Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1890-08-21

lard to bear, if, having done all she
ould to shield her father from the
Of his crime, by assum-
ng the accusation herself. the evil
,pirit who had prompted all the misery
had hunted her down, and was about
to balk her in the hardships of the
new life which she had TO face single |
handed and alone.
But after Rupert's kindness to her,
after she had wept to her hearts con-
tent, sense Of blessed relief settled
upon her troubled spirit, and she began
to wonder whether it were, indeed, the
hooking face Of Max Boyden she had
seen glaring up at her from out the
Jaws of death.
In that brief moment of respite she
seemed to lose sight of the fact that
she had lain i'll among strangers in Eng
land for week prior to her setting out
Tor America, and consequently won
1ered how Boyden could have arrived
| before her.
She even went so far as to fancy that
her excited imagination had played her
some trick, and it was not at all the
face of Max Boyden that she had seen.
In this partially relieved frame. of
mind she eagerly scanned every face
she met on the ship, and as that OF her
tormentor did not again meet her gaze,
she concluded that either she must
nave been cruelty tortured to no pur-
pose, or that, if it were Boyden; he
must have persisted upon the ill-starred
craft that had caused the fatal disaster
10 the Oregon.
Therefore, little dreaming of the
bitter consequences of every step she
took, little Oracle Garland allowed
herself to be led on shore and far up
town into the Harlem district to hum
bic little house, where an anxious woman
waited.
One had but to look into the face of
Mrs. Dorothea Arnim to be assured Of
her goodness. She was fine specimen
Of womanhood, true mother. A widow
i tRd Map aaza sAs &c. upon asT s,E
her stay in life, and naturally 4slle II,
coined him home to her. hearth Xsd
heart with an affectionate >ffu Am
which blinded her for the time ben.
to the presence of the little downcasi
stranger who stood with fearful eyes
watching the glad reunion.
1t was Rupert who bethought him
self first, and breaking away from the
fond embrace, turned the good woman
about so that she realized the presence
OF stranger for the first time.
Whom have we here 2" she exclaimed
IN establishment, as her eyes rested up
on the sweet, upturned face of little
Oracle
"a guest, mother" was the reply.
Never for an instant questioning her
boys action in the matter, Mrs. Arnim
went to the girl and took her in he,
motherly arms and kissed her.
You are welcome, my dear child, y
she said; what is your name?"
Grace Garland, was the low reply.
"We will call her Oracle, little Ora
Gle, mother" Rupert said "and we will
love her and care for her, since she is q
waif from the lost Oregon, and she has
no friends"
His wish was his mothers law, and
ns Mrs. Arnim led Oracle up to neat
little chamber upon the second floor OF
the house, the poor child felt that for
the time being, at least, she had found
rest and protection 1t was with q
thankful heart that she fell asleep that
night and prayed God to be good to
those who had been good to her
Below stairs, in the pretty room
which for the present served both as
sitting-ro and studio, mother and
son sat facing each other in the dim
| radiance of the shaded lamp
For some moments silence had fallen
between them, and it was Mrs. Arnim
who was the first to break it. They
had been talking of the advantages
gained by the young artist in his brief
| journey abroad, and it was all the more
startling when she suddenly broke off
to inquire:
Rupert, who is she?"
No need to mention names: he knew
that she referred to the stranger who
slept beneath their roof.
II know nothing about her, mother, /"
he replied, beyond the fact that she is
| lovely, and as good as she is lovely.
We both crossed in the steerage of the
| Oregon. She lost what little she had,
and as she has told you, she has no
| friends"
what would she have done, had she
not met you?"
"The good Lord only knows! dare
not think of it,"
Rupert, you are in love with the
child"
Eyes, mother l am, as you will be
when you know her."
A shadow fitted across the kindly
face of the woman as she rejoined:
"How can know her when you do
not?'
"You will win her confidence. Women
become acquainted easily. She has
some terrible secret upon her soul, has
escaped from some awful experience
which has nearly wrecked her reason"
The shadow upon Mrs. Arnim's face
deepened.
"Ah! You admit that something has
occurred, something that might ex-
plain her forlorn, destitute condition in
life?"
"Of course! Have you not already
seen = for yourself?"
Eyes"
"Mothert. he axc1ainad etort;nr