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VOLUME XLIV-NUMBER TWENTY-SEVEM.
Atlanta, Ga., Week Ending September 15, 1906.
50c PER YEAR—SINGLE COPY 5c.
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Whei X+he Elderberry Bushes Were a=Bloom
* I
By HELEN GRAY.
Written for The SUNNY SOUTH.
T wag a warm afternoon in
June. Prom the porch of
his neat green cottage, T.
Jeremiah Jones, bachelor,.
sat looking thoughtfully
out over the honeysuckle
hedge that surrounded his
solitary domain. It had
suddenly occurred to him
that he would take a vaca
tion. For twenty-five
years T. Jeremiah had
pinned himself to his desk,
with the exception of a
trip or two to points on business. The
result had been a fairly good fortune for
T. Jeremiah Jones & Co., wholesale dry
goods merchants. Today, perhaps ad
vancing age was demanding it of him,
for thoughts of a week of leisure crowded
pleasantly upon his mind.
He was a romantic figure—this tall,
somewhat stout, fine-looking old bache
lor. There was a bald spot on the top
of his head, and the ghost of a stoop
in his shoulders, and the gray of his
hair, and other significances, suggested
the shady side of fifty. When he walked
ii was with a big-headed cane, and with
eyes downcast, in thoughtful mood, lie
was generally costumed in a suit of light
gray clothing, and he carried himself with
an air of dignity and repose.
Of course all sorts of make-up stories
had been circulated regarding some past
romance as the reason for his hermitage
life—until one evening in a lit of de
spondency at some gossippy tale that had
gone the rounds, he thundered out to a
friend at the club that he had never
proposed to a woman in his life, which
lonfession relegated him to the realm
*o r
%
feminine haters, and had the effect
■ncUig the slanderers,
where could he go for an outing—
l. T. Jeremiah Jones, bachelor, sans
women friends? Where could he go?
was the question that perplexed him as
he sat overlooking the honeysuckle hedge
on this late June afternoon. The springs
with their chattering humanity were de
testable to him. The seashore in July
was likewise, and ditto the mountains.
Or.e morning, a few days later, as lie
sat sipping his coffee at breakfast, his
thoughts suddenly crystallized into a
plan: he would pack ills valise, and fol
low his nose—anywhere, as long as the
train carried him far away into novel
scenes. Madeline, the negro woman who
kept house at “The Green Cottage,’’ as
it was called, was given strenuous in
structions as to what he should do dur
ing her master's absence. Tiger, the bob
tailed cat. was to be fed his cream every
morning as usual; and Bryan, the wood-
thrush which flitted about in a gilt cage
in tiie bow window of the den. was not
to be forgotten. The coladiums were
to 'be watered every morning, and the
product of the tomato vines was to be
carried to tile hospital several times Tur
ing the week.
July I was the time decided upon by T.
Jeremiah for his departure. He ipur-
chased a ticket on the eventful day to
the nearest big town with the intention
of stopping over en route if lie felt so
inclined.
The neighbors had heard of his contem
plated trip, and were on the watch when
he emerged front his dwelling, suit case
in hand. A coupe carried him safely
to (he train, and shortly after 9 T. Jere
miah was being whirled through meadow'
and forest lands, past farms and 'Plan-
• • -o-© -•• a -
tations, and villages, galore. Suddenly
the conductor called out a familiar name.
T. Jeremiah laid down his paper wit], a
start, and < hitched at his suit case. The
mere mention of a town, a sleepy, un-
progressive little place, had awakened
memories that had long slumbered la
his bachelor heart. T. Jeremiah remem
bered having taken a walk in Shelby vide
long years aego, a walk which had chang
ed the entire tenor of his life.
The train stopped and lie got out. As
it whistled away in the distance, leav
ing him standing on the platform amid
scenery scarcely recognizable, a strange
feeling overcame him. He turned and
carried his luggage into the waiting room,
and left it in the care of the ticket agent.
Then he started for a walk down the
prettiest of the streets in sight.
Occasionally ag he progressed he came
upon a familiar landmark. Gradually liis
thoughts trended reverieward. Twenty-
five year s had changed him considerably.
