Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1879-01-11
THE FiRLIER.S STRAIEGI i.

pile and surveyed its diminished proper
tious with considerable lowering OF his
shaggy eyebrows. "SOmebody's helping
themselves" le thought; ~ must set ny
wits to work to discover the oilender.r
He sat down on a log, rested his elbows
Oh his knees, and after scratching his
ideas, he settled his temples in the palms
of his hands and meditatcd. The result
Of his cogitations must have been salts.
factory, for he rose by and by with Il
queer smile overspreatling his weather
beaten face, and walked into tho house
chuckling, "I'il DO it; thatrl let the cat
out of the baG"
He found Harry Bailey, a young, likely
looking farmer, in the kitchen with his
daughter.
"i'llat young fellow is counting Jennie,
sure cnough.' thought the old gentleman
as he discreetly passed into the sitting
room. "Wcll, he's as likely to make her
Il good husband as any one. If she likes
him 1 shan't ohject.'
And he fell into u fit of gentle musing
over the memory of the gentle wife who
| had been lying under the flowers since
Jcnnie's birth.
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Jennie was
tripping about, engaged in some house
hold, work and Harry was watching her
with love-lt eyes. and could not make
| up his mind to tell her that he loved her.
The Rev. Mr.. Walker, of the Orthodox
- D,II 1,,I
course for his sinful congre CATION, upon
the subject Of endless punishment. The
parable of the rich man and Lazarus was
his basis, and he hurled tho anatheEas
of wrath at the black sheep of his flock
rs though lie were an avenging angel
and many members of his congregation
felt guilty of errors. Little Tom Bates
shivered in his shoes, and thought OF the
pic he had taken in the night before and
then told his mother u lie, and debated
whether he should confess, or run the
risk Of the punishment Illuminated by the
parson. But he did not settle the mat
ter hat time, for tho minister was sud
denly brought to q tul stop in the midst
of his discourse, and the congregation
port in their midst, as il heaven and
earth had come together.
Farmer Evans rose to his feet simul-
tancous,y with his frightened daughter
and tho rest of the congregation, and
poor little Tim was not sure for tho mo-
mcnt that his future had not begun. The
cause Of the noise was found to be an
explosion in the stove, through the in
fernal agency known as gunpowdcl.
How it came there was Il mystery to all
except Farmer Evans. Harry Bailey,
who made tho fires and found the wood
for & stated sum, came forward with a
white face and explained that the thing
was unknown to him The farmer
walked homeward thinking. "Bad, bad
Pm very sorry that he's that sort; I
never suspected him of all others; and
Jennie likes him."
The farmers first stfmpulse was to nip
in the bud the acquaintance between
jennie and young Bailey; but his natu-
rally kindly feeling ultimately prevailed
over his anger, ana on his next meeting
with tie delinquent he abruptly ad-
dressed him:
"You are courting my daughter''
Harry Bailey admitted the fact bash
fully.
"And you make the fires for the Ortho-
dox Church ?" continued the old man.
Harry assented.
"And furnish the wood q
"Ye;," said the young man, growing
red and white by turns.
"Perhaps you would like to have the
mysterious explosion in church last Sun
day explained 1 knew my wood pile |
was going somewhere, and put IL small
charge of powder in one of the sticks.
need not say that was surprised to find !
yon were the thief, as you dared to come
courting my daughterw
Harry Qnailed before the stern, clear
glance of the old man.
81 know I'm too mean to live; much ?
less to love her." he broke out. 81 don't
expect you to overlook it. II had
hard year on the farm; you know what |
losses 1 met. I meant to pay you back
again, but 1 don't expect you to believe
me. One thing 1 beg-don't tell her
about it; / couldn't bear to
have her think so badly of me-"
The old man regarded the ashamed,
repentcnt face with pity.
"Look here Harry" he said, "Tll for
give you and will not mention it to q soul
if you'll look me in the face and promise
to he strictly honest from this
time forth"
Bailey caught his hand gratefully. and
he felt his reward begin rs lie saw the
shadow ola new hope dawning on the
fam Sp1amDly Jrnmisn - bo | ,