The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1897-12-10

+ An instant later she had turned and
fired full at her astonished captor.
The mans revolver fell to the ground
and, with cry of pain, he loosenad his
hold of the reins.
Stella flung herself down on the floor Of
the buggy, and the horse, now thoroughly
frightened, dashed off toward home.
Twenty minutes later, Judge Howard
was sitting at his desk, when Stella
quietly entered the library. Walking
steadily over to her father, she deposited
the sack of coin before him, and said i'll
a queer, matter-offact tone:
-! have. just shot u man down by the
bridge. You would better go" and
wi thout finishing the sentence she tot
tered forward into her fathers arms.
Lifting her onto the lounge, her father
rang the bell furiOusly, turned her over
to the housekeepcr, and dashed out of
the house.
Finding Bay Bob tied at the gate, he
called one Of the men, and, springing in
to the buggy with him. drove rapidly
away.
On reaching the bridge a careful
search revealed nothing but some drops
of blood on the gravel and the nearest
fence, and Judge Howard concluded that
the man had not been too badly hurt to
tie up his wound and get away.
The next day Stella was lying on the
lounge in the library in a semi-invalid
state, which was Il sort of concession to
her over-wrought nerves, when Fred
suddenly entered the room with an exag
'Frcd," she exclaimed, "why have
you come honaT'
81 couldn't help it," he replied. Its
all III the papers, you know. BY Jove!
YOU are Il brick! Now you lie down and
be still. You're not to excite yourself,
you know"
Stella laughed, little historically.
"That's just like hoy" she ex-
claimed; ."Popping in on me like this, and
then telling me not to excite myself"
"Never mind" said Fred, producing a
morning paper, I'm just dying to know
one thing, and then l won't talk to You
about it any more Where did you in
tend to hit that fellow?''
Stella shudLcred, and covered her face
with her hands.
There, nowr' coakcd Fred. "Don't
worry about the brute. Tell me, that's
il good child"
Il didn't want to kill him." came slow
~ from behind Stella's fingers. $50 l
aimed at the upper part Of his right
arm.'
Il knew it." exclaimed Fred, with a
Wrlggle of delight. "He must have fired
that shot with his left hand Just look
here"
Stella reluctantly took the paper, and,
avoiding the glarng headlines where her
maine appeared, coupled with the various
complimentary terms, read the following
para graph:
about 8 o'clock last evening a man
presented himself at the county hospital,
and asked the physician in charge to
dress a gunshot wound in his right arm
The doctor found that the ball had
passed clear through the limb, SCATTERING
the homes of the upper arm. The man
explained that he had shot himself by
accident, and produced a revolver with
one chamber empty in proof of his asser-
ton. But, as he refused to give his
NAME, and would remain only long
enough to have his arm dressed it is
more than probable that his wound was
the result of the excellent aim of the
plucky young lady,
Fred had Il long talk with his father
before he returned to school. and found
ever before. Judge Howard had been
terribly moved by Stella's dangerous cx-
pericncc: it seemed to bring his children
nearer to his own social level as we'll as
nearer to his heart, and Fred's eloquent
plea that Stella should have voice in
the arrangement of her own future was
heard for the first time with patience and
attention.
Before many months the judges new
view of his daughters needs and wishes
began to blossom and bear fruit. Call
ing her to him in the library one day, he
drew her within the circle of his arm, and
said. tenderly:
If your heart is really set on this idea of
Il college education, | have no right to
oppose it. It is an innovation OH all my
esta hliShcd ideas, but you shall decide the
matter for yourself. and if you really
wish 1t you may enter the university at
the beginning of the next term"
And Stella could only kiss him softly
in reply, with heart too full for words
-Four years later Judge Howard con-
scienticusly attended all the festivities
OF commencement week at the university,
excessively proud of his talented daugh-
ter, whose class poem had been pro-
nounced to be of unusual power and
thorough convert to the higher educa-
ton of women.
Returning to his hotel on the evening
of commencement day, he was handed a
letter which had been forwarded from
home. 1t was addressed in a good bust
ness hand, and postmarked Montreal. Its
contents were as follows:
NO. lOO Blank street, montreal, June
Is, 1S94.-My Dear Sir: 1t is with much
apprehension that 1 force myself to
write this letter.
81 am man who, some four or five
years ago, attempted to rob your daugh-
ter upon the public road, and was seri.
ously, and most deservedly, wounded in
the effort.
1T was my first crime, and it has been
my last
II was out of work, hungry, desperate.
1t seemed such an easy thing to debut
| will not try to excuse myself.
''Since that time have most deeply re-
pented, and most rigidly adhered 20 an
honest life.
81 am married and have little daugli-
ter years old, and am keeping books at
a good salary.
I'VE are very happy, but neither my
wife nor l can be entirely content with
out the forgiveness of your daughter and
yourself. and the assurance that you do
not believe it to be my duty to give my.
self up to justice.
II have heard of you often as i man
merciful as we'll as just and l beg that
you will be as lenient in your judgment
of me as you can. Sincerely yours,
Robert Wilson,
When Judge Howard handed this letter
to his daughter she read it in silence
then turned and regarded her father 18th
moistened eyes.
eve will forgive him. she said, softly
Banquets of Ola.
BanQ,ltts of the present day, even the