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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron News-Record, 1889-11-13, Page 3STERIA'S .EEVENGE—Concluded, "You Wanted to crake mea widow--" " Ira, that's what Ireceqed, my sweet Floarea, for it almost killed—Me that you were his." "Revenge has done as much for you as !arrow has for me ; you don't look like "No, Floarea, I could not die now, for I breathe life from yon." "Lttave mo 1 I hate you 1" "Oh I please hate me some more, so that I may see your eyes flash !" "I have become very bad ; no one cares for me any more." " Poor child I No one cares for you 1 Is he bad to you? Does he tormout you?" A short pause. " We got along together about as a cough does with pleurisy." "The rascal ! And you have to support him." "Yes, I have to, for it is you that dis- abled him." " t --always I 1 You are to blame, since y cit him to husband, and I then had to r.venge myself on him. I wanted you at any price ! I wanted to make you happy !" "Instead of that you have brought m'e- _fortune upon me, which now hangs over my house and never lessens." 1 "What must 1 do to snake your Life bsppy Say the word, and I'll pluck the stars from heaven for you." Another pause. Steric held his breath. Lovely, sweet, poor Floarea! Forgive , oh, pray forgive mo 1 I sinned for love's sake. I was a long Lime itnprisoned for it on bread and water ; they came near shoot- ing me. Floarea, I was very unlucky." "Dog, thou Best!" hissed Steria, behind his tree. "Imprisoned 1" said Floarea, and her voice sounded soft. "And there I always thought of you; otherwise I should have perished. Floarea You can not be angry with me forever. The angels weep over sinners, and forgive 1" " I have wept tears enough through you. I have been very unhappy 1" A soft sob. "Floarea, do not cry so ! It tears my heart out ! I am to be here for a long time, and I'll bring everything out right for you. I will be so fond of you that you will forget all your troubles, that you—" That word died on his lips for, white as the angel of death, Steria stood before them. The young wife uttered a shriek and covered her face. " Enough 1" said he. " I am the master here, not you. Moron 1" With an arm -stump he pointed to the dim - tame, and did not drop it till the young officer had slunk away. "Floarea 1" he turned himself then to her, ,"go home, before you become a strum• pat 1" Ho followed after her, as one drives a dog before him. From that time on Floarea was in a state of contind•l dread. She noticed that Steria never took a drop now, and whenever he spoke it was in a tone that sent her heart into her mouth. Scarcely ten days were past, when one day he stepped np to her at the bar. Over his arm hung a cloth, whose ends wore tied tightly together. 11"• Take the pen and write," he ordered. "I can't write evenly. I make mistakes." "That's no matter. Write 1" With trembling fingers and much delay she reaohrt1 for a piece of paper and a rusty pen. "• Write what Isbell tell you." What are you going to do, Miron ? You have a terrible look." " I will do what I have waited., for years to do. Write : ' This evening, after sunset, I shall be at the apple -tree, where the corn- field ends. Meet me there. I have some- thing to may to you. Floarea.' " " I won't write that 1" "If you don't write, I'll throw this cle,th over your head and twist it with my arm - stump till your breath is gone. Write I" • Miron 1 I will be fond of you from this rth 1 I will � kiss your arms 1 I will t —4 itol , be.,netniful 1" . "Too:fate 1 Who was merciful with me?" " Miron, you will do something brutal. I wu not brutal." " You were brutal In your prejudice and contempt. Write, or I'll kill you." Finally the harmlese words were written down. Ile address wu added. Steria called the kitchen wench. "Give this letter to some child," he ordered, and wont out after her to see that she did -not speak with the child, who, pleased with Its message and the piece of money hastened -away. Floarea ledned upon the bar. She was ready to die. Terror is like a shrapnel - shot, which flrst,strikes one ae with palsy and then the body In pieces. Her st she heard it herself, and to stand ,dill for hours. She 'Igor bee tun it seem repented whale' aha had written. Bettor had he strangled her ; then were her trouble already past. She sew with horror that the run was setting. Never before had it gone down so ickly. "Come now," said Steria. And, as she was about to beg again : " Silence I It 1. useless 1" It was one of those dreamy evenings, such as Nettle down over the rich level of Itou• mania like a golden mantle. The unbound- ed cornfields stood head high and veiled their gold in the pale stalks that were adorn - hog themselves with .feather teasel". The light breeze that followed the sunset fanned them softly. Along the horizon arose a purple mist in