The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-02

Mars that 1t has been our privilege TO read
we remember wildly only these grass
hoppers, which had legs as long as the
Eiffel Tower and moved with as much
alarming speed and terrifying noise as
our own devil wagons We are sorry
there is nothing more about the grasshop-
pers here; but, as we have said, we should
be thankful for the posthumous papers.
The Mystery OF Sacrllege Farm.
A queer name and likely to be queer
place, the reader will think as he comes to
consider the title Of Mabel Harris story.
'Sacrilege Farm" %. Appleton 4 Coz.
The maids waiting to be engaged at the
autumn hiring fair at Ryeworth shook
their heads with much decision whom they
were approached by that tall and dingy
and forbidding old man. Mr. Sylvester,
who wanted a maid for his sons widow.
Margaret Dome hired out TO him because
she knew nothing about him or the story Of
Sacrilege Farm. After she had bound
herself she came across him in public
house, where he sat alone, drinking like
man who drinks for a wager. For he
poured from bottle to glass and from the
glass down his throat almost without
pause. while another bottle stood at his
elbow empty" Having finished the second
bottle she tried to rise, but he had to make
three efforts before he got to his feet, when
he lurched to the door with as little heed OF
those who stood before it as II they had
been so many three-legged stools. And
noticed" says Margaret, that even the
tipsiest made way for him. But as for me.
I shrank back against the wall, holding
my breath for fear, while he stumbled past
me into the twilight. For. when he turned,
had seen his face, white even in the heat
Of that room, and the eyes in 1t like live
Goals
The reader will think that life at Sacri-
leee Farm was likely to be uncanny; and
the impression will not be weakened by
the account of Margaret's meeting with
John Pounce. the hired man at the farm.
who, when she was presented to him.
.grunted, and. without lifting his heavy
eyes to Margaret's face. struck the nearest
COW with his open hand upon the flank.
and, growing to his patch-eyed dog to
stay without, followed after her into tho
milking she'd
We shall leave the reader to find out for
himself what may have been the reason
ableness OF the innuendoes OF Mrs. jana
way and others regarding the death Of
Mr. Sylvester's son. Ambrose, whose young
widow, Margaret, is now found to he in
a delicate condition, calling urgently, in
deed. for the ministrations of one OF her
own sex. As to hop Ambrose Sylvester
died, Mrs Janaway would truly have been
a wise woman had she been able to say.
aThey said" she confided to Margar ct,
sthat he was burned in his bed in drunken
sleep. And certainly the bed was burned,
with a great part of the room, and-the
body, And the Coroner's people who saw
It said that the death had been accidental
II was true, nevertheless that Ambrose
and his cousin, Jethro, had quarrel ed vio-
leptly lust before; likewise true that one
NAV be dead first and burned afterward
| and certainly all the Sylvesters were men
| of violent temper: and it was queer thing
moreover, that the servant girl, Betty
Castle should have disappeared just at
| that time, for all the world as though GER
| tain people had been afraid Of whdt she
kneu!
Said Jethro Sylvester to Margaret wher
she appeared at the farm: "fou must
always know where your mistress is ane
what she Is doing. She must not wall
alone, nor speak with strangers, for she II
not strong, and should therefore avolt
ANYTHING that might excite her. Some
times she is little wild in manner. and ther
you need not attend too closely to what sh'
saws, for very likely she will talk nonsense
merely to startle you. Discourage ne
from this, but don't let it disturb you. And
above everything, do not repeat outside
anything of this nature which you may
hear from her, for gossip is thing whicl
Mr.. Sylvester will not brook, and would
And it most difficult to forgive
It Is. easy to believe that Margaret wa
not eager to do anything which would no
be brooked by the ominous old man whom
she had seen drinking and whose eyes blazet
Ike live Goals after his two bottles. Whel
abe was taken up to her new mistress sh
must have been surprised to hear Mrs. Syl
! vester singing behind the still unopened
door:
And what Is this that sec you bring
on. what Is the name Of this wonderful thing
Which guess Is n scarecrow. and hasten 10 say
| That have no use for n-takc It away!
She declared through the door that sh
wasn't at home, but she opened 1t present.,
And then what sort Of mistress was it tina
Margaret saw? We read: Mrs. Sylveste
must have been still in her teens. He
face. indeed, was that OF a child, 70 rount
was It, and 80 fair, with the dimples fiittini
about the corners of the rosy mouth, ane
the eyes narrowed by an innocent malice
Yet even In the moment when Margare
marked these facts, and wondered at them
a cold hand seemed to grip her heart as al
at once she understood what Mrs Jann"a.
had meant when she had told her that tn
chief proof of a tragedy at the farm wa
to be found in the face Of the bride-widoN
there. For those bright eyes held. as we
a. laughter, an abiding fear. OF which thei
present mirth seemed II most pitiui de
fence
But doubtless we have told enough; a
any rate. we have tod good dcal more tina