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I fflBJE™ “
THE CONSTITUTION.
1 VOL. XVIII.
WEEKLY EDITION— ATLANTA. GA.. TUESDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBE.K 29 1885.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
RA.OHEL,
A TRUE STORY OF WESTERN FARM LIFE.
BY MBS. Ml. V. WILSON.
{CopyrigbtIMS by 8.8. McClure, AU right* reserved.]
daughter! entered the luge room adjoining the
kitchen; which was used u a bed-room by the
parents and sitting-room for the family, Mr,
It was the middle of a short December after
noon. From the scholars In the little log
acboolbcuie in the Stillmandistrlctrose a bas
king sound ss thsy bent ever their desks, in
tent on books or mischief, u the cue might
be. The teacher, a good-looking young man
of twenty or thereabout:, wu busy with a
clue ia arithmetic when a shrill voico called
out:
'■Teacher, Rachel Stillman’s reading a atory
book.”
“Bring the book to me, P.aehel,” said the
teacher quietly, and the delinquent, a girl of
about fourteen, slowly rose, and walking to
him placed a much worn, ancient-looking
■volume in his hands. “Why,’ 1 he said, glanc
ing at the open page, "it ta the ‘Pilgrim's
Frogrers.' No wonder you are interested,
Rachel. But you must not read itduring
School hours.”
The child lifted to his face a pair of large
blue eyes, beautiful with their timid wlatful-
Sees, at she replied i
"I know I oughtn’t, sir, but I wanted to tee
bow they got out of Doubting Castle to btd.”
Ho smiled. “I will give you the book,” ho
Raid, "after school; then you can read it to
night at homo.”
"Oh, no,” sho whispered, "father won’t let
me read story books.”
"He surely would not object to this book,”
answered tho young teacher, "but I will keep
it until recess tomorrow morning; and never
fear I Christian and Hopeful will outwit tho
•Id giant yet.”
The wistful oyea lighted, and with a grate
ful smile Rachel returned to her desk.
"First-clasa in spelling, take your places,”
called the teacher. Rachel belonged to this
clast, at did all of the larger scholars, among
whom was her brother Thomas, two years
older then herself. Tho teacher had promised
■ prise at the end of tho term to tho member of
theclsis obtaining the greatest number of
head marks, and consequently a good deal of
Interest was taken in tho lessons. Rachel had
been it tho head of the data tho droning be
fore, therefore the now took hor atatloh at tho
loot. Tom, her brother, was “head,” and for
aoma time no change in position was made,
but finally "somebody blundered,” and
Rachel, who was one of the good spellers,went
up in the long line. Presently another bard
word was misted, and this time Rachel walk
ed to the head. Tom gave her a spiteful push.
"Another mark. Rachel,” said the toacher,
"for that is tho last word.” Tho class resum
ed their seats, and in a fow minutes school was
dismissed for tho day. “Good evening,” said
lhe teacher as Racbol and her slater, a pretty,
delicate- looking child of 10, paeaod him at the
achcol room door, “now don’t worry about
Christian, Rachel.”
"I won’t,” eho answered, laughing, "I guese
he’ll get out. Didn't he stand up to old
ApolljonT”
‘.’Like a goed one,” said the teacher, “Hope
I’ll come off as well.”
£he locked at him Inquiringly, but ho turn- ,
Sa to hb desk again, and tho sisiers sot out on
•V L-i: -bti
mu and sco whai-inanner
which these children belong. Tho farm Is a
large one; tho buildings substantial, and
•verylbiug baa a prosperous well-to-do look.
Mr. Stillman, the owner ol those broad acres,
and father ofjheso three, Tom, Rachel and
Busy, ts well as of threo more girls and an
other atalwart son—ia a stout, comfortablo
looking man of 46 or SO years; comtortabla to
look at, but sglaneeatnia ■* ’
Stillman not permitting a Bra kept in any
ether room in the house.
Mre. Stillman eat down, knitting In hand,
aa cloee in the corner as pouible. Elisabeth
end Margaret brought out a huge baeket o
rags and went to work cutting and (owing
carpet tails. Tne younger children were busy
with their leeeone at the table where tho lather
•it reading hia newspaper. All were eilent,
for to have spoken while father was reading
would have brought a torrent of wrath on the
heed of the offender. At last, however, Mr.
Stillman laid down his paper, and addressing
Tom, end:
“Well, how did you get along at school to
day?”
“Ob, liaft-rata.'' said the boy,in whole mind
that lost bred mark rankled; "but Rachel wu
called up.”
“How wu that, Rachel?” uld the lather,
sharply. Poor girl I deep in the mysteries of
"long division” she did not answer,
"Rachel,” be reputed, "what were you
called up for in school today?”
She glanced up reproachfully at Tom. "I
wat reading in the ‘Pilgrim’s Progreso’ just a
little, father. "It’e no story, its—”
"Never mind what it is.” interrupted tho
father; "I send you to school to atudy your
school books, and I don’t want to bear of your
touching any other.”
"Miy I bring it homa?” faltered the child.
“Brlngil home, indeedi No, ma’am. I
guese you can find enough to do at homa. Not
a word now," u ho saw ner about to speak,
“or you stay at home for good.”
The child bent over her elate, but her tears
would fall, and at lut a eob burst forth In
•pita of her.
“Clear out to bed this minute, Rachel,” (aid
her lather, “I want no sniveling here."
Upstairs in the cold, dark room, what bitter
thoughts surged through tho childish brain.
