Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-10-18
IN A FLASH.

When first remember my aunt Barbara she
was over forty years Of age, but she could
never have been accounted q handsome woman.
She was very tall and very angular. with long
thin face. the most remarkable feature Of which
was Roman nose Of comm anding proportions
But as she had one Of the kindest hearts in the
world. her paucity of good looks seemed mat
ter of trifng moment to those who had the
privilege of knowing her well. 1t was at my
request that some two or three years before
her death she wrote out the following nara.
tive of an actual occurrence in her early life.
put the manuscript away at the time, and did
not come across it again till the other day. Or
looking over it once more il Sc emed to me not
unworthy OF being transcribed for wider
C role OF readers than that comprised by the
writer's immediate friends and acquaintance.
You ask me to 60 back in memory (begins
my aunt) to what seems to me now like period
oil remote antiquity, when l., Barbara WaldrOn
was twenty-iour years OF aye, and my sister Bes
sic five years younger and endeavor to put
down in writing the little story told you by
word of mouth few DAYS ago.
You must know, then. that in those far-Of
days my sister and | were keeping house fol
our brother John. who at that time flied the
position OF steward and land agent to Lord Dor.
Ington. The house We lived in was pleasant
but somewhat lonely residence, about halt @
mile from the little country town OF Levensfeld
The house suited us for several reasons. In the
lrSt place the rent was low: in the next, large
walled garden was attached to it, in which Bes-
sic and spent many happy hours: and in the
third place, there was side entrance to Dor
rington Park. by which my brother could
take a shortcut to the Hall whenever
he had business with his Lordship or
his Lordship had business with him. Our
household was small one, and besides
ourselves comprised only Mary Gibbs, a
middIe-aged woman, and her niece, a girl of
sixteen Johns horse and gig were looked after
by young man named Reuben Gates who did
not. however, sleep on the premises An i'm
p0rtant part of johns duties was to receive and
pay into the Levensfeld bank the rents due
from the farmers and other tenants of property
held under Lgrd Darlington. One such tenant
was a certain Mr. SliitO, corn and seed mer-
chant, who was noted for his eccentricites. 1t
was only In Keeping with Mr.. SchiitO's aggrava-
ting way Ofdoing business that he should never
pay his rent at the time other people paid theirs;
that he should always pay it in gold and notes.
instead of giving check for the amount as he
was quite in position to have done, and that
he should make point of bringing it himself,
instead OF naming time when my brother
might have called upon him, and finally, that
he seldom arrived with the money till after
banking hours.
We come now to certain autumn evening
Kitty had just brought in the tea trav 1t was
growing dusk almost too dusk to see clearly
without the lamp. but Bessie and | liked to
economic the daylight as much as possible.
especially now that the long winter nights were
So close upon us. John had come in for a cup
of tea. This evening he was going to drive
over to Nethercroft some ten miles AWAY dine
there with some friends, and stay all night.
After dinner there was to be dance, and | was
not without my suspicious as to the nature of
the attraction which was taking him so far from
home, although he laughingly pooh-poohed the
soft INN.
It, john was In the act of putting down his
cup and saucer when we heard noise Of wheels
outside. which presently came to stand oppo-
site the house. He crossed the room and peered
through the window.
Its old Shilto. come to pay his rent" he
remarked moment later 1.-TWO hours aft er
banking time. as usual What a nuisance he
Is. tie went down stairs; and about ten
minutes later we heard Mr.. Shilltos trap start
of Presently John came back Ninety
pounds, all in gold and notes." he said I've
had to lock it up in my desk till morning.
l may here remark that iron safes for the Gus
tOdy of money and other vauabes were by no
means so icOmmOn in those days. especially in
Out-of-the-way country places, as they appear to
have since become
But the money will he quite safe In your
desk. won't it, John ?" asked EeSsie.
Safe enough without a doubt seeing that
no one but ourselves knows OF its presencethere
only. as matter OF business. / should prefer to
have had it in the Golfers of the bank" Pres
emily he added: The old fellow was haIf-spas
over, as he generally il: and have no doubt
with so many houses of call by the way that he
will be soaked through and through before he
reaches home | wonder whether he goes to
Ted sober night in his lite?"
few minutes later John kissed us and babe
US good night. Bessie and went to the window
10 see him start; but by this time it was nearly
dark. He waived his whip at us as soon as he
mad settled himself in his seat then he gave the
rens little shake. Black Bervl's heels struck
fire from the stones as she sprang forward. the
gravel scrunched beneath the wheels and mo-
m"nt later the shadows of evening had swal-
lowedup horse and gig and driver. Nv sister
ana pulled down the blinds and drew the cur
tans and rang for Kitty to bring in the lamp
The evening passed after our usual quiet fash
ion We worked little and read little and
played some half dozen duets and chatted be-
tween times. till the clock pointed to half-past
ten at which hour we generally retired tor the
night. Ny last duty every evening was to 90
the round of the house and satisfy myself that
all lights were our, that the fires were safe and
that all the doors aud windows were properly
secured When this duty had been duiy accom-
pliSiled Tonight, the drawing room lamp was
extin@uished. aud then Bessie and took our bed
candies and marched up stairs. leaving darkness
and solitude behind us. Mary Gibbs and Kitty
mad retired long ago.
Ny sisters room and mine adoneG each other.
generally stood partly open at night for the
1Ee OF cOmpanionship. The windows of both
looms looked Into the garden, which ran in a.
wide strip along that side of the house and
was shut in b. wall some seven or eight feet
h;gh. beyond which there were three or toUr
meadows. and then the boundary wall of Dor
ringtOn Park.
Il was close on one o'clock-as / found out
fterward-whcn awO1le suddenly from sound
sleep. The instant opened nv ewes the room
was iilumined Ivy vivid flash of lightning and
it was in all probability peal of thunder that
had broken my sufEbers Another flash followed
after brief interval. succeeded again by the
deafening accompaniment. NV sleep was
rtfectually broken. ] arose. flung q shawl over
my shoulders. and crossing to the window. drew
back the blind and peered out As long ago as
can remember. lightning has always had sim
GUAR fascination tor me. As child loved to
gaze upon its vivid splendors and in this re-
spect at least years have left me unchanged A
board creeked as / crossed the floor
''lsthat you, Barbara" asked my sister from
the other room.
Yes, dear. am going to look out for few
minutes. Is not the lightning beautiful"
very beautiful: only | wish it were any
where rather than here" answered Bessie who
at such times was just as nervous as was the
reverse.
The flashes followed each other at intervals OF
about minute. had witnessed three or four
when suddenly gave start and an exclaina-
ton broke inq0luntarily from my lips. I he last
HaSh had revealed 10 me the figures of two men
IN the act OF climbing over the garden wall
One of the men was a stranger to me: but in
the other, instantaneous as was the revelation.
recognized the somewhat peculiar face and
fIure OF man named Dethei whom INV brother
nad empi0yed temporarily during the last week