Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1878-10-26

Little OIive's Father.
To people Of an investigating turn
Is most people are touching other peo
Piles affairs-nothing is so aggravatine
- An uncommlnicative man, one who
declines 10 give An account of himself
and has TO be given up like an unguess'
able conundrum.
OF that sort was Edward Northup
who had dwelt Eve years in Swaylford
and of whom the best informed inhab'
liant knew nothing but his name, that
he paid his debts promptly, and seemed
to be we'll of in the world.
He was not . morose man-far from
it. Everybody found him pleasant
and affable; but you might .as we'll
have tried to pump water from dry
we'll as to draw Mr.. Northup out on the
subject of himself.
For time the social interviewers re-
sented Mr.. Northup's reticence, by
dark hints that man so secretive must
be little better than he should be, but,
as few people are, the animadversion
produced no very startling effect.
Anyhow. the childrec all liked him.
There was little girls school hard by
the village, and almost aLy day at the
hour when the "weo lassIes'' were al
lowed to 60 and play or the green, you
might see Mr.. Northup, Is he passed
that way, stopping to pat one after an
other curly head whilst discussing with
its owner the mysteries OF skip-the-
rope, trundle. hoop, or the latest style
Of dolls dresses.
Little Olive Verne was his prime
favorite. Her past life was quite as
great riddle Is his own. All she
could tell Of herself was that, from q
time a. far back a. she could remem.
Der, she had lived with woman who
was mother mother. and that she had
beenosent TO school when the woman
died. Little Olives school bills were
paid, and oil her needs supplied, with
money furnished through city bank
ing-house, and that was all Miss
Trainer, the principal, knew upon the
subject.
No friends ever came to visit little
Olive. She was never taken home on
the holidays. Santa Claus, it is true,
didn't forget her on Christmas; but he
and Mr.. Northup were the only two
people-if, indeed. they Osre two-out.
side of Miss Trainers school, who
! seemed to know that there was little
Olive.
Mr.. Northup, in his walks through
the green, would often stop to single
out little Olive, and lead her to q shady
nook near by, whore the two would sit
and chat together till Miss Trainer
bell rang ont the Fearful summons. u
when Mr.. Northup would give his lit
tie friend kiss and &C his way, leav-
her to run along with the rest.
One day Mr.. Northup came 10 my
Office aud placed sealed packet in my
hand. His manner was agitated and
his voice trembled q he said:
"H / should die before recalling
this, desire You to open it. It con-
tains al the directions wish to leave
about my worldly Affairs"
had been Mr.. Northup's legal ad.
wiser on ono or two previous occasions.
and . degree OF intimacy had sprung
up between us. I accepted the prof
cred trust without question, and With
out saying moro, Mr.. Northup took his
leave.
The same evening I was taking .
moonlight stroll along . secluded path
In the neighborhood, when nv atten-
ton vas aroused By . cry for help from
. thieket OF bushes which I ehsnosd to
Be passing.
Jast thsn . nan sprang out into the
pstA. Icsaght but . glimpse Of his
6sa1arss, ~ expseasion of which rs
Wild and sinlsseS, before he dared
aSay and ~ lot in the dsrkness.
Ny 6ssf inpalse vas 10 passas the
fugiaive; bot . deep aaan1ag. - of
so0s ase in disassas. called ny asten-
tisa in he diseceioa u the thiekes.
Esessing q cd proceeding lev sesps.
] csoe spoa Tie body II . man
sesx1ehed On Tie gsvund- The fsce
- aPesnssd in The m.oalseht q =
Pases Ukese e pese4ssaed through the
bennrAes- A glance aa The Ssstsses. On
vAieA ~ Fnllsr Il dsssh va ssssiinx,
esnasA - 10 sesrs ssAdsaly. The AZ
~ nsa ~ MR. xosskap.
OvsruDoing dr. erxt shock, I sp-
pssscAed ssd hid ny had on his
ksans1 4 saine tsu0sg u the hsnrt
vss SslIossd ny . p~stnagsd ssilissss.