The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-09-28

tI'sNh pcN 4ttN tNl lGtl up VIII tUb AltN
hounds Il will give you half of all
have. little Hebe, if you will share with
me the contents Of your cup. What have
you in t-nectar ?"
Hebe looked solemnly into her empty
cup. "Nuilin, muffin, 'cept sunshine"
"Give me the sunshine, then, divine
baby" replied the colonel. "God knows
my life is dark enough"
Haven't you got any thing in your cup
for me too, my pretty?' asked the scout.
liebe deliberately turned it upside down
and handed it to him
'Iherc's some writing on the bottom,
said he. II know a little Mexican and
about six Indian dialects. but I'm blessed
II | can make that out"
1T is french, replied the colonel. aud
translating it he read, Upon the wicked
He shall rain snares, fire and birthstone,
and horrible tempest; this shall be the
portion of their cup"
With a horrible oath, Rake Jake struck
| Skedaddle 1t sharp blow with his whip,
and muttering. mot any in mine.n rode
away from the ambulance Did the words
come back to him several years later.
when, flying from Lynch law, he. with
two other horse thieves and desperadoes,
TOOK refuge in his dug out" and their
nfuriated pursuers set fire to the tall
prairie grass around it, until, sufocated
with the smoke, with the burning door
and 'cof falling in upon them, they rush
ed out to be shot down and meet u holri-
bic death in writhing flame?
The colonel was as good as his word to
little llebe. She was the pet of the camp
and the child Of the regiment; he loved
and cared for her as though she had been
his own child. Iiebe fulfilled her part of
the bargain too for she filled his heart
with sunshine, and the noble face which
had been growing dark and reckless be-
came tender and bright again under the
touch of her baby fingers She sat by his
side at the mess table, and the coarse Joke
and protane word We're restrained by her
unconscious presence. Colonel Armstrong
had no Bible, and there was Lever a bless
ing asked at the mess. but the silver cup
stood beside his plate. However he might
neglect his accoutrements, Charlie had or
ders to keep it always bright, and he 2ever
sat down to meal without having his at
tentlon called to the principal text. Some
way this carried his thoughts back to the
old church in New England where his IA
ther had preached, and to the two graves
IN the Old church-yard. The men said
Something has come over the colonel; )"
they hardly knew what it was, but they
recognized that he was a changed man.
Several years passed thus, and the col
onel saw his little foster daughter grow
ing taller and taller. "She will be be-
yond my teaching soon," he said. land
she ought to be under other Influences
now Sometimes he spoke of sending
her to his sister in New England but he
could not bring himself to part with her
At length there was terrible fight with
the Indians, and Colonel Armstrong was
brought back to camp badly wounded
He had no hope OF his own recovery, and
calling Rake Jake, who it happened had
Just finished an engagement as guide with
them and was going back to his home,
he furnished him plentifully with money.
and made him promise to take Iicbe to
Ellsworth, then the terminus OF the rail
road. and see that She was "lorWarIed"
to his sister Then he kissed the child a
last good-by, and placing his finger on the
inscription on the cup, repeated, Though
Your sins be as scarlet
But Rake Jake did not take her to ELS
worth. The last time he had been there
rs, Ilad found his name tied to the rust '
wood-tree on the riverside where fifteen
horse thieves and murderers had already
been hung, had taken it rs II kind hint,
and Skedadde had taken him out of town
in style that justified her right to her
name. This was OF too recent occurrence
for Rake Jake to deem it advisable Ton
him to visit the town at this time, and he
said to himself that the coloncIs money
would do him as much good as 1t would
the railroad company. AS he neared his
"dug-out" on the Smoky" the old man
who took care Of his limited supply of
stock and kept the place for him came out
to meet him.
"Anastasia is in there" said he, jerking
his head toward the cave, "She has got
'em awful ! couldn't keep her ont no
how. She said YOU wouldn't grudge a
dog place to die in, and she wouldn't be
long about it. She hain't done so yet. but
Just lies and hollers like all possessed"
They entered the ccl!arlike room On
a rude bed lay a beautiful young Spanish
woman raving with dclirium tremens. For
days she lay 50; but she did not die, very
slowly coming back to life and misery.
She looked at iIebe in blank wonder. let
ting the child caress her, and regarding
her all the time with hard, glittering eyes.
Her lips were parched, and llebe, going
to the door filled her cup with snow and
brought it to her bedside She made no
effort to take it, but looked from the snow
to IEebe, and murmured, "White as snow
| was a girl once, white as snow The
Old man took the cup away from llebe,
and pouring some dark liquor over it,
held it to Anastasia's lips. . There .
there!" she exclaimed; ''just like 'Stasia );
white as snow now all spoiled; red a>
Blood red us blood" While she drank,
her eyes caught the inscription, and an
| swering the inquiring expression in them,
| Hebe read, ''ihough your sins be as scar
| let, they shall be as white as snow 1t
came upon her as Il great revelation, Gods
free offer of pardon to every penltent SIN
ner, and she burst into tears. All day She
lay there, with the cup pressed to her
heart, drinking in the precious meaning
Of the words. Then, when night came,
and the old man was fast asleep. and
Rake Jake dead drunk, she rose, wakened
Hebe, and wrapping her WELL glidcd out
into the night. She found Skedaddle teth-
cred near the river, and untying the lar-
at without stopping to saddle the animal,
they mounted and set out for Ellsworth
On reaching the town, they dismounted; !;
Anastasia turned her fleet footed, shaggy
friend about and shriled in her long ears,
$50 to your MASTER" and forthwith Skc-
daddle ambled briskly away. Hebe could
not remember the name Of the town to
which Colonel Armstrong wished her to
go, and Anastasia was only too glad to
take her under her protection. A few
hours later they took the stage for Texas.
and thence to New Orleans Arrived here,
Anastasa placed Hebe in the care of the
Sisters of Mercy, and herself took the
veil as one of their number.
Hcbe's cup-bearing was not over. Thro'
the hospitals crowded wards, her light
football followed that of Sister Relugia
(for Anastasia had found refuge, and in
gratitude had taken this new name). and
the silver cup again and again carried re-
viving draughts to parched lip and thirsty
soul
Il, ~,