Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1897-03-25
JOHN GETHIN.

| reckoned the richest young farmer ON
the countryside between the vale OF
Meath and the vale of Swansea. John
Gethin sat smoking his long clay pipe
and watching the smoke curl thin and
blue from the bowl till it faded away in
the general haze of the farmhouse.
He told himself stories to the curl OF
the smoke-saw his cows increase and
his pigs bring forth litters, and his hay
grow tall, and his corn yield incredible
bushels per acre in the coming twelve
month-materia dreams Of a prosperous
farmer. He stroked his smooth cheek,
for he was plump and well fed young
man, and counted his chickens before
the eggs were laid and pulled away calm
ly to his thoughts accompaniment He
even debated with himself whether he
might not marry this year. He was tired
of looking about him and Leading
mans life. Mayhap he might settle
down and bestow himself on one of the
Is girls who were ready to accept him
as prize in the market. Gwen Owen
was pretty enough lass and Il first rate
mixer Myfanwy Griffith could make
capital dough cakes Dorenn Williams,
too, had such hand for cheeses as
His reverie was disturbed by quick
knock at the door John Gethin, half
uncertain whether he dozed OF not, raised
his head and cried, Come IMP in his
own Welsh language.
A woman entered and stood for mo-
ment looking at him. John Gethin turn
ed and faced her without rising from his
oak chair Politeness to women was not
John Gethin's forte. He had come into
contact with them chiefly under the
form of Misunderstanding to scold
and TO chat alternately. And John
Gethin's chaff was not always the most
courtly
But this woman surprised him She
had IA strange. quiet, solemn, mysterious
beauty. Her face was scarcely stern, but
it was firm and final. II have come for
you" she said slowly, wit ut other in
PRODUCTION Against his will, as it seem
ed, John Gethin rose up and bowed
awkwardly To her.
Let us go out together, the woman
went on. John Gethin, ever ready for
an adventure of the sort, answered bold
ly, by all means!' and unhung his
hat from the bullock's horns in the pas
sage.
The woman stepped out into the star
lit night. John Gethin followed her.
where do you go?" he asked
She pointed with one hand. This
way" she answered, and made no fur
ther parley.
John Gethin walked on in marveling
silence by her side Somehow, though
she had called for him and invited him
unasked, she was not the sort Of woman
to be treated offhand to the cavalier
chaff he bestowed upon the milkmaids.
They strobe abreast i'll silence.
They mounted the hills toward the
wild, healthy tract whose moorland
ridge divides the valleys. 1t lies black
in winter time with withered heather.
a vast, gloomy expanse gloomier still
just then beneath the frosty starlight.
AT the Barrow the woman paused and
pushed aside a great stone. Enter in
with me, =" she said and walked through
it like door. John Gethin, now trem-
bling in his fat knees, strobe after her.
Within was IA room, very large and
spacious. Round the walls burned can
|
John Gethin was only aware of innu-
merable lights, as at Masonic supper
at the Harp at Swansea. But after
awhile, as his eye grew more used to
the strange, weird effiuence, he began
to perceive that the candles, though
ranged in rows, We're Of quite different
lengths-some tall and just begun, 9TH
ers short and much consumed, and few
burned down to mere stump or smolder-
ing in their sockets
What are these candles?" he asked,
aghast, just dimly aware Of some deeper
meaning.
The woman answered. These are
the candles of the lives Of men. As each
burns long or short, SO are the days Of
its owner. While it lasts he lives, and
when it fails he ceases. q"
John Gethin Jared on with faltering
steps through the cavern. His face was
ashen. Then he began to observe that
each candle bore name or, rather on
the long ones which were only just
! lighted, a mans whole name might be
read, while on others few letters alone
remained, and on some just final p or
a Y or an + was now Wis BILE.
He stood at last before "a Pickering
taper that began to expire. The letter N
alone showed dimly OH the melting wax
of its surface.
"What word was this?'' he asked, with
livid lips. The woman made no reply,
but pointed with her finger. AS he stood
and watched smoke curled up from the
wick as from his own tobacco and
wreathed itself slowly into dim blue
letters. The first that came was j,
then an o and an III and IN N followed
it. After that III slow order, Il, Z, T,
ii, l. While he looked and held his
breath the n melted from the wax and
framed itself in smoke. AT the selfsame
moment the candle went out, suffering.
Though thousand other candles had
lighted the cavern, as il sank in its
socket gloom closed in around him.
Then John Gethin knew the woman's
name and cried aloud once-a wild cry
in the darkness. London Illustrated
News.
Famine Food.