which the nun went down ; the last cows had turned towards home ; the last cart had been drawn by ; utter loneliness spread itself over the earth. Through thie tranquil scene walked the two along, Steris first, Floarea following, without a sound. The young wife noticed how far behind the village lay, how desert- ed the road eras. Then the corn rustled as Steria parted it and looked at her with tho command in his eyes to follow. So they approached the designated apple - tree. Scarcely had they reached there when throe men with blackened faces crept out from the corn, grasped the yonng woman, and with cords bound her fast to the tree, so that she could stir neither hand nor foot. At first she was almost crazy with terror. • But when she started to resist and "cream, three knives glanced before her, and Stella said : "If you eo much as make a sound, you will never draw another breath 1" "But, for God's Bake, Miron, what will you do? Lot we go 1 Let me go to my chil- dren; Miron 1 kill me note for then the children will have no one --the little, weak ones 1 Miron, be good ! I will love you again ! Miron, you look eo terrible I Kill me not ! !see death in your eyes---" "If yon are still, aft though you were not there, then you shall not die." After these words Steria was silent, and he three men with him were also. Suddenly they hoard stops approaching in the distance. Floarea heard the corn rustle, but her heart beat eo loud that she could not perceive whether the etepe ap- proached. She turned her eyes toward the setting sun, and prayed to God to Bend some one to rescue her. Then she saw the corn separate, and foototepe approached in her truck. "Floarea 1" sounded a voice. "Floarea, are you hero?" She recognized the voice, and in her terror would have called out a word of warning to hint in his danger, but Steric was ..lready in front of her, and threateningly held hie bare arm before her eyes. She shut them for a moment in her dismay and dread of death, but immediately forced them open again, to nee her husband shaking his arm. in the officer's face, and before he could defend himself he was set upon by three men in disguise, who pierced him through with their daggers. They were too many for him, desperate as he was, and tbey slashed and cut him eo that his blood was spattered over Ftoaroa'a clothing. Steria had his arms folded, and looked now on her, now on his mortal enemy, whose head, arms, legs were cut off, whose whole body was a horrible mase of bloody wounds. "Leave only the face as it is," ordered Steria. "And now put him together and leave hint against the atone, so that from the distance he will appear to be alive." The tree quivered end rustled, so fiercely did the young wife tremble. They carefully laid head and limbo and trunk together against a et ne ; the eyes gazed from their sockets in a ghastly way; the white fore- head and the teeth in the lower jaw as it hung down gleamed in the fast -falling dark - hoes. "In order that you may become accus- tomed to looking at what is loathsome, you shall now remain here. You can scream ; but if ever it crosses your lips who did this, you aro es good as dead. You nee"—he pointed with his erns -stump to the body— "I have no hands, but have still arm and head enough to avenge myself. You forgot, my child, that the head end the heart were Intact. Godd-night." ' Before she could utter a sound Steria had vanished ;she heard the footstep departing in different directions. Th en she was alone. An icy shiver ran through her body as the moon arose and cast its ghost-like light upon the dead countenance. She tried to turn her glance away, but she had to stare incessant- ly ; for it seemed as though the lips, the eyes, the arm, moved, and the lips were black against' the white teeth. Many times she lost her senees, as in a faint or in sleep, but immediately she was again recalied to the present, end then the tree trembled and the leafage seemed to sigh. "The tree bas pity; on me," thought Floarea. The night seemed ever longer, the silence ever deeper. The moon made the staring dead eyes gleam. In ber terror she would have ecraamed, but she said to herself that she must save her strength till people were awake to bear her cries. .At last,, at last, a pale • glow begets to gather strength, end the moon began to fade. The dew fell heavily and web everything with its glittering drops. It stood like drops of sweat on the dead man's forehead. Then, suddenly, in the branches above her, a bird awoke and raised a chirping trill. She looked np gratefully ; but then she saw a black spot on the heaven, whigh fast grew larger till she plainly recognized that it was a vulture, which, in lazy circles, was lower- ing upon her. Soon a second one appeared, which circled about like the first one, and in the distance other dark spots soon appeared. The horizon now dipped