The record-union. [volume], November 10, 1894, Page 6, Image 6

About The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903

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6
TALES of
TEN TRAVELERS.
TIIE DEMYiLLE AWAKENING.
[Copyright, 1894, by Ederar L. Wakeman. All
rights reserved.!
The early winter winds were whistling
wildly across the gray Now Englau I
hiils and beating plaintive threnodies
through tho ancient elms aud maples
•which swayed and lashed above the
Streets and homes of quaint old Dent
ville, huddling sleepily and comfortably
beneath.
All this day and all the day and night
before, with the bitter blast had come the
stinging sleet. It had sheeted the wall of
stone winding along tiie highways aud
lanes and between the tiuy farms, until
they shone like polished marble, it had
pointed the stubble iv the lields uutil it
stood like myriad barbs of steel. It had
armored the outlying shocks of corn
until they paled and Hashed like ghostly
sentinels at their posts, and had mantled
the peaked stacks beside the farmsteads
along the hillsiues until they seemed like
erigantic cowls of huddled monks at
prayer.
From end to end of Dentvilie its broad
roofed homes lay silvered, ice-oound aud
clutched as in a remorseless iron baud,
and a» with lithe aud cruel rods of steel
the lierce swirls of broken ioe prisms,
rone* and circlets swept lrom the tossing
limbs ai ovo, had scourged the village
folk from straggling streets to homes.
If the dominating spirits of such ele
mental hours have consciousness as tho
day wore on iney could not but have, no
ticed that the feiomrs power seemed to
have greatest force and fury at four sep
arate points withiu aud about the little
village.
One of these was where a mass of stately
larches threateningly twisted around
and over a great stone mansion, at the
highest and mo» exposed portion of the
principal village street, and where a
hard-laced old uian stood at the broad
windows of his ample home, looking
with unrelenting and almost tnumphaut
face into the deserted street below.
Auother was where great elms. In a
protecting hollow square, came between !
the village church, and entirely around, '
tho pretty village parsonage. Ihe struct- j
ure was set back a little lrom the street,
and was reached lrom tho roadway !
through rows of box and lilac where, in
summer, birds must have come aud built
and sung, and at the dainty latticed win
dow of this parsonage a man's sad and
thoughtful face was pressed, in mute
.seeming, that tho possessox-'s heart was
troubled for the Hurts which winter ever
"brings.
Stiil another, was just at the village
edge, in tho middle of a stony field; a
long, low, rambling structure, cheerless
us tho storm-swept, outjuttings rocics
around it; comfortless as tho ghostly hills
which made its pitiless horizon; lighlless
as the shuddering night which was clos
ing iv upou it; more hopeless to its in
uiates than icy storms, granite rocks or
even death; lor here was one of those sub
limute antitypes of New England Chris
tian charity, the village poor Louse, the
very starveling trees around it beating
its icy shingles as if in bitter taunt ana
menace at the half starved wretches be
iieatb. And well it was for the peace of
Dentville that what faces, if any, peered
lrom these rattling windows, were safely
hidden by distance ironi village eyes be
low.
The last was where a half-dozen gigan
tic silver poplars whipped aud moaned
above the villago tavern. Though it stood
in a little hollow over against tne village
postollice and general store; though it
was Burrounded and protected by rising
ground on the one sido and iiue old build- .
iugs on the other; though the elms and
mapies opposite should have brokeu tho
force of the blast, and this place of all
places in Dentvilie beeu quiet ana hush
iul in the fiercest of storms, it seemed
that the elements now combined in most
lurious pranks and antics about it.
Its ancient sign swung wildly and
groaned dismally. Its great chimneys
gave out hoarse murmurings. Its dimin
utive windows rattled and trembled as
though every succeeding blast would
beat them in. Its tiny shutters were torn
irom their fastenings. The poplars above
it seemed writhing and bending as if
about to crash througu its warped aud
Blivered roof.
And as if in keeping with the intensity
of the elemental struggles around and
above this old Red Lion Inn of Deut
ville, the most pitiful and desperate lace
that, bad eve:• been seen in the village—a
woman's face from which the last gieam
of hope had been ellaced as though by
this very storm—was now and theu
pressed against its icy window panes.
If, too, such relentless forces of nature
could bo conscious and all-observant, it
would have been noticed that at least
thr<;o of the wild s-torin-centeis in Deut
villo had their corresponding surgings of
troublous human emotion housed be
neath them.
More unaccountable still, the three
faces at the three separate windows, that
of the chief mansion of the village, the
■village parsonage and tho villago inn,
were all looking with deep inteutness at
the same object in the now diuily-lighte.l
Tillage postoflice window.
This object was a miserable placard in
dingy black aud white, telling the pitiful
old legend upon which countless ambiti
ous and hopes Bad belore been broken,
how a certain Grand .Star Combination,
appealing to the cultured appreciation ol
Dentvilie, had, after repeated urgent re
quests, turned aside lrom its victorious
route through the chief cities of the coun
try to present iv Dentville Hall, for three
nights only, its matchless renditions of
fcjhakespeareau tragedy.
I'onsonby Addington, it proclaimed in
its hugest and most mottled blocK-type
letters, before whom even Kings and
Knrperors had bowed in fervor of his
tronic admiration, had consented to ap
pear in tho leading roles. Tne queen of
the tragic stage, Letitla Addington, had
been securoU to delineate Shakespeare's
marvelous heroines, and these renowned
stars would have the able support of tho
highest talent procurable in the dramatic
centers of the ilusU
The costumes were heralded as brilliant
and gorgeous; tho orchestral scores would
be charmingly rendered; to add to the
unrivaled ellectiveness of these ever
niomorable performances there would be
an impressive array of knights, courtiers,
guards, ineu-at-arms, pages and attend
ants, aud, notwithstanding the extraor
dinary expense of this niastodonic aggre
gation of talent, prices had been reduced
to suit the times aud admission would
only be—Adults, 25 cents: children, 10
cents: children in arms, free.
