The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-08-16

,
come back"
"Going to take Phyllis with you, amt
you~ said the squire.
~ suppose l must. / don't like to 60
alone and there is no one else" said Miss
Eldridge, but she showed feeling of dis
may at the prospect.
To guard Phyllis was the great object of
her life, and, with the world so very differ
ent from what it had been when she was
girl, it seemed to her duty attended with
great difficulties. This John" was very
likely to be a roaring lion, seeking whom
he might devour; still, if he was one of the
friends of the squirrels wild days, he must
be old now, and, being very ill, as well,
there was some chance that he would not
devour Phyllis before her eyes.
Nicodemus, the hired man, manifested
great surprise when he was told that he
was to drive Miss Eldridge and Miss
Phyllis to Norwich, even while the church
bells were ringing. Such Dissertation of
the Sabbath had never been known before
in his twenty years. experience of the
family.
"It's a long road to Norwich" said Mic
odemus, who was privileged to speak his
mind on all occasions; but then, Parson
Godfrey's prayers are middliu' long, too,"
and he heaved a sigh that sounded like an
expression of relief, evidently concluding
that the length of road was the lesser evil
of the two.
Miss Eldridge looked severe disapproba-
ton, but she said nothing. Nicodemus had
an eel-like slipperyness under rebuke, and
she had ceased to waste her efforts. But
reflections upon ministers. were, to Miss
Eldridge, the most trying form which Mic
odemus' ungodliness took. She had a
special reverence and regard for ministers.
She had been betrOthed to one in her youth,
and had given him up to devote herself
and her worldly goods to her brother, after
he had squandered his own patrimony in
riotous living, and it had been a lifelong
sorrow to her. She meant TO guard Phyllis
from sorrows. 1t was the dearest wish of
her heart that Phyllis should marry a min
lister. She was not conscious of any inten-
ton to attempt to interfere with the DEGREES
of Providence, but if a frivolous minded
young man should appear upon Phyllis
horizon-as, alas! was only too likely, for
was not Phyllis calculated to draw such,
as a candle draws a moth?-she did mean
to use all her energy to put him to rout.
As Bucephalus trudged perseveringly
over the long road to Norwich, Nicodemus
INDUCED in some further remarks.
THAT was powerful discourse that Par
son Godfrey give us last Sunday mOrnin',
about the man with the one talent. | ha'n't
seemed to be able 10 get it out of mind
sence," said he, with a deeply meditative
expression of countenance.
pm very glad that it impressed you,
Nicodemus," said Miss Eldri4ge, with a
radiant face. Here was at last hopeful
sign in NicOdemus!
"Been thinkin' of it ever sence," said
Nicodemus. "Parson Godfrey, he made out
that every man has his talent, even if tits
leetle mite of one, and | calkilate tits
50, only he don't allus seem to get the lay
of it exactly. pve been Iunnin' of an idea
that mine WANT diggin' the sile and dom
chores. | wisht | hadn't never put my
hard airnin's into that tarnal rock-heap of
a farm over to Stony Crick. My tarlent is
for luck. There never was such Teller fol
findin' things, and guessin' things, as be.
If Pd put my money into lottery tick
so Nicodemusw exclaimed Miss Ell
bridge.
Her tone of horror did not seem to affect
Nicodemus in the least degree.
swell, now, Miss Eldridge, there's aman
over here to Norwich has made his fortin
out of a lottery. Give ten dollars for q
ticket and drew fifteen thousand dollars in
cash. l tell you Norwich is lively over it
jim Shattuck did cobblin' by odd Jobs.
DON'T s'pose he's known half the time
where he was goin' to git the next meal OF
victuals. He found somebody's purse and
got ten dollars reward for it. He hadn't
a suit of clothes to his back, but he bought
the lottery ticket; had sense enough to
know that his tarlent was luck, you see.'
Miss Eldridge, actuated by stern sense
Of duty, delivered long moral and relig.
ious discourse upon the sin of gambling
to which Nicodemus listened with rapt at
tentiOn, and remarked calmly, when she
had finished:
Eyes, there is them that thinks lotteries
is sinful, but it kind of seems to me that
when mans got a tarlent that way, it's
accOrdin' to scripter for him to use it,"
Miss Eldridge sighed heavily, and aban-
doned her attempt. Clearly Nicodemus
had not "tarlent" for morality.
By this time they had reached the one
hotel which Norwich boosted, AMI Mis-,
Eldridge had the landlord summoned tC
the carriage.
"Have you a gentleman here who-is very
ill.," she asked him.
THE Teller that got hurt is here" said
the landlord. Got thrown off the train
Caught his boot-heel somehow, and hit his
head on a rock. He don't seem to know
much of anything yet, but the doctor says
he's likely to get well if he has careful
nursing. | got old Mrs Plummer to take
care of him. She used to be a first rate
nurse, but she's gettin' old"
"Do you know what his name is~ asked
Miss Eldridge.
mo, we can't seem to find out. He dom
know enough to tell, and there was nothing
about him to give us any clew except the
initials j. l.. C. on his pocket-book."
~. l.. c. 1t was probably john" thought
Miss Eldridge. The telegram had said i'll
and had not said anything about an acct
dent, but messages We're. arranged with 9
view to employing the fewest words posi-
bic, and the man was certainly i'll at pres
emit.
SIS there any other man in Norwich
lying very ill.," said Miss Eldridge, who
liked to be sure.
"Not that know Of. Norwich is terri
BILE healthy place. Nobody pindlin' here,
but the doctors, as a general thing" sale
the landlord, facetiously.
Then think this gentleman who has
bees injured is friend of my brother'
said Miss Eldridge;'" sand we would like tC
do all that we can for him."
pm sure Pm glad, ma'am. He needs
friends" said the landlord, Frightening in
manner that might have suggested to 8
cynical mind relief concerning his pros
poets of having the strangers bill paid
"Nr. - What did you say his name was
Miss Eldridge"
"Ididn't say" said Miss Eldridge, curt
ly. Then her gentle soul reproducing her
she FASTENED to add, with rising color, 81
really don't know anything but his first
name. My brother has not seen him-at
least, he thinks not-for long time"
1t was awkward and embarrassing even
where the landlord was concerned; what it
would be with the stranger himself Miss
Eldridge, with her small knowledge of the
world, trembled to think.
1.-The doctor said he must be kept. per-
fectly quiet, but he don't seem to notice
anything, anyway" said the landlord
ushering Miss Eldridge into the sick-room,