itself in purple and gilded the feather tips of the bird* of pray. Seized with a new horror, Floarea began to shake the tree„and she saw that the circles were at once higher and farther away, At the same time, however, she felt that she dare not trust too much to •her strength ; that her swollen arms could no longer endure the tree.shaking. The dish of the sun now arose and turned to . gold Flosrea'e tears as they fell down one at a time in heavy drops. But everything was aiieutfar eadwide. She bethought herself that she had not heard the crowing of a single cock, end , the • frightful birds increased, and again came near- er. They seemed to have guessed that the tree was not dangerous, for suddenly one shot down and bore away a piece of the entrails. The others hesitated, for Fioaroa shrieked and once again shook the tree, but weaker, and with nutting pain. It became hotter and hotter, and the birds, everbolder, swooped down oftener. It was long past midday when some peas. ants, who were resting in the shade, began to notice the flock of vultares. At the same time Floarea heard cow -belle and the mono- tonous playing of a shepherd Ind 00 n Dutch flute. Then she tried to acreatn. But, to her horror, she was so parched for thirst that she could no longer bring forth a sound. The sweat of terror trickled from her brow. Here to be picked at, and, still breathing, to be eaten by the loathsome birds—again hor nenees left her 1 Suddenly elle hoard a distant rustle in the corn, and a careful step approached. She felt it must be a child, and tried to call. But she could only utter a hoarse groan. The steps stood still. In dread, her heart beat feet. Now they approached again ; the corn parted and the youngster, with great, round blaoie ayes, stared at the etrange group, and then turned and fled away as if pursued. FMarea cursed heaven, herself, her cruel husband. , Tortured for thirst, with swollen arms, ber body cut by the verde,she tried to close her eyes, so M no longer to eeo the work of the birds. But even that she could do no more ; the Lids were so dry that she could pot shut them. Then there was, an- other rustle. This time it was two lean end hungry doge that looked liko jackals, and wantefl to divide the meal with the vultures. It seemed to Floarea as though her tem - plea 'aimed and her brain flowed seething forth. Then the steps of men were heard—at first a few, then more, and even more ; a great crowd of people seemed to draw neer. A shout, a call, a conference ; and when finally they loosed the cords'ilio. young woman sank down in a deatfs., taint, from which she awoke, in the arms” i lifer mother, many hours after. She remained many long months entirely speechless. Steric, for the name length of time, had vanished from the neighborhood: The entire village was at its wit& end, but could dis- cover nothing. Nevertheless, Steric was for a long time accused, then he was even arrested. He remained many months in prison, but they could get no confession from him. He simply showed hit arms, al- ways. "Could I overcome anyone of bind one 1sat ?" When Floarea looked upon hint for the first time, she was taken with a violent shiver, and tried to stammer his name, He was amazed. "Can't she speak? he asked of his mother. in -la w. "That ie her first word eine° the fatal day," said she, and looked at Steria with a penetrating glances "Who could possibly have done it she asked, with a prying look. Steria shrugged his shoulders and gave no answer. For he who has to guard a secret in his weak-minded wife must be watchful and keen. The life of the three peop:o most have been a hell. Finally Stubs vanished again, and nothing was ever beard of him after- ward. But his beauty remained proverbial. Floarea lived to be a little old woman ; her dumb mouth became hard and small, and only opened from time to time to let forth a deep sigh. Her spouse was avenged, but far beyond his wish. He wandered a beggar through the land• Before Ms evil eyes the people were afraid, and only his shrunken wrists placed them at ease, and touched their purses and hearts. If any one in the village asks a maiden : "Is your sweetheart handsome ?" the an- swer is always : "Yes, indeed ; but not so handsome u Steria." ABRUM'S MATCH -MAKING. "Hyr, you Abrum, go an' git the gen'le- men somethin' ter drink," called out the rotund black auntie of a dilapidated South- ern plantation mansion as two young eur. veyors rode up to the door and asked for some Ar. "Abrum," or rather Abraham Lincoln Jeff Davis Dalgreen, started to obey his mother while the visitors inspected the premises which they had often seen from a distance. It had once been a handsome property, but was sadly gone to the bad. The mistress, el broken-down woman almost insane, having lost her all in the war, had sunk to the level of those who had served her, and lived with her