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The Northern Lights.
A NOB8B SUPBRSTITION
'Nay,motherjaay the pictured coalis glowing
Dulty-and redlyTnrthe hearthstone there
onwasnoflameof caieless idlers' throwing,
orrocketflashingthrough the startled air
'Twas but One! gleammgt of the,.No|themv
Lights
Ah, there again they reddened Huntcliff
heights.
3
"So, let maraise you softly On the pillow fjj
See, how the crimson lustreflaresand dies,
Turningto]redthe longheave of the billow,
Ana the greatarch of all the starless skies
Thefisherssay such beauty bodes them sor
row,
Te'hngof btorm,and windto blowJo-morrow."
"No, child, the busy wife may ball her lines,
And net and gear lie ready for the 'morning,
Nopresage that wavering glory shines,
No doom in the rich hues the clouds adorning
They do but sav the lingering hours are past!
The gates,the golden gates, unclose atlast
"Won, the long hill so steep and drear to
climb,
Done, the longtask so bitterhard inlearning
The tears are Shed, and garneredup by time,
The heart beats,freedfrom allitslonely yearn-
The bar swings hack, and flooding seas and
blues,
Burst out the deathless lights of Paradise.
"See, see, by the great valves of pearl they
stand
Friends, children, husband, see glad hands
outreaching!
For me, for me, the undiscovered land,
Its promise that roseatesignal teaching,
Aye, kiss me, child the lips willsoonbe dumb
That yet in earthly words can say, 'I come"'
Again the banner of the Nothern Lights
Waved broad and bright across the face of
Heaven
And in the cottage on the rugged heights,
The passing radiance by their glory given,
3hewed a pale orphan weeping by the bed,
And the calm smiling of the happy dead
THE JUAN IN POSSESSION.
'I won't pay a farthingno that I
won'tnot if 1 have to go to prison for
it!" and down comes my father's clench
ed band on to the table with such a
thump that it makes the reels in my
basket jump as if suddenly attacked with
St Vitus's dance.
Yesterday my father had made his
first acquaintance with the County Court
having been summoned by a tradesman
for the balance of $n account which my
father had declined to pay, as he
firmly believed it to be a gross over
charge^ but facts went against him, and
he was ordered to pay. My
father vowed that he would do no such
thing. He called the judgment "iniquit
ous and one-sided," and ultimately ex
pressed Bis determination to emulate
dear old Mr,*Pickwick, and go to prison
if necessary, rather than submit to, such
an iBJustfde. Sfa
"But, father," I ask, in an awe-struck
tone, "whatwill they do if you don't pay?
Shall we all have to go to prison?"
"No, my dear replies my father
calming down "not exactly. The court
will issue what is called an 'execution,'
and try to put a man in possession but
think I shall prove morethan a match for
a County Court bailift."
Father smiles while saying this, as ifthe
latter person were a very contemptible
and insignificant thing.
"Execution!"
uMan in possessso'n!"
What do they mean? I am afraid to ask
my father, be looks so cross, so I go on
quietly with my*work, waiting until the
frown shall havejleft his brow.
"Mary," at last exclaims my father, "I
have togo to Bardmoor, and I Was think
ing that it might de a wise thing to con
sult young Barton he has just come from
a large office in London tohelp 'his uncle.
I don't know much about him, but old
Barton has always been crjjnsidered a
good lawyer, and perhaps Jhe nephew
mat be following in his uncle's steps. At..., _.
any rate, I wjjfmake the the atiemp, and]ue
swindle. wrote yesterday, asking him
to cail here, if passing, as I wapted to
see him about those leases but I suppose
he has been too busy, or perhaps my let
ter haS not reached him."