Mr. Stillman loved his wife and children,
although you may not think ao. Ho wanted
them to be happy, but in hag way. He must
choose their pleasune. If they could not find
pleasure in the things that pleated him It wu
not hie fault. It wu their perveruneu. And
as no two loule are alike, the attempt to fit a
number of them by the same pattern neces
sarily caused a good deal ol pain to tho aoule
undergoing tha tyrant operatloa. Mrs. Still-
rain's sensitive organisation wu completely
crushed; her eldest daughter’s nearly to.
Martha, the second daughter, refusing to bo
shaped — '' *— ’— -
young
the
_ ■ close, thin tipi and
keen grey eyes, would convince an observant
person that he could and would make it very
uncc intertable tor any person In bis power
Who might differ trom him In opinion or ven
ture to dispute his authority. Just now ha is
chstting pleasantly about tomorrow's work
with hie hired man, and pays no attention to
the children who pue him on their way to the
house.
Indoors, Mrt.SUllmen, a slender, fair-haired
woman who looks at if aha owad the world an
apology for being It It, le preparing supper,be-
Ing assisted by her two daughter!, Elisabeth, a
ead-iecfil woman of 24 and Margaret, a girl of
18, with her father’s determined mouth and
chin and her mother’s largo blue eyosand fair
hair.
The clock etruek four aa the school girls
entered the kitchen, a 1st go room, which in
winter did duty u both dining-room and
kitchen.
“Run in the room, girls,” said the mother,
"and get warm i supports about ready."
"Oh, we’re not cold, mother,” said Rachel.
"Let me bene up your things, Susy. Mother,
I cot another beau mark.'*
The mother smiled, "I hope you or Tom
Will get the prise,” she laid, “where is he?”
She was Interrupted by a stamping ot feet si
lh« door was thrown opan and tha men, follow
ed by Tom, entered tho kitchen.
“Supper is ready,” said Mra. Stillman. “We
Were just going to eallyou.”
"Well, I guise it'll keep till we’re ready,”
said Mr. Stillman, roughly. "Rachel, bring
some water. The bucket ia empty, of course.
Margaret, where's the washbasin? Nothing
In its place, as usual! Flty there wun’t two
or three more girl* leyin’ shout.’’
Nobcdy answered this tirade. Tha hired
man picked no tha basin, Margaret handed a
tows), Rachal cams with the water and soon
tha family gathered about the well epread
table.
"I tell you." remarked Mr. Stillman after a
Tew mouthful! of the savory food had put him
in apparently a better humor, “I think we’ll
have fine weather fer hog killing by next
week, and I never had shatter lot ot hogs,
•Itber.”
“Oh, father,” laid Margaret, “don’t butcher
next week. Friday is Christmas, and—’’
‘‘Christmas,” interrupted her father. “Well,
don’t we always butcher then?”
"Yes, I know." answered the girl, her lips
trembling in spite of her effort to oontrol her-
aell, “but, father, wo never enjoyed the heli-
days and I thought maybe this year ”
“W* will do this year as w* always hava,"
broke in the fsther-angrily. "I suppose,” with
a look et hie wife that made the poor women
shrink as from a blow, "this is some of your
plant. You and your girls want to go gadding
around the conntry.”
“Mother never laid anything about It,” said
Margaret, her temper ruing. “Bat nobody
else takes Christmas time to do their hardest
and dirtiest work.”
“Will you buih?” thundered tha lather.
"What do I ears how anybody alaa dots; I am
muter here* *
Nobody spoke stain. Tha assertion was not
to be disputed. He was master, and wall hi*
mile and daughter knew it. Foot Mrs. Still
man. Two fortunate baby girls had dlsd a
tew weeka after their birth and tha tears the
mother shed ever the liUla coffins wars not
baifio bitter, u there that tail oa their inno
cent laces when first they ware held to her
When on thie evening Use father had proved
bis authority bie two elder daughters nee from
lhe table, and taking a couple of large
■lark and cold, but no words wars spoken ex-
reptto tha aaimala, aa tha girls harried
lhrough the milking and hastened back to tha
kitchen where Rachel and tha mother cleared
sway tha supper things and mad# needful
preparation Mr next morning's breakfast.
When the milk htd been pat away and all
things were ia order Mrs. Stillman and her
[e pretty daughter of hie employer, and per-
laded her that by eloping with him she
[would be more happily situated at all events
Ithan ebo would at home. The mesalliance an
gered Mr. Btlllman greatly, and einco the
marriage, which htd token place a year agp.
all interocuree with the dleobodlent daaqluer
had been forbidden.
gtiwIWB
wee evident ho would have some troublo iu
completing it. Bo far Rachel had given him
no tronblo. She and Buiaa were only babios
in hie opinion, and as be ordered thou about
be no more thought of their feeling! than he
did of those ol the hones he worked.
tertained Mr. BtOIman, Jim, tho glrli and th,o
carpet rtgs escaped Into the kltehen.
"But epring wes near, and,“thought Marga
ret, “he can’s keep nsont of tha spare room in
srarm weather; and, besides, we will havo all
out-of-doors.”
June came with her blue aklei, her singing
birds, her wealth of beauty. But tharo ires no
time et BtIUman’s to enjoy It. A larger croo
than usual had been put in and extra hands
employed. Not In the house. Why, there were
five women, counting ten-year old Busy and
the poor, dalleate mother. Whit extra help
could they seed, although washing and cook-,
lag must be dona for all tho men? You no
“heads” could be got lor low srages if the
farmer boarded thorn and had their washing
dona; and what else had the women to do?
True, mother was not aa strong as she used to
be, but she did not complain. Bhe was only
more shadowy and quiet than ever; and Mr.
