The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1900-04-07


tears glistened in his eyes, when tap
on the door reused him and Sans white
head appeared.
Sam had come with simple message
from his wife concerning the hour
when the master would have the first
meal served; but the sight of the mas
ter's face obliterated IL, simple as il
was, and to an incoherent effort on
Sans part TO say something, Stanton
replied:
Bring NE Bible, Sam"
Sans wife stood anxiously waiting
at the foot of the stairs, for she pro-
posed to have that first meal the master
piece Of her life.
"He es5't seem to want TO eat, M'ria,"
Sam said, when he was safely landed at
the bottom. "IIis arms was folded and
his hair standin' up, and when ! asked
him how 'twould be bout eatin', says
he: Bring me n Bible, SAM Now, do
you 60 fish one up, Mira, an fish II 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, n colossal affair, overbur-
dened with illustrations, resting upon
plush cushion, under embroidered
velvet, in the library. In calmer mo-
ments she might have recalled the
xxl,araoboufc ~ soyra e,,o1lar oo,.,, g.
there were Bibles enough about the
house,, but her mind was centered on
soups, broiled chicken and condiments,
pies, cakes and buildings, with bread
turned upside down in the oven for just
a last touch of brown on the bottom.
She recalled only this one copy, and
started for il at a 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 haste.
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 it.
Enough of il, such as it's" Sam NUT
tered, as he climbed the stairs.
Stanton met him at the door, stared
for an instant, then clutched the book.
laid 1t on the bed, and bent eagerly over
II, while Sam stood speechless in the
open door.
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 IN 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 chains
an Babylon an 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, strug-
Cling TO be calm. might be you was q
leetle daft yourself. Christopher CO.
lumbus amt one o. the Bible folks.
You know that, Samuel"
"I'm not so sure / do, M'ria," Sam
said, doubtfully. II know he come on
later, but have my doubts IL he didn't
take his name outer the Bible, same's
1 did. He read it all out plain, and the
very last was Christopher Columbus.
Books open just as he left it, Mira.
You just go see."
Mira climbed the stairs and studied
and studied till she came to the verse
which Sam recognized.
That's I'll That's til" he exclaimed.
"Now begin back and read IL ALL"
So Mira read, slowly and solemnly,
as was BETTING one who could not read
well at the best, and was reading from
the Bible:
"And now, behold, loose thee thi,
day from the chains which were upon
thine hand. II it seem good unto thee
to come with me into Babylon, come
and l will look we'll unto thee; but II IL
seem i'll unto thee 10 come with me into
Babylon, forbear; behold, all the land
is before thee; whittier II seemeth good
and convenient for thee TO go, thither
CO." But there was never n word con.
corning Christopher Columbus at the
close, and the good wife remarked, az
many and many time she had done
before:
Samuel, / told you So"
In the meantime Stanton had crossed
the city OF Brooklyn and found the doc,
Of Thaddeus Braddon's mansion opened
for him by the bankers daughter, even
before he rang the bell.
He never knew precisely what took
place, but he always remembered the
flash of the diamond set in pearls, and
the words:
Il didn't want TO love you. didnf
want to love anyone. ran away from
you in Jerusalem and Paris, for, until
you bowed TO me in Naples, / felt sure
That you must have found out who II
was, and knew that IL you looked into
my eyes they would betray me and you
would know that THAT l was only