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5k'^B3Cia»*T'^
A HKAI/ril.
TO THE MOST BEAUTIFUL. WOMAN IN AMERICA.”
I fill this cup to one made up
Of loveliness alone,
A woman, of her gentle sex
The seeming paragon
To whom the better elements
And kindly stars have given
A form so fair, that like the air,
’TLs less of earth than heaven.
Of her bright face one glance will trace
A picture on the brain.
And of her voice, in echoing hearts
A sound must long remain;
And memory such as mine of her
So very much endears,
When death is night my latest sigh
Will not be life’s but hers.
Affections are as thoughts to her,
The measure of her hours;
Her feelings haye the fragrancy,
The freshness of young flowers,
And lovely passions changing oft
So fill her, she appears
The image of themselves by turns,
The idol of past years.
I filled this cup to one made up
Of loveliness alone,
A woman of her gentle sex
The seeming paragon.
Her health! And would on earth there were
Some more of such a frame,
That life might be all poetry
And weariuess a name!
Edward Coate Pinkhey to Peggy O'Neal.
SADA AND THE DOCTOR;
OR, THE
Avenger of the Wronged.
BY LIEUTENANT FELIX.
CHAPTER XI.
Biddy Magoon, was too ill to accompany the doc
tor back to Evansville. A severe cold induced by
her exjxisure, together with the reaction that en
sued after the performance of her faithful mission,
brought on a high fever, accompanied with deliri
um. Altel regretted leaving the poor girl, exceed
ingly, yet, after he had extorted a promise from his
friend Battsford, that be would faithfuily attend
on her during his absence, and Bessie assuring him
she would take the best care of her. Algernon
Abel, M. D. set out, not, however, without many
dark forebodings, for Evansville. Perhaps, until
that very moment, when Abel learned of little
Sofia’s peril, he did not know how entirely he had
loved her; and why now had he made that discovery
to be tortured for her safety, to see her in danger,
and perhaps, be unable to save her.
He arrived at Evansville in the night time. The
journey ]>oor Biddy had performed, mostly on
foot, and which had taken her days to accomplish,
required scarcely' a half day' and night for him to
perform, whistled along by the iron horse, that
had worked its way by that time through the vil
lage of Evansville. The station-house stood a little
way from the town. The night was windy', and
the snow ami sleet dashed in Abel’s face as he stood
upon the platform steps, trying, in his mind, to de
termine the direction proper for him to take to
reach the village town. Everything had changed
wonderfully since he saw Evansville, years before.
Where the station-house now' stood, then, the
ground was occupied by an old slaughter house,
with its attendant buildings. On one hand lay the
town, with its scattering lights; on the other, a
vast expanse of snow clad hills.
' As Algernon Abel, was thus engaged, the keeper
of the station-house came out and locked the door.
He carried a lantern in his hand, and by' its light,
Abel could see he was a rather young looking man,
and had a familiar look. He put the door key into
Ids pocket, and then buttoned his overcoat closer,
and drew up his muffles around his face. The rays
of the light he carried fell full upon the doctor. He
started slightly bowed, and said, “good evening,”
and then inquired if lie was the gentleman who had
just come in on the train, and if he had any liag-
gage.
“Only a carpet sack that I have with me,” re
plied the doctor.
“Where are you going!”
“To the hotel of the place, if I can be so fortunate
as to discover one.”
“Well, stranger,” he said, eyeing Abel from head
to foot, “We don't run no omnibus here, in Evans
ville, you see.
“No tw'ould’nt pay.”
“No sir,” nobody don't often come in, you see;
“an’ when they does, they jist as soon walk.” He
shrugged his shoulders, and swung his lantern
back and forth, so that the long rays glanced far
out upon the untrodden snow. “Something warm
wouldn’t go bad jist now, and they keep something
down at the Star. Tuther tavern’s a temperance
concern—landlord is General Grand Chief Master
in the Sons of Tenqierance; reckon that’s what they
call it—secret society. Stranger, you blong, eh?”
“No!”
“That’s you, stranger; never jme these ere secret
societies, monstrous wicked, and these ere temper
ance one’s, ’specially. Tell ye what, the Old Wash
ingtonian Siery’s bad enough, the Lord knows, but
this ere kind is a plaguey sight wusser.”
“Why?”
“Oh, thars a kind of bewitchment ’bout it, and
everytxxly’s set plum crazy ’bout it. Tell ye what,
stranger, they’re all a set of plaguey fool’s tracted
bv a pretty regalium, and nothin’ but red and
white stuff, red ribbons, and gilt fixens, outer all;
but it pleases the youngsters mightily: and then
thar’s the secret, gracious goodness, I don’t want
none o’ thar secrets. I’d rather have my lilierty,
and a leetle hot brandy sling rich a night as. this.
Put up at the Star, stranger.”