Stillman told hie daughters to “stir” around
themselves, and not let mother do all tha
work.
“Ob, dear.” said Margaret, one morning a*
•he and Rachel were bending over the srash-
tubs while mother, Elisabeth and Susy did the
churning and baking and prepared dinner, “i
wish we could go to the picnle on tho Fourth,-
every body ’» going.’'
“Maybe we can,"said Rachal liopsfully. “1
beard father say he would not out the wheat
until about the sixth, end also Margaret. I
hoard him say your calf wet worth $10. If ha
J lvea you tha money you can get e new white:.
rsss end I might wear your old. It is so
small for you."
Margaret laughed. “The calf ts mint,”'
ahe said, “it would have died if I had not
token care ol it, and lather gave it to mo so I
will have a new dress and you shall have my
old one.”
Out In tho barnyard as the girls talked and
worked, Mr. Stillman and Tom were putting
the pretty calf in the wegon preparatory to
taking it to tho butoher.
When the girls went In to dinner the men
had finished theirs and wero lounging about
in the shady yard enjoying their “nooning."
As they entered the dining room Mr. Still-
Aiijr ruunii ciui i.'.uistuutnif -wu,
was ell mino; at least you said so.”
A a ako spoke eho opened the paper and tin-
rolled a piece of cheap lawr, bright yellow,
with blue llowcro. With an angry gesture
eho throw it on tho fioor and left the room.
Mr. Stillman stood a moment smued. Then
turning to Itacbcl ho said: “You can havo tho
drese, Rachel. I’ll teach Margaret a ii>«aon.”
“I don’t went it,” ebo said. “It was bought
with Margaret’* money. Why didn’t yon
givo her her money? When you' solj Tom’:
pigs ho had his money to do as he plcafed
“Nice girls,these o! yours,mn'Jicr,’- said Mr.
Stillman to liis frightened wife. "They’ll be
limning us out of doors next. “You pick up
that gcods, Miss.”
Rachel obediently took up tho lawn and bs
pan to fold it. “That call was niico,”ho weld
on, “I only meant to pay Margaret for caring
for it.”
“You tbonid havo said so, then,” answered
hia daughter, facing him wi h eyea os keen a
hia own, “out you told her if sho could raise i'
sho could lie vu it, and, of course; sho though
ycu meant what vc i said.”
Tho Oaths, raised Lla hand as if t strike hi
ri.’d, then, as oho did not drop her «. res, h
Stillman's on their way snd ottered the girls
scots in llicir wagon, but the offer was not ac
cepted. “The women folks,’’ Mr. Stillmau
said,“bad to get ready for tho hnrvcst bands,”
and there was moro cooking and churning and
washing rs tho days wont on. No wonder Mrs.
Stillman grew weaker until even Mr. Stillman
noticed it and brought hor a bottle of bitters
Ail night Mr. BUllman watched by hie
wifo*s bedside or walked reitlessly up and
down the long back parch. It could not be
Hie wifowae not dying; tha wu only tired.
Yea, that wu it, Mr. Stillmau; she wu tired,
and rest wu coming.
When Martha earns the mother who had to
longed for her dia not recognize her.
‘‘Mother! motherl” cried the daughter in
anguish. The mother looked at her with dim
eyu that uw no more of earth, and muttered
essbetosisd upon her pillow: “Hurry, girls 1
ob, hurry, it’s almost 12, end father will bo
in aoen.”
Then she grew qniet, only her restless
bends, which her daughters vainly strove to
hold, kept retching cut us if trying to grup at
the unknosrn land eha wu so soon to enter.
Just u the euu roso in the morning Mra. Btlll
man “entered her rest."
Her husband seemed stunned by the terrlblo
•heck. With haggard fees and trembling
limbs he bent overhis dud wile. “I loved
her ee,” he uld, “how could eho lure me?”
Ah, Mr. Stillman, you are by no means the
first person who huleiicd to care for their
beloved once until too late.
Life went on u usual at Stillman's after tho
. mother bad gone; for a little while the father
bad been kinder, but u time went on old hab
its were resumed. Elizabeth wont Mstlcssly
about, evidently failing in hulth.
Margaret wu growing every day more defi
ant toward her father, and constantly quir
riled with Tom, who, now that hfi gentle
mother’* influence was no Ihoro felt, grew
every day more meddlesome and overbearing
toward hia siatera.
The summer following Mn.Stillman’s duth
Mre. Lansing's eldest eon Frank took unto
himull a wile, and lata In tno fall the neigh
borhood wu electriOed with tho entirely un
looked lor marriage of Mr, Btillnian to Mre.
I.tnsing. Her boys on learning ol hor Inten
tions hid remonstrated urnutiy with her,but
•he uld! “You boye do not need mo now and
those girls are geinj; to destruction. Think of
be men some day. They must bo treated with
more consideration. At an early age John,
two years older than Elisabeth, wu given a
•hare in the stock and land to cultivate tor
bimulf, so that when at the age 21 he married
the daughter of a neighboring farmer, ho bad
a “right good atart'' in life.
But his sister toiled early and late, wuhlng,
Ironing, milking, churning, baking, nursing
tho young children, in short, sharing u tar u
•he could her mother’s labors for her board
and a scanty, grudgingly given wardrobe. She
wu 21 now end had never in her lift known
whet It wu to poseen a five dollar bill. There
arc many Mr, Stillmans. Are thoyhonut
men? If the son bad a right to wages had not
the daughter? I leave the qnution with you.