It came upon him with a shock, as he
remembered how springy his step was
then, how sparkling his eyes, how merry
the words of his lips. Then there stole
into ills thoughts a tiny little woman
who had light brown hair, and great vel
vet eyes; a timid little creature with a
small mouth, and very soft voice. Ho
remembered that she wore a lilac muslin
gown the last time that he saw her, with
a sprig of some dainty flower scattered
over it, and a lilac ribbon in her hair.
As he thought, he began to lean heavily
upon his cane, and his head took the
usual downward trend. He forgot to
look out for the places that had been
familiar to him a quarter of a century
ago.
He walked along for a block or two
in deep thought. Twenty-five jears ago
this June he anil Cyntliianna had part
ed, at the twilight hour, near the big
elderberry bushes that grew at the side
of her father's house. He never inhaled
the fragrant 'blossoms without recalling
the incident. He remembered how he
had gathered some of the sweet-scented,
starlike flowers, and sprinkled them over
Oynthianna's brown hair. She was the
most fairylike little creature lie had
ever seen, and he had thought iter t lie
most innocent. Yet she had proved to
him the acme of hyprocisy. Not in any
of his business relations had lie met
with such perfect deceit.
How vividly it all came back to him—
the Sunday evening walk when he had
intended asking Cyntliianna to become
his wife. It was while they were stand
ing near the elderberry bushes, on their
return, when tiie words were quivering
on his lips, that Cyntliianna was sum
moned to tiie house. She had excused
herself in the prettiest way, and he
stood there awaiting her return, iiis
heart filled with the sweetest of hopes.
Tiie paror shades were pulled down.
Ifc became aware of the shadows of
two figures against them. One was
Cynthianna’s and the other John Car-
FOll'ft. He renietnliered John as the,
only man of whom he had ever beetj
jealous. The two figures together had
inspired him with disagreeable thoughts.
They apipeared to be in deep conversa
tion. How It all came back to h'tr to
day. as on that twilight evening tv-'-.ty-
five years ago,when John’s shadow moved
nearer to Cynthianna’s; when Cynthian
na’s hand stole into John’s, and he saw
distinctly the lips of his enemy touch
those of the woman he loved.
t men Cyntliianna joined him again,
under the scent of the elderberry bushes,
she met with a curt farewell, for which
a pressing business engagement was tiie
to him as he jostled himself out of the
gate, "Jeremiah, Jeremiah.” But Jere-
m ah heeded her not. And that was tiie
excuse. He remembered hearing her call
last time he had heard Cynthiannas
voice—and that was twenty-five years
ago.
He began wondering what had become
of her, when suddenly tiie scent of el
derberry blossoms pervaded tiie air. He
l
looked up. and found himself walking
a-iong by tiie side of a hedge of them
in full bloom. Through slight openings
he could see a white frame house, and
another hedge of elderberry hushes on
the other side of it. He turned the cor
ner. and saw in 'plain black letters over
the mansion door. “Klderberry fan.’’ it
was a pleasing looking spot; and with
out any ado lie marched himself up the
graveled path, and sounded the big
brass knocker. In a few minutes ft ne
gro girl appeared, who in answer to his
inquiry for lodging departed to summons
iter mistress. The room in which lie
was ushered, as far as he could see,
was neatly furnished. There were por
traits hanging on the wall, and some
flowers in a vase on the center table;
but the shutters were so tightly closed
that lie could make out only the forms.
Gradually his eyes became accustomed
to the darkness, and he saw more dis
tinctly. There was a portrait over the
mantel that drew him. He stole up to
it. His breath came fast. How like
Cynthianna’s father it was!
A step rounded in the ha.il. and he
went forward to meet t,he landlady, who
O c 3e 9•
in the dim light lie could see was a
diminutive little woman. He asked if lie
could get board and lodging for a night,
and was answered in a low voice that
carried the echo <>f a reminiscence that
lie could. The lady walked over to the
window and thr w open the blinds, then
returned to finish her business arrange-
mentsments. The tali. dignified man
stood for a moment looking down upon
tiie tiny, fairylike woman, who wore a
pale lilac beflowered gown which carried
the scent of old lavendar. He oipcned
ills mouth to speak, and she opened hers,
but no words came from either. Then
something in tiie woman’s face gave the
man courage, and he uttered the one
word “Cyntliianna.”