“It is ministerial to me,” replied the doctor,
growing tired of his harangue. ...
“Materials, eh!, stranger, they make the best of
egg nogg and—but I’m going right, down to the
^Abel assented, anywhere for a comfortable shel
ter, he thought.
“Who keeps the Star Hotel?” asked the doctor,
mechanically', as they walked along.
“That tavern has lieen built since I was here,” he
stopped, and the agent let the rays from his lantern
fall full upon the doctors face, then continued:
“Well, I thought ye looked kind a material,
stranger, and if 1 in not awfully mistaken, ye are
the feller that doctored folks bout here, number
years ago, eh?”
“Yes, sir, I did practice medicine at a few
years ago," , .
“La do tell. Wall, now, stranger, lia-ha-ha way,
yer the very chap my mother-in-law uiittened, and
that left thar cause of it.”
“Your mother-in-law!”#
“Ha-ha,” laughed the young man, good joke,
’pon honor. Good joke, forgotten her, I spose,
ha-ha ” And he lured at the doctor as he punched
him with his elbow. “Praps ye might answer to
thar name of Doctor Abel, eh? ’
“Yes sir I answer to that name.
“And my mother-in-law’s name’s Mrs. Emery.
She married old Deacon Emery for her second hus
band. • Her name was Mrs. Burns.”
“Ah indeed? And then Mrs. Burns is the wife of
Deacon Emery?” asked Algernon, earnestly.
He mistook the cause of the doctor’s earnestness,
fot Abel w as L inking of the story Biddy had told
him and a new thought flashed into his mind.
“La ves, ye are too late—bird’s caught; he’s a
well-to-do man, or, rather, be tends a piece of
CToond •» mile out of town, and she tends the oflice.
Smart woman, Mother Burns, was, and a cute
woman Mother Emery is.”
“And how long have they kept the post office?”
“Oh nigh oh to three years, as to that. And
now, Doctor Abel, praps ye know who I am I’m
the huri«nd of Polly Ann, Jack Spngg, and I’m
thar landlord of the Star.” .
••Ah id* e l! so you re the landlord, ejaculated
the doci or. in surprise.
“Well, yes, Polly Ann had some little property
her father left her. and we’ve fitted up the old
boarding house that Mother Smart used to keep, for
a tavern, aifd a plaguey nice concern it is, too.
Polly is, you know Polly Ann. S e’llbe mighty'
glad ter see ye,” said Mr, Sprigg, leading the way
up the steps, and throwing o|ien the bar-room door.
“Kind o’crowded a little to night, doctor. Court
sits to-morrow, and thar judges, and thar lawyers
allers puts up here, cause.”
“Cause what ?” asked the doctor.
“Cause tother’s tenqierance house, them fellers
that plead law, like to have a little of that good
stuff to make thar tongues kind o’ glib, and varnish
thar consciences over with, so they can’t lx; dam
aged by sich like as wimmens tears, and few’white
lies, anil the like, that’s allers necessary on sich oc
casions.”
The doctor saw that the man liked to talk, and
might, hy indulging in his favorite pastime, satisfy
his mind upon several subjects without he being
aware of the fact. So after calling for refreshment,
and Mr. Sprigg had returned from ordering it, he
drew his chair close to that of Mr. Sprigg, and
asked concerning the names of the judge, lawyers,
officers, &c.
“Oh, there’s Judge Bennett, a deuced lineman;
he’ll drink more of thar prime stuff than nary other
man in thar county, thout getting seas over. Tell
ye what he did the last term of his presidin’ on tliar
bench; one feller that had been up afore thar grand
jury chaps for keepin’ a gamblin’ and—”
‘ ‘But the lawyers, who are they'?” interrogated
the dix-tor.
“Plague take tliar lawyers—talkin’ bout Judge
Bennetr, I was; feller taken up, as I said, for keepin’
house: Wall do y'e bleve, Judge Bennett let him off
kind V easy. I tell ye, thar’s never been no more
sich like charges brought up fore him since.”
“And the lawyers?”
“Wall, thar’s Squire Allen; fine man, sir, fine
man, not over smart though—can’t wag his tongue
quite fast enough for his profession. Then thar’s
Squire Castle, and he can talk fast enough, but it’s
all gass. Then thar’s Squire Langdon, why he can
blow him and his argumints all ter thunder.”
“So Squire Langdo i is the smartest man?” Abel
questioned, thinking into whose hauiis his poor little
Sadn was about to fall.
“Wall, yes, I should say he was. He’s a youngish
man, but he’s a tarnal long, head, and a slick tongue
in it. IV1 like to see thar feller that’ll go ahead o’
him. He’s proved mightily, latherly, he has. Why,
he can talk faster, and longer, and better, and
smarter, than any other in thar county. Pon
Hanor. he can; why, nary one of the other can hold
a candle to thar like’s o’ him.”
