Weekly Chillicothe crisis., 1884-11-06

house he was to abide there-that is to
stop. Don't you remember?'
Nat considered the proposition.
"Ycs'm, that's his orders. I'll
stop he said.
"And, Nat" pursued the lady, rem
dered eager by her success, there's
another thing the King said-you
heard it at Sunday school. He said,
Suffer little children to come unto
me'-that is, such little children as
mine there" pointing to them as they
stood by her side. "And the King
said, too, 'Whosoever shall offend one
of these little ones 1t is better for him
that a milestone were hanged about his
neck, and he were cast into the sea. '
The King doesn't wish any harm to
come to his little ones. in any way
you remember that?"
"Ycs'm," replied Nat, absently.
"Wcll, them" continued Mrs.
Tracey, driving the concluding nail
into her argument, "if any wicked
men should come here tonight, and
try to hurt one of these little ones that
belong to the King, you would help us,
wouldn't you?"
She waited anxiously for the reply.
Nat looked at her vaguely for n mo-
ment, and then his eyes wandered aim
lcssly around the room, and then back
to her. Finally he said, quietly:
"The King sent me. I'll obey or
dcrs.'
How far he understood, sho did not
know, and ali her efforts could draw
out no more definite reply, and with
that she was obliged to be content.
As the evening grew late she provided
her guest with a sleeping place in an
adjoining room, by throwing few
quilts on the floor for Nat would
sleep nowhere else c-and then she lay
down, without undressing, on bed
beside her children. But it was a long
time before slumbcr visited her trou-
bled spirit.
As for Nat, no thought of worry or
anxiety for the future was on his mind,
and lie "slept the sleep of the just"
and his dreams were peaceful. But,
after time, those dreams became dis.
turbcd and discordant-a voice seemed
to be calling to him from his King.
and presently he awakened with a
start.
"Nat! help! Nat, the King wants
youl" came in smothered tones from
the other room.
In an instant he sprang lightly to
his feet, and grasping his stick he
sprang forward and opened the door.
A fearful struggle met his view as he
entered. Two rough, evil looking men
were thcrc-One holding Mrs. Tracey,
the other the children and the vii.
lains were evidently trying to bind and
gag their victims. As Nat witnessed
the scene his tall form seemed to
tower yet higher, and strange, fierce
light cleaned from his eyes.
II belong to the King he thun-
dcred. "iow dare you offend his lit
tie ones?"
At this unexpected intrusion, one of
the burglars released his hold of Mrs.
Tracey and spraug forward with an
oath to meet him. But it was in vain.
The great stick was whirlcd in the
air, and then came down with fearful
force on the head of the villain, and he
sank senSeless to the floor. The re-
naming burglar hastencd to his COM
rade's assistance, but he was like a
child in the hands of giant, and in a
moment he, too, was helpless and mo-
tionless. Nat stopped and drew the
two insensibie forms toward him.
"Now bring them ropes, and I'll
hang a''-he paused, and left the sem
tcnce unfinished. But there amt no
millstones bout here to hang round
their nccks ~ he added, looking up
bewilderod. "Do you b'lieve u big
rock would do? must obey
orders"
mo, | don't believe rock would
do, replied Mrs. Tracey, smiling in
spite of her alarm. "But they will be
coming to present y ; | would just tie
their hands and feet and leave them
unit morning"
"Yes'm ; so | will. The King said
tie 'em hand and foot--that's his orders.
They won't offend his little ones any
more" and in few minutes Nat had
them safely secured.
need not tell of the night that fol-
lowed, how Nat kept slceplcss guard
over his captives, and of how, when
morning came and help came
with it, the burglars were safely
lodged in the county Jail. All that is
easily surmised. But at last Nat was
n hero-not only in his own eyes, but
in the eyes of all others. He bore his
honors meekly and with dignity, as a
right belonging to a servant of the
King. He accepted the numerous
congratulations and hand-shakings,
wondering, perhaps, what it all
meant, and replying to the questions
heaped upon him with the simple
statement 81 just obeyed orders"
Nothing, however, could induce him
to accept any reward for his services.
The royal command was to take no
bread, no money in his purse, and he
would not
But Nat did not lack for friends
after that. He still continued his
wandering, and, as the story spread,
homes and hearts were open to him
everywhere. But it was at Tracoy's
that he was more especially well
coined, and as the years came and
went it was noticed that his visits be-
came more frequent and his stays more
prolonged. Indeed, as Tracey ex-
presses it:
Hell get his orders to come here
an die yet, reckon an he's welcome
to all the care we can give him. An
l just believe that away up in that
other world we read about, he'll be as
clear-headed as anybody, and in genu-
inc earnest will forever be 'on business
for the King. Oar Continent.
A Huge Blast.
A tremendous blast was fired near
Santa Cruz, CAL, a few days ago. The
object was TO remove piece Of mount
ain to make way for a railway road
bed. There were $4,000 cubic yards of