The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-08-13

down from tho very heart Of busy London
and placed as an entrance cato in the quiet
and calm of the country. l thought II
those stones could speak what tales they
could tell OF the hundreds Of fortunates
and unfortunates that entered that old
gateway of the city! made some remark
of this kind to my companion, and he
gruffly replied that he didn't think much
Of them sentimental IDEAS" that he didn't
believe in God OF man or devil, and,
furthermore he added: II don't believe in
you anyhow. It's one Of them sentimental
ideas that made my old woman send for
you to come down here and tell her how
long certain party's got to live"
All, thought so that's all she wants
to know. Well, wonder what use such
information will be. "Who is the party"
asked "a relation?" But the old chap
evidently repented having said so much,
and l could not get him to utter another
word till 10 minutes later we turned off
the path and entered long struggling
wood that seemed to have no end. At last,
when was beginning to grumble at the
length Of my walk, my companion turned
toward an old house, little better than
hut, on the outskirts of the wood, and in
few moments was respectfully greeted
by a sharp eyed woman who came to the
door, In this strange pair, man and wife,
at once recognized one Of those extraor-
diEary contrasts SO often found in human
nature. The man, coarse and uneducated,
utterly without conscience or principle, as
sociated with woman also uneducated,
yet with an innate charm Of manner that
lent certain grace and refinement to ev-
cry word, to every action. A woman willy
as a snake, unscrupulous in all her deal
ings and yet one guided, governed, en-
shaved, by the superstitious fears that held
her. She looked upon me as a being pos
sessed by a supernatural power, she would
not question whether of God or devil. She
wanted that power used for her advantage.
That was all she knew or cared.
Loading me up stairs, she opened the
door Of what was little better than an at.
tio Lying on the floor in the sunlight
lay little girl, half naked, playing with
the long hair that fell around her shoul-
ders, Fixing her large frightened eyes
ON the woman as she entered, she crept
away on all fours and crouched like dog
under table that occupied corner Of
the room.
Poor little thing she is frightened"
said. "Oh, she Is always that way before
strangers, " the woman replied. "She is
great affection to me, can assure you,
sir She is SO unlike other children that
I,can't let her out Of the house. She's
very delicate, too, and I've often thought,
air, that it would be better for her II God
in his mercy took her from this world of
misery" "Oh, nonsense" replied.
"You should not say that what's the lit
tie one's agei" After little hesitation
she said she did not quite recolleet, but
that about IA would be near it. WELL"
said, lis this the little girl whose hands
you want me to readp" ''Yes, sir" she
answered, land what you will please pay
special attention to Is her health, and II
it is likely that she will live"
After some coaXing ON my part and q
few menaces on the side Of the woman I
succeeded In getting the little one to let
me see her hands. was not long In draw
Ing the conclusion that she could not pos
sibly be the child of such parents. Hered-
itary laws influence the hand too much to
make any mistake. AS the race horse
could not be the foal of the Clydesdale, 50
was 1t impossible that this child could bo
the offspring of these peopla However, I
kept my thoughts 10 myself, but taking .
still deeper interest In the little hands
noticed that no line of destiny was visible
In the early years on the right hand and
that the child was born of clever. intellec-