My fathar does not volunteer more in
formation, so I wish him "good-night"
and retire to rest, to dream of executions
at Newgate, and that the murderers ex
piating their crimes are the "men in pos
session." t, jsf
The next morning, on coming down*to
breakfast, I find that my father has start
ed by the early train for Bardmoor, and
has left positive orders that during his
absence the gate is to be kept locked,
any no oneadmjt|ed under any pretence
whatever '(A&L'
and fell into the rb%d^"'li
he was too mueh hurt
had a kind heart, so he ran into the road
and helped the driver on to his feet. 'O!'
groans themant 'Come in and rest a bit,'
says uncle, 'and let's see where you are
hurt and with that he helps him to limp
into the house. Sit down and rest your-
?head
see if he can't save me from this atrocious 1^it
fe'
seltf-make ^ouzseUat home? and uncle scribed as the warrant.
brings oufhis ownarm-cEair. TKanKeeV
I wttl/grinnejithe oldjascak plumoing
to,jg\j! Isejfjnto tjie VHair.f -I'm the
man in posession,' says lie, "and pulls the
warrant out of his^oeket 'so fork out?
my good{Bamarit|pp$ or else I sell every
blessed stick ^en'|e got.'" *jr*g
And so Jane rattles on with anecdotes
ofthe sharpness aodtscrupuloasness of men
in possession, until I begin to regard
them as something more than mortal.
After the beakfast things have been re
moved I perform my usual household
dul^e* -for} I hive been papa's house
keeper since "flear mamma diedand
then* taking a book"*i& me, I go on the
veranda to nave a quiet read before
luncheon. The reading has not advanced
veijrlar when I am startled by an ag
gonized yelping and barking just outside
the gate
"I am sure that is Tiny's ^JSH^ I say
to myself, She must have crept\under
the gate, and is now fighting with
"Stupid fellow!" I say to myself! lb,e
-*-way
dignation drive all
But telfme wFyrJaner I asked'our I jmnp back with a^ start,nhe irSpud^
old cook, who had been with us longer M"nt bailiff actually smiles I suppose I
th|n I a remember, and to whom the
Miters nave been given.
"To keep out 4he bailiffs, miss," re-
pl!$s' Jane. "Not that it will be any
"(titi, for they are /As sharp as needles,
an.nothing can keegVem out if they've
a mind to get in
What is^an 'execution,* or a 'man in
possession?'" I ask. "Did you ever see
one?"
Only one, miss, and that was^"quite
enough. A bailiff is the man in ^ses
sion, and when he or his men get into
a house they sell all the furniture and
every thinfffeey can lay their hands on
and. that is what they call an execu-
tdonV**^
Bu\ Aiaf'I argue, "if we\eep the
doors locked, how can they get in?"
Lor miss," answers Jane, "you don't
know how artful they are! If they want
to get into a house very much, they will
disguiso themselves like play actors do.
I'refmember when my Uncle John had
the/bailiffs in. He had kept them out
for nigh'.three waeks, when one day an.
old cart broke'd6wn just outside his door, ^gardens, if you wiU fcllow me
and the driver^
thrown~off
W'soatf^p&t jna^ijP**Mi|ny eard
1
*\t*fer
vsQme
other dog. Naughty, quarrelstWB&Mittle
thing! She will be kilted!"
Starting irom my seat, I seize the key
of the gate and a large garden broom
which happens to be standing near, and,
heedless of executions" and men in
possession," I open the gate and rush out
into the road, there to see my poor little
Tiny in the grip of a mostdisreoutab le
leoking cur. My efforts to part them
are at first fruitless but at last, after one
or two vigorous pushes with the broom,
I succeed. Tiny is rescued, but at my
expense, for the angry cur
my
directs his
warth against me. Terribly afraid,
turn to run, but my opponent is too quick
He seizes hoid of my dress and shakes^*
as if it were a rit. ^1 scream to jane W^ ^Wilderness,' and lock him up in the ruin
-_x t_._x_-
5
"O, thank you!" hurndly exclaim.
"I hope you are not hurt#f
For the first time I ook atmy preserver
and meet a pair of merry brown eyes
looking at me with an amused twinkle
Jnd in-
f' softness ffflfn my
voice"I won't trouble you anyJbnger,"
I continue. "I am^jnot at all afrjlp."
And I hasten to the gate to open it for
his departure but-that wretched animal,
with revived courage, is waiting outside,
and as soon as my hand touches the latch,
"Bow-wow!" it yelps, springing savagely
at the gate. if,?
notvsthi
HolmfleldJ Mr. MortonVplape?"
