Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1877-10-06

+ itchcock and one of Hugh Miller. max
Ing himself as Intelligent a master OF their
aid OF specimens. IL recited what ! read
day 4 mes every night to mother" he con-
IInLed, 'and 1T father would only lend me
Salsaparilla, that's the mule, I'D like to go
jollygizing with yer"
"I'll take you with me in my buggy" said
the squire, eff you can obtain leave OF alb
sence from the store"
Through their three years of neighborhoOd
the friendship between the two grew and
strei gthened, till at the time at VIII ich our
story finds them the squire remarked to his
wife that he didn't believe he could think more
OF Gus Antoine IL he were his own son, aad he
Intended sc on TO commence reading law with
MIN. There vas one other who looked
forward TO the boys visits with pleasure, the
squires only child, little Hope Sne had
zone sirawberrying and hazel nutting with
htn' before he had won her fathers favor.
All the An oiDe boys had strongly marked
r. ench features, with startled black eyes and
hHlr 10 match, forming strong contrast 10
Hopes blond beauty. Mrs. May had been
horrihed on their first arrival to find her little
girl seated be side 8 stump, on which her toy
q shes were displa' ed, entertaining troop
or ragged boys. The entertainment con-
sisted OF "A dOughnut broken in minute bits,
and, most astounding sight for a New Eng
land mother, the youthful AntOines had
brought as heir contribution to the feast
cup half filled with New Orleans molAsSes,
some scraps OF dried orange peel, Al a bot
tie, in which there still remained few
spoonfpls of whisky, with which ingredients
~
dTir and filling the tiny pewter cups with
all The experiences OF q Cal ifornia bartender.
While Gus was away "jollygizing" with
French lessons TO Mrs. Antoine, and to learn
To make the marvellous embroidery, whose
gre at eyelets were filled in with cobwebs like
wheels in lace stitches Of pOinte d'A 'encOn.
So the summer passed, but with the fall came
the elections. Squire May returned from his
brief vacation To learn with surprise that the
"free state" party had nominated him as
their candidate a md in
ara mat bis opponent on the democratic
ticket was Col. Antoine. The election was
closely contested, but ended in the usual
way, Col. Antoine's friends coming over
from Missouri, voting for him, and render
ing the democrats triumphant. SPUR. May
was heard to protest loudly against the ille-
gallty OF this proceeding, and as he drove to-
ward home il was observed that his usual
calm temper was much disturbed.
The day following election was an event
ful one to Mrs Antoine and Hope as they sat
on bench under the broad-leaved catalpas
in front of the Antoine mansion. A gro
tesque shadow was thrown upon the path,
and Hope grasped Mrs AntOlne's arm in
alarm, wondering what strange animal
would follow. IL was only q peidler, AMI
both she and Mrs. Antoine were soon deep in
the contents of the pack, which consisted of
several cases of cheap jewelry,a few pieces
OF fiimsy dress goods, and some coarse Ham
burg embroideries. Mrs Antoine looked
over these interestedly, but with a smile on
her lips. 81 can embrOider better than that
myself, and SO can this little girl"
Let me see what you do" said the ped
dler, and Hope displayed q long strip of the
mingled embroidery and lace work, the pat
tern In each eyelet being one OF Gus An
tonnes design-an anchor-it meant hope, he
said. II give you ffty cents for dat said
80! will your" exclaimed Hope delighted,
while Mrs. Antoine rose, hasteued into the
house, and returned with The entire collec-
left the convent. The peddler was an evil
looking man, and Hope was afraid TO be left
alone with him, but Col Antoine sauntered
in at the gate as his wife entered the house.
For q wonder he was sober and Hope felt
her courage revive. He regarded the peddler
gruffiy, and began TO scOld Mrs. Antoine
vanished when he saw that she was selling,
not buying. The stranger selected a num-
Der of bands, and paid for Them from a cha
which he took nom his bosom. The oolonei's
eye glittered as IL fell upon IL, and his man-
ner changed perceptibly.
as the peddler returned the emptied gourd,
which Mrs. Antoine had offered him filled
with water, and stopped TO take up his pack.
Yes" 50 Well, so am l., and III walk along
with you. You look tired; just sling your
pack across Sarsaparilla. / don't mind a
tramp with pleasant companion
Mis-. Antoine looked frightened. Such con-
descension on the part OF the colonel was, TO
say the least, unusual aud pOrtentOus.
The next day the little Sabbath school OF
which Squire May had been the originator,
house two miles away, met al his house for
a celebration. 1t was a pleasant sight, the
children about q table cloth spread upon the
grass. on which the food was laid in picnic
fashion. AS soon as the children were
helped the squire disappeared, and while he
was gone report OF a pistol was heard. He
returned in the course of an hour to say that
a swing was ready, and Gus Antoine re
manned for some time longer to ing the little
ones in the air.
o. bis way home, as his foot touched the
ls~sa x-k.- nh, ba bod b,x,I
Will Cat for the convenience of the two
families, Gus's eye was caught by an object
In the ravine below. Ii was his father, ly-
ing half In half out of the water, with his
face covered with blood. Quick as thought
he swung himself down to his side. There
was deep, round terrible hole in his fore
head from which the blood had flowed that
formed this hideOusSmask, and he was quite
dead. The boy tried TO lift him out of the
water, but finding that impossibl he
washed away every trace Of blood from the
face-no one else should see hts father look
like that-and then he went ON toward hone
for help. The Hissourians had nearly all
gone, but Big Bill a cousin OF Mrs. AntOine's,
had remained after the election, and was
just bidding her good by, and remained now
TO render assistance.
The funeral followed soon after. As Squire
May was on his way to attend IL a sheriff
seized him by the shoulder, and arrested him
for the murder. Frightened Hope ran with
the news TO her mother. and even beneath
this crushing blow the heroic woman did not
finch. II was her arm that supported the
hysterfcal mother as they stood together at
the brink OF the terrible grave, and 1T was
Gus Antoine who cOmfOrted sobbing Hope,
saying that he knew her father had not killed
his, and ii would SO be proven. When II rs
Antoine heard of it she was no less positive
as TO the squires innocence, and her tears
fell like rain over her black bOmbazine dress
which she was making over for Hope 10
wear at the trial.
How stihingly hot the court room was,
packed 10 its utmost with an intensely ex-
cited audience, ard still they came along
after Hope was certain that there was not
room for another one. She had never seen
SO many people before, and looking around
uIOn tht m from her seat i'm the upper part of
the room, saw only a sea of heads. she was
conscious OF but one indi vidual face, that OF
her father, pale, but calm, in front of the
swayiDg mass. By and by the lawyers com
mel &c talking She felt faint; IL all buZzsd
and hummed through her head; she could
not have told q word that they were saying
After what seemed to her q long while the
witnesses for the prosecution were called,
and Big Bill took the stand. He related the
quarrel between the colonel and Squire May
at the polls, enlarg1ng upon 1t and running
on In way that showed him entirely too
willing witness. Then the widow Antoine
was sworn. She tram hlod vtOIapty unI