The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1885-03-09

nOTse-ClOlIS. tHtCtually utinuuStIdltu
the futility of applying for corroborat-
i've evidence in that quarter; mean
while. encouraged by Dicks exclama-
nation. Bill took up the parable in his
turn. and continued:
"llil she wur a wlite-faced creetur
an all, uncanny like, an that SMALL
| An she fitted of same way ms she
COON; we seed nothing on her oppear.
ance or disappearance. so { speak. An
my wife's mother do tell tale as 'ow
/ years ago. fore DOR time. tn common
'ad used Z he 'aunted by ghosts an
sperrits an'sich like. mostlngs o. New
| Year an Midsummer Ewes. So it's
gain enuif that night like this"
"IIulloa!n Dick somewhat profanely
interrupted the narrative ut this junct-
ure, as the cart humping uneasily over
a buried stone turned sharp angle OF
the road, dashed II | don't know
where we are! Why, Of course, there
are the vicarage lights cleaning be-
tween the leafless trees, we're within
stones throw of the dear old spotl
Here cabby, cabby, rouse up, rouse up;
we shall he at home In less than no
time. Whip up the old boss. Bill, my
lad, and land us with all imaginable
speed"
Bill complied willingly enough with
these instructions. and Tom hurried
now to the rear with pralseworthy alac.
rity in order literally to push behind"
so that in very few moments the cart
was stumbling along in the familiar
rtts of the narrow lane (which Dick not
unjustly stgmatsed AS the worst road
in England) leading round TO the vicar
age doors.
AS they drew nearer, the young mans
heart throbhed with sensation of Joy
so acute as to be well-nigh pain, and he
was ever after wont to declare that
never until that moment had he even
dimly realized the depth of bliss COM
prsed in those simple words, AT
homeln
Long ere the cart came to stand
still before the gates, the hall-door was
flung open wide.
"Ohl it's only the carriers cart"
cried fresh young voice In disappoint-
ed tones, rs a tall 1.-THE figure turned
away.
But, Edic, Ediel it is I, Dick, cried
Carlisle. stumbling to his feet, labelled
This side upwardsl Valuable-with
care!' So don't hustle off in that fash
ion. old girl, before you've given fell
low n kiss!"
Dick. Dick! is II possible? Mamma,
girls. Dick is herel Oh, you dear old
boy, we've been so terribly anxious all
the afternoon; we expected you hours
ago. and when you failed to appear, we
could but pray you had not started
lest you should be lost in the snow!'
But reinforcements had arrived from
within doors ere this peroration was
concluded. Dick ran q fair chance,
seemingly, of enduring death by stran-
gulation or sufIocaton after all, for no
sooner was his neck released from one
pair of soft feminine arms, than he
found himself embraced by another,
and Rugged with alarming ferocity.
"llulloa, hullOal" quoth the CHEEKY
rector, as he emerged from his study
beyond, hearing joyous voices raised in
greeting in the hall. "do you mean tc
} smother the lad, Nellie, Edie, Katief
seeing that he has had a narrow escape
/ take it, of perishing in a snow-drift
, for Heavens sake spare him to enjoy
his Christmas plum-pudding once more
. at any rate. Dick, my boyl how are
: you? Come in, and let us close the
door,
, But Dick explained that the Burn
! ham carries had yet another precious
human parcel within their cart de
. manding even more careful delivery.
; "Details anon, dear girls; ! reserve
B the history of my Christmas Ewes adj
l venture. The first thing to be don'
0 now is to see to my late companion II
P adversely, certain luckless cabby, WHIT
9 has Jared even more disastrously thai
3 /. Let us minister to his comfort. anC
then-oh for the dear old fireside
] and a merry Christmas to you all, sa,
} ~
I Neither were Tom and Bill, the stur
: DIV carriers, forgotten, the reader my b
' sure. They went off rubbing thei
D hands in high gee, assuring one anoth
er confdentially, under their breaths
{ that they could but intreat high heavel
to send them "mony moor jist sue
/, Chrissermas Ewes, tn likes o which,
) tn way O. a job, had never been heer
: tell on afore!n
: The latter part of which sentimen
v those within the snug vicarage wall
4 very heartily re-echOed when DICK be
/ gan to unfold his narrative" as h
phrased it, with duly important al
: seated in q luxurious armchair, wit
q his legs stretched out towards blazin
q fire; one of "the girls" perched like a
: tendant nymphs on either side, III
/, mother hastily brewing mullei claret
/ the table, the vicar seated opposite
q wearing, If possible, on his rublcnn
r features even more genial expressio
h than his wont.
j Cabby had been previously housed !
n the back kitchen, where Martha, wit
r. Sarah James assistance, had made hi
@ up luxurious impromptu bed, and,
!. he had already shown signs OF comple
4 recovery under combined influences {
/. warmth, ease and copious refreshmen
"a 1t is but fair to conclude that ere lor
Il he too was treating the kitchen comp
ny to differentiated probably highl,
r colored-version of the same FACT
- wherewith Dick was meanwhile rega
ing the aifectionate circle gathere'
ID open-mouthed, around him in tho COZ
10 parlor beyond.
ID But at first only general outline
" the nights adventure was practicabl
2 for Dick was too exhausted, over-exci
j. ed, and generally spent, to talk niue
or indeed do more than reply to thu
st of the breathless questions .pour'
lr forth by the girls with remorseless @
lg ergy; but after supper, when he begi
er to feel like lion refreshed, he recor
1 menced his story, and gave 1t with C
es pious annotations, the vicar declare
smiling, albeit suspicious moistu
G. glistened meanwhile in the old mar
n eye. for he could not fail to recogni
nd the terrible jeopardy in which the II
lis so inestimably precious to them all III
e. been placed throughout long houl
es scarce more than stones throw fro
no their own door.
All CHAPTER vi.
-" THE FACE AT TIE WINDOW,
IT. "But what about the little girl "