"And these three a re all the lawyers to be here?”
questioned the doctor, as Sprigg concluded.
“You’ve said it. Squire Andrews was to have
lieen here, but he had thar lueasels: mighty bad
thing thar tneasels are, when a hoy- gits ’em late in
life, they do say', they couldn’t git thar measels out
on him; they gave him sights of teas and doctors
stuffs, and sweated him like rain, and give him hot
batbs, and ivery sich like, anil bimeby, ses- he, if I
got to die give me a little something to drink. And
would ye bleve it, twasn’t five minutes aforethar
measles were out thick as hops all over him. Spose
you knov# what that something to drink, was, I’ve
got tliar prime stuff for sale here, stranger, no
cheat.”
“Do you know anything about the cases to lie
tried this session of court?” asked Abel, taking a
cigar from the mantle, anil Lighting it with a coal
from the fire place.
“Wall, yes. Thar’s one young gal up for theft, so
thar people say r , yes, thar is Miss Sadv Sands;
pretty gal, deuced pretty gal. It’ll go mighty hard
with her, too—plaguey hard. She hasn’t got no
lawyer, thar people’s say, and Squire Langdon, he’s
engaged for tliar plaintiff.”
“And who is the plaintiff. ”
“Wall, as to that, it’s a she plaintiff, a Madam
B a-t-i-l-e, is that any name for a white woman? I’d
like to know, Madam, why, not say Mrs. ? it would
sound a plaguey sight lx>tter.”
“Is the evidence very strong against her?” asked
the doctor trying to assume entire indifference.
“Should think it was. Iverything’s agaiust her.”
“And what is everything!”
“If you’re here to court, y'ou’il hear it, fast
enough. Squire told me bout it, con-fident-ially.
Couldn’t break confidence, no how.”
“Your refreshment, is ready,” said a servant at
the door.
“Good evenin’.” said,, Mr. Sprigg, “Yea’ll find
your room, No. 12, oh thar second landing" to thar
right.”
Doctor Abel, di 1 not sleep that night,for along
time, what would the morrow bring forth? What if
Sada should be condemned? Sh^, so fair, so gentle,so
suffering, suppose she should be? As uiriust things
as this had happened, why not again? Two things
he determined in his mind to do. Fir. t, to visit Ma
pie Grove Hall the next day; Second, to see Sacla be
fore her trial. There was a \ ile plot connected with
all this, he felt sure, but to ferret it out—ah, there
was the difficulty, and he felt in his inmost soul,
that that was the only way to save Sada Sands.
CHAPTER XIII.
The next morning at the breakfast table, Dr.
Abi-1 had a fair opportunity of forming his own
conclusions regarding the Hon. Judge Bennett and
the three gentlemen of the law. The former was a
tall, slender man, of some forty years, jxjrhaps.
His hair was inclined slightly to grey, his eyes were
blue and cold and had a certain expression that im
pressed the doctor unfavorably. His features were
prominent, his nasal organ of a peculiar ruddy hue
that hinted slightly of the “prime stuff,” as his
landlord had said the night previous.
Judge Bennett occupied a seat directly opposite
the doctor at the table. Next to him sat a short,
fat man, who paid more attention to his breakfast
than to the conversation, anil this was Squire Allen,
as Dr' Abel had heard him designated by the
worthy Mr. Spriggs.
Squire Allen was a fussy little man with a nervous
way about him that made one feel uneasy in his
presence. He talked fast and loud, and laughed in
a quick, spasmodic way. He had sandy hair, blue
eves and a delicate set of whiskers and" mustache,
lie ate rapidly', and talked while he ate. He was
dressed in navy blue broadcloth with gilt buttons,
wore box-tixid boots into which his trowser’s legs
were put, anil wore a seal ring on his little finger,
which he sported as if de-irious of eliciting admira
tion.
Squire Langdon did not come in until the com
pany were half through breakfast. He did not
notice Algernon as he came in. The doctor was
surprised to see him, he had so changed. He was a
handsome man, and the cunning that lurked in his
black eyes, and hid about the curving of his lips,
did not detract from his good looks. He spoke
clearly and distinctly, anil enunciated well. His
manners were those" of a well-bred man of the
world. He hail droppei r any of tis foppish ways,
although he still tlres.se, with f Jtless taste and
precision,
As he laid his hand upon the table, the doctor
was struck with its singular delicacy and whiteness,
rounded and tapering as that of a girl.
“It’s the early bird that catches the worm,” said
Judge Bennett,as Stanton Langdon entered. “Why,
man, you ought to have lxien up two hours ago?”
His honor laughed as if he had said something
very witty, while Mr. Langdon made an energetic
attack upon a slice of steak, that for toughness
could not well lx; surpassed.
