The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1898-07-26

nmself respectfully on one of tha
cane-bottomed chairs. Then. leisurelv
and solemnly, he poured out a glass of
raw spirit. Meantime Mr.. Lorraine
having Invested himself of his cloak
and hat, sat down in the armchair by
the Preside.
Here's fortune, sir" said Solomon
drinking off the whisky; then, wiping
his mouth with his sleeve, he sat bolt
upright and expectant, waiting to see
II his superior had anything more to
say. But, as the minister remained
silent, Solomon rose to go.
Are We mindin' the funeral the
morn?'' the sexton asked, taking I'D
his bonnet.
Mr. Lorraine nodded.
Can I bring We anything before I
gang to bed? I maun rise at five to
flemish the grave
mo; go to bed. I shall sit UP and
read g. little''
"Weel, goodnight, sir"
Goodnight, Solomon"
Thereupon Solomon left the room,
closing the door softly behind him.
Lighting 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 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
ticns 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 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.
It was a volume of old sermons, writ
ten by a south-country clergyman,
imprisoned, 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; hut 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 sign, 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.
GAY, ay, wild highland snow
coming, Solomon says! Eerie, eerle,
is the sough of the wind in the trees.
It 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
herew
Tears stood in the old mans eyes
as he looked out in a dream. Through
the long years of loneliness and pow
erty-for his living was indeed 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 loud single
knock at the front door.
The minister started, listening, and
the same moment gust of unusual
force shook the house to its founda-
ton.
ssBless me. what's that?" he eXclalm-
ed. ST 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 a worn leather
nurse which he carried in his pocket.
At that moment the knock was re-
peated.
eDear mer' he cried, there's some
one knocking after all. Maybe its
sick call"
Lifting the candle from the table, ne
trotted from the room, crossed along
aohbu and nnened the hall door.