two daughters in painful poverty upon the ruin of her old splendor. Auntie and the young ladles picked berries, worked in the fields—did everything possible to feed her and them- selves. The girls did not appear at this time to be present. though the horsemen strained their eyes looking for them. It was with Abrum that the surveyors became first acquainted. Like the imp of darkness that he was, he smoked, chewed, Bang, danced, swore and was happy. He followed the Northerners about like a pet dog, and was always willing to do them a favor. As he handed them • gourd of spring water this morning he leered at them and wickedly suggested : "Dey ain't nowhere around." "Who ain't ?" asked Frank Drayton. "De gals, ob course, dat's who you wants to see." Frank threw the water at him and he and Homer rode away. The next morning when Frank entered the carpenter shop where the surveyors kept their instruments he was startled to see Abrum's eyes glaring out from • pile of shavings. "Get up, yon little scamp !" "Kase what far, Mas'r Yank ?" replied the youth. "You're too dirty to be here." "Yah ain't goin' ter eat dose ehavin's. be ye 1" and Abrum opened wide his eyes in assumed surprise. "No, but I don't like such a dirty boy around." "Huh 1" exclaimed Abrum ; "ef you knowed what I knows you'd let me stay here an' gin me s chew besides." "No, I wouldn't. But what's the se- cret f" "Glum'. a quarter ?" ''Yes." "Our young ladies is powerful han'some, an' dey's sweet, too, an' you fellers is sweet on'een. D•t's It." "But they always run when we are around ?" "Dat's 'cause ob old minus. She's proud and cross as de evil one; but de gals don't cars—dey'd jest as soon have Yanks as eny- body. Misses hates Yanks." "1s that all the secret 1-r a quarter 1" "Is you 'Bilious ?" "I hope so." "So's dey. Wheu dey can sneak off, dey goes up to de Bend, an' teaches in de nig Sund sy-school. If you goes tip nex' Sun- day you'll see 'nd hoar 'em sing. Dey's powerful sweet singers." "But what's the secret 1" "Dat'N part of it, de res' is dat doy dons tired out wid lein'friz an' starved an' not lowed to teach 'er eew nor nothin' dat's nice—an' dey'll marry your fellers if you ask 'em." 4 • •. "Ob, you're lying." "I doean't have ter lie," Bald Abrum, drawing himself up proedly, "I kip get my livin' widout. But don't you tell on me 'er minus It akin me alive. I was skinned alive twice last week." - Frank did not tell on him, but the next Sunday and for many 'Sundays thereafter two buggies instead of one were standing. near the "nig echool-house" at the Bend during the session of Sunday -school and one of them belonged to Frank and his as- sociate, Homer Wilson. Of course they were not long in becoming acquainted with the pretty, modest, but poorly -clad Dalgreen girls, Kate and Fan- nie; and before many weeks the return drive was inade between the echool-house and the old mansion with Kate and Frank in one buggy and Fanny and Homer in the other. One hot July afternoon the quartette took their usual drive through the woods and, tying the horses, entered the echool-house to spend an hour with the colored truth- seekere. It was one of Abrum's mischievous days. Without touch difficulty he induced a chum of his to drive one rig, while be took the other, and in a short time they Imre out of sight down the road. They went further than they intended, and soon it was too late to return to the Bend. Besides, a storm was coating up and Abrum argued that the young folks tnust be home by that time any way, so he drove there and hitched the horses in the stable. When the Sunday-achool was over the young people coming from the school house found their conveyances gone and a storm titling front the south. With rapid pace they ret out through the forest -lined path homeward. The wind bent the tall magnolias until they seemed like stalks of corn, so easily did they sway. Dark cloude drifted across the sky and the lightning's flash sent terror to the hearts of the young ladies. Overtaken by the fury of the storm when about half tho journey was completed the party found refuge in a dilapidated hut, where for two bourn they stayed, until the rain ceasing they were able to resume their •way. Just why the common danger brought them closer together is hard to explain ; but it is certain that as Kate and Fannie clung to their cavaliers the latter were en- dowed with a tender boldness that enabled then to whisper words very sweet to the Southern earn. And when they came once more into the bright glory of the sunset the faces of the quartette shone with such a lustre that it seemed as though the light- ning had left eomo of its splendor in their features. But the hardest part was yet to come. When the surveyors arrived at the home of their charges and had had a settlement with Abrum and his dusky confederate, they sought "misses," whom they had only