“Ha, ha, ha!” laughed fussy Squire Castle, his
mouth full of jxitatoes and coffee. “Ha, ha, ha!
guess the squire has been catching the worm—Ha,
ha,—or if he hasn’t caught it, been trying mighty
hard—up two hours ago.”
Langdon looked up, but deigned no reply.
“How is that, Mr. Langdon?” queried Judge Ben-
ne't. “Every one knows you to be # diligent dis
ciple of Morpheus; what stirred you out so early?
“Business in regard to a certain case that is to
come off to-day.”
“Been down to Maple Grove, eh?”
The doctor started.
“Yes.”
“Well, you were an early caller.”
“Well, your honor, 1 suppose one might call it
early,” said Langdon.
Dr. Abel turned his face so Stanton would not see
him, and lis'ened.
“Been to see your client, I suppose? Everything
is all right, I guess. Pity about that girl; she’s
pretty, though, Stanton,” said the Judge, lifting
his cold, blue eyes to the doctor’s face.
“Yes,” responded Langdon, “too deuced pretty.”
Lawyer Castle laughed and said:
“Stanton, her beauty is only skin deep—ha, ha,
ha! She’s none the better for that, I dare say.”
“Thought you were her guardian,” said "Judge
Bennett, turning to Langdon.
“Well, yes; but my term of duty has expired.”
“Have some of this ’sausage?”
Bennett. .
“Thank you, sir; never eat sausage. It does not
agree with me—too highly seasoned; never eat
mince pies for the same reason.”
“Perhajis you object to catsup on the same ac
count,” interposed Liwyer Castle. “Ha, ha,—now
what a difference hi folks; my mother always used
to take a little cat-up for indigestion, or colic, or
chills. Ha, ha, ha! Tell you what I did once,
Judge: mother had a bottle of catsup that she set
a heap by—” .
"And what does your client have to say?’ ques-
• ioned Judge Bennett, interrupting the other’s in
teresting recital.
Langdon laughed and replied;
“New trouble afloat. These women are fussy
creatures, the best of them. Madam wants the case
brought on to the docket first. ’’
“Why?”
“Oh, for reasons of her own that I can t see the
force of.” . _
“And>-batare they?” questioned Lawyer Castle,
forgetting about life catsup story.
No answer being given to this question, Mr. Cas
tle applied himself more diligently to the work be
fore him. As Langdon rose from the table he ob
served the doctor for the first time, and recognized
him immediately. He turned red and white by
turns, stammered several times Ixjfore he gained as
surance enough to permit bis addressing Dr. Aliel
coherently.
Algernon noticed his confusion at the time, hut,
fool that he was, made no count of it.
He came round the table and extended liis hand.
“Back again, on my word; I didn’t recognize you
at first, doctor, when did you come to town?”
“Last night.”
“Ah?”
He dropped the doctor's hand as if it bnrned him.
“Are you going to stay long?”
“Possibly, Until after court.”
“Going to attend?”
“Some of the time.”
The old cunning look crept into his eyes. He
laughed slightly,, and asked:
“Dili anyone leave the cars here last night lie-
sides yourself, doctor?”
"Not that I observed, sir.”
“So you came alone, eta?”
“Why?” asked Dr Aliel.
“Oh, nothing of importune . Pardonme; I heard
you were married—didn’t know but that was the
ease and that you had brought your bride to Evans
ville to spend the honeymoon. Pardon my inquisi
tiveness.”
“Certainly," replied the doctor, completely blind
ed and put off his guard.
Dr. Abel arose from the table and went into the
bar-room with him.
“Aliel,” said Langdon, offering him a cigar, and
lighting one himself, “I know what you’ve come to
Evansville for.”
“Ah? what!”
“To lie here at Sada Sands’ trial, of course.”
“Well, sir. you are correct,” said Dr. Aliel, “I
did come to be here at her trial, when does It come
off!”
“To-morrow is the day it is set for, and I presume
it will come off then.”
“But you spoke of Madame Batile wishing it to
he the first case on the docket?”
“Oh, yes, to he sure; but there is no necessity of
it. Madame will not insist now. I think. Perhaps
she had rather have it postponed.”
“Why?”
Langdon started as if he had said more than he
intended; he seemed slightly confused for a mo
ment, and then he was bin-self again.
“Oh, only a woman’s whim. Women are full of
i whims and fancies. The idea of being sent for so
early, and nearly losing my breakfast to pay for it
—that cigar isn’t a good one; try another, doctor.”
Dr. Abel motioned back the proffered cigar, and
said, trying to keep life voice steady:
“And what of this trial, Mr. Langdon? Why is
Sada Sands to be tried for theft?”
“Grand larceny, doctor. The case is a very in
teresting one, indeed, and will cause a tremendous
excitement in Evansvile. A pity for the poor girl.
