The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-12

tears. Take 1t, and tell me what II IS
The parchment cracked in the girls I'M
ssWhy. mother, it is a bit of verse in some
foreign language-Italian, think; yes, it IS
Italian, and the writing is very indistinct
That doesn't matter, however, for Cousin
Tom, or some one, has added below 1t an
English translation"
Read it,"
When fortune jeers,
And full of tears,
Hope limps on leaden sandal,
Be not downcast
But HE thee fast
And light the Dragon Candle.
as there no more?"
parchment, thoroughly mystified:
''Then we are ruined! exclaimed Mrs.
Randall despairingly through her tears. ;,
Mother. 1 am going to light the canoie'
said Dolie, striking a match.
Stop Mrs. Randall cried. You nave tne
faith that would move mountains TO me,
all is now as clear as day. Your COUSIN
Tom must always have had a streak OF IN
sanity and doubtless while abroad ne was
imposed upon by some swindling fakir, ana
candlestick on account of the absurd legend
accompanying it. 1t is just the Klnd Oh
story to capture poor Toms fancy.
Dollie gazed at the little dragon in silence,
INV dear child, can't you see that the
whole affair bears the stamp of fraud or
INSANITY? Do you attribute to the candle
stick the properties of Aladdin's wonderful
lamp, and believe that the. lighting of the
power to make us rich and great?
mo. mother, l don't think that. l don't
know what 1 think. But I'm going to light
Dorothy. stop! I command you. I feel
that should you do as you wish 1t would De
using a dead mans weakness TO mock ms, ms
selves with becoming dignity. TAKE tne
candlestick away; the sight of it is palnrui
When Mrs. Randall finished speaking the
little dragon looked very sorrowful, or SO
Dollie thought, and after brief revere the
Meantime the sun had set, and dusk began
to gather around the old house. The negro
plow hands, returning from the cotton
fields went by on their mules, with trace
chains blinking time, to their plantatioh
songs. Dusk thickened to darkness through
whose cooling folds, damp with dew tne
cow bells in the lane rang Sorter ana
slower till all were hushed in sleep peneatn
the low-boughed oaks. So the long evening
dragged itself away IN sadness atInU Ust,ra cd
nothing was left to keep Doll1e company
but a clear-voiced hooking bird singing on
the crest of a tall magnolia
NAMED a long time awake, her head full Oh
distracting fancies. .ho.
Dolie felt keenly the money troubles that
harassed her mother and threatened to
make them homeless. Was there nothing
she could do, she asked herselI, 10 earn Ine
mortgage? She might grow strawbsrrieSs
for the Northern markets. She had had heard saat
But alas! it would take year to raise per- pei,
ries, and the mortgage was due IN month!
a lottery ticket? Her heart sank, Tor the
suggestion made more real their despera1t e
circumstances Then her mind reverted to
the dragon candlestick, ana the green-SSeealso
envelope and her mothers pltter ulsaR
pointment, from which, by a natural transl-
ton, her thoughts passed to her COUSIN
Tom Poor Cousin Tom, faithful to the
We'll? she questioned herself, and in the ut
terly unfathomable, the chain of her medita-
ton became broken, and she seemed 10 pe
thinking of many things at once. o ~ move
and found she could not stir How suanse
to be asleep and yet thinking OF SO H, Many
things! She was sure that her eyes were
open. for did she not see the dragon canole,
stick on the mantel, where she had placeo
it in the afternoon? how 9ue ber wings ine and
yv,nlSing his ewes She thought she ought TO
be frightened, but she was not.
Suddenly she felt as II some one was III
the room. 1t was her Cousin Tom. How
could he be there, when she knew ne wa a.,
dead? He glided through the moonnlgnt u
the bed, and bent over ana Whlspereu'
"IIie thee fast
And light the Dragon Candle
Then his figure faded out through the win
dow and she saw nothing but the nttle
dragon waving his wings, dancing and beck
oning to her in the most extraordinary man
ner. AS she watched 1T she felt as II sue
must get out of bed. Finally, after a
mighty effort, she found herself sitting on
The side of the bed with her blood tnglng
and her heart beating violentiy os Sn nerfectIy
stiII and every object was clearly outlined,
for the moonbeams shining opaquSly
Through the thin muslin curtains hlied the
Mace with a soft and silvery light. All was
silent within, but below in the garoen tne
katydids nicked the stiffness with tnelr SCI
rated notes, and whenever the nlght WIZ WHY,
stirred the curtain the room was hlleo WIN
the breath of flowers.
Gradually her heart throoped more ca 1.;itss
ord
two. She had slept longer than she thougnt;
She looked toward the manteI Wnere, stooo
the dragon candlestlck. Inc ne oTs, net go
vivid had been her vision 1t was dlIncuit 70
believe that the little creature had not peen
dancing, win mixing ana oecAoiiins ~ ''-
Rising from the side of the bed, she APP
nroached the mantel, lifted the glass cover
mn table near the. window. For mo-
ment she paused, thrilled py leSuIiS sins
resembled awe more than Tear Ihen; wl1 I1
heating heart she struck match ana neio
II 10 the candle. 1t did not ignite lmmeQl-
ately. but by and by, when she came 70 tue
end of second match, the hi ySabOTa ame Bv
This time Douie was trembling so she coulo
scarcely stand, and seated hersen Wnere
she could watch the can sani;, aS II esnsa of
expectancy possessed her. she Ielt SURE
that something strange was ABOUT 70 M ~
men vet she had no idea what II WouIo pe:
r. vas in vain that her reason told her that
her mother was right. She could not rid
RerseIf of an eery emotion of prescience.
The candle began to burn more prienlIy;
Still the flame remained azure-unteo' anu l
the peculiar radiance, blendlng WIN Tue
onaoi1e moonlight from the curtalned VIM
dow Illuminated the room with an uncanny
light AS the flame increased Snsnt ar9
nsatic odor arose from the candle, ana II
seemed TO Dollie that the little dragon
Gradually the perfume grew more intense
and filled the entire apartment WIN ner
drowsiness stole over her. whlch sne hnem
was caused by the smell of the burning wax;
In another moment all care, all anxiety hdo
PASSED from her. She was asleep.
When Dollie awoke the birds were singing
gaily in the garden below, the sun was hlsh
in the heavens. and her mother was stand
ing at her side.
amazement in her patient gaze.
Dolie rubbed her eyes, only half awake.
.sWhat is it, mother?
..You did not come to breakfast, and 1
feared you were i'll. and-dear me. Dollie!
exclaimed Mrs. Randall, interrupting her
self. what a singular odor there is in the
This remark cleared the drowsy cobwebs
from the girls brain, and as the occurrences
of the night came back to her she looked
toward the table.
at is the perfume of scented wax. moth
err had strange dream and when l woke
in the night / lighted the dragon candle.
But see, mother, how queer 1t looks!
Mrs. Randalis eyes followed Dollie's
glance. and they both approached the Httle
! THE candle was only a third consumed