The Red Cloud chief., 1897-06-18

nv 10 hthAbh t"S
norm" the sexton asked, taking UP
his bonnet.
Mr. Lorraine nodded.
"Can I bring ye anything before /
gang to bed? I maun rise at Ave to
the grave"
mo; go to bed. I shall sit up and
read @ little"
"Weel, goodnight, sir"
Goodnight, Solomon"
Thereupon Solomon left the room,
closing the door softly behind him.
Lighting a candle in the lobby. he
made his way quietly to a chamber in
the upper part Of the house. where
he slept. and which was, indeed, the
only chamber In the manse. excepting
the minister's sittlng-room and adjoin-
ing bedroom, which contained any fur
niturc.
Many years before Solomon had
taken up his abode there, on the min
ister's invitation, and II was his only
he me. Besides performing the duties
of. sexton and clerk, he acted generally
as factotum to Mr.. Lorraine, attended
to the garden, and groomed the pony
on which the minister made his vista
items about the country. An aged
woman, Mysle Simpson, came In every
day to clean and cook, but invariably
retired to her own dwelling at night
fall. SO the two old men were prac-
tically alone together, and, despite the
difference in their social positions. re-
garded each other with a peculiar at
tachment.
The minister sat for some time mus
ing, then with a sigh he took a book
from the shelves and began to read.
II was a volume OF old sermons. writ
ten by a south-country clergyman,
lmpassioned. wrathful, and In the mar
row sense Calvinistic. As he read, the
wind roared round the house. and
moaned in the chlmneys, and ratified
the shutterless windows; but as the
wind rose the darkness decreased, and
the vitreous rays of the moon began
playing on the window panes.
Mr.. Lorraine lit his pipe-the only
luxury in which he INDUCED; for
despite his plump figure, which he In
herited, he was abstemious and a tee
totaler. Then, with another sigh, he
rose and walked thoughtfully up and
down the room; paused at one OF the
windows. and looked down the moon
lighted lawn which slopcd to the river
side; talking all the time to himself
| "a Waa hia papHrrnoI hahtt
"Ay, ay, n wild highland snow
coming, Solomon says! Eerie, eerie
Is the sough OF the wind In the trees
II minds me ever of her, and when tn,
moons up 1t is like the shining Of he,
face out Of the grave. Wee Marjorie
my bonny doc! Thirty long years az,
she died. and I'm still here! still
here!'
Tears stood In the old mans eye
as he looked out In a dream. Through
the long years OF loneliness and pov
erty--for his living was indeed a poo
one-he had cherished the memory O
one who had gone away from him +
God when only in her eighteenth year
Suddenly, there came a loud singl
knock at the front door.
BLESS me, what's that?" he exclaim
ed. II thought l heard a knock at tn
hall door. but maybe my ears deceive
me. 1t was only the wind, I'm think
Ing"
And he placed his precious relic
back In the drawer, locking. 1t CAREFUL
and placing the key In a worn leathe
purse which he carried In his poke
At that moment the knock was re
pcated,
Dear me-" he cried, there's SON
one knocking after all. Maybe it's
sick call"
Lifting the candle from the table, J
trottcd from the room. crossed alon
the lobby. and opened the hall doc
As he did so the wind sprang in Ill
a tiger, and the light was blown on
but the front garden was flooded wit
moonlight, save under the very shade
Of the trees.
He saw nobody, however; whoev,
had knocked had disappeared.
!, who's there?" he cried. lookii
Iouuu ou cNcry Siuc'
:, There was no reply.
y P%erplexed and somewhat startled,
stepped out into the porch, and !
= simultaneously the door was bang
and closed behind him. He took a
other step forward, and almost stui
bled yer something like a dark bu
die of clothing lying on the doorstt
BLESS my SOUL" he murmurt
whats this?"
At the same moment a faint c
l. came upon his ear. STOPPING down
ID great agitation. he lifted the bund
and discovered to his consternati
thut 1t contained the form of a livi
g. child.