seen —never met. " My children have the blood of the Dal - greens in their veins and shall not associate with low -bred Northern workmen who make railroads and auch dirty things," was her answer to their stammered explanation of their acquaintance with her daughters. " De blood ob de fiddlesticks," put in auntie, indignantly. " You mought be glad dat des, 'epectable Christian gen'lemn would look at us, poor and ragged as we ie.'' " You hain't any more spirit than a poor white, auntie,'" sobbed the mistress of the house, hysterically. Upon being acquainted with the real sub- ject of the young Northerners' visit she grew more violently angry, and, declaring that she would have the officials of the county to arrest them, took indignantly to her room and ordered her food sent up to her. But auntie put her on short allowance and she was soon brought to terms and con- descended to come to the table again. After a few days, seeing that she might as well give in first as hast, she consented to her daughters' choice on the condition that their lovers should quit work and turn gen- tlemen. "And," she added, "I will go North and live with you." Prank and Homer did not accept the whole of the proposition, but began imme- diate arrangements for the double wed- ding. When Abram hoard the plans he laughed, cackled, crowed, cracked his heels together, danced and cried out : "I'ee goin' Norf, too, kase I made yere"matches." "You ? What have you to do with it ?" asked Howler. "Ebery ting. Didn't I tell yer what dey went Sundays, an' didn't I run off wid de rigs so's yak could walk wid de young ladies hoots 1" "Yes, and wouldn't we have found out whore they went ourselves, and didn't you get a licking for leaving ns to come home through the rain 1" "But it was ms put it in yer heads to try for 'eat, an' tole ye dey'd marry yeh, mower, an' you ought tor take me Norf ter lug yer machines around fer yer." "Well, you stay in the South until you learn to bo sensible and well see what can be dono." Poor "minus" never saw the Nortll-. which she so much hated. A few weeks thereafter and just before the wedding she grew tired of breathing and gave up the effort. The young surveyors immediately marri- ed the orphan sisters and took them North, as well as auntie to serve them. Abrum wan so wretched at the thought of being left behind that it was Sneily de- cided to take him, though he was threat- ened that if ho did not behave himself he "would be sentenced to the penitentiary for life." MORAL SUASION. " I tell yo, pa'son, ef a man won't walk straight fur the love o' goodness an' m'ral- Ity, all' yer preachin' won't do him any bit o' good, now that's • fact." "A fact that needs demonstration, how- ever," smiled tho parson. -"Actual ex- perience does not sustain your position, my friend." 4 He wes a thin -faced, light -built fellow, whose nervous energy onatently preyed upon his physical development: Sutne nice can engage in t e responsible business of saving souls and make an oaay- goin{ routine of it which adds flesb to their bones every day, white another dedicates every nerve and muscle to his work, lite mind actually burning away every ounce of surplue°flesh. So it was with Parson Es. mond and here in the lumber regions he saw before him such a wide field of labor that his one sickle of truth seemed so utter- ly inadequate to do the harvesting he bad set his heart upon that his faith almost felled him at times. Ho found hero all kinds of beliefs and un - beliefs, while the practice amounted to very much the same thing, with the difference that some plunged into all sorts of wicked- neaa to drown the voice of conscience, while others had none to drown. It was apparently a hopeless task to pre- sent such a crowd with the truths whieh wore so directly antagonistic to their daily practice, but he had done it fearlessly and without favor, and to their credit they had listened with respect, if they had not acted upon his teachings. "Now, pa'son, I'll show ye by oo'lar de- monetration whet I'm k'rect. Titer's a job 'o Inmberin' up'n the gulch twenty miles from here, an' I'm goin' ter take twenty o'our fellers up there an' then wont be nary a Bible ner a minister the hull winter. Ye know I don't b'lieve this ere life hez any thing ter do with the next, if there be a next, an' I'd show ye that I kin take th boys up Char au' preach vertu° fur vartite's sake alone, an' they'll come out ez pious an' moral ez of I kep' harpin' on jedgment to come all the time. Ilet ye my hat on 't, pa'son." "I'm not a betting man, you know, Cy- rus," the parson smiled again—he had found that smiles and gentle treatment went fur. titer with these rough spirits than argument or harsh words—"but I'm afraid your ex- periment will prove • failure. The law has no terrors to any but those who are disposed to break it, still the fact that one is beyond the