After twenty-five years, fate had been
kind. Jeremiah sat long with his old
love conversing over past times; and
Cyntliianna explained the incident that
had caused their separation. She had
been the means of bringing about an
understanding between John Carroll and
a young girl with whom he was madly
in love, and John in the excess of his
gratitude had caught hold of her hand,
and caned over and kissed her. And
the shadows on the curtain spelt Fate!
And. while Jeremiah had been accumu
lating a fortune, Cynthianna had been
struggling for a livelihood within a few
hours of his prosperous business estab
lishment.
John Carroll and his wife had slept be
neath the green sod for lo these many
years, but at the wedding that took
•place a week later, it was John’s daugh
ter who arrayed cynthianna in her wed
ding gown, and John’s son who gave
her away at the altar.
IShe House of a Thousand Candles
* * ** * * ■ * By MEREDITH NICHOLSON, Author “Uhe Main Chance,” Etc
Copyright, 1005—The Bobbs-Merrill Co.
CHAPTER XXV.
BESEIGED.
T was 9 o'clock. A ther
mometer on the terrace
showed the mercury
clinging stubbornly to a
point above zero; but the
still air was keen and
stimulating, and the sun
argued for good cheer in
a cloudless sky. We had
In E3 jfi swallowed some break-
fast, though I believe no
I Ha one had manifested an
3 Tj appetite, and we were
cheering ourselves «'h..
the ildlest talk possible. Stoddard, who
had been to the chapel for bis usual 7
o'clock service, was deep in the pocket
Greek testament he always carried.
Bates ran in to report a summons at
tiie outer wall, and Barry and I went
together to answer it, sending Bates to
keep watcli toward tiie lake.
Our friend the sheriff, with a deputy,
was outside in a buggy. He stood up
and talked to ns over the wall.
“You gents understand that I’m only
doing my duty. It’s an unpleasant busi
ness, but the court orders me to eject
all trespassers on the premises, and I’ve
griT to do iit.”
“The law is being used by an infa
mous scoundrel to protect himselt. 1
don't intend to give in. We can hold
out here for three months, if necessary,
and I advise you to keep away and not
be made a tool for a man like Picker
ing.”
The sheriff listened respectfully, rest
ing his arms on top of the wall.
“You ought to understand, Mr. Glen-
arm, that I ain’t the court; I’m the
sheriff, and it's not for me to pass on
these questions. I've got my orders and
I've got to enforce ’em, and 1 hope you
will not make it necessary for me to use
violence. The judge said to me, we
deplore violence in such cases.’ t hose
were his honor's very words.”
"You may give his honor my compli
ments and tell him that we are sorry
not to see tilings his way, but there are
points involved in this business that lie
doesn't know any tiling about, and we,
unfortunately, have no time to lay them
before him.”
The sheriff’s seeming satisfaction witli
his position on the wail and his disposi
tion to parley had begun to arouse my
suspicions, and Larry several times ex
claimed impatiently at tiie absurdity of
discussing my affairs with a person
whom ite insisted on calling a constable,
to the sheriff’s evident annoyance. The
officer now turned upon him.
“You, sir—we've got our eye on you,
and you'd better come along peaceaiile.
Laurance Donovan—the description tits
you tc, n ‘t.’ ”
“You could buy a nice farm with that
reward, couldn't you—'' began Larry,
hut at that moment Bates ran toward
us calling loudly:
■‘They’re coming across the lake,
sir,” he reported, and instantly the
sheriff’s head disappeared, and as we
ran toward the house we heard his
horse pounding down the road toward
St. Agatha's.
“The law be damned. They don’t in
tend to come in here by the front door
as a niartter of law,” said Larry. “Pick
ering's merely using the sheriff to give
respectability to his maneuvers for those
notes and the rest of It.”
It was no time for a discussion of mo
tives. We ran across the meadows past
the water tower and through the wood
down to the boat house. Far out on the
lake we saw half a dozen men ap
proaching tiie Glenarm grounds. They
advanced steadily over the light snow
that lay upon the lee, one man slightly in
advance and evidently the leader.
