The Opelousas courier., 1891-09-19

| were weak with terror, anu sue Aaa "
| stop often to rest. Once there was a
bright CLEAN of lightning, and she cow
cred close to the trunk, lest some one
| should see her.
At last she reached the thick mass OF
foliage at the top, from which she had
fallen. She wrapped her handkerchief
around her hand, shut her eyes, and
reached out fearfully.
She touched a smooth, round object
that had lodged in the thick foliage of
the tree. This object, the mere sight OF
| which had once made heg lose her hold
and fall, she was now courageously
grasping, inspired by pure compassion.
Holding it firmly, she hurriedly de
| scended and ran to the hotel.
She knew Wo Keong's window; she
had seen him sitting there, grave and
| sedate, as became his rank. There was
a rain spout at the corner; a large rose
lush chung to the side. and the window
~cornices would afford q foothold. she
| began to climb the wall.
We Keong was awakened by the cold
touch OF the wind and rain on his face.
Before he could rise, a brilliant flash OF
lightning illumined the wild night. He
Jaw a slight form, with pailid face and
dying hair, framed in the open window.
Dense darkness fell, but in the mighty
crash of the thunder he thought he heard
a shrill cry.
He sprang up and lighted his lamp.
No living thing was visible, but OF the
floor beneath the window he saw a
human skull. He knew that All Cows
head was found.
Something cleaned beside the mourn
full relic of humanity. Wo Keong picked
it up and examined it curiously. 1t was
an antique earring-a golden crescent
set with turquoise.
1t had been raining heavily for an
hour, with frequent flashes of lightning,
when Mrs. Duperu heard a strange sound
in the house. Obeying her first impulse,
she took her lamp and went to Mercy's
room. There she found the child lying
on the floor sobbing ~piteously. Her hair
and clothing were Jrenched with rain,
and she was shivering with cold.
"Mercedesi Where ma, you been?"
screamed the frightened woman.
81 have lost my mothers earring"
was all that Mercy could say. She began
to sob pitifully, and then tainted.
The mex day Mercy was delirious and
dangerously i'll. The old lady's proud
spirit broke, and she prayed that Mer-
cedes might live to know her again, so
that she could take her to her heart.
But Mercy was likely to die. Hour
after hour she seemed to be seeking tia
lost earring, or shrinking in terror from
some frlghtful object.
Late n night, when sleep had at las5
stilled Merey's piteous voice, Mrs.
Duperu, watching by her bedside, fell
into a short, troubled sIumber. she sud-
denly awoke and started up wildly, with
the feeling that some one was in the
room. But everything was still.
She was about to sink down in her
chair again, when a strange object on
the table attracted her attention. 1t was
a small octagonal box, of silver illgree
work. She had never seen it before.
Mercy was still sleeping, and Mrs.
Duperu went out and questioned the
servants. No one had called, and nor
of them had been in the ROOM.
Greatly astonished, Mrs. Duperu re-
turned aud looked closely at the box. AT
one side of it was a spring, which she
pressed. The box opened, and she saw
in it a slip of paper on which was writ.
ten, mercedes Jaramillo."
Beneath the paper lay Mercy's lost
earring. A piece of folded white silk
remained. Sne lifted one corner, and
saw within a beautiful pearl necklace.
This mystery greatly disturbed Mrs.
Duperu, but she gently clasped the ear
ring in Mercy's ear, grateful to whoever
had returned it.
When the morning dawned, the child
awoke, rational for the first time. She
~anxiously put her hands to her ears, aud
a look of joy came oyer her face.
30 Mrs. Duperu, Idreamed that lost
one of my earrings" she cried, weakly.
The old lady face was wet with tears
as she bent down and kissed her. Then
"a sound and healing slumber fell upon
the child.
The gossips of Savoy were astonished
when, not long afterward, a marble shaft
which bore this inscription was placed at
poor Jaramillo's grave:
GEORGE DUPERU.
How the little silver box was placed
on the table was never discovered. II
Wo Keong thought it fitting that a mys-
ferrous kindness done to himself should
be repaid by a kindness equally mystic
rious, he certainly carried out his idea
very well.-Yeuth's Companion.
Quick Lunch and sunstroke.