pale of law, that there is no legal or moral restraint upon his actions, is calculat- ed to bring out the worst forces of man's nature. It is just as touch a part of his make-up to need the restraints of civiliza- tion, of law and religion, as it is of the planets to need the law of gravitation to keep them in their orbits." "Oh, come now, pa'son, you're a talkin' book larnin', an' you know I bean't edicated ; but puttin' my hoes sense agiu your book larnin', we'll see which'Il come out ahead." "All right, Cyrus, but ha'l'nt you better take a Bible along, so that in case you should need to administer a little judgment to come, as you call it, you would have a foundation to work from?" "nary Bible. I'll start straight an' no favors. When Cyrus Gregg starts a bar- galn be makes a Olean start, an' don't ye forgit it." It was a rough -looking set which started out a few days later to the lumber camp: juga of whisky, or the "indispensable," as it was called, worn freely displayed in stock, tobacco in quantity, and newspapers of the lowest grades formed no small part of the outfit. They would be gone about three mouths, and quite a concourse gathered to see them off, among them the minister. "Now, pa'son, I'll preach ni'rality while you whale away on futur' punishment ter them that's left, au' see how we come out," whispered Cyrus as the cavalcade was about to start The minister nolded good naturediy. There was something wholesome about this rough Cyrus which had made an impression upon the young man, and Le liked him In spite of his rough notions and rougher ways. Given an education and a poisition in refined society, and he might have been an ornament to it, but as it was he would probably remain a rough diamond for life. The young minister kept on his way after the departure of the lumbermen, preaching to the remainder, making earnest efforts to help them, and raise both souls and bodies to a higher level. Many of them had been well educated and trained by careful par - eats, but in coming away from civilization and its restraining influences they had left their characters behind them and entered into the rough life of the lumber camy as if to the manor born, and Mr. Esmond saw with unspeakable regret men who were capable of better things going on the tido of profanity and wild dissipation and leaving their better nature uncultivated. There were but few women in the camp. and there were not of s class to elevate or soften their associates, with one exception, and that was the minister's wife, gentle "Miry Esmond, and she strove in every" way to uplift and bring to her own level those podr souls who were so miserably drifting into coarseness and sin. Mr. Esmond did not preach a harsh gos. pel, and carried out to the letter Paul's idea and became all things to all men, hop - tog that by those means he might be able to reach some, and hie gentle wife supple- mented his preaching with her sympathy and Influence. Sometimes he was almost disheartened and felt that he was apouding his time and talent for naught, but it was rarely that he fell into a desponding mood that something did not occur to show that however slow the seed that he was sowing might be to germinate, 1t was still there, the germ unimpaired and reedy to spring forth into living activity under favorable circum- stances. When he looked back and reviewed the field, he could see that there had really been much accomplished. There bad been woo - fleetly no Sabbath before he came, now nearly every man mad. a toilet, more or less meagre, according to taste and circum- stances, and attended "preaohin'," and the fighting and noisy carousal on that day was sensibly diminished, acid in other ways, more indeed than he knew, his influence was felt for the better. Just at the present time, some two months after the departure of the gulch party, there was a deeper interest, an increasing eaten - lion to the words of the young preaches which was very encouraging to him in. deed. Ile was sitting In the little roorie t*hlth nerved as a spare bed -room and study eoht- biued when Mary ushered in a visitor. He was tall and lank, and his shock Of hair and thick, stubby beard eerved as a' disguise for the moment as he shambled into the room and sat down upon tho chair Mr, Esmond placed for him. "Why, Cyrus," cried the minister, in satr- prise, "you're the last man I was expecting to see. Have you filled your contract al- ready ?" "Wall, no, pardnor." He took off his hat and sat twisting it nervously around by Ali battered brim, his face meantime wearing a sheepish look of embarrassment. "Tar tall th' truth, pa'son ; I come down atter you." "After me." Mr. Esmond's tone betray- ed his surprise. "Ye temetnbor our bargain ?" The miaia- ter nodded. "Well, sir, I tuk them fellers up than, au I did my level best on 'els. I talked about Heaven a blamed sight more'n