The Opelousas courier., 1891-09-19

on the child's shoulders. Sac cried out,
and at once sprang through the door,
and fled up the bill to her tree Of refuge.
The landlady followed, but she soon saw
Mercy safely perehed on her lofty seat.
It happened that a rough young sailor,
a nephew of Mrs Driscoll's had come to
the hotel the evening before. Hearing
the noise, he came out.
ell fetch her down for you, Aunt
Bet, said the sailor.
"Do it, JimA l wish you wouldin
said Mrs. Drisco.l.
When Mercy Isaw the young sailor
climbing TOWARD Rher, she gave q little cry
like a frightened 8bird, and at once as
cended higher, and disappeared in a
thick bunch of Holiage at the very top.
A moment later the spectators heard a
scream, and saA4 Mercy fall from that
dizzy height like a wounded squirrel.
Fortunately, shes struck first among the
lower boughs, HgIt from these she fell
to the ground, where she lay m%otionless.
The sailor, reproaching himself for the
accident, sprang down and picked her
up. One of her slender arms hung limp,
and there was blood ION her face. He
carried her tenderly to the hotel, and
Mrs. Drlscoll promptly sent for a doctor,
and meanwhile exercised her own skill
to revive the child.
81 never thought of fallln', no more'n
a squirrel" she unused. 'iShe must a
ben terrible scared at jim"
In the midst of the excitement, the
landlady was surprised to see Mrs. Du-
peru enter, assisted by her coaehman.
She tottered feebly, and her pale face
was really ghastly. She lald her trenl-
bling white hand on Mrs. Driscoll's big
red arm, while her frightened eyes were
fxed on Mercy motionless form.
II saw her. fall" she gasPed. SIS
-is-she-badly hurt?'
t.Not SO very, maam," replied the
landIady. HHer arm is broke, and she's
a bit Jared. Don't be scared, ma'am.
Beat, fetch a chair for the lady. But
it's pretty hard, ma'am," she continued.
II don see what I m a-goiu TO do with
her, with all the work that's a-pilin' up
on mt Guie, SIG was CuOuSh CIOuOlC
when she was WELL"
81 shall take her home with me as
as soon as she can be moved, whispered
Mrs. Duperu, eagerly.
Mrs. Duperu spent the night and
the succeeding days at Mercy's bedside.
When the child could be safely moved
she took her in her carriage to Robin
Wood, to the great amazement of the
gossips-
Mercy recovered, and lived happily at
Robin Wood. She felt many restrictions
about her, but they were generally of a
kind that accorded with her gentle ma
ture. She was well-dressed and we'll
taught. Mrs. Duperu showed little at
lection for her, but she was very kind,
and Mercy often wondered why this
great lady had taken charge of her.
There were many splendid trees to
climb at Robin Wood, but Mercy soon
discovered that Mrs. Duperu did not re-
gard with favor that form of exercise,
and she regretfully promised her bene-
factress never to indulge in it again.
The girl wore a pair of antique ear
rings-little crescents of gold, set.wlth
turquoise. Mrs. Duperu deigned to adj
m1re them one day.
aThey were my mothers, said Mercy.
The old lady started as il a wasp had
stung her. Then she seized her cane and
hobbled away.
Mercy had been with Mrs. Duperu ev-
eral months when & Chinese notable ar
rived at Savoy, and registered at the
Woodman's Hotel. He. was a grave,
dignified gentleman, dressed in his rich
native costume, and wearing a black
skull-cap with a red braided button at
the top. His name was Wo Keong, and
be was an official of the Chinese Six
Companies of San Francisco.
His business was soon made known by
small bills which were posted about
town. He had come to remove the body
Of All Cow, who had been killed by the
explosion; and the bills offered . reward
OF fifty dollars to the person who should
recover the missing head.
We Keong quantity explained in his
| advertisement that the matter was one
of great Importance, as a Chinaman who
had left his head in q foreign land was
! placed in a very bad position in the next
world. Happiness was impossible to
him until his head was found; and at the
great festival of Yu Ian he was sure to
come back to the earth mournfully
, searching for it.
az @E. s =
One of these singular bills was brought
to Robin Wood as a curiosity, by Mercy's
music teacher. Mercy read it, and from
that time was sad and absent-minded.
A secret vas weighing upon her mind,
and there was no one in whom she could
conide. Mrs. Duperu was kind, but
she had never invited her love and con
| fdence
Mercy drove to town one day in the
carriage, and saw q great number of men
and boys on the mountain side above the
town. She knew for what they were
searching, and she shuddered.
One morning the music teacher re-
marked that Wo Keong was about to
] give up his search, and that he would
probably leave Savoy the next day.
! When Mercy heard this a great lump
rose in her throat, and at the same time
q great resolve rose in her heart.
The image of All Cow, SO distressed
without his head haunted her. She kept
saying to herself, "He is unhappy; I
must help him.
When the music lesson was finished,
she went to Mrs. Duperu and asked,
with a trernulous voice, ssMTrs. Duperu,
will you please let me climb a tree just
once more2a
v,r.. - - IT..