The unrelenting and almost triumph
ant face behind the winduws of tlio chief
mansion of tho village was that of old
'Squire Gabriei Dent, for half a century
the dominant spirit of the hamlet that
bore his name; a man of iron will, stern
as the granite hills above him and as in
llexibie in the principles of Jii.s puritanic
creed as tiie immutable tenets of the hard
Mosaic law.
\\ itiiin the same room sat "Aunt Mar
tha," his wife, tender as her husband was
unyielding ;uid grim, bore down by some
grief and affliction, and with that timor
ous, appealing look in her face betoken
ing the life of endless servility and abne
gation she had led.
Just inside the doorway was a hatless,
bullet-headed, withered being, whose
mingled smothered snalflingsand grow is
proceedod, when he spoke, from tho
huge folds of a woolen comforter, as
through a ragged sieve. Mis beady eyes
furtively followed the florid ligures of
the ingrain carpet and his two cracked
and horny hands rested on the knob of
a savage club. This was "old Gabe
Dent's handy man," as lie was called in
the village, the Dentville Constable, lieu
ben .Screws.
The iatter had just entered tho room
and Aunt Martha had raised the corner
of her apron to her eyes as if from long
habit to check the gathering tears.
"'Tachment served. Rube?" demanded
the old 'squire roughly from his man.
"All sarved, slick and span," was the
mullled answer.
"Has tavern-keeper Gibbt got every
thing locked up tight from that pack o'
tramps?"
".Everything's cleaned out orten 'em,
though 't didn't 'pear i' me as how Gibbs
jess liked it. Said 'twas a pity t' bo too
tarnal rough on 'em."
"L)id, did he?"
"That's about it, 'Squire."
"When did he shut oil" their supplies,
Rube?"
"Last night when they got back t' th'
tavern after th' show."
"Not given 'em a mouthful since,
Rube?" '
".Nary bite, save th' head un, who's ■
down with sunth'n. Gin him some!
chicken broth t'-day noon. Wouldn't a !
done tiiat, Glbbs wouldn't, arter th' \
word you sent him, 'ceplin' he's afraid
the lioad uns a goner."
"Oh, father!" exclaimed Aunt Martha
in tears behind her (tattering apron, "re
nieinber the words we've been a listenin'
to all along through these revival meet
in's th' last lour weeks. Don't bt3 too
hard on the poor creeturs. Oh, Gabriol,
don't! Mebby, somewhere iv tho wide,
wide world, our Letty's in sorrow -an'
tribulation, this very minute, borne
down to the earth with need an' want an'
grief. Remember—"
"Remember! Ain't I remembering?
Eye for eye, tooth for tooth! Thai's
Scriptur', an' mighty good Scriptur', too!
Didn't them cursed play actors steal our
Letty from us? Didu't'them cursed play i
actors ruin our home? Didn't I swear j
the girl never should come back, and i'd :
red Dentville of the vermin forever? j
Martha, you best remember this town
has hud a great awakening!"
"A great awakeniu'," wheezed Keubeu
Screws.
"The sword and the spirit have de
scended."
"Has descended," echoed the blinking
Constable.
"Root and branch, the devil must be
driven from among us!"
"Koot and branch!" snullled Reuben ;
Screws.
'"And as long as 1 run this town it's got
to be a religious town!" thundered tho
excited 'Squire.
"Religious town," came the voice from
the woolen comforted
"Ob, husband," sobbed Aunt Martha,
"I'd rattier have the touch of poor Letty'a
hand, dead or alive, than ail the hard,
cold things that can be twisted tad
turned in religion.-, holy name! What if
that very woman you're helpin 1 starve at
the tavern, was our own Letty? It's her
name. Oh, it's our own Letty'a name!"
"Then I'd drive her into the storm for
an unrepentant child of Satan. I'd—"
I'iUt his wife, with so:js and stilled
screams, had lied from the room aghast at
tne diro threats she know were welling
lrotn his implacable and angry heart.
"Rube, wh,it\-> that?"
The Constable wriggled quickly to the '
old '.Squire's side, and the two gazed with !
something akin to fascinated astonish
ment at a tail, commanding figure, well
clad against ihe furious storm, that had
moved slowly down the village street.
entered the postomce, attached beneath
tho Grand Mar Combination's poster a
geueruus placard, and returning irotn his
j errand, had given a hasty glance at the
| tavern window, lrotn which the white
I and hopeless face had instantly disap
i peared.
'iiirce exclamations followed this ap
parently trilling incident.
"That woman-hearted parson's med
dling, Rube!" was the impatient out
burst in the window of the mansion.
'■; h. now like him is that noble lear
lessuessin duty! But it is too late—too
late!" came lrom tho lips of the white
I face in the tavern window.
"it is right," said the man in the street;
"and whoever questions or cavils over it
has not the love of the merciful Christ iv
his heart. 1'
This little incident bad its origin in the
village parsonage, in its ousy sitting
room, dining-room, parior ana pastor's
study combined.
lioie, beiore a cheery blaze of maple
knots, had sat all tho stormy alteruoon,
"Mother Marden" —
A .Martiui with ;t Mary"s saintly eves,
and mother true to all the sore hearts of
Deutville Village, with lima Marden,
sweet and loving daughter, now a woman
grown, busied ai her needle-work; while
I'uilip Marden, son, brother and village
pastor, had dejectedly sat before hisdesK,
pacing the glowing room uneasily as his
mother and Ruth now ami theulooked
up with kinuiy and loving smiles, or
stood at tiie latticed window, gazing with
i sad and thoughtful face at the windows
i ol tho Ued Lion in the street below.