Poor Rachel carried a heavy heart to school
next morning. Tha Tinker's wonderful alia-
S ory to her vivid imagination wu very real.
nd now to luvs her hero In that awiul dun
geon, never to know how ho escaped, wu al
most more than the could bur.
“Here, Rachel," uld the teacher when the
time for recess came, "here la your book." Ho
held it toward her but the did not tako it.
“Father," aha uld, then aobtehoked her ut
terance. The young man lookadat her silent
ly a moment, then be said,“I am so interested
in Christian, Rachal, that 1 will read aloud if
you will listen.”
In all her life Rachal never forget their
readings it recuses end noons, which luted
not only until Christian ruehad tha Celestial
City, but until Chriatiana snd her children
joined him. And her gratitude to her young
teuber would hava surely awakened love if
lhe bad bun a few years older. When in
March the term cloud, not ever the prize u
best speller—a beautiful copy of tho Pilgrim’s
Frogrus—consoled her.
Ae for tho tucker, he wu only gild tho
winter’e work, which had bun undertaken
solely to lurntsh means for the pnmlt of bis
proleuion, wu over. He liked some of his
scholar! very much, Ruhel upuislly, tho
wu zo intelligent, so grateful, and whan, with
blue eyes swimming in tears, she said good-
bye, he did for a second feel sorry to luvo hor,
and told her so.
"You ought to have sun Rube an’ Susy
cryin' when old Grey bid ns good-bye," uld
Tom at home tha evening of that lut day of
school.
“Did yon cry?” uked Margaret.
“Gaeu not. I’m glad school’s out. Heps
I’ll not have to go next winter,” uld Tom.
“Igueuyou won't," answered Margaret.
"You’re smart enough now, bub.” Bha always
called him "bob” whan aha wanted to vex
him. “But old Grgy, u you called him, will
make hia mark in the world, sec If ha
doesn’t.”
Tha entrance of Mr. Btillman closed the con
versation, end Tom want oat banging tbs door
after him. No wonder Margaret wu getting
ill-natured. Tha winter sru a long dull au-
eon in tho Btillman horns. Evan bar enjoy
ment at tha few social gatherings she wu al
lowed to attend in the neighborhood, wu
marred by tha knowledge that eh* could not
entertain her young friend! in torn. Once or
twice she had attempted to fix up tbs spars
room and have a fir* tbsre for company bat
her fether had forbidden it.
“I’d like to know,” be uid, "why tha set-
tin' room ain't good enough. Ilyour
company can’t sit with the family they can
• i away, Miss.”
_nd "they" stayed away, generally after
oasviait. Mr. Stillman wu notasnect nua
host, upuialiy fer young people.
And a young minuter who cam* home from
meeting one.Bunday with Elisabeth
presence. A few week, afterwards Elizabeth
heard of hie departure for a distant part of the
state, and bar face became sadder than aver.
Jim Lansing, tha son of a widow neighbor,
who managed a good sized firm sad two
gown sons with equal .kill, -u more sueeoaa-
Ha generally brought hia mother along on
his vwta, and while, she, with ready wit, an-
and fold the girls to keep "mothhr out of tho
kitchen,"whioh they. Indeed, tried hard to do.
But the mother could not rut. There wu eo
much lo do. Tho girls could not get along,
and Elisabeth wu not well, eho knew, for the
patient elder daughter seemed drooping, and
a hopeless look bad settled ou her face u if for
life.
At lut there name a morning, about the
middle of July, when mother did not riso to
breakfast.
"Hadn’t wa better und for Dr. Lewis,
father.” Mid Elizabeth.
"O, no, your mother did noteleop. it wu so
hot lut night. Bhe’ll bo up directly. Keep
her out of the kitchen, and see you bars a
f ood dinner on time. we’ll bay* to work to
niib today, an’ I am expectin’ a etorm; the
air‘cell like it."
Twelve o’clock came. Dinner for a dozen
hungry men wu on the table, and still Mrs.
Stillman wss in bed.
While the men were esting Rachel slipped
to to her mother. Bb* found her awake, bat
her flashed cheeks end bright eyu startled
the girl.
”0, mother,” the erled, "yon matt bays the
doctor, you are so tick.”
"No, no, dear,” tha mother answered,
"father la too busy now, ho couldn't taka time.
You run oyer to Mrs. Lansing after dinner,
I’m not much sick, but I would like to sec
her."
Rachel returned to the dining-room.
“Take the fly-brash, Rachel," laid her
father, ‘‘Susy’s no aocouat." Poor, tired little
Busy crimseaed to tho roots of her heir u she
bended Rachel the brush.
When dinner wu ovsr Mr. Btillman glanced
- biajwite'o room. She scorned stuping and
be did not go In. "Mother hun’l eaten a bite
today, father,” laid Rachal. "I wish ehe’d
have the doctor.”
“Well,” said Mr. Btillman, tmpstiantly “if
she's no better by morning I f ll und for him."
Not stopping to ut Rachel went ball a mil*
through the July sun for Mrs. Lansing. Tha
men had gone to tbair work when lhe return
ed. Mergaret wu doing up the work and
Elisabeth and Busy tryisg to make tha poor
sick woman comfortable by bathing bar head
and fanning ber, while they begged her vain
ly to drink the tu they baa brought her.
‘‘Rachel,’’ uid Mrs. Lansing, “I saw Dr.
Lewis’ buggy coming down tha road u I came
hart, you run out and atop him whan bs gats
here.”
When abont 4 o’clock tho rain began to foil
in torrents Mr. Btillman had tha satisfaction
of suing the lut load ol grain just inside the
great Darn door,aad taking off bis hat be
wiped the moisture off his face exclaiming,
“Well, boye, wo beat tha rain; it can poor
down now for all I ears."
