Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1890-01-04

face, and had large, dark eyes. which
thought more beautiful than anything !
had ever seen. At last Il came to my
turn to have present-oddly enoagh,
considered I'm the light of future events,
it was a large monkey. She reached It
down from one Of the lower boughs OF
the tree and handed it to me, saying:
''Dat Is my Christmas present to you.
little Allan Quatermain."
AS she did 50, her sleeve, which was
covered with cotton wool, spangled over
with something that shone, touched one
Of the tapers-how / do not know-and
caught fire, and the flame ran up her
arm towards her throat. hestood quite
still. suppose that she was paralyzed
with fear; and the ladies who were near
screamed very loud, but did nothing.
Then some impulse seized me--perhaps
instinct would be better word to use.
considering my age. / threw myself
upon the child, and, beating at the fire
with my hands, mercifully succeeded In
extinguishing it before it really got hold.
Ny wrists were SO badly burned that
they had TO be wrapped up In wool Cor
long time afterwards, bat with the en-.
ception OF a single burn upon her throat,
little Stella Carson was not nnch hurt
This is all that I remember about the
Christmas tree at the hail. What hap
pened afterwards Is lost to me, bat TO
this day In my sleep / often see little
Stella's sweet face and the stare OF terror
In her dark eyes as the fire ran up her
arm. This, however, Is not wonderful,
for had, humanity speaking, saved the
life Of her who was destined to be my
wife.
The next event which can recall
clearly Is that my mother and three
brothers all fell i'll of fever, owing, as
afterwards learned, to the poisoning of
our well by some evil minded person,
who threw dead sheep into IT,
It must have been while they were Ill
that Squire Carson came one day to the
vicarage. The weather was still cold,
for there was fire In the study, and
sas before the fire writing letters on q
piece of paper with pencil, while my
father walked up and down the room,
tttlAAllk W thD1ScAs <AtcI Wd4uS i AAoW
that he was praying for the lives of his
wife and children. Presently servant
came to the door and said that some one
wanted to see him.
at is the squire, SIR" said the maid,
land he says he particularly wishes to
see you"
"very WE'LL" answered my father,
YEARLY, and presently Squire Carson
came In. His face was white and bag
gard, and his eyes shone SO fercely that
was afraid of him.
Forgive me for intruding on you at
such time, Quatermain," he said, In a
hoarse voice, "but tomorrow / leave
this place forever, and I wish to speak
to you before go-indeed, I must speak
to you"
.'Shall I send Allan away?" said my
father, pointing to me.
"No, let him bide. He will not under
stand" Nor, indeed, did at the time,
but remembered every word, and In
after years their meaning grew on me.
First tell me-" he went on, chow are
theyY' and he pointed upwards with his
thumb.
"My wife and two of the boys are be-
You'd hope, my father answered, with a
groan. II do not know how it will &C
with the third. The Lords viii be donep'
"The Lords will be DONE" the squire
echoed, solemnly. "And now, Quater-
main, listen-my wife's gone"
"Gone" my father answered. "Who
withr'
"With that foreign cousin of hers. 1t
seems from letter she left that she al.
ways cared for him, not for me. She
married me because she thought me a
rich English MILFORD. Now she has run
through my property, or most Of it. and
gone. I don't know where. Luckily,
she did not care to cucumber her new
career with the child; Stella Is left to
me-"
THAT is what comes of marrying a
papist, Carson" said my father. That
was his fault; he was as good and
charitable a man as ever lived, but he
was bigoted. "What are you going to
do-follow herr"
He laughed bitterly in answer.
"Follow herw he said; "why should ]
follow her? If Imet her might kill her
or him, or both Of them, because of the
shame they have brought upon my child's
name. No, never want to look upon
her face again. TRUSTED her, I tell you,
and she has betrayed me. Let her go
and find her fate. But / am going too.
am weary Of my life"
"Surely, Carson, surely" said my
father, "you do not mean
"No, no; not that. Death comes soon
enough. But will leave this civilized
world that is living lie. We will go
right away into the wilds, my child and
/, and hide our shame. Where? I don't
know where. Anywhere 80 long as there
are no white faces, no smooth, educated
tongues"
"You are mad, Carson, my father an
swered. "How will you live? How will
you educate Stellar Be man and live