"What is worrying you, Philip?" at
last affectionately inquired Mother Mai
den.
'Two things," he auswered without
turning irom the window. "One is the
almost hopelessness of reaching and
melting a few stony hearts here iv Dent
viile."
"Hut the revival meetings have won
over a great many to the church," broke
in Ruth encouragingly.
"Yes, many, iiut that has been the
easiest task. The obdurate, puritanic,
stony, self-justified souls within the
church are those most needing saving
grace."
SACRAMENTO DATLT HECOKD-TTXTOy, SATTrpDAT, XOVEMTJETC 10, 1894.
"My! What do you mean, Philip?"
begged Ruth with genuine concern.
'"1 mean that I have been preaching
here for nearly twenty years straight at
the hearts of old <iabe Dent and a fow
others liko him; preaching the Gospel of
charity, mercy, tenderness, forgiveness,
peace. They sit with closod eyes and
sanctimoniously squared jaws and shout
'Amen I' and are harder and craeler than
evt r. Why, do you know," he contin
ued with a burst of almost pitiful dis
couragement, "every clergyman in every
civilized community on oarth could
gather the Buffering and all but lost close
within the folds of infinite love and
peace wore it not for these very impassa
ble barriers of obdurate self-justification,
disgusting cant, deadly uncuarilabieness
ana merciless cruelty, sel like Hint,
within the church itself, toward every
unfortunate, wuiferiug heart to which tho
divine passion was alono directed."
The needles of Mother Marden and
Ruth Qew a little faster, but beyond
sympathetic glances toward the man at
the lattice, there was no response.
"Think of the treatment those poor,
miserable barn-stormers down at tho
tavern are receiving in Dentville this
very moment," he said with vigorous
gestures of commiseration and condem
nation, as though eloquently pleading
their cause in his own pulpit.
"What aro 'barn-stormers,' brother
Philip?"
"Kh? Why, broken-down actors or
reputabio actors who, under tho bitter
stress of necessity, go from one little
town to another with all manner of pa
thetic shifts and expedients, clutching
like scourged beasts at something upon
which to live."
Little ejaculations of surprise and pity
escaped the gentle women's lips.
"These miserable beings have tried to
give onteriainmeuts at tho town hall. The
weather has whipped everyone out of the
streets, aud, more sorrowful still, old
Gabo Deut, under the guise of religious
duty, has warned away from the hall
every soul in the village his wealth or
the fear of his hatred could influence.
Result: Not a hall-dozen present tho Ofst
night, and notmoro than half that num
ber last night. To-night, in this bitter
storm, what can tho attendance l>o?"
"Dear, dear!" and "I'oor souls!" mur
mured mother and daughter sympathet
ically.
"Worse than all, at old Gabe Dent's in
stigation—as Gibbs leases the tavern from
him and is always behind in his rent—
their ragamuffin belongings have been
attached; they ai-j without food, as I
learned at tho postothce at noon; ihe chief
actor is broken down and ill, and all the
lew members of the company are only
half-clad aud are certainly half-starved."
"What are they to do?" asked Ruth
with a dismal face, whilo Mother Mar
don, who had laid her work aside, sat
with half-closed eyes soberly regarding
their own blazing lire.
"What are they to do, Ruth? If hu
man or divine interposition does not suc
cor them, they will all be turned into the
street to perish from hunger and the
storm. And this—God forgive my un
availing efforts here!—is in a Christian
community, in the nineteenth century
and at the very hlght of an awakening of
Christian fervor and zeal!"
"Isn't the lirst name of the leading
actress," began Mother Marden mus
ingly, and yet with a slight tromor in her
voice, "the same as—as "
"Yes, mother, yes; the same as hia
daughter, around whom my very life was
once wrapped. It was so long,"long a^o,
that we may speak plainly of these mat
ters now," returned Philip Mardeu with
sudden solemnity.
Here mother and daughter exchanged
furtive glances of tenderness and pity.
"It would almost seem that this alone
would touch tho old 'Squire's heart.
Why, I, who am not her blood and who
so long ago forgave her for the seeming
cruelty of her leaving us lor thn allure
ments of the stage, have been deeply
stirred by this mere coincidence of
names."
"i >f course it could be only a coinci
dence," suggested Ruth comfortingly.
"Why 'only oo' sister Ruth? Stranger
things are daily happening all around us
than that this broken lile, iv very desper
ation of all othur recourse, iv its bitter
extremity should steal back here with
some vague impulse of affection, of heart
hunger, of looking again, even in this
wretched fashion, in the faces of those
she once had loved, should some of them
still ba faces of stone."
"Philip, have you leit that you had any
duty in this matter?"
When Mother Marden said this, there
was that glowing in her line, plain face
which made it easy to know the noble
strain through which had come this hum
ble village pastor's mllexibie manhood
and aii-coui(>assiug human charily,
"Yes, just this. Hut come here, and I
will show you a part of it now," ho said
quietly, as he sealed himself at his desk'
in front of him lay two huge pieces of
cardboard, lie traced upon these in wide
and generous lines ■ lew well chosen
words aud signed them with his uamo.
Then, turuintr to the two who wore bent
over him proudly, he know, without
speech, that what he had written echoed
the wishes of their own gentle hearts.
"If these can help them along their
wretched way a little, well aud good," ho
continued, as he turned to tho cheery lire
to more quickly dry the ink. "If they do
not, then —"
"Then," interrupted Mother Marden
calmly and Ruth Marden enthusiastically
lollowing with their eyes Philip Gar
den's happy glance around the humble
home, "we can help them someuhui
here!"