*kYes,"
I reply, witha ^nucn dignity^
togethr,5*^rh4s
as I can scrape
is, Holnr,
field,*Hr. Morton's place, but papa j&
out. and I do not kn,ow^vhen hi/will be
back, so I do not thin& .^jflr he any
good for-you to waib Peih}ips?iyou had
Dettrcall again." JS."?? -_,
I w'a(lt, hoping that he MJjQtiigS*. But,^44r6akof dirty
no he* hjes|tates: and then slowly taking
some papers from Ms pocket! ji&says:
"I should, be very sorrytof34ss,~see1hgflthe^
him. I have come some'distajice. It is
aboutjome legal business^! ft think he
hasbecn expecting me *'and hei
me inquirihglv and I make no
so he continues: "With
I wiUwaitfor Bin*. I canfam
very well strolling ^roi
I^. -J-JJ.^M
doubt. Notwithstanding his politeness,
I determined not to take the card, which
I firmly believed to be what Jane de-
ariSWered, curtly,
ion of nijf9||eji8 I
a great jwrafe If
afi
please,"
ja*stiff inc
the housi
e/shoul
ay in.
I fastened the door, and peepedoutofthe
*sidrwTnldw. There*htrnst*nm'~whTa^
left nUK Hejis actugtfclag'
Whal^pertinehcejjjyygpl *fMfle/jp]
enejl asjmy nose informs me that the e^,
gar is a good one. I like the aroma ot a
good cigar about a plans'., It
makes!it^so^,iihut
masculine,. xl am obliged to admit to
myself tpat it tfris one js/ a specimen
his clas3, bailiffs must be verv "Mndsdme3
a quiet gray, the
be almost invisibl
likeiwalking1
9su*
to
wish he would not stare^o. I don'tino^
what to say to him."
To add to my discomfort, I feel my.
cheeks getting crimsonI have s^chfa'
tiresome habit of blushing*-artd a jjruanf.pam
lock of hair will keep*blowing-about my
forehead. I wish that he was a little*
awkward or bashfuh* J-Jt always have
plenty of self-possessiojalSrhen talking ,to
a shy person: their diffidence gives me"
courage. I push theiiWrom my fofeJ,to oiki&to
ter
with an impatient hind, and, raising: ".^r
my eyes to his as he |r-|puring me tlfoi
a glimpse of he is quite unhurt,
which nai
worked out ofih&i&cket. AlUai
once it flashed acrossmypa&dthe "man
possession!" He i^rrjjfa bailiff, and
I havejet himjn, jand papa will come
back tofindfiisn6me~o!evoid'of furniture
everything .seized. I haW^no? doubt
that he has plenty of ass&tW%aiting
outside. T, 4i
"I am yery much* obliged tof you"I
try to say it willingly, but ftar1
cia_1"|ookmI'
standingWkffittle ledge,
seize, themi||(3list
%yin^t'
i
must have looked veiy funny. -.Seeing,
my look of annoyance, he takes no notice
of my discomfiture
"Pardon me," he sjys. politely raising
his hat-ran41 wonder to* myself how it
is that a b&Hif catf" iok~had bebaveHo
muchjifee jsf gentlemaV~,t,s
feeV
certain that he must be a bailiff. His
reference to papa's expecting himand the
legal business ha*o removed my last
U, ""J-J **%& ,m(fam rtt
4.
ks"
.j'iEi-ii
rU
pattern so smajl as to
leli-y a
gigantic,
mflrtw.^ar.B Wo
off his "dear stalker" to shade the fuzee
from the'winM^" I, notaBe that heTMjIs
beautiful browlt ha,ir',"verjf
thick^and'cur--
ly. "WhaU.pito,',^^^
"that: suebl^\ieSlooki|
Jiyself,,
niQ^iooka tflWwJ should!
be a horrible bailiff!" *JL \J
But what am I to do? i~feel~sura-tba,
the stroll about the grounds is oply pre
tence. No, he must be con0dbt|nWsome
r^8s which to gain an entrafa^Sfto the
house. I resolve to prevent hiM I not\
a woman a match in wit and resorce
til
assistance, but relief is at,hand. A gentle
man rushes forward, and with one or two
smart raps ot his stick drives the dog
away. I snatch up Tiny and make a
start for the garden before the attack is
renewed. Fate, however, is against me.
