Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1900-01-06
CHAPTER XII.

CHAPTER XII
On the afternoon of the 9Th of De-
cember, 1893, Stanton stood upon the
wharf at New York.
He went first to a florists. Then re-
pcating Miss Braddon's words, ~I want
to be alone" he went to hotel and took
. room without registering.
It was = useless precaution, however.
for the morning papers announced hin
arrival la way to indicate Miss Brad
don's prophecy correct.
HIS ONCE was besieged when he
reached u In the morning. He was
astonished that business men could be
80 cordial. In spite Of every effort, 1t
was noon befors he reached hts home,
where Sam and his wife made their
dmid greetings as expressive a. they
dared.
They were amazed by the hearty re-
rponse they received, for since his baby
days they had never known the young
master say 30 much and say 1t 30 kind
y to them
There were many messages and
cards of welcome. DR.. Borden had al
ready called, and left word that he
should call again. The good man might
chide his friend IL he thought him In
the wrong, but he was enough Of a true
man to be all the more his friend for
that.
One envelope Stanton caught eagerly
from the pile and with It hurried to his
room. There he opened It and In blank
establishment stood staring at the card
IL contained.
Across the center was the name SIS
Their Thorndike.r In the corner was
Mr.. Bra6don's home address, and above
the name was written, Jeremiah 4o,A"
"She might have said what shs had
to say without the help OF jeremiah"
he muttered. and. folding his arms,
stood looking down at the little card
as 1t lay on the table 1t must have
been for some time that he stood there,
and the knife was cutting deep, for
tears glistened IN his eyes, when a.tap
on the door reused HIM and Sans white
head appeared.
Sam had come with a simple message
from his wife concerning the hour
when the master would have the frat
meal served; but the sight of the mas
ter's face obliterated II, simple as 1t
was, and to an incoherent effort on
Sans part to say something, Stanton
replied;
"Bring me n Bible, SAM"
Sans wife stood andously waiting
at the foot of the stairs, for she pro-
posed to have that first meal the master
piece Of her life.
"He don't seem to want to eat, Mira, -
Sam said, when he was safely landed at
the bottom. "Hia arms was folded and
his hair standin' up, and when / asked
him how 'twould be bout eatin', says
he; Bring me Bible, Sam Now, do
you go fish one up, Mira, an fish it live
ly: for he didn't look like he cared to
wait for one to grow out in the garden"
The good woman knew the locality
Of everything in the house except the
books. Books without pictures had no
charms for her.
1t happened, however, that there was
one Bible, a colossal affair, overbur-
dened with Illustrations, resting upon
q plush cushion, under embroidered
velvet, In the library. In calmer mo-
ments she might have recalled the
whereabouts of some smaller copy, for
there were Bibles enough about the
house; but her mind was conferred on
soups, broiled chicken and condiments,
pies, cakes and buildings, with bread
turned upside down in the oven for Just
last touch of brown on the bottom.
She recalled only this one copy, and
started for It at rolling waddle which
really was not resultant In such rapid
transit as her ordinary gait, but was
more in harmony with the general idea
Of kcete.
She busted the huge volume with her
apron and came back to Sam, bending
under the burden.
When the verse was found, Stanton
unconsciously read aloud. The print
was colossal; in common, instructive
consistency, a silent perusal would not
have COPIED with 1t.
When Sam returned to his waiting
: wife he said:
"Now. Mira, you mark my words
What with wanderin' in ungodly parts
'mong pirates an tigers an heather
kings an old bricks, as you've read
about in the papers, that young man
has gone daft. He just made them
/ leaves fly till he struck what he wanted
an then he read out to me bout chain.
an Babylon arr Christopher Columbus
an up he jumped and down them stairs
an out doors like rat with a cat be
] hind"
"Sho, Samuell" his wife said, strue
Cling to be calm. Might be you was
leetle daft yourself. Christopher Co
lumbus amt one o. the Bible folks
You know that. Samuel"
"Pm not so sure do, M'ria," San
said, doubtfully. IT know he come OF
later, But have my doubts If he didn'
take his name outer the Bible, same
I did. He read 1t all out plain, and tn,
very last was Christopher Columbus
Books open Just as he left 1t. Mira
You just 60 see."
Mira climbed tho stairs and studio,
and studied TIL she came to the vers
- y.