Replacing hia hat on hit bead,ha turned to*
-aid the house, and to his surpriu uw tbs
wall known figure of Dr. Lewis on tha porch.
“Driven in by tba rain,” ha thought) “gases
I’ll tst him to set mother.”
“Well, doctor,” u he stepped up on the
porch, “how are yon? Just got my whut in
in time; lucky, wun’t It"
“Very,” said tha doctor, gravely, “bnl I just
cents Irom your wife’s bedside, sad eha ia, 1
find, very ill. I ought to have bun called
’eg ego.”
Mr. Btillman wu etartled. “Why,” ha laid,
“doctor, yon can’t think bar dangerous. It's
the souther's wukened bar so.”
Tha doctor wu eilent a moment. Then he
uid slowly t “Mr. BUlluea, It is my duty to
tell you that your wife can live at tha farthest
but a lew days.”
For once ia tbair livu tha man at Stillman's
ate a cold sapper end did the milking. Mre.
Leasing took the superintendence of every
thing on herself. John and his wrifin wtr* sent
for nad came, and before morning Jim Lan
sing, who had learned tha state or affairs from
one of the “bzndi," quietly hitched the horsu
to a sragon and went tor Mirths and bar has-
■ trd.
Fcsr Martha, who bad not sun bar mother
for more than a year.
Rachel laying, ‘God had nothing to do with
her mother’s death, and eha didn’t think He
cored anything lor women anyhow, He just
crested them for men’s convenience,’ and then
[look at lit tie Buev,the child’s face haunts ms.”
“Well,” sitld Jim, “I know things are in a
btd fix over there, but it ien’tBnsy • face that
haunts me by any muni."
Hie mother laughed. “I shall taka good
cert of Margaret,” she uid, "the poor girl
needs some one to look after her, sho and
Elizabeth are both being worked to duth."
Time hu slipped four yean more ever tho
beads of the SUllmsni—years well improved
by Rachel and Suey at tho academy In tne vll-
llsge near their father’* farm, years wliieh
{ aye Margaret’s happiness into Jim Lansing's
ee'pirg, brought Susy to the verge of woman-
[hood, and made Tom a young man of whom
hie siaten wen exlnmoly proud. Even
Elizabeth's wan face looks u if life might still
hold a little happiness for her, for undor the
new wile’s skillful management lifo at Stlll-
Imtn’s has taken on a different color. Tho
•pan room is metamorphosed into a pretty
sitting room for tho young fslki. "We don t
want them always with us," says Mrs. Still
man u she shows hor husband tbs change ahe
has made. That is one ot her pecuUarltfu.
She does what eha thinks but without talk,
taking it for granted that Mr. Btillman will
Tiow matters in the umo light that ehe dost.
As for Rachel, she CDjoyed fully the change
for the better; but now to Utf ieollne ot bittor-
::c» eho cherished ogaluri nor father wu ad-
> • - a touch c-1 contempt, ’ ”c ■©,” ah'
“i.-nv una-'iSfonj. btwU
will. It mother c-ulu have dual
might l.avo been allvo nttll.” ‘
Rachel was mistaken; the row wife did not
maneuver or llatlor, but knowing her pis
the maintained it u mistresa ol the homo, n
•a a aort of upper servant to be snubbed or
praised according to tho muter’a humor. And
another summer had bun added to Rtohal’s
lb years when Tom camo homa from town one
she herself had been rocked, sho klssu two
dslnty lips and goes down stairs. Some im
pulse prompts her to cuter the sitting room
Instead of going Into tho parlor where she thinks
all the family ars gathered. As eho opens the
door the ecu ber tether sitting by the table,
where the lamp stands u ot old, and hall turns
to go out again, but something ia his attitude
touches her. Ho la not reading his paper, ho
le looking at something he holds in hia hand.
She nollou how gray he is getting, and how
ago is tracing lines in hiastern lice. Drawing
n**v, she lays:
"Are yon aiek, father?”
"Ob, no," ho answers,"! was thinking of
ycur mother, Raohol,” and he handed her a
laded deguerreotype of tho fair young girl
who had bun hia bride in the days of his
y u<h.
"How like Susy, father,” she uid, with tears
■■id; "itwaiii ao you rvjuoiuuvr wm viro/, m
I used to all him, that taught our school one
winter abont aix yean ago?”
‘‘Yu.” she answered.
“Well, I met him in town today. He is
one of tho lawyers in the Bandera cus, and ho
knew me right off; he’s coming out this cran
ing, so look your prattloot, for I tall ycu ho’e a
■martens. I burd some of tho lawyers talk
ing about him."
"Raohel,” said Suey, u they arrayed thorn-
selvcs lor the evening, "you are so hard to
plcan this evening; what alia you? You look
•o excited.”
Rachel smiled! “I was thinking ol old
days,” she uld; * ? that is all.”
Aid ehe enters the little parlor where Mr.
BtUlmen and lhagnut are seated in a perfect,
ly self-poesestod manner, uytng as sho ex
tendi her bind;
“Ocod evening, Teacher, Uowgouthe bat
tle with Apollyon?"
And the young lasryer springs to hie feet,
exclaiming; “Raohelt la it pouible?” And
ho bold* her hand end looks into her eyu so
long that Busy and Mrs. BUllman declare he
foil in lovo then and there.
However that may bo, U is certain Mr.