Thd horrid little dog has torn my dress,
and of course I must put my foot through
the hole and awkwardly stumble. A
strong arm outsretohed in tim just saves
me from measuring my length in the
dust.
"Don't be frightened," I hear a pleasant
cheerful vojcje_e^claini, "there is no dag
ger. The .little dog has beaten a retreat."
"Bow-wow-wow J^yelps the little
monster in contradiction as, executing a
cautious side movement, he renews the
attack. There is nothing for it but
run and run I do, nof stopping till
reach the garden gatd, th6 little dog pt
full speed after me. But-my deliverer 0 jplaced a^J^^'
equal to the occasion. JJe makes a rapid
pltmge, and seizes the dog by the back of
its nackwhich unexpected attack so
alarms the animal that it? suffers itself,
without a snap or a bit, to be lgnomin
iously expelled from the garden anjd the
gate closed upon it Fjj*,*$
fatne Ci)me
tfor
any man?'' I argue to myself. "A bailiff,
after all, is* only( ,n\an,"- commence
cogitating, dyter all kinds'of plans ftntiil I
give myself a "headache.* I am just about
to confess that I am defeated, when the
idea so long fought for comes. I see it
all in a moment The game is my own,
if I have nerve enough to take me through
it I think I have. "Pwill lure him to the
ijo^ej g[
Bodge between the
Wll os
likely bring young Mr. Barton withm him,
and then we shall be all right.'' I think
that a real lawyer must prove more than
mv bailiff can withstand.
The "Wildernesj"' is a wild,' deserr/d
spot at one end of the grounds, and far
from the road. It has been allowed to
run wild on account of its picturesqueness.
A broad fussy stream falls over soke
rocks to a depljt of sex or sevenfeet, Mak
ing a terrible ntyse, and widening into a
small lake, on the bank of whicn stands
a mock ruincovered with ivy. i It consists
of a solitary tower with two or three nar
row silts for windows, an rejoices in the
Keep. I rememoer with joy that it has a
stout oak door with a v^ry atruns lock.
I creep out softly* through thVoonser
atorT,1oeMng"-tlWr -dooTwffteT*tm*,Lancr-'
&& hover
ii
I victim talking. J&aJ^le&i&te &
excitementM reach the Keep. Lnush-the
'door open, and enter. Ughji^pira
nasty, damp, miserable place |t*a(Vjust
like'a dungeon^Wftrle old casfeTT^rejJ^0^
and an old garden-stoo
remove, I ,hefjMf ovj^fthe*stool,hnt/
compassion is overcome,
myself,
"ouy
ew carefully
and an n\A rrorrlon.afnrwll iUMMli'^L^fJ.^^ haVAtheeHtdrying
Z^HM* IsayVopen^thc
p&If. he is tiise4
yo must
he mushta sid on the gro
P^j-aiiVand spadeiaridjrake
to eJU
tthrowit out after the
My next procee^mg is
,amine thellflok:' This nearly ftjj
dt is so stiff that I can hardly
at a loss whaf .to do, whel
sight ot atpmall hditte of oil a:
a
a fieatW
joyfuliy^
fcrj. Thfe,
the" thing!"
bottle is verv dirty and sticky, butul am
too excited to heed such1*
pet^v discom
forts so I pull out the feather aifd begin
'roBglf thmjBeyhofe
oj^fls^m twesome Mthfiij
I cr5*^lDrMe%s%nlpiiigWe%riu
o|(l *h^ lock?' .Aid,^turning
'around, I beheld my victim, regarding
me with a slightly astonished!^vet amused
look. I(am too1
'much nbrjplussed td re
ply.
iCan-I assist youi^-he-inquiree^ and,
iting for my
Jsather are ta[
Iuntifry assistan
lobs^overd step, is
**ing away at
locksmith
hetly f(
ission, the
me, and
of the
is kness
as if he
life. He
tfine without
fhile LA
ink of i
faces mevwith a grave face, whichja% at
once iweaks into an irrepressible sftalje $f
amusement that he vamly strives fo CJCBI
ceal. -r
-J^flush angrlvAt jwhat Aconsic^rJi
^nip^Ktinence. Af^wad, When I ige^fay
self in^the glass. mjQondei is renu)dS-
m^dress^ll..tornan(f*cleas|d, issrj^i&ed
jULflown-tiierlfront wittyer|en mdlsSmi
riist, whUe acrosr ^-SK- -^---s
have used my g*
rpinitui^.bri
improvj|ment
beantvi M^voluni ._.
clea-nThh hands,^nd" as
t^a^hishanr handsrane antique
ge^ofhisright^'
he remarks:
"tam rathi
beenin-onrf!
fery^
He turns away as if to return to the gar
den.