“It’s Morgan!” exclaimed Bates. "And
there's Ferguson.”
Larry chuckled and slapped his thigh.
“Observe that stocky little devil just
behind the leader? He’s my friend from
Scotland yard, lead’s this is really an in
ternational affair.”
“Bates, go back to the house and cad
at any sign of attack.” I ordered. "The
sheriff’s loose somewhere.”
“And Pickering is directing liis forces
from afar,” remarked Stoddard.
”1 count ten men in Morgan’s line,”
said Larry, “and the sheriff and his
deputy make two more. Tnat’s twelve,
not counting Pickering, that we know
of on tiie other side.”
“Warn them away before they get
much nearer,” suggested Stoddard. “v\e
don’t want to hurt people if we can help
it’’—and at this I went to the end of the
pier. Morgan and his men were now
quite near, and there was no mistaking
their intentions. Most of tiiem carried
guns, the others revolvers and long ice
hooks.
“Morgan,” I called, holding up my
hands for a truce, "we wish you no
harm, but if you enter these grounds
you so so at your peril.”
“We’re all sworn deputy sheriff’s,”
called the caretaker smoothly. "we’ve
got the law behind us.”
“That must be why you’re doming in
the baek way,” I replied.
The thick-set man whom Larry had
identified as the English detective now
came closer and addressed me in a high
key.
“You’re harboring a bad man, Mr.
Glenarm. You’d better give him up. '1 be
American lav.- supports me and you’ll
get yourself in trouble if you protect
that man. You may not understand,
sir, that he’s a very dangerous charac
ter."
“Thanks, Davidson!" called Larry.
“You’d better keep out of this. You
know I’m a bad man with the shilia-
lali!”
"That you are, you blackguard!” yelled
the officer, so spitefully that we all
laughed.
I orew baek to the boat house.
“They’he not going to kill anybody if
they can help it,” remarked Stoddard,
“any more titan we are. ^ven deputy
sheriffs are not turned loose to do mur
der. and the Wabana county court
wouldn't, if it hadn't been imposed on
by Pickering, lend itself to a game like
tills.”
“Now we’re in for It,” yelled Larry,
and tiie twelve men, in close order,
came running across the ice toward the
shore.
"Open order, and fall baek slowly
toward the house,” 1 commanded. Anti
we deployed front the boat house, while
tiie attacking party still clung together
—a strategic error, as Larry assured us.
“Stay together, lads. Don't separate;
you’ll get lost if you do,” lie yelled.
Stoddard bade him keep still, and we
soon had our hands full with a iprelin:-
inary skirmish. Morgan's line advanced
warily. Davidson, tiie detective, seemed
disgusted at Morgan’s tactics, openly
abused the caretaker, and ran ahead of
his column, revolver in hand, bearing
down upon Larry, who held our center.
The Englishman's haste was his un
doing. The light fal! of snow a. few days
before had gathered in tiie little hollows
of wood deceptively. The detective
plunged into one of these and feii
sprawling on till fours—a calamity that
caused his comrades to pause uneasily.
Larry was upon his enemy In a flash,
wrenched his pistol away and pulled the
man to it is feet.
“Ah, Davidson! There’s many a slip!
Move, if you dare and I’ll plug you
with y*our own gun.” And he stood
behind the man, usint- him as a shield
while Morgan and the rest of the army
hung near the boat house uncertainly.
“It’s the strategic intellect we’ve cap
tured, general," observed Larry to me.
“You see the American invaders were
depending on British brains."
Morgan now acted on tiie hint we had
furnished him and sent his men out as
skirmishers. The loss of the detective
had undoubtedly staggered the caretaker,
and we were slowly retreating toward
tiie house, Larry with one hand on tiie
collar of Iiis prisoner and the other
granting the revolver, with which lie
poked tiie man frequently in the ribs.
We slowly continued our retreat, fear
ing a rush, which would have disposed
of us easily enough if Morgan’s company
had shown more of a fighting spirit.
Stoddard's presence rather amazed them,
I think, and I saw that the invaders
kept away from ills end of tiie line.
