The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1883-02-04

been an interested spectator 10 tho conversation got
Into the wagon and Jacob drove down to md ths old
man who were a fur cap and sold SLATED pencils. He
found him at his usual stand ncaf the crossing, his
hand bIue with tho cold hts eyes watoty. his nose
brilliant cardinal. He gazed In alarm rs the wagon
stopped before HIN. listening with amazcmcnt as
Jacob invited him 20 dinner. His face lighted up,
aud oven In his sad eyes there cane ray " sunshine.
Yes thought Jacob, his eyes arc like the old fathers
In Germany. lie was not attlred FOR 10 dnnaire no
said IN his broken English Tie would 90 10 his
abode and become presentable. But Jacob said no,
there not umo, and besides tho frau and himself
were plain country folk. So this old man got into
tho wagon and they went down through narrow,
lnent- houses rcanvd fcfiornly toward each other,
shutting oOt hnt tho metest glimpse q the blue sky
M the porter told Jacob 10 halt This was tho house
whore the Old woman and her daughter lived. Jacob
GOT down from the wagon. 81 suprogo they'd IN
iorstand best u ia go ask lem myself y, no said.
porter could, that part Of his business Jacobs
remarks vote rather profauo ~ he tumbled up the
ing he swnte series of round German oatls. No.
IL attn floor ho found ~ last, and fumblod In the
called out, "Como Inv Tho room was bare aud
poorly furnished, lust two chairs, cracked looking
glass, bed, and u tahe-ilc sort NJ . room from
which the pawnablo furniture has long been taken.
Before little stove, where n few bright cuala wore
burning, sat n girl not moro tlian tWenly-two ur
twenty. thtee llcr cyps were Tot Hack aud soft as
velvet, her tNccts HOLLOW aud wan, aud her hair,
which shohld Nave Been black to accord with her soft
lnstdNs eyes, white rs the driven SNOW. She slt
low stool close to the stove, uud knitting husy
on shawl NJ scarlet wool. Jacob had hesltated IN
tho threshold NJ the door lie remembered the
: stage women he had known In his Wild student
days In Germany, and he TeCucd with disgust FROM
meeting One now. Any way the good frau had told
him the poor thing was crazy. lie stared I'm amaze
mcnt and asked II this old Mrs. Merrlck' room.
The young woman answered IN the Affirmative, and
said, with look pathetic In It's appeal, care you n
I am sue Merfick. hid YOU come TO give
, ne, an engagement WAS nuIl, you Know hnt
can n you will kcep them quiet; don't let them pound
pound al the time. oh, my poor head. They have
no pity, they are never stili.' She broke into
grevcd little cry and hid her face In hor hands There
were tears IN Jacobs eyes. She looked un and saw
them. ION, You have Kind heatt,'' she
cried Wildly, Claspug his bands with gesture. poor
soul, that was hut M echo ~ the old stage days
"NOu win give me patt, ever 80 small nne. DO
She Washes and IRONS with tUsc ftal Old hands, worn
to skin aud bone Oh eau tell You all, She nurses
the patients at the post hospital to ret bread FOR INC
oh, my tod, and She was n lady once. When was
child we we're rich. she was Judges wife; do you
hear meg IL wonder SIT here aud plan tn XII
liz both Hut she wants to live; she tells ma so, so
walt. She frettcd when went on the stagc-tho
tights you know, and al that-hut I did so well We
were not poor any longer; we weir SO hairy. Then
the pounding came WI y eyer l'e stu n, ..,
Hated ami seltiacrNsnr ath8hatihess toward thoglr
who and 50 terrlhls 70 That fathers heart-hah u
trick 81 speech aud manner like the Hllda who-tah,
where was she-was she like thlsY) tho old woman
cane painting mp tho stair.
"l've nothing to-day, my prctty,n she called
WV, WV N"n'"l 'ouuh l I'y, anu lhu WhhotS Nc'e
shut up,n
She started back trembling whom shc saw Jacob.
My wife, you know her ma IN; she often rides Ia
market with me. Well, she sent me In to bring you
aud your daughter out ~ dinner with us at our home
In Brookyale. II is near noon now. Can you come
right oil My horses ara waiting now. ~
''Glady, sir, said the old woman couttesylng.
" | noted the grand carriage At the door, and saw
acquainauces therein, hut YOU II pardon DIR hpm'e
our dinner dressvs ana 'tHhlng close and drop
ping bet eUtt to 4 WHISPER. "would YOU mind assur-
ine mytlaNghtcr that you re theatrical manager
Otherwise she may refuse to descend the siars.N
So Jacob played new and utterly hcwiderinE role,
and felt like n thief when tho poor girl covered his
hand with grateful kisses. They now drove In search
Of the blue.eyed boy and the dark-cyed girl. They
were not In the alley. After hopeless search they
gave mp and turned toward lroukvaie.
''There they are, " cried the old woman, looking
down wide street as they left the city. jacob
wheeled his horses suddenly, almost upsetting th,
wagon, and stopped before u bake shop where two
small youngsters stood on tp.toe looking In At the
window.
{" Huilo - said Jacup,
"whc he ycn ~ said tho small boy agctessltcs,
ciutchirg his SISTERS ATM, Then lie catight sight III
his acUnaln,anrcs m tile wagon a. iiuIlo - he sal,
wondetingly, ''be you taking them to jail2''
Jacob explained, aud tho party IN the wagon added
their evidence that IN danger would threaten him Il
he and his sister accepted an Invitation 10 dine a
lirookvae. The little Glrl was quite won by Jacob
face.
81 want to 70 wild 'ou - she said basely desert.