She used to be a protege of yours, if I remember
right, Abel. Well, she was and is a deuced
pretty girl. We lawyers get used to such things,
you know, or we might feel a delicacy about plead
ing against the innocent little things.’’
‘ ‘ Is the evidia)i^tp^sit}*&?’..qj aKtasiBPljfe-i against
Langdon elevated his feet upon the back of an of
fice chair, and, after giving a few savage whiffs,
took the cigar from his mouth, and holding it dain
tily between his white fingers, replied in his char
acteristic way:
“Deuced hard, doctor; everything is against her.”
“And do you, sir, believe Sada Sands is guilty?”
asked the doctor, almost sternly, looking the man
straight in the face. “Answer me truthfully, as
you are a man of honor, aside from your pro
fessional opinions, do you believe Sada Sands to be
a thief?”
Langdon ran his long white fingers through his
beautiful, half-curling hair, and looked at Abel with
a queer look of surprise and impatience.
“Why do you ask that question ?” queried Stan
ton.
“For my own satisfaction, simply; be kind
enough to give me an honest answer.”
“I will, Doc; I will answer you honestly, with my
hand 011 my heart; I believe the girl, Sada Sands,
guilty.”
He spoke earnestly. Although Abel knew him to
be well educated in fraud , nd stratagem, still,
somehow, the doctor could not believe the man lied
to him.
At that moment the door opened, and Lawyer
Allen and Jack Sprigg, entered the room. Of course
Aliel said no more upon the subject then, but took
his hat and put on his overcoat and went out. He
determined the night previous to make two visits
that day. The first he decided should he to Sada.
The jail stood in the outskirts of the town. It was
a massive stone building, with great windows, and
a forbidding aspect, in general. The morning was
very severe: the wind blew from the Northeast and
the snow lay deep on the ground. The walk was
no a long one, yet, during the time taken to ac
complish it, many were the thoughts that passed
through the doctor’s mind. How would he find
Sada, how would she look? He left her years ago
a mere girl, he would now find her a woman.
Would she shrink from him with guilt apparent in
every look, or would she meet him with conscious
innocence stanqied upon her features? He had not
long to wait. The jailer unbolted the gate and ad
mitted him without hesitation, and following him
into a long hall, the grated door of a cell was swung
open, and Algernon Abel stool face to face with
Sada Sands!
As the doctor had said, he had left Sada a mere
child: he remembered her as he first saw her, a
a trim little creature, in a soft, India muslin morn
ing wrapper, with deep, blue eyes, and hair of that
Ixiautiful brown, so becoming to such a rose and
lily complexion as hers. He in truth, remember
ed Sada Sands, gliding here and there like a fairy,
with a smile now, a laugh then, a playful repartee,
or cheerful word for uncle Lyman; yes, he remem
bered all this. But how did he find her that morn
ing? She sat upon the edge of the miserable iron
bed-stead, her back to the door. She turned and
let the sorrowful gaze of her still beautiful eyes rest
upon him. Could that be Sada Sands? So changed!
he could not say wholly for the worse, and yet, in
many respects so sadly changed?
Before him Algernon saw a beautiful girl, clad
in the coarsest garments, with dishevelled hair and
tear-stained cheeks. Yes, it was Sada, but taller,
thinner, paler, with that nameless expression that
spoke more of the woman, less of the girl, than
when he bad last seen her. Sada did not quite rec
ognize the doctor at first, but when she did, she
started to her feet with a quick, wild cry of joy. A
moment more and she lay sobbing like a grieved
and wearied child, upon his bosom. The jailor
turned the key and left. them alone. Abel could
not say what, his feelings were, as he drew the poor,
weeping young creature closer t« him. He did not
cast her off, others might, but he felt in his own
heart he never would.
“Sada!” she did not reply. “My little Sada!”
Abel spoke the words very tenderly, as a mother
might nave soothed her child. He smoothed the
tangled hair from the pale brow and was so much
older than she, that he could comfort her. She did
not shrink from him as she might have done had he
been half a score younger. She regarded him as a
protector, brother or uncle. She did not fear to
clasp her arms around his neck or weep on his
breast. Did this knowledge give the doctor most
pain or joy? He could not tell.
t ?“Sad said Abel, seating her in the only chair
the room contained, and standing by her side.
“Sada, I have heard the whole story, and I have
como to try and comfort you.”
“And you don’t believe me guilty ?”
She raised her innocent eyes to his face, and the
doctor spoke truthfully, when he said:
“No.”
“Thank God for that, Mr. ‘’Abe 1 . Biddy told you
all about it. She told you right. There is no need
of my rehearsing the story. I am glad to see you
again, I am glad to know that you havn’t quite for
gotten ilk.”