Gray thowa a wonderful Interest In the Still-
men district during his stay at Maywood. Tho
trial is tedlons, but his patience never glvu
out. and when some ol the lesryera propose
night sessions of court to buten melton hoop-
poees it earnestly. "Too hard on tho old
judge," ho uid.
But all things must end, and tha ease wu
at lut decided in favor of Mr, Gny'a client.
As Rachal congratulated him on hia victory
bo uld with a look that brought the color to
her face:
How long mutt I stay in Doubting Castle,
Rechtl?”
Dear me," the answered, “I did not think
a premising young lawyer, u lather calls you,
aver get into that diemal place.”
Than Busy cams In and the young man bads
them good-bye, but ho watched an opportu
nity to wbiaper in Rachel's ear a promise of
• tad u ho traveled homeward
I oyea euraed to haunt him
persistently. "Who would havo thought,”
he eeld to hlmstlf, "eha could havo become
•uch a woman? No wonder 1 never could
find a girl to suit ms whan aba hu bun my
ideal.'*
You su ha was trying to psnuads himulf
that ha had thought of hor over einco that
winter term of school; perhaps ft wu true.
Maybe ell unknown to him those eves had
bald him. At any rata ha uya they did; dud
when Urns after time they drew him back to
Blillman’a ha at lut succeeded in making Ra
chel believe it, end Urea with the little "key ol
| .remise” ehe delivered him from "Doubting
Lei ue tako one more look two years later at
thi Stillman hotncttfid*
Thera Is a family gathering and all tha girls
art present—Martha and bar two little ones,
Msrgaret with her two boys and Rachal with
htrbaby. Busy, a proud young aunt, flita to
and fro, now tauing one and now another of
the children. Elisabeth, with unwonted
brightness in her eyu, looks oa end even
laughs a sweat, low laugh at uma ot tha marry
mischief.
"Well," eaya Margaret, "it deu sum add to
think or Lizzie’s lover coming back altar all
these yesrs."
"Yu,” answered Rachel ia the tame low
S ne, "end bow happy she seems. I suppou
e wedding will be toon; they have bun
pars ted eo long.”
The husbands are all present in tke evening,
id the old bouu !* foil of light and gayety,
Rachal (taps ofl up stain to put baby to baa.
As she sits (> tha room wharo ta bar childhood
dropping on the lovely face.
"Yu, only sho wat prettier,” ha answered.
"I have bun thinking ot her so much lately,
Recbcl,” he went on; "I cm going to do some
thing I think will pleazo her if ehe aeu. I
bought that pretty little (arm of Perry’s the
other dsy, and I am going to put Martha and
her huabend on it. Dick's an Industrious fol.
low, but it’s hard gettin on on a rented patoe,
and Martha ie worried too much. You don’t
think any of the rut would objeet?" and he
looked anxiously In her lice.
“Objcctl Why, father, they will all be
S lad,"and dropping her hud on hie shoulder
be puls her arm around him for tho firstitlmo
In hirltfr, and u she slips the little daguer
reotype In bis hud a sweot puco fills her
heart as she thinks "the biltarneu le gone and
lova takes its piece.”
Alter awhile she joint the group In tho par
lor. Thoy aro Hinging, while Busy plays ac>
companimenta on tho organ. "Bing ‘Corona
tion,’ Susy,” eho uya as she alts down beside
her husband.
"What is it?” ho uke. "You look annually
happy.”
“Ahl” the answers, "1 have had a vision oi
the land ol Beulah, and Lova is its king."
As tho voices joined In tinging the old fa-
miliar hymn Mr. Btillman umo quietly in and
•ot down to listen. Bo let ue leave Itaohol and
ber shtere, hoping that whatever may befall
them in the journey of life, "love, for thorn
may always be king.”
BY M QUAD,
From the Detroit Free Frees,
As tha sun went down end darkness began to
creep over the feu ol tbeurth theeugry roar ol
artillery died away snd tho craoklo ol musketry
wss lisa spiteful. For awhile tho fighting on the
extreme right hung on, to settle the question ol
wliosfcoold occupy the old earthworks, but at
length dead alienee tell upon tha whole Held.
Hllinco? No! It wu illcnoo compared to tha
awful rear ol tho long afternoon, bat It wu a
silence broken by the screams and groans ud
prayers ol wounded men-by Ibo movement ol
wagons udartlRery-by the snbdned voices ol
75.0CO men u they camped for the night without
fire end anxiously debated the chances lor tomor
iw,
A sergeant marches off to tha loll at the bead ol
half a dozen men, ne drape a man at “poit No,
I s and gives him whispered Instructions. It Is
the saint at post two, three, low, etc., until tha
last man has been et&tloncd,
There melt be vigilant, wakeful men between
0 endloewhjle tbo lapajriaULareers away.
tint end shell have shattered and riven Its tblok
limbs. A quarter o! a century hence Oils tree
will bear witness ol tbo terrible sltugglo ol today.
“From tills tree to tho edga ol that thicket, and
the countersign is ’justice,’ ” whispered tho zer-
gcant, and ss be puses on tbo plckot takos up bis
beat. Ha counts u ha paisss them by-ons, two,
three, lour, five, fix,eeren,eight. What? Corpsetl
They are lying on tbogrua eo near tbo path ho
tmveu that be can touoh any ot them with his
foot. There aro othen to tbe right and loft, lurUter
away. It was here that tho enemy chirped a bat-
tery-bereonr forces rallied to preserve lb Grape
shot end canister, bullet and bayonet, found vie-
tints bore. Home layu II ulcop. worn out with
the tremendous confllct-otbcra raved and prayed
and cuncd God and man before death released
them Irom their lufihrtogi.
