Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-01-09

~ am afraid 10 90" said Charlotta.
Afraid! When Won are to be Charlcy's
wife? We must fight for him. my dear
These two champions saw the sins of Mr..
briggs in the light OF intense partisanship.
He was n mean man, and the power OfmOney
would naturally make him tyrannical, more
over. ne had selected Charlotte Eaton to fall
in love with as the sweetest and most bloom
ing young lady in StOneport. Hiram briggs
could certainly afford 10 please himself at
last. UnVeTSed in the delicate phases of rO-
nance, ne could by no means win smile
from Charlotte. and discovered in wrath and
CONSERVATION that Charley Plat was his
rival. He would fOreclose, and take posses
sion OF the house. StOnepOTt saw in this
measure only the grasping tendencies of the
man who wished to establish a home, while
the victims detected revenge. Probably both
factions were wrong.
Mrs. Bamber, with trembling Charlotte by
her side, presented herself before the tyrant.
He still dwelt in the wing of the warehouse
where his father had been contented to abide.
Perhaps ne was chagTined to be found in the
small parlOr, which he had furnished with
yellow satin curtains and sofas, when he
would so soon Ike possession of the house on
the hill. The mission was scarcely success
ful one, although Mrs. Bamber made herself
SpOkeSwOInan on the occasion with all posi-
bic energy. She even offered up her shop,
since DT. Plat had given il originally, and
was laughed at for her pains. Mr.. Hiram
briggs was not a pleasant man to ask for
f8vOrs. especially when ne came quite close to
Charlotte, and said, harshly, You know my
terms
After that Mrs. Bamber drew her compan-
ION away without another word.
He j. a brute said the little woman. tim
Cling with modification at the remembrance
of the coarse laugh which had greete her
proposal of yielding up her all.
They met a young man at the corner OF the
street.
Take care OF her" said Mrs. Blmber,
transferring Charlotte to his charge.
My dear Mr.. BambeT. | 10 not need the
injunction" said Charley Plat, in voice he
StrOve to render steady and cheerful. as he
drew the girls hand through his arm with an
air of tender protection. Charlotte and Mrs.
Bambcr looked at each other meaningly;
then the latter turned away with a little
pang at her heart. These two were made for
each other, handsome Charley and pale,
frightened Charlotte; but how would it be
with them ii evil in the shape of Hiram
briggs stepped between? When she reached
her own door Mrs. BambeT was not only dis
tuTbed and distressed. as she had been all
dav. but thoroughly out of temper. She
would have liked TO set the world To rights,
and had only succeeded in Tuffiing her own
ODHC,D' prOpTe in the interview with a bruSque,
rude millionaire. Perhaps il was this mood
that made her shake her head at the three
pictures in her window.
"Oh, there you are! only wish could re
cover the sum your frames cost me. Old
masters, fOTSOOth.''
The pictures were small and dark, as if
some shadow ObScurcd their original mean
ing. even as brdmbleS and moss might have
OyergrOwn the artists grave. The sun shot
a golden arrow in the window as Mrs. Bam-
Der paused, and illuminated the dim canvas.
her soul in that glimpse, however family,
the CLEAN of an angels wing cleaving the
sky, the wonder of the Virgins upturned
face; but the sunset faded, and Mrs. Bamber
was left To SOrrOwful contemplation of the
gari>h frames. ''SOme papiSt trash" she So
ilOquiZed. Whatever possessed me TO get
EN- new frlmeSi i shall never see the money
back. I'll be bound, I'm sure / would be
thankful to get twenty-five dollars piece,
allowing twenty for the frames; and | sup
pose the pictures are worth five, if they
fn NnhOlN " civ
though
A year before the shop bell had brought
Mrs Bamber from her supper TO the con
temptation of a thin, cadaverOus stranger of
the brigand type. wrapped i'll cloak, and
with "a broad hat drawn over his brOwS. The
man was faint with cold. and cOughei dole
fully; he had no money, and no friends. Mrs.
Bamber was not the person to send away
such waif empty-handei She placed him
before the fire in her own tiny kitchen, and
made Nanny. her small handmaiden, serve
him with hot tea; she wrote note 10 the
clergyman, who dispensed charity, to find
lodging; and She finally dispatched him with
bottle of Bamber's Drops gift. The
stranger fingered in the garrett furnished him,
reserved, a triile sinister, and only known 10
smile when Mrs. BambeT preached To him in
language which he but imperiecty under
stood.
There came a day in rude March. when SO
many leaves drop from the tree eff life, that
the foreigner sent for Mrs. Bamber, be
qUeathing TO her SOlemnly three small pic
lures set in carved wood.
They are worth their weight in gold he
had whispered. and turned his inScruta5le
face-in which there fingered u triumph TO
the eEd-tO the wall.
Mrs. Bamber had shed few tears, and
carried her gifts home cautiously. as if she
held some explosive projectile. Tie clergy
man surveyed the pictures through Ills spec
tac!e>, and chilled the pOSSeSSOr's enthusiasm
somewhat by expressing a preference for en-
cravings. He recommended replacing the
quaint olive-woOd frames with new ones
aud exposing them for sale in the window.
tIergy1nen are not always the best financial
adNlSerS Mrs Bamber'S face grew very
long when she saw the farmers bill. Stone
port was SkcpIcal of these daubs; besides
the widow asked a fabulous price for them
StoncpOrt knew chrome and a modern
landscape full of lively cOloring, but such
dismal things Were not TO its taste.
The last night OF the year closed in sadly
Mrs. Bamber sat ioug beside the Morning
glory stove in the pdrlOT back Of the shop
Slpplng her tea. in which beverage alone lay
consolation. A portrait of Dr. Bamber, rep
rt.>enting him as somewhat wall-eyet gen
tlenian- hung above her, and opposite a ca b.
met displayed among other relics several
skulls prepared by the lamented Archibald
Her thoughts went back to "a dreary day on
an emlgrant wharf when she landed with
her husband. who had been injured by fall
on The voyage. The sense OF desOlate home
Sickness again swept over her now, twelve
years later. and a gentleman with q gOOi-
humOTed rosy face spoke TO her kindly
Could she ever forget that this Samaritan
was DR. Platt. of StonepOint. now gone to
but had brought the frien1lesS chemist to
his own town and established him in bust
ness. No one knew the cost of il all. 1t was
not the good physicians way to make his
charity burden. Mrs. Bamber wiped her
eyes as she slipped her tea by the stove, and
the night closed in.
Up on the hill the old Plat homestead WAS
shrOuded in gloom. and revealed only one
ulm light IN the dinlng-rOOm. Ii was a brick
house, with white pillars supporting a pro-
Jcctlng roof. shaded in summer by large trees
and seemed in the clear crisp evening sur
rounded by tender memories. Now ID was
All To be swept away, for the doctors purse
had been ever open, and he had left vile and
son in straitened circumstances. The lovers
stool in the window. hand clasped in hand
a If claiming silent mutual support, while
Mrs. Plat, a stout lady with a querulo;ls
mouth, wandered from room 10 room gazing
at her precious household gods.
Even little Mrs. Bamber owns the roof
over her head. and all owing To the doctor"
>Obbed the poor lady, taking up a fayorite
tea-cup with loving touch.
The young son set his teeth aud drew a long
breath. Charlotte could only lean her brow
against the cool pane. Ii they knew all
The night brought sorrow, but the ensuing
day was only anticipated with dread.
III ram briggs made himself comfortable
ON the yellow satin couch OF his little parlor
with decanter of wine at his elbow and a
cigar. If conscience is q matter of eluca-
ton me should have been wholly at ease but
There hal been in oslo,