We were far apart, stumbling over tiie
snow-covered earth and calling to one
another now and then that we might n't
become too widely separated. Davidso
did not relish his capture by the man
he had followed across the ocean, and
lie attempted once to roar a command
to Morgan.
“Try it again,” I heard Larry admon
ish him; “try that once more, and the
sod, God b’ess it! will never feel the deli
cate imprint of your web-feet again.”
We were now nearing the edge of tiie
wood, with the open meadow and water
tower at our backs, while Larry was
making good time toward tiie house.
“Let’s meet tiiem here," shouted Stod
dard.
Morgan was coming up with a club in
his hand, making directly for me, two
men at his heels, and the rest veering
off toward the wail of St. Agatha’s.
“Watch the house," X yelled to the
chaplain; and then, on the edge of the
wood Morgan came at me furiously,
swingly his club over his head, and in
a moment we were fencing away at a
n i.:rry rate. We “both bad revolvers
strapped to our waists, but 1 had no
intention of drawing mine unless in ex
tremity. At my right Stoddard was busy
keeping off Morgan’s personal guard,
who seemed reluctant to close with the
clergyman.
I have been, in my day, something of
a fencer, and my knowledge of the foils
stood me in good stead now. With a
tremendous thwack 1 knocked Morgan's
club flying over tiie snow, and, as we
grappled. Bates yelled from the house.
1 quickly found that Morgan's wound
ed arm was still tender. He flinched at
the first grapple, and his anger got the
better of liis judgment. We kicked up
tiie snow at a great rate as we feinted
and dragged each other about. lie
caught hold of my belt with one hand
and with a great wrench nearly dragged
me from my feet, but I pinioned his
arms and bent 1dm backward, then, by
a trick Larry had taught me, flung him
upon his side. It is not, I confess, a
pretty business, matching your brute
strength against that of a fellow man,
and as 1 east myself upon him and felt
his liard-blown Wreath on my face, I
hated myself more than I hated him for
engaging in so ignoble a contest.
Bates continued to call from the house.
“Come on at any cost,” shouted Stod
dard, putting himself between me and
the men who were flying to Morgan's
aid.
I sprang away from my adversary,
snatching his revolver, and ran toward
the house, Stoddard close behind, but
keeping himself well between me and
tiie men who were now after us in full
cry.
"Snoot, you foois, shoot!" howled Mor
gan, and as we reached the open meadow
and ran for the house a shotgun roared
back of us and buckshot snapped and
rattled on the stone of the water tower.
“There’s the sheriff,” called Stoddard
behind me.
The officer of the law and liis 'deputy
ran into the park from the gate of St.
Agatha’s, while the rest of Morgan's
pai ty were skirting the wall to join
tiiem.
“Stop, or I’ll shoot," yelled Morgan,
and I felt Stoddard pause in liis gigantic
stride to throw himself between me and
the pursuers.
“Sprint for if hot," he called very cool
ly, as tiiough he were coaching me in a
contest of the most arniabie sort im
aginable.'
“Get away from those guns.” I panted,
angered by tiie very generosity of liis de
tense.
"Feint for the front entrance and then
lun for the terrace and the library door,"
he commanded, as we crossed the little
i a vine bridge. "They’ve got us headed
cif.”
Twice the guns boomed behind us, and
twice I saw shot cut into tiie snow about
me.
“I'm all right,” called Stoddard, rea s
suringly, still at my baek. “They're not
a bit anxious to kill me.”
I was at the top of my speed now. but
tiie clergyman kept close at my heels, i
was blowing hard, but he made equal
time with perfect ease.
The sheriff was bawling orders to his
forces, who awaited its before tlie front
door. Bates and Larry were not visi-
but, but I had every confidence that ,-fbe
Irishman would reappear in the fight at
tiie earliest moment possible. Bates, too.
was to be reckoned with, and the final
struggle, if it came in the house itself,
might not be so unequal, providing we
knew tiie full strength of the enemy.
“Now for tiie sheriff—here we go!”
cried Stoddard—beside me—and we were
close ti> tiie fringe of trees that shielded
the entrance. Then off we veered sud
denly to the left, close upon the terrace,
nhere one of the French windows was
thrown open and Larry and Bates step
ped out. urging us on with lusty cries.