The picket counts themes be walkt, and nigh
escapes hlallps. Tomorrow night some sentinel
may nnmecr his muUlited corpse with othors on
this lame meadow. Tomorrou night tho autumn
winds may vainly seek to rouse him Irom bis
death sleep.
From tret to thicket and turn. From thicket to
tree snd turn. He'mnst watch snd lliton and bo
on his guard, but by and by be finds Umo to count
again: One-two—Ihree-lour-flvo-ilx-iovcn—
eight-nine! What! He counted only eight be-
lore! Wu be mistaken, or can
the dead ol tho Utlloflold creep
and crawl? filx-seven-elgbt-nlnc, Yu,
there are nine. In tbe darkness ba had msdo a
mistake. NlnolWeli, what matters one more orons
Icrs corpse nron a field ol battle?
To tbe treo end tnm. To tbo thicket and turn.
As he hetde for the tree again the ninth corns* as
sume! a sitting position and looks alter him. A
moment later It etregglM up, and a
figure goes creeping titer the picket, The
trea on the meadow Is thick and malted.
Ule footfalls give oat no sound. Softly-sofUj-
•Uentu tbo shadow of desth-crceplng-croeptng,
•nd now he la close upon tho lone picket. There
tea gleam ol steel In tbo darkness—a swift and
powerful blow, end ha who wu placed to watch
will watch no mors.
Through tha gap iptas wUl pour In and gkutk
about the cam pe; .regiment will baetlcDtly ad
vanced to the key position; the ghouls wUl scent
plunder and creep up to rob tbe dead.
Tba picket bed counted: seven—eight-
nine!” •
Tbe gbouls will creep from the thicket and
count: "-seven-eight-nine!”
Thereto no missing corpse. The number hu
been mtdo good!
ABOVE THE CLOUDS,
Vort7*zlx Hilea Covered la tba Abort flptca of lur-
tJwftte mttuteo—Ta« Azronzut ¥«ll« a Urtphle
8torj of biz Trip Above the Oloads-
Tbo Bxcltemen: of Balloon Tr*vti.
um rail tbmkinr or them and tbo dear mother
who bed suffered and died, ami the chi bitter
ness lieu in her hurt. Beby drops aclrep,
and, isytn( him gently in the cradle in which
NKCKLAOB Of HUMAN KYE1.
From Wublngton Utter.
W.E. Curtis, ol tho South American commie,
•ten, brought home c number ot curious Jewels
which srt supposed to be petrified human eyes.
The fimfthsonton scientists are trying to analyse
. They were obtained In Peru when there
to a vut cemetery on the rainiest strip ol desert
which lira between the Andes and tha ice. Ia this
magnetic sand where nothing aver cuspid are
buried the bodies of millions ol Inras, some ol
which, sites a thousand yean, ere to u pet tact a
•tote ol preservation u Uu mummies ol Egypt,
The Itcis bad a otrtltoattoo superior to that ol
•ny prehistoric race, and among other Iota arts to
Us preservation ol the human eye, or at least tha
dark put ol the eye, for Us whits tisane to never
fonnd.
Thus (bully tblnp art bembpharfoal In ships
and about ball or two thirds of aa Uch ia diame
ter, with thin traasiaeaat scales ilka an onion.
When fonnd thsy are ofa rusty color like a peb
ble, bnt when polbbtd become u clear and
beautiful u ember, bolding tag light u well u
anepel.
Mr. Curtto took bis collection to Tidkay's, to
New York, to have them pollsked and set In gold
to U wore u a necklace by hto wife, Imagine •
necklace ol human eyeg! Bo! TIflaay write* him
declining to hero anything It. thcr to do with the
fob because three ol hto Uphtoriu who havo boon
engaged In polishing tho eyre have boon mtdo
Mdonalylll, with symptosu which Indicate tbit
they havo been poisoned, end the other workmei
Mote to take the risk el finithfo j thqia.
NewHavsx, September 27.—Captain Alfred
E. Moore hu dropped out of tho military ser
vice end gone into aeronautics to pare away
his time. Ue is 28 years old, handsome,
wealthy and subject to hobbios. Ho weighs
about ltd pounds, juit about tho right ballut
for a balloonist. A fow weeks ago he told his
friends ho wu going to boat all tho records iu
ballooning for opetd and saloty. Ho put
soma Connecticut Inventive genius into tho
construction of his air-ship, and turned out a
balloon that astonished tho residents oi Win-
•ted, hit homo. Friday ho started hie now
craft at Watertown at just 3:40 p. ra., and in
jut Ihirty-fivo minutes from that time ho
loaded safely on a farm in North Guilford,
exactly forty-six miles from where ho
ttarted. There wore 8,000 cubic
feet ot gu in tho
balloon, ono hundred poundi o! sand, a silver-
plated eteel grappling anchor, and a draw-
rope aa long u one of William M. Eraria’
•on tehees. The balloon basket would make
tho hestt of an Italian boarding houaekoopor
glad, it wss to roomy. When tho auohor lot
tho ship shot skyward so fast that about
Uma tha captain wu taking hto second
breath ho wsa 1,000 lut In tho air. When
hswu ovar Watarburv, rattling along In
space attho rate of a mile and a hails min
ute, ho wu 6,250 toot high. Tho baromotor,
thermometer, comnuo apparatus of
his own device in his
vest pocket indicated at ono time
that ho wu 8,260 foot noarer huvan than tho
Waterbary people, over whom ho was whirl
ing; that the temperature, which wu regis
tered at 85 degree! whan he bid good-bys on
tbo fhir grounds, had fallon to 45, and that
be wu going in a southcuterly direction for
Long Island sound. Ho could sco Now Ha
ven in thodistanco, and it appesrod no big
ger than a beo hive. Now London loomed
over out, but It loomed smaller than a mug
wump caucus. Hartford wu simply a (pack.
