The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1875-12-24

head peculiar to him, while his fingers
wandered over the keys.
Suddenly the face of Antoinette look
ed up at him from the rose cloud Of tar
latan, softly tinted, and with tender,
unfathomable eyes.
After the rehearsal Nicholas Croker
strutted home to his family, where his
mother and sisters admired him ex-
ceedingly. The elder Croker was Il
very shrewd lawyer, and from him
Nicholas inherited small ferret eyes, Il
fat face, and extraordinary loquacity.
If you would only devote yourself
to the law!" Mr.. Croker said. "Now,
here's Il case for a young man to gain a
reputation: the widow StrOng's bound
airy fence is four inches on her neigh
boris ground, and she believes the re-
verse. Prove a woman in the wrong if
you can"
"Father, am in love-" said Nicholas,
solemnly.
Mr.. Croker smiled sarcasticalIy, but
the Misses Croker regarded their brother
with proper awe.
Simon Thorne climbed the hill to his
cottage, where AntOinette and supper
awaited him. He was an old man, with
rugged features and an distracted gaze,
as if some problem forever haunted
him for which he could find no solu-
ton, while thought drew deep lines on
brow and cheek. The mill manager
was one of those s~elf-taught men who
prize education for their children. An
toinctte had received such training as
the village school afforded, and after
ward Simon listened attentively of an
evening to the books loaned by the
minister which his daughter read.
"Shall we have the Dutch RepuJlic,
father?:"
"Not tonight" responded Simon,
gloomily.
All the evening he sat with Il sheet of
paper before him, which he studied at
tentively. Antoinette was used to these
moods, and quietly took up her work.
When she went to bed he still bent oyer
the paper. An hour later she stole to
the doOr-and he had fallen asleep in
his chair. She was startled into wake
fulness by Il noise at midnight to find
her father walking through the hall,
holding the lamp in his hand. He fixed
glazed, sightless eyes on the trembling
girl.
"a second valve would do it," he
said hoarSely, ana then Antoinettc per-
ceived hat he was still asleep.
She sat on the side of her bed and
prayed until dawn. Oh, if a ray of light
might have penetrated a disturbed brain
in Il moment of Inconsistencies! She
went again to the little living-room; it
was deserted, and the cold light stole
in the window on the paper, still spread
on the table. She sliced the pencil and
wrote, cd SecOnd r0lre WOuld do it,"
H.-DANIEL IN THE LIONS Den.
Christmas Eve in Laurelton, where
printed bills announced a grand enter
tainment at Whites Hall, over the Post
office. There were the mystical green
curtain, the real stage, a row of foot
Little did Laurelton, gazing
placidly at that curtain, know the scenes
OF riot and confusion transporting behind
it, where Mrs. Boyle, flushed and pant
ing, stroye to quell the turbulence of
contending factions.
The first scene was truly fearful.
was permitted a glimpse of
the Lions Den, dark, gloomy, and filled
with rowing monsters, while Daniel
stood in the midst, undismayed by his
growing enemies. Never was audience
more sympathetic; young LaureIton hid
It's head in terror, although Nicholas
trOkcr was the most savage of the I
of prey, concealed in a buffalo I
robe.
If Rebecca had forgotten her pitcher, |
let the Three Fates come next. LAUREL
stared ut the ShrOuded figures pass
ng the rope thread from distaff to pa
per shears. Wher: was the blue-light
which was to have converted sheet dra-
DerieS into marble? Alas, all the dis |
actors might grope on hands '
md knees for the missing package, re- ,
all the time in Nh. Bogle's L
pocket. Programmes were consulted,
With the audible comment, (Which one d
5 Rebecca?" :
Mrs. BOrle. Stunr TO dpSDeration all Il