I believed in myself, an' I preached about livin' a var- tueua lifo--'n short, pa'aun, I give 'em a doctrine o' love, pure an' biled down, an' blame the critters, they've got to muttln up so rough thet 1 can't stand it no longer, an'E I want you ter come up an' preach it strong. Don't stop ter mince matters, but gin it to 'em an' bring along yer Bible to back y' up. I'll own up, mister, Chet I got held of the wrong eend of th' argyment, au' shot law an' gospel is good fur a man in this life, whether it snakes ary difference in the next one er not. Why, sir, them fellers don't think no -more o' killin' a inan than they do o' satin' titer dinner, an' th' quarreliu' an' carousin' is enough to make yer hair sten' on Bend." "Then you admit that moral suasion isn't sufficient of itself to convert a man," said Mr. Esmond. "Moral suasion bo darned, pa'son. What them fellers needs is the ten command- ment,, rubbed in, an' emphysizod by the thunders of Sinai. Will yo cotne ?" MY THEATRICAL LAND- LADY. - She was a Mrs. Cadgers, who, under the more euphonic name of Montmorency, had some years before dazrled the dramatic world with her refulgent beauty and talent as a "Tragedy Queen." She had been a "Star" and bad often met with great artistio triumphs, but, at the same time. corres- pondingly small financial- returns. An un- appreciative public had forced her retire- ment from the sphere she is said to have so adorned, and had reduced her to the neces- sity of becoming a boarding-house land lady and catering to the appetites of pro- vincial actors. She often did the honors at the festive board clad i r the somewhat sombre habili- mente of Lady Macbeth, and plunged the carver into the bosom of a rather underfed and muscular bird with the same "ghoulish glee" with which that evil-minded lady her. .elf would have punctured the windpipe of Duncan, the ill-fated King of Scotland. Again, in the moth-eaten, ti .eel bedecked robes of Lucrezia Borgia, she was wont to dissect a particularly leathery steak, at the sante time striking terror into the minds and stomachs of her assembled boarders, lost in her aesumptiou of the robes she had imbibed .Smething of the character of that unpleasant female, and had tampered with the victuals to the extent of a little strych- nine or arsenic . I discovered that Mr. Cadgers had bogus his theatrical career as " Ticket taker," had then been promoted to the distinction of playing a few unimportant parts, had been scene -shifter, and wee now occupying the before mentione d position at the back -door, He had been "through the business," he said, and as he began at the front of the hones and had retrograded by easy stage. to the roar of it, I fully believed bis state- ment. There was but one more step for Cadgers to take, n.mely, from the back- door to the alley on which it opened, and it had already been intimated by his managers that if he did not cultivate some dight habits of sobriety he would be hurled into the nether air of the back street in remark- ably short order. Mr. and Mr.. Cadgers had a son, a youth of some sixteen winters, who, his mother in- formed me, was studying the "swallowing act"; judging from the way Master Cadgers swallowed everything that wa. .aid at the dining table, end two.thirds of everything that was on it, I thought him already pro- ficient in hie business.' I subsequently learned that the art in which the young mac was perfecting himself consisted in secreting in the deepest recesses of hiss throat and thorax, knives, daggers, lighted'torohes, and in fact, every swallowable and un- swallowable article within his reach. Some two weeks after my first partaking of Mr. Cadgers' hospitality I misted an oxpenuive, gold -handled, sixteen ribbed silk umbrella, and immediately turned my eyes with sus- picion upon young Cadgers, fancying that my property had shared the fate of several, rubber orsrshoes and blackthorn canes, whieh, their owners supposed, were nestling in the interior of that voracious youth. His mother, however, assured me that he "took" so strongly after his father that h abhorred' water in all shape" and forma, and I mentally acquitted him of the theft, feeling that an umbrella was a very unnecessary piece of furniture to him, and that a sponge would have be.:n more to his purpose. I quitte-1 the Cadgers' Theatrical Board - log -House as soon as my engagement in tha pity, was over, leaving the establishment ' the hands of the sheriff who was seizing everything seizable, Mrs. Cadgers at the same moment being also seized with violent attack of hysteria, during which she denounced the lord of her bosom as a besotted idiot, and vowed she had nothing left but her transcendent talent, whish I advised her to anchor securely to some sub- stantial prop lest that also should be swal- lowed in time by her talented and per. potually hungry offspring.