The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1898-08-05


say. But, as the minister remained
silent, Solomon rose to go.
care ye mindin' the funeral the
morn?" the sexton asked, taking up
his bonnet.
Mr. Lorraine nodded.
"Can bring We anything before I
gang to bed? I maun rise at five to
flemish the grave"
"No; go to bed. 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 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 sitting-room and adjoin-
Ing bedroom, which contained any fur
niture.
Many years before Solomon had
taken up his abode there, on the min
ister's invitation, and it was his only
home. 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, Mysie 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 peculiar at
tachmeut.
The minister sat for some time mus
ing, then with a sigh he took book
from the shelves and began to read.
1t was volume of old sermons, writ
ten by south-country clergyman,
impassioned, wrathful, and in the mar
row sense Calvinistic. AS he read, the
wind roared round the house. and
moaned in the chimneys, 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 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 sloped- to the river
side; talking all the time to himself,
as was his confirmed habit.
cay, ay. wild highland snow
coming. Solomon says! Eerie, eerie,
is the sough of the wind in the trees,
1t minds me ever Of her, and when the
moons up it is like the shining of her
face out Of the grave. Wee Marjorie!
my bonny doc! Thirty long years ago
she died, and I'm still here! still
here!'
Tears stood in the old mans eyes
as he looked out in dream. Through
the long years of loneliness and pov-
erty-for his living was indeed a poor
one-he had cherished the memory of
one who had gone away from him to
God when only in her eighteenth year.
Suddenly, there came a loud single
knock at the front door.
"Bless me, what's that?" he exclaim-
ed. II thought heard a knock at the
hall door, but maybe my ears deceived
me. 1t was only the wind, I'm think
ing"
And he placed his precious relics
back in the drawer, locking it carefully
and placing the key in worn leather
purse which he carried in his pocket.
At that moment the knock was re-
peated.
Dear mel! he cried, there's some
one knocking after all. Maybe it's a
sick CALL"
Lifting the candle from the table, he
trotted from the room, crossed along
the lobby, and opened the hall door.
AS he did so the wind sprang in like
q tiger, and the light was blown out,
but. the front garden was flooded with
moonlight, save under the very shadow
Of the trees.
He saw nobody. however; whoever
had knocked had disappeared.
who's there?" he cried, looking
round on every side. i. y
I There was no fepiy. II ~
= Perplexed and Somewhat startled, ,he
stepped out into the porch, and in
simultaneously the door was banged
and closed behind him. He took an
other step forward, and almost stun
bled over something like dark bun
die Of clothing lying on the doorstep.
81 " Bless my soll!,s he murmured,
whats thisl" ia
II At the same moment q faint cry
came upon his ear. STOPPING down in
great agitation, he lifted the bundle,
and discovered; to his CONSERVATION
that 1t contained the form Of a living
child.
,.a CHAPTER II.
* Il -.sf