Algernon knew to what she referred: he sat down
011 the miserable bed and explained all in regard to
the letters to her, showing her the two that hail
pretended to have co ue to him in her name. She
seemed surprised, stunned and bewildered at first,
and then recovering herself, she said:
“It’s strange, very strange, Mr. Abel: I never
wrote the letters in my life, never; I have been so
miserable, almost too miserable to live. ”
She put her white hands over her face, and cried
softly to herself a little while. By and bye she
wiped away the tears from her eyes and asked:
“Have you been to Maple Grove!”
“Not yet.”
“Have you seen Three-ffngered Joe!”
“No.”
“I don’t think you’ll knew him, he is changed
wonderfully since you left. But, Mr. Abel, listen,
what do you think! Last night Madame Batile
came here to see me.”
“For what!”
“To offer me my liberty,” replied the girl, bit
terly.
“Liberty!”
“Yes, it seems strange, very strange, Mr. Abel, if
she suspects ine of theft that she should act towards
me as she does. Very strange.”
“And how is that!”
“I’ll tell you. I havn’t any one else to tell hut
you, Mr. Abel. On . ne condition she promised not
to appear against me—on one condition.”
“And what was that!”
“That I should marry Three-fingered Joe.,’
Algernon repeated her words in amazement.”
“And whar did you tell her, Sada!” he asked.
The g rl drew her slight form up proudly, and
while the crimson blood dyeil the pale cheeks and
brow, and the proud look of her father's family
came into her eyes, she answered.
“I’ll tell you wbat 1 told her, that I would choose
death sooner than Three-fingered Joe—that she
might ruin my character before the world. I would
he content with a clear conscience before God and
man. I told her to do her worst; if she did that
there was one who heard the cry of the down-trod
den and oppressed—who would be my avenger—
who would not see the innocent perish. 1 told her
there would come adav when she would be arraign
ed before a more terrible tribunal than the one that
was about to condem . me.”
She stoixl Ixifore him in all the strange beauty
that she jxjssessed, a phophetic light in her deep,
fathomless eyes, one hand raised towards heaven,
the other resting on her heart. Truly it was a
scene that an artist might envy.
“And what did Madame say?”
“She turned whiter than yonder wall, and left
me without saying another word. But, Mr. Abel,
my trial was not over; one hour later, Three-fin
gered Joe came himself. ‘Now Iook here, miss pert
you can’t come any of your religious slang over
me,’ he said. ‘I’m not a goose to be frightened.
You can take yonrchoice, miss pert. Marry me, or
go to prison.’ I called for the keeper to come and
take the fellow away, hut he had time hi hiss in my
ear, before he went: ‘I'll have my revenge on you,
for this; remember anil depend upon it.’”
“That was last evening?'’
“Yes.”
“And have you no idea why Madame Batile
wishes you to marry Joe, or why the young man
himself" is interested!”
“None in the least.”
“Did you ever have any cause to think the young
man cares anything for you, Sada?”
“No, on the opposite, he always appeared to hate
me, and never seemed better pleased than when
abusing me.”
“Then there must lx; some other reason; it may
lie some relative has died and left you property that
Joe wishes to secure ”
The girl mused a moment, and then replied, de
cidedly:
“No, that could not be. On my mothers side, I
nave no connections tuat i ever fiCant or. My fa
ther and Uncle Seymour were brothers, and sons of
an only son. I never heard of having any rela
tives, and, except yourself and faithful Biddy, I
haven’t a friend in the world.”
“Madame Batile seems to take quite an interest
in Joe, do you know why this is!”
“No, I have often wondered at this myself; and
another thing puzzles me, Mr. Abel, the interest
Mrs. Sands—I can’t call her aunt—takes in that
strange woman, Madame Batile, Mrs Sands calls
her, her servant, yet treats her as a confident, anil
friend. It is all a mystery, Mr. Abel.”
The doctor left Sada with no Ixitter idea of the
nature of the conspiracy a gainst her, than when lie
entered within the walls of the jail He was more
convinced than ever of one fact, that there was a
conspiracy; and not only Madame Batile, but also
Three Fingered Joe was ’ engaged in it. But, what
was it? What good did it do for him to he con
vinced of it in his mind, without a shadow of proof
that would satisfy the public! He felt sure that
Sada was innocent of the crime alleged; yet cir
cumstances were all agaiust her. Had he even had
time to procure able counsel for her. The case
looked dark indeed, and how much blacker would
it appear when it came Ixffore the jury and the
public with every link in the infernal plot com
plete.
The doctor then visited Maple Grove Hall, but
could not hope to gain much by doing so, yet, he
determined to leave no stone unturned. As he
walked up the avenue, he met a fine turnout in the
shape of a handsome sleigh and gaily caparisoned
horses, driven by a young-man, nearly invisible in
a world of fur wrappings. He stared at the doc
tor as he turned out into the grove to avoid
lieing run over, and then turned with a quick
exclamation to his companion, a woman! so heavily
veiled Abel could not distinguish her features.