They caught us by tiie arms and drag
ged us over where the balustrade was
lowest, and we crowded through the door
and slammed it. As Bates snapped the
iio'ds Morgan's 'party discharged its com
bined artillery and the sheriff began a
great clatter at the front door.
"Gentlemen, we're in a state of siege,”
observed Larry, filling hie pipe.
Shot pattered on the walls and several
panes of glass cracked in the French
windows.
“All’s tight below, sir,” reported Bates.
“I thought it best to leave tiie tunnel
trap open for our own use. Those fel
lows won't come in that way—it’s too
much like a blind alley.”
“Where’s your prisoner, Larry?”
“Potato cellar. quite comfortable,
thanks!”
It was 10 o’clock and the besiegers sud
denly withdrew a short distance for par
ley among themselves. Outsiue the sun
we made ready for what further the
day might bring forth. I climbed up to the
finished tower to make sure we knew
the enemy's full strength. 1 could see
over the tree-tops, 'beyond the chape!
tower, the roofs of St. Agatha’s. There,
at least, was peace. And in that moment,
locking over the black wood, with tiie
snow lying upon the ice of the lake white
and gleaming; under the sun. 1 felt un
utterably lonely and heart-sick, and tire 1
of strife. It seemed a thousand years
ago that I laid walked and talked with
the child Olivia; and ten thousand years
more since tiie girl in gray at tiie Annan-
daie station had wakened in me a higher
rim, and quickened a better impulse titan
I had ever known.
Larry roared my name through the
lower floors. I went down with no wish
in my heart but to even matters with
Pickering and be done with my granu-
father's legacy forever.
"The sheriff and Morgan have gone
bnck toward the lake.” reported Larry.
“They’ve gone to consult their chief,”
I said. “I wish Pickering would lead his
own battalions. It would give social pres
tige to the fight”
“Bah. these women!” And Larry tore
the corner from a cartridge box,
Stoddard, with a pile of clubs within
reach, lay on his back on the long
leather couch, placidly reading his Greek
testament. Bates, for the first time since
my arrival, seemed really nervous and
anxious. He pulled a silver watch from
Ins pocket several times, something I
had never seen him do before. He lean
ed against tiie table, looking strangely
tired and worn, and I saw him start ner
vously as lie felt Larry’s eyes on him.
T think, sir, I'd better take another
look at the outer gates,” he remarked to
me quite respect fully.
His disturbed air aroused my old antag
onism. Was he playing double in the
matter? Did he seek no wan excuse for
conveying some message to the enemy?
“You'll stay where you are,' I said
sharply, and 1 found myself restlessly
fingering my revolver.
“Very good, sir.”—and the hurt look
in nis eyes touched me.
“Bates is all right,” Larry declared,
with an emphasis that was meant to re
buke me.
CHAPTER XXVI.
THE FIGHT IN THE LIBRARY.
“They’re coming faster this time,” re-
marked Stoddard.
“Certainly. Their general has be^n
cursing them right heartily for retreat
ing without the loot. He wants his threo-
hunderd-thousand-dollar autograph col
lection.” observed Larry.
“Why don’t he come for it himself, tike
a man?” I demanded.
“Like a man, do you say!” ejaculated
I^arry. “Faith and you flatter that fat
head !”
It was nearly eleven o'clock when the
attacking party returned after a parity
on the ice beyond the boat-house. The
four of us were on the terrace ready for
them. They came smartly through the
wood, the sheriff and Morgan slightly in
advance of the others. 1 expected them
to slacken their pace when they came to
the watertower and came toward the
house as steady as veteran campaigners.
“Shall we try gunpowder?” asked
Larry.
“We’ll let them fire the first volley,"
I said.
“They've already tried to murder you
fin,l Stoddard—I'm in for letting loose
with the elephant guns." protested he
Irishman.
“Stand to your clubs.” admonished
Stoddard, whose own weapon was com
parable to the Scriptural weaver's beam.
“Possession is nine points of the fight,
and we've got the house.”
“Also a prisoner of war,” said Lar-y,
grinning.
The English detective had smashed the
glass in the hatred window of
cellar, and we could hear him
and cursing below.
Continued on Fourth Page
i&l /$ks3