"Now or never!" I say to myself, and
with ajapidly-beatipghearll begia._
"Ahem! wouldyounot like to go in-
wonffeThe does nwheTtr^^^*^^
"Is it really a ruin?" he asks.
rfflBrmfgWffltf^
aaWtafonaone)Qi|id|h^^
"Thjmkvpu, ?\l the same he says,
MthinkJUwill content mvself with
an^ojutside view^ I dare ,say it"is full of
jehrwigs anjr ^spiders, 'very unpleasant
creatures to Tiave tumbling about one,
4on't,you think so?"
"Yes,**lAowry assent, addmgquioklv,
a
ei
check' fe, J# Xk&mj
window-panes. He takes
have to get
I cautiously unhook the^chain,
door sogingerly tiiat Father' *kan
to give iCqnfteVa pus^Before he can get
in.
"O, dad, de/iS," I %4as I kiss hjnj,,
am^soiglad that you are come back.*-
h!ad snch an awful tight The bailiff has
ieett%re-an would hay#got into the
Tiouse ont|th I was too cleverW hint/'
And Ijflapjftny hands Snd laugh glee
fully as l^elae to my father l^ie excit'
mg eveniPftfllie day and? he Scalls me
liis ','braTS llttBe girj,v" and ,'"af heroine,"
and only|laughs when I assure "him that*
jihe baihff looked '"quite like a gentle
iWeJl^^earj" mK/a%^begins*.
do^tcVimierM'rsaw (ild
aloVhemas: adtoigeaSnieAfo
sefttlew the4 matternat oncein fact,
candidly told me that he^tttoughtiili was-"
infoe*'wrdngSoafter dinner we will gee
lease your friend. #dare say something
warm for his inside .mndii some gelden
ointment-for the palm- ofhis hand will
soon put matters right. Old Barton is
ageingrfelirnTuoh^^nW fattfeTcontmttes,
as he tefreWrVfly sips his w*ne* "He was
very pleased to see me. I had quite a
long chat with him. He says that his
ne is
J&j Ifonfusedly
means* by which
I can trap nay game. Tnere is the prison,
anil there is the prisoner, but how is he
to be put inside it? "What a strong
locktMsis! I should not xare to be bjfc-
stioag as an elephant, so that I might
pustt him in nolens nolens "u
i" I think you will find it all right aow.
is still a little stiff, but you wifP Belspri
le to turn, itJ' 3 ^ine^aTneTobkreagerly"about vu,,
Ana^ ris^sg'Trom his Knees, the ^dletfm^asif expedting^an ambuscadoiof
e?s-
k^&n^fcnuMng tin
^d with idea, olJij
wi"V*4aflikelfy ^T
a a iX%&n S
A
tuoa papa wilfm'
Flj T^^.
jtoolsinjher&sothatl am always mf
VenteJ4]|rbn)JgJardpning unless WilUim is
here fo get thein*for me. I wanted to do
try-the-effect ot-a little sigh
Spccess' My Jfish nibbles,' Now to
.landhimPfl 1 13 fyft
i "Can't I act as WilUam's iib^titue?*\ jj|
And, without waiting for my permis
sion, the unfortunate bailiff braves the
earwigs andspiders and enters the trap.
"Thank you'" I cry, excitedly. "You
will find them in the recess behind the
door." J^t
Hastily following him, I^ull the door,
turntfhe key with a desperate vSrench.
andMoVering my ears mxti my hands, I
fly like a hunted deer~toward "the house
Poor Jane's wits ^are nearly scared
away when I relate tamer-my adventures.