"Ye 3, yes, dears! Now for my great
coat aud hai."
The mother brought one, the sister the
other, aud with many encouraging pat
tings aud careasmgs, they uoth brought
him to the door aud iuto the roarin^
storm, following his line, manly figure as
it labored slowly down the street, with
kindling, loveful, misting eyes.
lie had scarcely time to have re-entered
tho parsonage from his erraud with the
notices at the Poßtoffice and church door
when Reuben Screws stood at the Post
ofhco window before tho pastor's placard
his weazened lace working giiniaeinjrly
as he spelled out the lines and baal Tho
words, for faithfully carrying back to his
master, slowly andcarehuly into his hard
old head. This is wnat he linaliy mas
tered :
NOTICE.
Owing to the seriou- inclemency of the
weather, there will be no service at the chim-ii
this evening.
Those who can 6pnre tue uecessarv nuans
and who let-1 so disposed might pa-* a plea»
ant mid Instroctlve evening, while carryinc
out the principle*of true ciiristian charity,
by attending tUo players' entertainment lo
uight. at Liemville Hall.
JUue reasons for tUis suggestion by your pas-
tor will be given at our next praise service,
which will be held to-morrow eveniij;.'. weather
permitting. PHILIP MARDEN.
In a few minutes more old Gable Dent's
little ferret was tracing with iiis horny
linger these words against the window
panes in his master's house, writiug,
while reading aloud, with minutest par
ticularity this the most astounding notice
which had ever been po9ted in Dentville.
"Keubeu Screws," said the oid 'Squire
sternly when the former had finished,
"that was in pastor Marden's haudwril
ing, word for word?"
"Writ by Philip Marden, posted by
Philip Marden, letter lor letter and word
tor word!"
The old man fairly gasped for a mo
ment, as his lowering looks took in the
postotiice, the Ked Lion tavern and the
street toward tho parsonage a little dis
tance beyond.
"1 hen," he said with lips so tightly
drawn that they were bloodless and while
across his almost chattering toeth, "all
I've cot to say is that preacher's an apos
tate, and < Jabriel Dent'll take a hand at
tho powers of Satuu in this here town."
"Powers o'Satan in this 'ero town,"
niumbied the Constable, his beady eyes
blinking like au excited owl's Irojti con
jectures of possible consequences.
"No wonder religion's dead !" thun
dered the 'Squire, crashing a list into the
palm of his other hand.
"No wonder!" wua sieved through the
Constable's woolen neck comforter.
"It's got to be lifted up in Dentville!"
almost hci earned old Uabriel Dent, aa he
plunged about the room.
"Might up !" wheezed " the Constable,
following him as if to bo ready fur in
stant action.
The old 'Squire wheeled and stooped
suddenly.
•'They're paupers before tho law!
They've no visible means of support!
They're on the town this minute!
ltube," ho added with almost childish
glee, "is tho poor house full?"
"A leetlj crowded; a ieetle, \Squiro,"
pulled ready Kouben, "but ol' Beetles
lol' me last week ihey'd been 'carryin'
out'a few. Guess we might nnd room
lur a half-dozen er so; a half-dozen or
so," he repeated with a leer which set
his face to working hideously.
"Got—get the books!" demanded Ga
briel Dent faming with impatience. "The
books—and a light, Jlube!"
A light was at once brought, and the
Constable liuttered it back and forth
along the dusty shelves.
"Th'— th' statootß, 'Squire?"
"Yes, yes! The revised statutes.
<iuick, now, ltube! If it's as it ought to
be, Dentvillo '11 be safe from the vipers'
fangs yet, yet this night, Keubeu
Screws!"
The old 'Squire pored over the pages of
the statutes lor a few minutes, aa though
lives depended upon the result; while
great veins Bprang upon his forehead and
were lost in the silvery hair of his head.
it is seldom in theao later days, thank
heaven! that religion is essayed to bo
lilted up, that fervor in even a supersti
tioualy holy cause, that an awakening to
man's duty to his creed and his fellow
men, is begun and curried out with such
appalling intensity and zeal, as here in
this ancient mansion beneath this llick
ering light, where the two old heads, so
near the eternal Bilences, crowded close
and fiercely over the wise provisions of
the law; out with aery of delight from
tho 'Squire aud a hoarse gurgle of satis
faction lroin tho Constable, the sought
for .sentences were louud, road as a
starved dog will crunch a toothsome
bone, and the statutes then clapped to
gether and hugged to the' Squire's side
like some priceless gift of edicaoy and
power.
"<iuick, now, Rube!" ho exclaimed,
springing from the table. "Harness the
double team to tho lumber wagon. Got
it around to the tavern the quickest way
you ever moved in al) your natural iiw.
We'll have 'em ready. Gibbs and I'll
make short work of 'em, now. Put a
little straw—not much, mind—in the bot
tom of the wagon-box, for tho—the
strumpet women, ii they dou'tdoservo it.
Kubo. Hurry, now! Gibba and I'll root
'em out, tooth and nail, bag and baggage.''
But Reuben Screws was already puff
ing and wheezing In the barn at bis mas
tor's I adding, and when old Gabriel Dent
discovered he was railing at empty walls
he hastened from tho warmth ol nis tire
sido with the alacrity of eager youth out
into the iearsome night.
When a certain quality of roligion and
a certain quality ol law aro conjointly
utilized in elevating tho morals and anni
hilating tho evils of a community, im
inan lives are as bits of chaff between
the upper and nether millstones of oxpe
dicuc.T.
