Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1903-11-21
Old Blazers Hero
BY DAVID CHRISTIE MURRAY.
sf El Ea Ia
CHAPTER I.
By DAVID CHRISTIE MURRAY.

pteusuut HOIIle Ill typiCui Noui H"'"s
village, made a noise like the con-
fusion Of Babel. They were all well-to.
do In aspect, rosy.cheeked, blue-eyed and
wholesome. Within certain conditions n
pleasanter sight than they afforded could
hardly be asked for. though their pres
ence and the noise they made gave but
poor assistance to the study Of the high
er mathematics. A bearded young fell
low Of six-and-twenty or thereabo,its.
with a pcnholder between his teeth, and
a heap Of papers scattered loosely before
him, sat with both hands In his hair ut
a big table by the window. and looked
about him occasionally with nm air Of alb
straction which always melted more or
less quickly into a smile. The smile was
Invariably followed by a momentary re-
taxation from study. while the young
man watched the joyous gambols Of the
children. who shouted all together with
q wild hilarity, and seemed to acquire
fresh vigor from the mere fact Of re-
naming unrebuked. Always In a little
time the young mans smile grew ab.
stracted. and faded slowly away as his
thoughts gradually drew back to their
own refuge.
A great fire with solid core Of rcd
heat burned on the hearth, and on one
side Of Il sat an elderly woman In a
widows cap and a gown Of respectable
black. With all the diversity Of feature
and expression which marked the group
Of children, there was NO strong u like.
ness between the elderly woman In the
chimney corner and every individual
member Of the noisy little assembly that
= a.,
In deciding their relationship. Like the
children. the woman was plump. blue
eyed and rosy, but her countennnce. for
all Its rosy plumpness. was drawn to an
expression Of complaining resignation.
Facing her sat woman Of different
pattern-bOlt upright, lean, and full Of
nervous energy. Her knitting needles.
which In the light Of the glowing Goals
had quite startling look Of being red
hot ut moments. clicked with an amaz.
Ing swiftness and determination. Her
evening dress OF clean.washed and prin.
ly starcl,ed light print fitted tightly and
gave to her ungainly figure something OF
the look o. m unsymmctrically packed
pincuslhion into which the bran has been
rammed too hard
There was a mOmentary hush among
the children. while they took breath. md
evolved plans for the making Of wilder
noise than they had yet created. After
the recent hnbbub the kitchen seemed al.
most at peace by contrast. Then In
moment Of inspiration one OF the group
proposed that their next amusement
should be the game Of Sacks to the Mill.
This cheerful and invigorating indoor
pastime begins by everybody trying to
catch hold Of somebody else with a view
to bringing him or her to tho ground.
This object In any one case once nchicv-
ed. II becomes the business Of the rest
to choose q victim, and forcibly TO de-
post that victim upon the recumbent
figure. This point Ii no sooner gained
than n similar choice. rs swift nnd unnn.
imOus, remains to be made. Finally the
game develops into wrestle of two. and
that happy child who lies uppcrmost on
the struggling pile Is conqueror.
The new game had only lasted for n
minute or two when ut one appalling
and universal shrek. mingled Of JOY,
terror, triumph and excitement, the wom-
an In the print dress bundled her knit
ting needles, tho unfinished stocking, and
the ball Of worsted all together, slapped
them resOundingly upon the big table.
and charged upon the struggling mob.
She sorted them from the confused heap
In which they lay upon the floor, and set
them on their feet with swiftness and
dcxterity which looked dangerous. There
was dreadful silence. The domestic re.
sumed her knitting aud her seat. The
flashing needles clicked audibly for half
q minute. and the children looked ut each
other with shy and disconnected Rlances.
"And how do you think your brother
Edward can do his figures. I should like
to knowf" the decided female demanded
"Oh. let the children play. Hepxibah."
said the young man, looking up smiling
~. "They don't hurt me. I've seen
Sacks to the Mill played before tonight"
he added. laughing. II remember when
I was quite little chap going with a
nurse of mine to some sort Of Christmas
merrymaking at Farmer Bache's. She
was a buxOm, strapping girl Of about
AZ or 10. and she had an eye like a sios
and cheek like cherry In those days."
get along with you. Edward" said
Hepxibah, cutting the story short. and
rising with an air Of displeasure not too
well affected. II can't stay listenin' to
your nonsense all night. Children, it's
time you was In bed. Kiss your mother
aud troop upstairs with you while l get
the candle-there's good bys aud CELLS. :"
While the ceremony Of kissing and
saying goodnight was In progress there
came rap Mt the front door of the
house, aud Hepxibah having disappeared
into some darkened backward region In
search Of the candle, Edward himself an
swered the summons. The open door I'D
mitted draught Of keen and wintry air
and cloud of whirling snowflakes. The
white carpet on the road was unmarried
except by the track Of the newcomer.
'That you. shadrach? p Edward asked.
why, yes, Mister .>e0, saiu the Ut
rival, humbly. II thought Id tex the
liberty OF mekin' call this evenin', II
I'm not held to be I the way"
Not a bit Of It," responded Edward.
"COme In"
The arrival kicked his toes noisily
against the dOOrstOne to clear his boots
from the snow, and then mounting the
step turned about and repeated the pro-
cess with his heels.
"COme In, Shadrach, come In" repeat.
ed Edward, standing half-sheltered from
the roaring wind. I'VE shall have the
house full of snow"
"Hepxibah's rare an particular about
her kitchen quarries, Mister Ned" 70.
sponded the other. entering with clum.
ny step. "I've ketched 1t too often not
to have growed bit particular myself"
Having entered, he stood stamping In
the dark and polishing his feet uDOn thu