She declares that bailiffs always hunt in
couples,rahd
that there*is sure to be an
other lurking about the- place. So, to
prevent a surprise, we carefully lock and
b61talll tbMtodrs, and, notwithstanding
that it is early in the afternoon, close and
fasten the shutters to all the windows on
the ground floor, i, i ,i
How slowly the,'time passes"' ^hree,
o'clockfour o'clock^no atheH If he
deesnot catch the four o'clock express
from Bardmoor, he will not reach home
till seven.
I Another hour before he can arrive' jl
try (to-read, but cannot, settle my ideasj
It is equally i useless to wor-kj I
torri
tureariyseif with all kinds'of horrible
though^but4t last the hands of the
'Cloak point to^alfcpast^fiv^vJH^jMwt.
.he-how* u I^A
ipf mjr bedroom
anaathen I^ish^t*o the idSbf^
^i|^toe\hjn, cautUl46
isper to^ni^
Sj"s CJffil^il, father, andwhen I open the
doorr comeJfnr as quickly as you can, but
i^ia^^jP11
se
an
ound 1
is
is nothing inside but a spade aiidarake Watching, as the bailiffs are*Tiere,^ani\i
low,
photi I've gotr*in my pocket' somewhere
And,^after searching for some tjme,/my
father- pulls out front a packet of papers^
a small-sized carte'-de-v^ite, which/
herwhisky-drinking
hands to me. I takej^ jfrom him, and
look at it. One glance' Is sufficient.
dash it from me, and, burying my face'in
my hands, I cry out:
"O, dad, dad, the bailiff!"
here, gn-14" asbeury father^
counh-myrmidonsfr
asnMm-:
'to'^iny
stomps le
^T3^
ring llflip
^rations, ^tfp
JShoissentaf
for inspection,
at it, coldly observi&
that I was no antiquary and I smile to
myself at the idenif a bailiff .talking of
"generations," as if he had an ?icstry.
A,
count
ok eagerly the ro i
room
me, I implore you, father, that is not Mr.
Barton's likeness! you ar$ only gidHhig I
know you are!" and I looked at him pite
ouslyf
^n sftrr? ry
ou mean? Whose
it to be?"
fc|gaO*fc g|eait "The bailifTsafne iriand^ looked up
mustf:the ruin"
ali me
teness doyouimag-
"WhewlP' whistles my father, "Tbat's
it, is it?''Here's a pretty kettle of fish!
you've locked up the* young from
London' Gentlemanlv bailif indeed!
Hj9^^W
#I^WMlfllawyerWAc-
S
'wee a^erj |4housand pounds. Well, you area nice
joung lady-^uijtg^hetoincPV
My father's eyes twinkle merrily as
Jfres off hisjjdfceyaf tctv fs^efiak. I
not mind Mfe'chafifbuf Irthin
WN ttt
it
too
bad that he ab^uhi^make pg ao^ with
him to release my prisoner, as* ne insists
on calling him*, .nut,into the.^lark we
go. I lmgei^e^|a,|Mgij^hat my
father would arrive at the run"before I
dotfgls&bpasjri sucjl #tep&lr
lis me to nim,he places my hand under
wwt^gMajyai8ajyy'
his arm and makes me keep pace with
him, while he indulges in dismal fore
bodings as to the condition in which my
jjrisoner.will be,found._J|B jrings the
changef^^M1!1^^*
hurt, Whed Th
son suicide and melancholy mad-
le^hcatl^i^^fraWal^P^hich
lalutes^ufnosfcas tends to remove,our
hS
duel
Pffi^^*
saysv^ith melodra
11
i^
i
j. am trembling all over,,but with great
effort I manage to turn the key and give
the floor a feeble push. I'telfc the door
^pulled open. I dare not look. Mv *yes
ar cast to t,he ground, and my cheeks
are on fire, as in a scarcelv audible voice
I jsay, "I am so sorry, Mr.'Barton. I did
notmean to,I took yon for Aa" It
tojj mncM I break down^and, ingno
^miniouslyburstbgintotears^riinto my
^ine keep my-gardeningf father and bury my face on his shoulder.
there, my girl cries my fath
er,"There, soothingly.( He^holds me to him. and,
softly patting me with one hand, he turns
to Mr. Barton, and says, "We must ask
your forgiveness, Mr/Bartonj and I am
sure you will give it when I explain how
-my little girl has made a great mistake.