A village Justice court, n complaint
under oath, a hasty examination, where
the facts and tho law were as plain as t:;o
parson's notice in the post-oiiuo window,
a hastily-scrawled commitment in ttie
hands of Constable Screws, tho bundling
of the dazed, stricken and half-crazed
actors into the wagon-box, a rattle and
clatter of wheels and prancing of sprawl
ing, brutally-urged horses along the icy
road, were the evangelizing work for a
very brief time this evening in DeutvUle;
when all that was left of tho l'ousonby
Addingtou Grand Star Combination was
clattering, sliding and whirling on lt-t
pitiless way to tho Doutville poorhcuse,
just behind the pretty hamlet among tho
stony hills.
Old Gabriel Dent now pushed his way
stonily against the storm back past tho
little poatomce, where ho halted an in
stant beside its dun window. Hero ho
slowly and ruminatively read and reread
his pastor's notice. He again started for
ward, but paused again, turned, and
shaking his list at the placard, vindict
ively muttered:
"The genuine awakening in Dontvillo
is just begun, Philip Maiden! Next to
actor imps of .Satan apostate preachers
come. 1 don't know but tliey como lir.st,
Philip Mardon," as he resumed his
sturdy walk up the hill. "1 don't know
but they come lirst, I'll think it over,
Philip Maiden.'.'
Unentered his home with the calm face
of one oxalted with tho sense of duty
done. Ho found Aunt Martha awaiting
him patiently bosido tho tea table. His
recast was untouched until ho had said
accustomed grace by repealing the Lord's
Prayer.
Then ho began upon his food with
hearty relish and zest, but his bent little
wiio—was it from the subtle instinct of iho
mother's uuaccouniable forebodings and
measureless compassion ?—stealiuiiy and
many times lifted" that comforting apron
corner to her dim old eyes during the
single evening meal.
Despair is oftoner dumb than fronzied,
but it is olton buth.
The haggard wi tnau, holding to her
heart her stricken husband as they were
sped away irom the Ked Liou in the
jolting wagon, might have had some :-.wiit
consciousness of ttio light gleaming from
tho trreat house upon tho hill; of the
merciless baud which had signed thoir
commitment; of tho tender homo lights
leaping across countless shining objects
ana burning into hor desolate, desperate
heart; for the infinite God can only meas
ure punishments and moments such as
these.
Her lace fell upon her breast and
mutely doodled into the ghastly lace
and ueck of the man she held with awiul
pressure to her wildly lluttering heart.
And thus it was until the open country
was reached. Hero she raised her head
as if stung by unendurable torment.
< »ut between tho hills, across tho stony,
storm-swept spaces, she saw the blinking
lights from tho straggling poor-houso
windows, rtho craned her head and neck
far out toward them for a moment.
"My God ! Not that! Not that!"
Only these half-iormed words escaped
her lips; but now followed tiie lionzy of
despair.
She laid the senselss form from her
arms tenderly in tho straw of the wagon
box, tihe crawled among her compan
ions, rousing them with startling whis
pers, beating them into life with sting
ing blows. They seemed to rise op at
last and gather around her. Her hands
like claws wero suddenly thrust up into
the night, and wheu they as swiftly re
turned, lieu ben ."Screws was in their re
morseless clutch.
A moment more and the wagon had
come to a halt. In auothor moment, the
Constable was bound to his seat, the des
perate occupants of the wagon were upon
the ground, and the docile borcea were
moving leisurely with their lightened
load around the turn between the hills
leading to the Dentviile poorhouse.
"Coiuel-come!"' aho hoarsely whis
pered, "Help me lift him up! I know-
one spot where hunger and death may
come with shelter and benediction and
! peace!"
It was as though the dead living then
I trailed with the living dead along some
old familiar pathway, away from the
baleful lights ol" the Dentviiie poorhouse
toward the hallowed silences of the olden
Dontville village church.
Back in the village iis pastor and its
godliest, richest and most powerful citi -
i/en had both finished their evening re
; pasts.
| Singularly, both were ill at ease. As
I the storm increased aud at times howlsd
j dismally through the ragiug tree branches
■ above the parsonage, tho pastor's heart
| bled for all who aught helplessly know
. its stings aud hurts.
Gabriel Dent was truly troubled. It
was no more than a twenty minutes'
: drive for Ins smart team to the poor
hruae. Dumping the wagon's wretched
j load into its doorway, was but a mo
j inent's work: for Reuben Screws and old
j Beetles, the keeper. But more than an
hour had now passed, aud the Constable
haa nut returned.
As the storm shook the old mansion to
its foundations, its owner's heart was
j troubled becuuso finality concerning his
I merciless act had not yet been fully as
sured. Where was Keubou Screws?
\- by had he not returned? And why
could not Gabriel Dent, servant ol the
I Lord, instantly know that his lirst de
cisive measure for the lifting up of re
ligion in Dentville had been <lo?ed and
sealed past all recall by the implacability
of ins own inexorable wish and will ?
. Uncertainty to such hearts of Hint is as
the remorseless droppings of water which
wear away and kill*. He could endure it
1 no longer, and ho plunged forthwith into
the wild and hitter night.
"Mother and Ruth/ said tho Dentville
pastor at the parsonage, "I can't bear
this foreboding upon me that some one
j in Dentville is in great distress, perhaps
:in utter peril. Savage as it is outside," 1
I feel that 1 must go at once aud lookauout
tho village."
'•If you should happen 10 bring back
i any one, any one needing them, Philip,"
I were tho last words of Mother Marden at
the whistling crack oi the door, "you'll
lind the sparo rooms ready and the kettle
boiling on the lire. God bless you in
your search,.my son !"
Thus two humans battled for a time
against the storm which swept tho little
village.
