Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-04-27

her nef llfSJ vague impression i'll his favor.
lie seemed also TO avoid the various nd
vanccs which Mr.. Mott appeared impcllcd
80 make whenever they met in the pae-
sage but did so without seemingly ayoid-
ing her, and rnarked his half con
ItemptuOus Indifference to the elder Not.
by an increase of respect to the younu
girl. She would have liked to ask him
something about ships, and was sure his
conversation would have been more inter-
esting than that of old Capt. Bower, to
whose cabin he had succeeded, who had
once told her n ship was the "devil's han
coop" She would have liked also to OK
plain to him that she was not in the habit
Of wearing n purple bonnet. But her
thoughts were presently engrossed by an
experience which interrupted tho even
tenor of her young life.
She had been, as she afterward rcmcm-
| hcred, impressed with n nervous restless
ness one afternoon, which made it impos-
sible for her to perform her ordinary
| household duties, or even to INDULGE her
favOritc recreation Of reading or castle
building. She wandered over the ship
| and, impellcd by tho same vague feelin.g
of unrest, descended to the lower deck and
the forward bullihead where she had dis
covered the open hatch. 1t had not been
again disturbed, nor was there any trace
OF further exploration. A little ashamed.
she knew not why, Of revisiting the scene
OF Mr.. RenshaW's researches, she was
turning back, when she noticed that the
door which communicated with de Fer
rieres' loft was partly open. The circum-
stance was SO unusual that she stopped
before it in surprise. There was no sound
from within; it was the hour when its
queer occupant was always absent: he
must have forgotten to lock the door or it
had been unfastened by other hands.
After moment of hesitation she pushed
it further open and stepped into the room.
BY the dim light of two portfolios she
could see that the floor was strewn and
piled with the contents of broken bale
Of curled horse hair Of which few I'M
touched bales still remained against the
wall A heap of morocco skins, some
already cut in the form Of chair cushion
covers, and few cushions unfinished and
unstuffed lay in the light of the ports.
and gave the apartment the appearance of
q cheap workshop. A rude instrument
for combing the horsehair, avis, buttons
and thread heaped on small bench
showed that active work had been but
recently interrupted A cheap earthen-
ware ever and basin on the floor, and
pallet made Of an open bale of horse hair
on which ragged quilt and blanket were
flung, indicated that the solitary worker
dwelt and slept beside his work.
The truth flashed upon the young girls
active brain, quickened by seclusion and
fed by solitary books. She read with keen
eyes the miserable secret of her fathers
strange guest in the poverty stricken
walls, in the mute evidences Of mental
handicraft performed In loneliness and
privation, in this piteous adaptation of an
accident to save the conscious shame of
premeditated toll. She knew now why he
had stammeringly refused to receive her
fathers offer to buy back the goods he
had given him; she knew now how hardly
gained WAS the pittancc that paid his rent
and supported his childish vanity and
grotesque pride. From peg in the corner
hung the familiar masquerade that hid
his poverty-thc pearl gray trousers, the
black frock coat, the tall shining hat-n
hideous contrast to the penury of his sur
roundings. But if they were here, where
was he, and in what disguise had he es-
capped from his poverty? a vague uneasi-
ness caused her to hesitate and return to
the open door. She had nearly reached
it when her eye fell Oh the pallet which it
partly Illuminated. a singular resem-
blance in the ragged heap made her draw
closer. The faded quilt was a dressing
gown, and clutching its folds lay white,
wasted hand.
The emisrant childhood of Rose Mott
had been mose than once Swallowed by
scMping knives, ana she was acquainted
with death. She went fcarlessly to the
couch, and found that the dressing gown
was only an enwrapping Of the cmaciated
and lifclcss body of dc Ferriercs She did
not retreat or call for help, but examined
him closely. He was unconscious, but
not pulselcss; he had evidently been
strong enough to open the door for air or
succor, but had afterward fallen in fit
Oh the couch She flew to her fathers
locker and the galley fire, returned and
Slut the door behind her, and by the skill
full use of hot water and whisky soon had
the satisfaction of seeing faint color
take the place of the faded rouge in the
CHASTITY checks. She was still chatting his |
hands when he slowly opened his eyes.
With start, he made Il quick attempt TO
push aside her hands and rise. But she |
gently restrained him.
"Eh-what" he stammered, throwing |
his face back from hers with an effort and |
trying to turn it to the wall.
'Hou have been ILL.," she said quietly. |
"Drink this"
With his face still turned away he |
lifted the cup to his chatterng teeth.
When he had drained it he threw a trem- |
bling glance around the room and at the |
door.
There's no one been here but myself"
she said quickly. II happened to see the
loor open as | passed. | didn't think it