Ing her brave little protector, AMI coming up TO thu
wagon wheel
The small boy Thought a while. "I'll come, h,
said thoughtfullv, ir you'll git couple o. then
mince tuinovcrs, SO Wen know you're good, II lei
MS set In the back seat where kin slide out ef we
wamter''
After these conditions were complied with tht
wagon. with Its strange load, proceeded IN Its way
BfoukvllC, and the party therein was merry que.
Standing at the dour OF the pleasant home IN lroOk
vale was thu good FRAT. heamlnc with love and hap
pness, and hchlnd her the old parson with his
merry, twinkliuE eyes. AMI the long pipe, seldom,
except in the pulpit out Of his smiling mouth. The
good fraus welcome was 80 genital, the snug sitting
room warm and CHEEKY, that the party had NJ
feelings OF strangeness or shyneEg.
The parsou gave Jacob warm hand clasp whlut
carried the latter back to his wedding day fot this
very parson had married them. and the good wife,
In the seClusiun of shady corner gave Jacob iotng
wifely kiss. which carried Mn back to HIS wedding
day n,rtn than tspt
aud Wasn't It enjoyed even the tot had her mng
OF cider. She was sight to behold. creased from
head to foot with turkey and bread aud butter and
iourshing big drumstick.
a. Let the dear child eat, said Frau Knhler, ler
heart warming with tile old mother love that had
been sleeping all these years, FOR mother love never
as She's got better manuers when she amt 30
hungry said the boy, alphabetically. Jacob
color OF vioets In the shady places Of the forest
Why did y girl's face, with the tender, Mistftl
hm2 who had looked likp that the night slic
kissed hin, when SHE went 10 licf Will he'd where
she would never lie again? with HIS Hood OF recol
lection CAME vision dr Blhc- eyed child who threw
aside her paythlnGs and her pretty, willrul ways,
and crept into his arms la comfort ''mine papa ~
when little Gretchen had gone To heaven. llda
from those violet eyes, every trick Of voice
and gesture. Jacob grew numb and cold. his
soul filled with a presenlimcnt ani dread that
was half hope. After dinner they all gathered to-
Goher In the sittngr before the glowing fire, aud
inspired by the genial warmth of this fire and til,
kindness OF the two old listeners, the queer guests re-
lated the qneerer experiences Of their varied lives.
The old wonian with the simper size had assumed tn,
moment she had set foot In the wagou which To hc
was luxurious egupage related the story of her pas
life, OF her handsome home, and the talented Judge
her husband, man whom all men hOnOrcd; aud
losing In her carnestness the faint assumption u
superiority that had unc0nsCiously appeared In he
manner as she had recalled the old times, she went III
TO tell her daughters story, how she went to the the
afro AT night, fuli of ambition and hope, how she
brought home crushed lliecss body, with the brigh
mind forever clouded aud dim. The daughter IA
watching tho nrelIght all the while. unlleedIng th'
mOtlcr'S talk. ''Ah, ~ she said, with happy sigh
" have rot to heaven IL Is so quiet here, still
there Is no poundug.'' The parson. good soul, 81,
beside her; indeed he had never left her since she
came. ~ wish, poor child, yOn could he her
Away, ~ he said thougltfnlly IN an untertone.
Then the old porter related his experience. Thrt!
years Of his life lie had been sailor, sailing 10 Aus
trala, 10 those wonderful isles In the Pacific,
Africa, and to the frozen with of those terri
ble explorations to mud the North Pole Every DANCE
oi the burning tropics the icy drelrinesS uf th
Arctic regions lie had experienced. with break I
his voice aud certain sotness In the wrinkled old
face, something shining In his eyes, he told how hi
old wife made q land-ubhcr Of him, because Sll
could not rest easy when he was the high seas
how she at last, had deserted an old shipnate ant
gone TO safer and calmer harbor above.
When he finished the Russian stretched out hi
thin, Trembling hand. Listen, " lie said, ~ tn
other returned his sympathetic pressure. 80 You hea
my life-a little OF it--then You Will not complain
My good friends here have not asked my name
Those who know me In the city call mo Alex. NJ
name Is Alexis GaliIzin. Friend KOhler. you start
yOu sluddcr: you have heard that name before! lu
regard mo with horror. When have given you a
outline Of my story, then would willingly rcey
you OF my presence II you think me guilty.
Acknowledging Jacobs fervent apologies with
grave bow, AMI twisting his beard neryOusly with on
hand his sad eyes xed on the glowing Goals, ho con
tinued:
81 was q student In Russia. 1t Is needless to ad
| was q Nihilist: we all were. was not found out
however; WAS cautiOus-l saw mouse In being
martyr 10 we'll nigh hopeless cause The rasliest
the students OF college had beautiful sister NOR
rash than lie | think tho women IN Russia are In
more reckless than the men, but Siberia Is worse 10
them: besides they have more wrongs 10 avengc.
married this beautiful wOlian aud plunged Into III
plots and cOnspiracies with the party of which sl
aud hor brothers We're primo movers. You know ho
such plots end. Nothing could be proved agalns
me, but she and her brothers were eSed 10 Siberia
My release WAS only torture. saw her the last tim
IN tho COURTROOM; | heard the sentence OF eNi
passed on her; saw the brutal crowd stare at hC
lovely face, aud ON the face Of General ; hut, al
why repeat that namop No. no 1t has not passc
my lips for years: IL shall not now. Well, on his IA,
| | saw u look OF bold admiration. A terrible drea
came over me; She true heart, saw II, AMI looking
me with long, lingering farewell, plunged her dag
ger In her heart and fell, Dathed In blood, to II
| ground. All WAS cOmmOiOn. 'DOn't let her die
| cried tho General, hurrying 10 her side. Hut WI
too quick; | pushed him aside and my darllr
breahed her last In my arms. lie called them 10 al
| rest me, and spurned her with his foot, aud I In
frenzy seized the dagger, wet With her blood, ~