‘‘When I got above tho clouuo,” said tho
Wlnsled aeronaut to your correspondent this
evening, “I became somewhat scarod over
tho indlealioni oi my eompus, which told n;o
I was heading for tho sound. Then I took su
observation, and that confirmed my Impres
sion. Thero right over the edgo of tho basket
seemed Long island sound. Woll, now, I
didn't mo much about striking into that
body oi water, and I determined to coma
down a peg or two to sco precisely
wboro I was. I oponed tho valve: suit out
hinted tho gss cud down dropped tho ship. At
on tlovstion of 3,000 feet above tho earth I
shut oil tho flow of gss and wout ttkurryiug
aloDg quito merrily. Tito nearer 1 eKino to
tho rest of tho human family tho further sway
appeared Long Island sound. This removed
my sppiebcutttou couceruinr a fall iu tho
watgr snd I felt; retly sslo iu that respect.
fi^kaMcrpHHsjjihovor Wntorbury 1 rm lev.
at' - <*^
length. It »>■ prolty quid in tho cloud.
I've found out it is warmer
above a’cioud cud below ouo than it Is when
jcuarogoing through ft, so I sailed out of
that cloud eoout its quickly as I know how.
A lew minutes before I hsu concluded to I had
dropped a package of circulars advertisiug a
new kind of kindling wood, and they wont
flying III every direction. By the Unit I hid
left tun cloud and dcscendod several hundred
fret I caught up with the circulars, and passed
them on their wsy to the Cortb, showing that
I bad travalctl in a downward diroo-
tion faster titan the papers. Threo
miles northwest ot Guilford I wsa scaling ovor
tho mountains that aro in that ssetiou. I
could hcor tho crows cawing. At a height ol
1,500 feet from lit” rnrth t could just make
out tho volcoo ol pooplo underneath me. Thoy,
1 should judge, hod just discovered tho ship,
and were running wild with excitement. I
could rce tho outlines oi tho pooplo hastening
bock and forth, and could also faintly hear
tho shouts that they wero lenulng up Iu ru>
cognition of tho ditcovory of tho air craft.”
Tbo ship landed on a form in North Gull*
ford, about a stone's throw from Quinnopzugh
jako. When tho occupant climbed up out of
tbo bukot btlf a hundred ol the inhabitants
were on the ground to bid him welcome. A
big tres near by famished anehorsgo. It eras
concluded blit to remove tbo ship just as it
stood, about three quarters full of gu,
to tho village green. An ottou
•trip of land led from the landing
point to tho green, and tbo shin was removed
totbeleUcrplsce. To properly weight tho
•hip down, so that Ilia removal could bo
sully accomplished, n girl, thirteen yoars
old, was placed into tho bukot for ballsat.
Then tbo procession started. After tbo gu
wu 1st out tbo ship wu sont to Now Haven
by train.
Contain Moore is soon to btro a new
rip built in Wlnstcd that
ill cost about $1,500, will
contain 76,000 cubic foot of gu, will hold
iaTSBMnoH and Will have lor its first trip a
journey of 1,000 miles, starling somewhere in
tho cantor ol Now York atato. IIo likes fast
trips and thinks ho can by a little improve
ment in sbapo, and tho addition of now steer
ing apparatus safely obtain a speed of ISO
miles an hour. Ho Intends, however, to work
up to this gradually.
A WOMAN’S WAYfl.
From tba Chcatcrflsld Advertiser, September IS.
Tba wind may howl, ths thunder msy roar,
death msy coma, but when a woman wall snd
truly loves a man she will marry him or dio
in tho attempt.
James Hunter wu conv.'ctod at ibis
term of court of manslaughter. Miss Dora
Evans wss sneyo witness to tbo killing and a
Disco of Ibo dscousd. Monday morning Hun
ter wu sentenced to four yoars in tho stats
prison. Friends and kinsmen who had staid
by him in tha long snd tedious trial bade him
goed bys and went home. Tuosdsy night,
while Bhorifl King snd his household wore
sleeping the sleep of tho just, suddenly
thero ctmo a gentle tap, tap, on tho
outer door. Wu li a ghost?
No;it was a nymph. Mlat Dora Erins had
fled from her home and had como twenly-five
miles through tho darknesa and rein to marry
her lover, James Hunter. Sheriff King not
knowing exactly what to do, put her off till
morning. Wednesday morning promptly at
8 o’eioox Jamas Hunter and Dora Evans wars
mads roan and wife. Rev. J. W. McKoy per
formed tba ceremony in tho jail ball, in the
pretence of about 100 spectators—officers,
members of tha bar, jurymen, white, colon-1
•cd indifferent. Such U life.
The howicMc occurred About a year a*c.
.Iiihd Euiatt-r and Georg* W. I. vane ha J a dif
ficulty cereral year* before, but they were ap
parently on good terms with each other iuat
K evious to tbe fatal encounter. On that day,
wever, in conaequence of an intuiting re
mark made by Hunter in alluiien to Kvan’s
wife, Evans knocked him down and punished
him. Alter being taken off of him, and while
J vans wss leaving tho field, with his mother's
arm sround him, «s th« witnesses (or ih« state
testified, Hunter ran up to Evans and dis
charged the contents of bis pistol into his
body, csuiiog almoet instant death.