They both looked after the doctor, the lady slight
ly raising her veil as she did so. A gust of wind
caught it, and tossing it further aside, revealed to
Abel’s view a face, dark and scarred, and wrinkled,
with eyes dark and deep set in the head. It. was
a strange face, yet, it wore a familiar look. Where
had he seen it before? It came to him like the
ghost of a dream—like the strange vagaries of a de
lirium after health is restored.
The veil was caught down quickly, but not be
fore the doctor had caught a glimpse of a short
lock of gray hair that had escaped from its con
finement lx?neath the hood and behind the veil.
Short grey hair, and that face! All at once it came
to Abel wh-re its counterpart had looked upon
him. The barefooted stranger, who had met him
in the street before Lymon Sands’ death, anil in
quired of him concerning the inmates of Maple
Grove Hall, who then wore the g irb of a man, but
now, that of a woman. Could they he one and the
same? The thought struck him as a blow with a
clenched hand might have done. He paused to
gain his self-possession. It came at lengh, and he
was satisfied in his own miiul, either that the per
son he had seen years before, was a woman in dis
guise, or the one in the sleigh was a man in dis
guise, and he chose to think the latter.
Mrs. Sands greeted the doctor in the parlor, look
ing a little older and more careworn than « hen he
bade her adieu years before. He fancied, t<xi, she
looked pale ■ and ill-at-ease—that she seemed ner
vous and flurried, and did not wear that old look of
composure that had characterized her when he
last saw her. She spoke, however, in her usual
way, with chilly politeness, and yet with an ap
pearance of cordiality.
Algernon knew that Mrs. Sands hated him, and
still, over this hatred she skillfully threw a mantle
of frankness and friendship. He enquired for Mad
ame Batile, and scarcely had he done so, when that
lady entered the room. He fancied that she, too,
looked slightly disconcerted. Madame merely nod
ded to him, and then took her station at the win
dow," looping back the curtains. The doctor
watched her cautiously, and she evidently returned
the said scrutiny with f interest. Abel turned the
conversation upon the subject of Sada’s arrest and
the coining trial.
Mrs. Sands said, “that she was very sorry for
the girl.”
Madame Batile echoed, “Sorry! but then it was
duty to have such girls punished. Sada had been
very ungrateful for the home given her for chari
ty’s sake, and hail added to her ingratitude by not
onl> robbing Madame’sroom at the dead hour of
night, but taking the faithful Biddy’s frugal sa-
vings, when Biddy had always taken such a deep
interest in her.”
Abel wanted to speak concerning the treatment
Sada hail received, of the two forged letters, and
those that had lieen intercepted, but a kind of in
tuition that the time hail not yet come, withheld
him. But there was one thing that he determined
to mention, and that was the fact that he had seen
Biddy and heard the whole story frem her lips.
Mrs. Sands eyed the doctor very sharply, and in
quired after Bid ly, where he had left her and
when she was coming hack. Madame Batile be
trayed not the slightest emotion.
Abel was greatly disappointed, and left Maple
Grove Hall no wiser than when he arrived. He
had made hut few inquiries, because he felt full
well the answers would but be truthful only so far
as truth would run parallel with their purposes, and
he would be but putting them on their guard. He
determined therefore to ascertain of otherswhat
lie could not of them. As he passed through the
hall, he inquired of a servant, who it was that went
away in the sleigh an hour before.
The girl .Jared at him and answered: “Master
Joe.”
“And who was that with him?”
“Somebody; don’t know,” was the unsatisfacto
ry answer.
The servant passing on into the kitchen. Dr. Abel
was left alone with his thoughts. What would the
morrow bring forth, he could but wait and see.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
johTchInaman.
Why California Repudiates Him,
In themselves, independent of their race and re
ligion, the Chinese are useful members of the com
munity, particularly in a new country like Califor
nia. They pervade the whole State, are merchants,
miners, mechanics, gardeners, farm hands, laborers
and domestics, as well as practically monopolizing
the laundry business of the country. The whole
.social fabric would go to pieces if they were sud
denly' removed. In character they' are docile, teach
able, quick to learn, with retentive memories, ap
parently very forgiving of ill-treatment, perfectly
reliable in their contracts and free in a remarkable
degree'from the vice of eye service. Crimes of vio
lence, except among themselves, are practically un
known among them, though their treatment is fre
quently such as to justify them. As lalxirers and
farm-hands they' are not equal to good Americans,
but superior to the majority of white farm-hands
and laborers in this State. They are, in most re-
spects, capital domestic servants, their worst fault,
that of frequent change, ilisappearing when they
are kindly and considerately treated.
WHY THEY ARE NOT WANTED.
