The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-11-06

urlRnt placei anu the little one, rising on
its legs ran on to the open door Of Silas Mar
ner's cottage, and right up to tho warm
hearth where Silas's coat lay ON the bricks
to dry. The little one squatted down on
the coat, and presently the warmth had q
lulling effect, and tho little golden head
sank down on the old coat asleep But
where was Silas Marnera He was in tho
cottage, but he did not see the child. He
had gone to the door to look out, and put
his right hand on the latch OF the door to
close lt-bnt he did not close it he was
arrested by the Invisible hand of catalepsy,
and stood with wide but sightless eyes,
holding open his door, powerless to resist
either the good or evil that might enter
there.
When Marncr's sensibiity returned he
closed the door, and turning toward the
hearth, where, to his blurred vision, 1T
seemed as If there were gold on the floor
in front of the hearth
Goldl-his own gold-brought back as
mysteriously as 1t had been taken away.
He leaned forward at last, and stretched
forth his hand, but instead of the hard
coin, his fingers encountered soft, warm
curls. Conld this be his little sister, come
back to him In dream2 lie had soft
dreamy feeling that this child was somehow
a message come to him from that far-off-
life. But there was cry on tile hearth,
and Silas ted and s0othcd it. He found
1t had on wet shoes, which suggested
to him that she must have come from out
doors, 30 he raised the child and went
to the door, and the little one cried man.
my. Bending forward he could Just dis
Germ marks made by the little feet, and he
followed their track to the furze bush, and
there he found human body, with the
head sunk low In the furze. and half COW
cred with the shaken snow. Silas knew
that all tho town was at the grand party
at the Squire's, so he carried the little one
right there In search of the doctor. The
doctor, Godfrey, and few others, 20 to
the stone pits, and then and that the
woman is past help-;dead. They urged
Silas to part with the child, but he presses
it to him and says:
"No, mol can't part with it. It's
come to me-I've right to keep It,"
1t was bright autumn Sunday, sixteen
years after Silas Mariner had found his new
treasure on the hearth.
The bells Of old Ravcloe church were
ringing the cheerful peal which told that
the morning service was ended. He called
her Eppie for his sister, and that morning
rs they walked home together, in low muir
tones. Eppie talked to him.
'Father, if Twas be to married, ought I
to be married with mothers ring2"
why, Eppie, have you been a-thlnking
on itR''
"Only this last week. Father" said
Eppie, ingenuously, ''since Aaron talked to
me about it,"
''And what did he say?" said Silas.
Ia In oI =
because he is going on four and twenty and
now Mr.. Moot's given up"
And who is it as he's wanting to mar
ry?" said Silas with rather sad smile.
"Why, me, to be sure, daddy" said
Eppie, with dimpling laughter, kissing
her fathers check; "as if he'd wanted to
marry anybody else.
"And you mean to have him, do your"
said Siias.
"Yes, some time," said Eppie, IL don't
know when."
"Every body's married some time,"
Aaron says
But told him that wasn't true, for I
said "look at father-he's never beon
married."
MY Child" said SlIas, "your father
was lone man till you was sent him."
"But you'll never be lone man again,
father, " said Eppio tenderiy. "That was
what Aaron said"
II could never think O. taking you
away from Master Mariner, Eppie." s'And,
l said ltud be no use if you did Aaron, and
he wants us all to live together, so you
needn't work and he'd be as good as a son
to you. But I don't want any change. Only
Aaron does want change and ho made mo
cry bit-only bit-becauso he said l
didn't care for him, for II cared for him,
should want us to married, as he did" "
"Eh, my blessed child" said Silas, ''You
are DER young to be married. But shall
got older and helpless, and should like
to have you have somebody else beside
me-somebody young and strong, as 'ud
take care of you to tho end"
"Then you would like me to be married,
fathcr2"
'Tll not be the man to say no, Eppie,
but will ask your godmotl1er She'll wish
the right thing by you and her son too"
And the godmother wished it.
In draining the lands the 81 one pits were
drained dry, and the skeleton of Dunston
Cass was found and all of Silas Marner's
gold, two hundred and slxty-five pounds.
SO Aaron and Epple enlarged their garden
and made pretty their homo as they
did not wish to leave the stone pits and
Eppic's own words tell the story of their
united happy life.
"Oh, father, what pretty home ours isl
l think nobody could be happier than we.
De not.