Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1895-05-23

augePeu MIN. OOlOreS Sblll bromU1eAt
when awakened at night by the rever-
berating thunder and piercing flashes
of lightning of storm, as the recollec-
ton of her grandfather's face, white,
convulsed by passion, the eyes glazing
wrathfully, and the very hair bristling
ON his head, rose suddenly before her
mental vision
The old neighbour kind of heart
and garrulous of tongue, had helped to
shape aud dress a primitive doll, sue
cessor of the broken toys of infancy.
The child had lavished on this I'M
responsive fetish all the stores of ten
derness in her nature, until the fatal
day when Dolly, temporarily neglected,
fell from the window ledge and
lay on the ground hopelessly
dismembered in every limb. Dolores
wept, gathered up the fragments, and
with the aid of rusty knife, proceeded
to dig a grave under the clump Of canes
wherein to inter the doll
"What are you about there?" The
voice, rough and peremptory, shouted
this demand at the startled and as.
tonished little grave digger
At the same moment the child was
seized and pushed to a distance, the
knife wrenched away from her, and the
doll kicked into ditch Dolores
covered where she fell, while her
grandfather poured forth food Of
threats, reproofs. and invectives, which
she only half comprehended, gather
ing dimly that she was not to injure
the plants by digging graves in the
garden for broken playthings How
angry grandpaps wasl The flashing
eyes, the menacing brow, the bitter
words wrung from the trembling
mouth by agitation, stupeaed the
child. She crept away to her own
chamber, subdued and miserable, and
sobbed herself to sleep, with her face
buried in the pillow to exclude the
image of the old man. Poor Dolores
The gentle and caressing mother
and the smiling nurse Peplta, with
their divine and feminine warmth Of
consolation in healing wounded feel
ings, were both gone, and she was left
alone.
The next day Jacob Dealtry pre-
sented his grandchild with new doll,
bought in the town His manner was
gentle, even ingratiating, as if he
wished to efface from her mind all
recollection of the painful incident Of
the garden. The new doll banished
grief. On the following day he led
her to the convent school, where she
remained for several years, with brief
intervals of holidays at the old Watch
Tower The nuns received her on the
grade Of pupil of charity and doubt
less imbued with zeal to instruct q
child aright, according to their lightS,
of hereto stock. Jacob Dealtry hold
aloof from much intercourse with his
own fellow-countrymen, unless he
CHANGED to meet party of travellers
disposed to buy his archaeological
wares. He chiefly supported himself
by such small traffic. He had never
attempted to conciliate those persona
of the colony whose interest might
have proved an inestimable advantage
to his grandchild. He lived at Malta
obscure and unknown.
Several years ago, Dolores had again
incurred her grandfather's wrath, in a
similar fashion. She had returned
from the convent, and possibly oh.
jects which she had never before
noticed in their dilapidated abode ac-
quired fresh interest in her eyes,
even after temporary absence. Ger.
tainly she had never given special
heed to the Knight, and yet he had
always been there. The sunshine
slanted in the door, putting to fight
the shadows, and Dolores paused for
the first time before the picture.
"Who is hep" she demanded, won
deringly.
"a Knight of Malta, child, replied
her grandfather, hurriedly.
The portrait bore evidence of age.
The surface was cracked, the painting
faded, and yet it was encased in a
heavy frame of carved wood. A
hnightly form was dimlY discernible
through the clouding obscurity of dust
and mildew. He wore black cloak,
with cowl attached. A white cross,
with the eight points corresponding
with eight beatitudes, was visible
on his left side A second cross
decorated his breast, from which de.
pended the cords of black and white
silk, indicating his rank as Knight of
the Great Cross; having lived for ten
years at Malta, and performed four
caravans at sea in the galley of the
order On the frame the lines were
carved
'Great Master Of Jerus'lem's Hospital,
From whence to Rhodes this blest frater.
nifty
Was driven, but now among the Maltese
stands"
A wooden chair, on which Jacob
Dealtry usually sat, massive. angular,
and with high-wrought back, was
placed below the picture and fastened
to the wall
The Knight attracted Dolores. he
seemed to smile down upon her from
Il