Whatever finality had como to tho con
sciousness of Gabriel Dent in Ins deter
mined search, when Philip Marden,
startled at a faintly flashing and paling
j light from the window of his abandoned
study in the rear of tho old church to
ment, had hastened through the parson
age grounds to Uie unused study door, he
certainly saw old Gabriel Dent tearing
tumbling through tho ghostly grave
stones of the grewsouie churchyard to
ward the village street, shrieking hor
rible maledictions as ho sped madly down
the broadening way.
He saw, too, in another moment, as ho
peered within the partly-opened olden
Hiudy door, what sent him bounding
back to the parsonage; what made hi in
tear His own door opou as though ho wore
some savage spirit ol the night and storm.
and what still made him, all inarticulate
I fora moment, stand staringat his mother
I and sister in mutoand helpless dismay.
"Philip! Philip! What has happened?"
pleaded Mother Marden, as Ruth clung
to her frightened and distracted.
"Mother!— Ruth!" ho finally faltered.
"Thoy're huddled starving, freezing in
the old church study ! IV a her, mother!
Around her is the dumbness of terror.
Beside her is the silence of death. Don't
you understand? Mother!— Ruth! It
is-"
l'.ut here at the parsonage door is really
a savage spirit of the night and tlio atorm.
It hursts in upon the inmates furiously.
Bloodshot its eyes, chattering its, teeth,
luid and palid its face by turns, like a
tiger's its wildly clutching daws.
"Philip Marden!" it shrieks at the
pastor as the latter faces it bravely, "If i
knew your apostate band was in that
work of bringing those devils hack from
the poorhouso— where I put'em—before
I'd sleep Pd tumble this boose down
about your heads horo and I'd barn that
desecrated houso of God as level as the
graves around it."
The pastor seemed growing into gigan
tic stature as these worda were Bpoken
and his horrified mother and Bister sank
feobly under the awful outburst. A
wondrous 1 i _r! 11 had leaped into his face
and eyes, lio raised his outspread hand
high above tho silvered head of the in
truder.
"Gabriel Dent," ho almost whispered,
"do you know who you aro driving into
tho darkness of unutterable despair?"
"Who?—who?" shrieked tho implaca
ble man wiidly. "Devils, devils, every
one! Urine loe keys. Come with me.
You're parson yet!" he roared with
covert viuuictivenoss. "It's your part,
not mine, to clear these vipers from tho
houso of God."
"Yes," returned the pastor with strange
intonation of merciful compassion. **But
we will go together. All but one shall
leave the church to-night. One, perhaps
eveu Gabriel Dent, would not have to go;
and ono other I wish you to see, lace to
face, with me. Mother, Uuth ! 1 will be
here with them all directly. One should
have our best spare room to-night. Yes,
yes, Gabriel Dent. < oluo, wo will turn
them out together!"
As the two left the parsonage, Gabriel
Dent was already hushed and wondering
from tho pastor's exalted yet submissive,
manner.
".Softly now," said Philip Marden, as
they peered within the h:dl-opyn study
door. "We must come upon tho wretches
unaware !"
But thero was littlo need now for quiet
or lor stealth. Huddled about a flicker
ing bia/.e in tho ruinous fireplace, iay
tho actors: crowded together for each
other's human warmth; sudden and sliil
In tho exhausted and almost wakeless
sleep of hunger and of cold.
In a bundle of rags on the old com
munion tabio lay some unrecognizable
object; and flung across it. clutching it as
in a deathless grasp, was tho form of a
haggard woman, stilled in tho stupor of
mute despair.
•'This is the one," said Philip Mardon
softly, pressing the hand of Gabriel Dent
into the clammy hand of tho body be
neath the rags, "I thought you might be
willing to have remain a little, longer,
and tins one is the one i wish to have you
know."
Old Gabriel J>ont was already trembling
like a wind-whipped autuum leal
Tiio pastor bent ovor tho two and spoko
low and clearly in the wretched woman's
ear:
"Letty!—Lotty Dent! Gfabriel Dent is
,■''ll .'"
"Nothimi—Not him.;" she moaned as
| sue raised her head an instant, glared
vacantly at tho now abject man before
j her smi same back again upon the I
j body, Gabriel Dent, her lather, stumbling
iai'ier her, falling upon his knees beside
tho same table where his lips for more
than halt a century bad received the
blessed sacrament, grasping pitifully at
her bedraggled garments as it to kiss their
very hem, and crying aloud .is a repent
i ant human heart cau only plead in un
j utterable torment and romorso:
I "Leity ! Letty ! Daughter mine ! For
give ! forgive ! < >h, may God have mercy
on my wicked soul !"
And ;is Philip Mardon unconsciously
plaeo tho hand of the dead basfoand upon
tho living father's head and looked on
tho wretched sceno with glad though
bunting heart, to hla tender, manful eyes
ir. seemed, though seeming only it might
have been, that in this solemn Dentviile
awakening a smile Of ineffable m
lorgiveness and peace had lor an [nai&n,
llitted across tho Bufiering-graven lace of
liiO silent dead.
WHERE PARIS IS AHEAD.
Her System of Paeamatfe Tubes and
'.Telephones is Uaequatod.
In Paris tho pneumatic tubes used in
tho dispatch of card telegrams and letter
telegrams lrom one portion of tho city to
the other are placed in tho sowers. The
excellent sewer system has helped tho
development of this handy means o!
communication in a way which would
not have been* possible otherwise. It is
quicker than the telegraph for me
within the city, and would be perfect v
the alow Parisian lacteur were replaced
by the smart London boy messenger. As
we stand below the tube we can hear tho
whiz ot the "chase" distinctly. There it
goes at lightning speed, bearing most
probably some tender message frouilovo-
sick Jean at his office at tho Bourse to
pretty Jeanetto, who is toiling somewhere
near the Ron Marche, and fixing a ren
dezvous for the evening, when the day's
labors are over. Wonderfully con
venient these letter telegrams for corre
spondence—more secret than tho tele
gram proper; making no awkward mis
takes in times and places—and, best of
all, preserving the ealigraphy of the
sender.
