it's a hid - agreeable results. It gives " the most that a well -made ,. plum pudding will 1 ing of the sun (son). digestilile rich mince, I think, that can keep, if it is not allowed to freeee, is ' What e t ie three comparsions'of a be maltle. This is the method'of mak- I astonishing. But it can be made the lawyer?— irst he gets on, then he gets ina •. Take twb pounds of roasted sir - honour, tu d then gets honest. b • part all cut away, one pound of beef lady, givii g !away her sweetheart to E. chopped fine; also one pound each of lover, - . 1 yelloe: isuaar, Malaga raisins, Who w, s t re first whistlenand what pale Sultana, raisins and currants, four ounges of sugar and a glass of sherry,a did he whi tie! 7 --The wind; he whittled '' • • cl., lemon rind (rubbed) and two small ounces each of candied citron, drie "Over the I ills and far away !" -, orange and lemon peel, cut in fine bits, pieces of loaf sugar, a pinch of salt and What great comm ancleresf ter having. also the arated rind oftwo fresh oranges a pint of milk. Mix this well, ' put it been killed tin an engagement, Came and two lemons with their juice, and over •a slow fire, stir it briskly with an home in gogd'spirits at last I—Nelson. Her uncfe's sister's father's wife Had but one son in all her life. 1 am tha son, and have children three -i - lion' of beef, well done, and the outer Why is the lettex "'It'll:ea- young ; suet, and.two pounds of aPples, all another? Beeetese it makes over a day before belling it if desired. GENUINE N G I. IS I. I SAUCE.—If you want to 1iav4-- your Christmas pudding genuine, you must not omit the sauce, but make it by this recipe : Put in a small saucepan six egg -yolks, four an ounce of allspice,' a pint of brandy egg whip until the sauce thickens and is frothy and v,hite pour some over the pudding, and serve the rest in a bowl. Do net heat it too long or it and a bottle of sherry wine. Mix all these ingredients well, put them in a jar, and keep them for a fortnight in a ,co,o1„pla_ce,... .(If you are in a hurry will curdle. When the Pudding is taken I say warning 1 in this uncanny visite- ,t0 cousin, who, seeiningly, could not be comforted. "Do not grieve so," I said: "aunt wished for death." A wild, terrified look came into my cousin's face. She beckoned me to follow her as she withdrew into the library, then she closed the door carefully. " She wishedfor death. Do you know why'?" she asked with white lips. " Yes," T answered. "Then v ou know that she poisoned father, do you 7" T nodded in the af- firmative, and she continued "1 did not know until some time after his death; never should have known, think, had she not imagined that she was haunted by a phantom hand. This hallucination worked upon her mind so much that one day she confessed t� me her awful deed." :41trepsishe hand 9" asked. e ima,gined she saw one. lee the park, shortly after father's death, door I met the gardener. "Bin out in and that it followed her persistent- ly. 7 I tion. If so, what threatened me, or why should I thus be disturbed Then a morbid curiosity seized me. I would go back to the library, and in- vite another visitation. I had not long to weit. Again the shadow rested on my book and again the ley wind struck my face. By this time I had grown used to the mystery somewhat and watched it more close - After a few moments' pausing on the page the shadow dropperto the floor, where it continued moving to and fro until it disappeared suddenly. I once more left the house and stroll- ed through the grounds to think the matter over. "Well I" ejaculated T, feeling utter- ly nonplussed "this is strange; some- thing is evidently about to happen:- - perhaps to Lulu," With this T started for the house. Just as I was about to enter the ma and eedshuddered and left the Iihrary. In dwelling on the loneliness of the place a week afterward went away from be- fore hegrounds,times,thaveo Yr eep"yhe he esaid, ccommenced "since Mr. French's cer'us aeath." Deepdale never to return. "Oh I replied, " Uncle Norman Some months after 1 Peceived would not harm anyone, living, and letter from Inez. dead I am sure he could not. But, tell me about him. Was he ill the day he wcenetin t thuen;m park seems d ise w11,dne must have been, too, for your aurit gave him a stimulant afore he started, 'cause she thought . he might need something, as he was not strong. But 1 allers thought it kind o' strange, though, 'bout;:yliheeiss,wydaeessa,otlhhde. ,wIa said, a d old, but that don't crer up the mystery; not right satis- factorily to my mind. But that's not mYbhueman ss•' Tturned on his heel and left me, and I went into the house. Aunt Cecil was readieg in the drawing- room, her. 1had with the 6c- Why is Cupid like poverty 7 —Be - ca indl t e Dae tookbeen t producedworked nearbyup e phantom cause he drives people to tl.e union. hand and the gardener's words to I Little James, four years ohl, was pointing get4r until I could nt hlk oep speaking : • out agcow to. a playnimte. See the bell "1 have sold Deepdale," she said, "and 1 am going abroad. I find 1 cannot live here alone, after- all has happened. Enclosed find a portion of -the money realised from the sale oft the estate. I have -no one else to divide with, and T am sure father would desire me to share with. you if he were living." In her letter was a draft for a con- siderable amount, of which 1 made gooduse. I am several years older now; but 1 never think of Deepdale without a shudder, and 1 often close my eyes on Christmas Eve for fear I shall see a phantom hand or Aunt Cecil's rigid features. Cherrite in a big -est were quiff. served. agreed wit deficiencies extent tha, disappear e pay one , was his cre. :cents, wide in those a him next remained years after. eral invoin- reaso ns evie sufficient the civil w, I escaped I with him, to time tha to his old e casional ha Our ways „, years had istence, but to give my.. I was than ognized as " You n me, Mr. Blo nition beca sort of fell he whiepere that you gee was not mean in the which Cherr knew him, Way of congi with so pret himself rem. " IS yours. I'm her aa, knew, thou tween us. Then, befor crowded ho place th inti' woman, he 14 " Chick, t used to wor Inc when to be a regu you so often, A face turned towa and a well n Papeene tell me that bad when 1 seems to give f3elf a, bad 'eh " 1 do it s of the great me," Cherrit us resumed, been the Mai the other we thing but tre that's easy e willing to at spend enoug oldJobupi Mr. Bloggs- pliments, bu offhand don' inaprovenifhi you remercb WaS Oat ative. Cheri a beauty; I 'dock, aceme of himself, a: under a sine inartt expree tirely depari ful:gIow in 1 told of good as dreet and he WOre of a, man ae thing ; he w carried a sth rassed by it "She did zee that 1et! wish you'd wherever yo tell you tlw you'd enjoy story you'd I'm not g every day ti gone throug much good t along with she lives, to against SODA used to wort you'll meet and id like that Cheriih and that he) We get out Then he be "Chick, I'm a:k*. VialaW *