In fact, she took you for a Country Court
^bailiff'" and my father explains ever3v
thing to him.
,h
When he was finished, I raise my head,
and, looking shyly at Mr.JBarton, say.
"I am so sorry. I do not know how I
could have made such a mistake. It was
so foohsn, but I was so frightened!"
It would be useless to relate the many
kind things Mr. Barton said. He made
so many excuses for me, and was so kind
and good-natured, that by the time we
had reached the house I had recovered
my self-pofsession sufficiently to be able
to lattg&'aftun? amusing^ anecdote he re
lated t\ ^s.
Fortunately dinner/had not 4vance
very far when I discovered my mistake.
We made a very merry party that night.
My father brought-out some"of Ms cher
ished port that saw the light only on very
srreat occasions and as he insisted on Mr.
Barton staying all night, and the next
morning in saying fGood-by" gave him
a pressing invitation to come and see ns
Very often, I think I am justified in be
lieving that my prisoner had created a
very favorable impression on that ad
amantine structure^a father's heart
Three months later. A sharp winter
has set in, and the Stream still The lake
is frozen oveA and I am sitting on the
banktwhile Mr, Barton is assisting me to
lemove mv skates I have'been receiv
ng mVfirsMessbnitf skating. It was so
pleasant! I was not at all afraid. My
^teacher's arm was so strong and he held
my hands so tightly!
"Da you remember the aftjernoos when
I locked you up?" I ask, as we carry our
skates into the ruin.
"Remember?" he cries, looking me full
in the face. "I should think I It
was the happiest day of my life1."do!
Stupid little goose that I am, I begin
to tremble, ah.d my foolish cheeks flash
the tell-tale calor. The skates fall to the
ground as myhands are quickly grasped
and my prisoner makest me captive I
try to release myself, but my efforts
cease as my captor, in almost breathless
words, tells me he loves me. I do not
know whether I give any answer, but in
a moment he has drawn me to him I
pillbw my berid on his breast, his arms
are around me, and I know that I am his
and that beas mine!
"Hey-day!" exclaims a voice, as my
father suddenly appears on the scene.
"What does this mean?"
"Only the man in possession!" replies
Mr. Baiton. grasping my father's readily
outstretched hand.
a. Trial Fbr Murder that Ended with
.the Marriage herviee,
A greater transition from stress of men
tal afaxiety and possible woe to buoyant
life and happiness can hardly be imagin
ed than'w&s, recently presented in a Cali
fprnia copt-room. It was a case of mur
der, but, instead of having to pronounce
the death sentence, the Judge performed
the much more agreeable duty of reading
Joaquin River, had a night's drinking
bout in the neighboring town of Antioch.
The next morning,! George Mitchell, a
ne'er do-well, was found
tumbled off the wharf in |he mud, deads
Suspicioh faiteqedr upon^Hanks as \ja
mnrdeter, and*he wasBaptured by oflicer.
after an exciting boat race towards the
schooner, which the captain sought for
refuge. Close bv the captain's side
man, who"watched with painful anxiety
every development. It soon became ap
parent to the cpurt-room audience that
Mary Rayn|o|it,had'a mprp theri com
mon stake in the fate of captian Hanks,
wtfo,'jjrfy thjd'way, now t^kf he was sober
and*Weil dressed, was as4ihe ahdf'gallant
a fellow to look upon as you often see.
The general atmophere of sympathv
finally became so intensfe that the Judge,
in making his charge, ^cpnsjldered it his
duty to caution the jury against allowing
it to influence
hibiifiaub: lowed.
but nt
witjlcj lovers
he
do
The
ex-
l|^#l|logiOHad toVfinpre
W%# WP4 Jr%es|ed
an they had with the loves ot
Abelard and Heloise. Luckily, the
evidence! Watfinot conclusive, *and the
jury, only too glad not to ruthlessly sever
two hearts that beat as one^7S|kedily
returned a^verdictof nojbi guUty," and
then, so^oiry^is' totaW We breath
awA^Bcom|e woman spectators of the
rtriaC*the
4preiemfe
i
Blissful couple stood up in the
of the Judge and were made
man and wife- -*& ._....