It would seem somewhat surprising that such a
class of immigrants should not be encouraged, par
ticularly' in a State like this, whose one great need
is patient industry', and which gladly welcomes the
advent of the Italian peasants, who alone of foreign
immigrants seem capable of c< iping with the Chi
nese iu those outdoor avocations in which the Chi
naman is particularly successful. Anil when
pressed for reasons for this apparent caprice nine
Californians out of ten can give none, or only such
as are silly' and false on their face—mere denuncia
tions. The Chinese do not work cheaply in this
State, neither are they' displacing any' class here; to
those acquainted with the condition of wages and
lalxir in any new country such statements carry
their refutation with their utterance. Yet there
are reasons for this distrust and dislike of Chinese
immigration, and the feeling which leads to their
rejection is probably based consciously or instinc
tively upon them by all save the brutal mob of the
sand lots and their congeners through the State.
One reason is that, with all their good qualities,
they' have the defect of not being immigrants in the
American sense of the word; that is to say, they are
adventurers, not colonists. They' do not come as
white or European settlers do, seeking a home.
They come unaccompanied by their familiars,
rarely, if ever, acquiring land, and not desiring,
perhaps not capable of citizenship. Their ideas of
civilization are as different from the American and
European standard, as that of the African, and the
prospect for assimilation with it is more.hopeless
than in the case of the negro, from the double fact
of their possessing a civilization which, while 1 let
ter in itself, is more unyielding than the barbarism
of the African, uml that there is no desire or oppor
tunity for them to become attached to the soil by
the rearing of families. Another and stronger rea
son is, that if they could be thus permanently loca
ted race prejudices would prevent their assimilation
or absorption by the whites to even greater extent
than in the case of the negro, and the consequence
would he the establishment of another caste of la
borers, attended with the most disastrous results to
our true prosperity.
But, to the great mass of Americans, California
is so remote and disconnected from the rest of the
country that its peculiar institutions are but matters
of more or less philosophical interest, and this one
in particular would continue so but in the improba
ble event of the Chinese immigration reaching such
proportions as to threaten the establishment of an
Asiatic colony on our Pacific coast, and in the pos-
s“'ility of that immigration overflowing the Sierras
and seeking a lodgement in the East in competition
with one of more of our laboring classes. Is such
an event as the latter more than a mere possibility,
and would it be desirable? These are practical ques
tions and possibly worthy of brief consideration.
WILD THE CHINESE STRETCH EASTWARD!
The only reasons that will deter Chinese immi
gration from setting in steadily east of the Missis
sippi are the expense of the journey, lack of places,
insufficiency of pay and a decided adverse public
opinion. The first of these would and could be ea
sily overcome by the mutual profit of the immi
grants and the public spirited managers of the Pa
cific railroads. The operation of the other three
would, I lielieve, result in their restriction (if they
come) to but two classes of employment, those of
domestic servants and laundrymen and of laborers
in the south. The effect of a large immigration for
either purpose would be undesirable, not only for
the reasons above given, as applying to California,
but from the displacing of the two classes already
employed in those avocations, though the gain to
individual employers might be, for the present at
least, great. Their temporary presence in limited
numbers, particularly as domestic servants, might
serve a useful purpose as a hint to Bridget that
now that long-suffering individual, her employer,
might turn and revenge herself. Their advent as
laborers and mechanics would be impracticable and
undesirable, not only by the hostility it would pro
voke in both cases, but in their unfitness to compete
with the whites in either pursuit, the relations be
tween farmers and hands being essentially different
from those prevailing in California, and the ability
of the American mechanic to enable his employer
to compete successfully with the cheaper anil
more docile mechanics of Europe lying in his abil
ity to work witli his head as well as his bands, in
which the Chinese are generally signally deficient.
If there is any truth or force in the foregoing re
flections, it might as well for Congressmen, when
this subject of Chinese immigration is again forced
upon their attention, to consider it in a broader
light than mere party interests would dictate, and
if, on statesmanlike grounds, further Asiatic immi
gration should be thought undesirable, to arrange
with the Chinese government to put an absolute
si op to it, without discourtesy to a foreign power or
the ridiculous, and easily-evaded provisions which
marked their late action 011 the subject.—Corres
pondent Philadelphia Times.
pistarical Jlotcs.
Florida was discovered in 151a.
In one of his early voyages Columbus visited Ice
land, in 1467, a numlier of years before his discov
ery of this continent.
In i59i the business of cap making was ruined by
the common wearing of hats, which then came into
general vogue.
In I792 the corner-stone of the present Capitol at
Washington was laid. At that time General Wash
ington, in whose honor the new seat of government
was named, officiated.
Paul Jones entered the American navy in i?75-
He was first lieutena-t of the Alfred, and, with his
own hands, hois'til the American flag the first tune
it was ever displayed.