More serious things aro doubtless pass
ing across the coils which cover the re
mainder of the roof 01 the tunnel. These
are the telegraph and telephone wires,
thousands of miles of them connecting
the 2^(l postotlicos and placing hundreds
ol subscribers in tho city within earshot.
Overhead wires are prohibited in Paris-
Be are sky signs—and how much the city
gains in beauty those only know who
have seen London, with its unsightly
webs strung across the house-tops, spun
ing whatever of tho picturesque there
may be about the streets, and constitut
ing a .serious danger to persona and to
property.
lnere is no comparison, either, in the
efficiency ol the telephone in the two
cities. A whisper may be heard in Paris,
while in London telephoning is gener
ally a most exasperating operation. A
striking piece of evidence upon this
point is attorded by tho fact that it is
well nigh impossible to telephone from
Paris to any given subscriber m London,
and that before tue instrument could be
of any practical use for long inossages, i
the two great foreign news ageucios, Dal- j
ziel's and Router's, were obliged to nave I
special wires laid underground to their !
offices from St. Martin la (iraud. On the i
other hand, any subscriber in any part of
the French capital may bo heard with
ease from tho general postoffice in Lon
don. In this and 0:10 or two matters
already mentioned John Lull has a good
deal to learn from Jacques lionhomme.
PATRIOTISM IN A QUILT.
Complete Map of the Uuitotl States In
I'atfliwork.
One of the prettiest, most unique and
intricate pieces of patchwork ever made
by a lady's band was brought to tbo
Record office on Tuesday last, by .James
McDonald of Starr, Queen Anne's
County. Alter mouths of untiring in
dustry and perseverance, his who lias
] completed a patchwork quilt, the equal^of
winch has never been seen in this coun
try. The quilt is large, two and three
quarters yants square, representing a
complete map of the United States, with
the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans on the
(•ast arid west, the great lakes, Canadian
and Uritish Provinces on the north, and
the Gulf on the south. Every State is cor
rectly outlined and located, ali the princi
pal rivets, with their many branches, and
the separate mountain ranges and the iso
lated peaks, are represented with almost
mathematical correctness. The .states are
composed of separate pieces of doth of I
different colors neatly joined togetner.
I The rivers aro represented in a chain
I stitch of yellow silk, and the mountain
ranees and peaks by a herring-bone
stitch of colored silk.
In the upper part of the quilt is the
spread eagle, most accurately propor
tioned and made of separate pieces of
brown cloth, representing each leather
tii.pea with shaded silks. From the beak
a scroll of white muslin depends be uriug
the inscription "X Pluribus t'num." Uo
low the eagle is seeu tho representation <<f
the old Liberty Bell, which pealed out
tiio glad tidings of liberty in 177' i. So
faithful in detail is this worn that tno
crack in tho bell is traced by a thread of
silk through tho bronze cloth of which
the bell is made. <>n tho left is "Old
Glory," the only star-spangled banner,
with its stars and stripes, suspended from
asuitable staff with a spearhead and a
golden cord entwined around. The bor
iii-r is about eight inches in width and
composed of stars between stripes of
bright greeu-coiored cloth. The entire
work reflects great credit upon its de
signer aud maker. Not only does it show
groat skill, but much originality. Par
ticularly is this shown iv tho arrange
ment of tho stars on tho blue field. In
the center is a large star, at the points
and on the linos of which are arranged
smaller stars, and in the four corners ot
the field are grouped three stars, the
whole making a pleasing and artistic
effect. -Mrs. McDonald had the quilt on
exhibition at the Easton fair, where it
was much admired and drew a tirsi prize.
—Centreville (Md.) Record.
How Not to I.'-.<' ;i Comi>nss.
C. E. Fiulason, in his "Nobody in
Mashonaland," gives an account of how
he and his friends got lo3t in the brush,and
shows what precious iittle use a compass
is to travelers who have not thoroughly
mastered that, simple-looking instrument.
Mr. I'inlason's land-mark was certain
telegraph poles, and when ho and his
comrades lost sight of them they had to
fall back on tho compass, having had no
sun that day to serve as guide.
"In taking my observations I had care
fully noted that the needlo pointed dead
at the camp, but I did not turn the com
pass so as to bring the needle over the
'.N. So it transpired that my observa
tion was only useful in indicating the
whereabouts of tho camp when we got to
the poles. Another little thing which
added to the confusion was tho fact that I
did not know for certain whether the
black or white half of tho uoedlo pointed
to the north, aud 1 had also forgotten
which end pointed to the camp. Aud let
mo add that this Little difficulty of the
black and white needle is not,at ail an un
common one with novices. They know
all about it, of course, before they are
iost, and would bo indignant it anyone
should infer {sic) that thoy were even
likely to bo in doubt on the point. But
when they are lost, and tho fact, at first
f, is slowly and surely borne in
upon them, it is surprising how speedily
and completely their heads follow their
bodies."
Mr. Finlason and his two friends event
ually found their way by tree-climbing
and tho activity of anxious irienda.
Diseases of the Feet.
Shoes with crooked heels are the chiof
support of tho chiropodist profession.
Dr. Walseh, a suryeon who has been
studying diseases of the feet for tho last
ten years, attributes three-fourths of tho
corns that disfigure the modern foot to
the uneven surface •■>!' the solo loathe:: the
r t :i:v constitutional. .Many people
would havo corns If thoy went barefoot.
The majority would sutler no inconveni
ence if they kept the heels of their boots
in shape. Wn<ni tho hoel is allowed to
run down the plane of tiie loot is changed.
