Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1890-01-02

/ 4Cf
After that / mid myself as we'll as /
could behind chair, for / was shy, and
watched little Stella Carson, who was
the squire's only child, giving the chill
dren presents off the Eee. She was
dressed as Father Christmas, with some
| soft white stuff round her lovely little
face, and mad large dark eyes, which l
thought more beautiful than any thing
/ had ever seen. At last it came my
turn to have a present-oddly enough,
considered in the light of future events,
1t was large monkey. She reached it
down from one of the lower boughs of
the tree and handed 1T to me, saying:
dat is my Christmas present to you,
little Allan Quatermain."
AS she did so 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. She stood
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-F
threw myself upon the child, and, beat
ing at the fire with my hands, mercifully
succeeded in extinguishing it before it
really got hold. My wrists were so badly
burned that they had to be wrapped up
in wool for long time afterwards, but
with the exception of single burn upon
her throat, little Stella Carson was not
much hurt
This is all that remember about the
Christmas tree at the Hall. What hap
pened afterwards is lost TO me, but TO
this day in my sleep / often see little
| Stella's sweet face and the start of ter
ror in her dark eyes as the fire ran up
her arm. This, however, Is not wonder
full, 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 we'll by some evil-minded person,
who threw dead sheep into it,
1t must have been while they were i'll
that Squire Carson came one day to the
vicarage. The weather was still cold,
for there was a fire in the study, and
sat before tho fire writing letters on a
piece of paper with pencil, while my
father walked up and down the room
talking to himself Afterwards knew
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.
"Itis the Squire, SIR" said the maid,
''and 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 hag-
gard, and his eyes shone SO flercely that
was afraid of him.
"Forgive me for intruding on you at
such a time, Quatermain," he said in
a hoarse voice, "but tomorrow / leave
this place forever, and wish to speak to
you before go-indeed, must speak to
you"
"Shall / send Allan awayP" said my
father, pointing to me.
mo, let him bide. He win 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
they2" and he pointed upwards with his
thumb.
my wife and two of the boys are be-
You'd hope" my father answered, with
groan. Il do not know how it will go
with the third. The Lords will be
doner'
1.-THE Lords will be DONE" the Squire
echoed, solemnly. "And now, Quater-
main, listen-my wife's gone"
Gomez my father answered. who
with?"
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 the thought me
rich English MILFORD. Now she has run
through my property, or most of 1t, and
gone. | don't know where. Luckily,
she did not care to cucumber her new
career with child; Stella is left to me-
"That is what comes of marrying
Papist, Carson" said my father. That
was his fault; he was as good and char
table man as ever lived, but he was
bigoted. what are you going to do
follow her2"
He laughed bitterly in answer.
Follow herw he said; why should
follow her? If / met 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, /
tell you, and she has betrayed me. Let
her go and find her fate. But am GO
ing, 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 60
right away into the wilds, my child and |,
and hideou shame. Where? Idon'tknow
where. Any where SO long as there are
no white faces, no smooth, educated
tongues"
'You are mad. Carson" my father
answered. GLOW will you live2 How
will you educate Stellar BE man and
live it down"
II will be a man, and | will live it
down, but not here, Quatermain. Educa-
ton! Was not she-that woman who
was my wife-was not she highly
educatedP cleverest woman in the
country, forsooth. Too clever for me,
Quatermain--too clever by half. No,
no; Stella shall be brought up in diff
ferent school; il it be possible, she shall
forget her very name. Goodbye, old
friend, goodbye for ever. Do not try to
find me out; henceforth ! shall be like
one dead to you, to you and all knew"
and he was gone.
mad said my father, with heavy
sigh. Ellis trouble has turned his
brain. But he will think better of it"
at that moment She nurse came huRsT-
Ing in and whispered something in his
ear. My fathers face turned deadly
pale. He clutched at the table to sup
port himself, then staggered from the
room. My mother was dying
1t was some days afterwards, do not
know exactly how long, that my father
took me by the hand and led me up
stairs into the big room that had been
my mothers bedroom. There she lay
dead in her coffin, with flowers in her
hand. Along the wall Of the room were
arranged three little white beds, and on
each Of the beds lay one Of my brothers.
They all looked as though they were
asleep, and they all had flowers in their
hands NV father told me to kiss them