Instead of being parallel to the grouud,
the position is slightly oblique; the shoe
turns and the weight is thrown on the
little too or the hi;;-100 joint as the heel
inclines. Wear high hools. low heols or
Bprlng heels, but .^ee that they are true,
so as to give tho foot even support.
Where the Family \V;i<.
"Where's your father, my boy?"
"He's out yonder runnin' fer Coroner."
"Ami your throe brothers?"
"They're <>iv yonder votiu' fer him."
"And your mother?"
".She's out yonder a-seoin' that he gits
elected!"'—Atlanta Constitution.
We soil the thrones of angels for a
short and turbulent pleasure.— Emerson.
(^5 Dollars or Kicks
JL/ for women, according to whether they do, or don't
// y^ „. do, their washing in a sensible way. If they use
/^L*-fAp-/w Pearline, it means good, hard dollars saved.
y*^4 n Pearline is economy. All that ruinous
Y/'^jf) Cr: rubbing that makes you buy linens
VV(| *m Ak and flannels twice as often as you
V ! JJL-<? uH ncec^ to* is spared, to say nothing of
%// cc the troubles that women have to endure with
&j other ways of washing. There's that hard, wear in o-..
g -? out rub, rub, rub, or the danger of ruining things with
acids if you try to make it easy. Washing with Pearline is
absolutely safe.
ChCkf*^ Peddlers and some nnscmpulocs crrocrrs will tell yon " this is as ~oort 3 ="
NjCllU ' or "the same as Pearline." IT'S FALSE—Pearline is never V" idled
if "D-t.^l^ anci if y°ur grocer sends you something in place of Peartiae h«
Lll OaCK hoBBtT-tfydittm*, 4ia JAMES PYLE, Kci ?\' O r£>
HOPE KILLS DESPAIR.
And Beautiful Results Surely
Follow.
Theie is One Thins You Want Badly
and Must Have.
Even If Yon Have Given Up Possessing It,
This Will Give You Hope.
VTEURALGIA AND NERVOUSNESS ARK
ii fearfully prevalent. There is no more
painful disease than neuralgia, it Indicates
a diseased state of nerves ana blood, and Him
mosi terrible sultering Is often present. As
■f Mtss Sadie Caskeyof3oB JS
nto, who says: 1 bad beeba
s> v< for more than three year's with
neuralgia, rheumatism and ncrvousnes&i 1
liu'l most distressing and frequent attacks of
sickness, al which times i suffered n gr^at
deal. 1 bad severe nausea and bloating of the
3t taeh. Sly head and throat gave tue great
trouble. I Buffered severely with nervous
a ss. My appetite became poo:-. Host !l<-sh
very decidedly. I was compelled to quit
scbool and giv< up ail my studies. I oontln
ned in a very low, t>ad condition for some
time. Must of the time I vvasconfined ti> bod.
Iliad taken .-i long course of medical treat
ment from two doctors of Sacramento and
ha<i taken a greal many remedies, hut all
out relied 1 bad almost despaired of
retting well wtac n some friends tola me
of the Neagle Medical Institute, and bavlng
heard it very hignly spoken of 1 decided to
\ -4
1 --S^^i;^ --- ■
Ml-s SADI X CASKET,
try it. I began taking treatment there and
have Improved very rapidly from the verj
first. Myappetin Is now good, I have regained
my Sesh, 1 am nol despondent imt !i.:!'.t
bearted and cheerful and regard my case as
permanently cured, 1 am tiiankiui to God
ih.it I vent to the Doctors ol theNeagle Med
ical Institute. lam constantly recommend
ing tiirni and shall continue to. I advise
everyone wbo is sick from any disease to go to
tnem and 1 believe they will be cured.
NEAGLE MEDICAL IXSTITUTE of rilY
SICIAN9 and SURGEONS, located perma
nently at 724>^ X street, Sacramento.
" O'2o-2t.S&2tW
COOOOOOOOCCOOOCXJOOOOOOOOOO
On
O "i on often he->r of other extracts whlcb o
O claim to bo "ju^t as good" as o
§ Liebiq §
§ COMPANY'S §
8 Kxtract of Beef, §
O but these claims only call attention to^Q
O 'he fact that the Company's Extract Q
§ THE STANDARD §
o o
O for quality- o
O O
COOOOOOOOOOCOOOCOOOOOOCDCO
quickly. Over 2,000 private eivlorsernpnt*.
I'rcmaturene.ss means imixHency iv the. first
pt.<;sr,\ It is a symptom of seininal weakness
and barrenness. It cau be stopped iv 20 uays
by the use of Hudyan.
Thocew discovery-was tnadf Iw the F"r>ooinl
ists of the old famous Hudson (Medical Institute.
It is the strongest vitalise! maae. It is very
powerful, but harmlt bs. Pokl for gI.OC a pack
ageor6 packages for 55.00(plainsea'eflboxes).
Written guarantee given for a cure. I f you buy
six boxes and are not entirely cured, six moro
will he sent to you free of all charges.
Jrcularsand testimonials Address
, ■
Junction Stockton, Market ami EIU9
>tri'ci-.. s.m PrßUclsoOa
/mS^^^BT ls ft non-}>oisonous
fur (:<,;..>rrii(i?a.^Bi
'•• "iti-s. «■
■BflV«'ll'i >i,U!]C -.r.-.^- JIM
mfeto^g "» mf'ranes. Non-astrintWt
BHHKfI an.l nut to stricture
bara S«L» BY OKKKiiMs *
wtTB or S"'T »i plain wrapi.or by
B»ft*» express prepaid, on rc:eipt of
m^**' 1-00- Dpscrsptivc Circular
v'Rß^M mailed r,n request.
y&mm*£^ Evans Chemical Co. *^HP"
O.