The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-10-29
y. b, nse . oo,ernmsnt omc.rf"

| Mn. FlaxRAa with q shnddsr. The
moonshinsrs q Ksntucky weeS desperate
men. and oftsn murdsred rsvsaus ofacsra-
Lillie's face grew q little pale fer . mo
ment, then, when she reflected how brave
and s:rong he wss. she concluded that As
was able 10 protect himself against any
number Of illicit dissille..
The sun of the early Autumn hung low
In the western sky. throwing 4 golden
light on the stacks Of wheat and hay.
tho ripsnius corn In the 6eids. and
orchards red with apples. Lille had been
thoughtful since her brief converse ton
all her frivolity aud mischievousuess. was
it possible she loved The young revenue
officer2 Her hunt WAS not certain on that
| score, nor was any one else. She was as
liable to play q prank on him AZ any one
| else; in fact. her dearest friend was never
safe from her poignant viii
But love IL ma tural and essential TO all
animated nature. Lille knew as well
rs any philosopher that nothing was more
reasonable than love. and nothing wiser
| than marriage: yet for awhile she claim
ed the blessed privilege of freedom from
matrimonial letters: that she might roam
| over the world at her own sweet will. and
be unhampered with a husband II she
chose to 80 to Newport or Long Branch
she did 50. and returned, when wear.
with society,", to the old country place.
| which was so sweet. so peaceful and re-
tired it seemed almost like Heaven to her.
| her Aunt Annie t'laxman acted HI her
companion and chaperoue. as she had been
since her early girlhood, enduring her mis-
| chief as none other would. Often Lille 8
tender heart rebuked her for some mis-
chieyOus prank she had play ed her aunt
| and she would then fall upon her neck.
kiss the frowns from her face, and ask
her forgiveness.
mo one csn help loving the child, bad
as she is" said Mrs. Flaxman.
Lille loved her dear Old home more
than a palace. On this sunny afternoon,
as her eyes wandered over the fields, the
green pastures and streams, with deep
shady woods in the distance, she thought:
How blessed my lot compared with
many unfortuuates in the world and her
pretty face actually grew serious. 1t was
not uncommon for the pretty face Of Lii
lie Bunk!es to become serious when sh.
reflected Oh the sorrows aud wrongs of
others.
Her eyes wandered to the weil-beaten
turnpike which led past the house.
A solitary horseman was coming down
the road at gallop. Though too far
away to make out his features she recog-
nized the form. and said:
ale is coming now. Aunt Annie"
"WhoT'
Frank Vernon"
They watched the horseman, who came
| over the hill at a gaiiop. raising a cloud
of chalk-white dust at his ,.ourser's heels
ORA wing rein at the stile. he sprang from
the saddle. threw the rein over hitching
post and walked briskly toward the house.
Now that he is coming" Aunt Annie
said. ''be sure you encourage him"
HE does not need any. naively answer
| ed Lille. "TIe has an independent air in
his walk whirh means he Is determined
to go unfettered a year or two more"
She met the yonng officer at the door
with one Of hepfswattest smiles. aud asked
| him to come tight in. for Amt Annie
would be very glad to see him" Frank
| wished that Aaat Annie wns in Halifax.
| but he did not say so. He entered the
cosy apartmenl where the two ladies' sa I.
shook hands With Aunt Annie and asked
about her health, just as II hs was inter
ested in her welfares
! What Is the news from Collinsyille?' p
! Mrs. Flaxman at fast asked.
| Haven't yon heard from there in the
last three daysT'' . =.- .-..-
I'VE have had no information from
there in q week." Mira Flaxman returned.
Then yon haven't heard Of the burn
| Ing OF the Steamboat:
Steamboat: 10 what steamboat" asked
! both in breath. a.
THE Anthony Wayne"
"The old Anthony Wayne" cried Mrs
| Flaxman. d .r-.
"Yes. Mrs. Flaxman, the old boat is
gone. She burned down to the waters
edge"
"When?'
last Thursday morning"
| "Where!'
1.-Two and hnlf miles below Collins
vile" 'a'E.-"
Were any lives lost?" asked Mrs. Flax
man. her eyes growing round with Won
| 4a More than hundred" he answered.
Mercy gasred borh ladies' in brea tn.
clasping their hands. while looks OF hor-
ror settled on their faces.
| at was fearful disaster, and such as
I pray Heaven 1 may never witness
again"
Did you see the boat burn?''
81 rescued half dozen persons from
drowning, but what did compared with
what might have beer done was so little
that / feel my utter insgnificance more
than if | bhd been where ! could have
done nothing"
Tell us all about it." said Lille, draw
ing her chair a little nearer to the visitor
at is the greatest horror for years. and
| fear your delicate nerves would not be
strong enough for even recital of the
details of what | witnessed"
"Oh, we can stand it. How did the fire
originateY" asked Lille
The origin of the fire Is a mystery
Capt. Hull who barely escaped with his
life, is considerably injured, hut is able
to talk some. He says it originated in the
forward hold of the boat, but exactly how
he does not know. He believes it was the
act of an incendiary."
what motive could one have for burn
ing the boatT
Perhaps robbery. perhaps revenge, per
haps q devilish desire to make misery"
Can one be so deprnvel? Whom did
you assist to escape?" asked Lille.
Two women, three children and one
man."
AT this point Mrs. Flaxman asked:
WAS any one on the boat whom we
knew"
Yes: Mr.. Owen Redgrave. He was or
his way from Louisiana. and had a very
narrow escape. with young lady. whom
he saved from the burning boat"
"A young lady" asked Lille.
!, eyes"
, Glow oidT'
"rwenty-6ve."
rs she prettyT
"Where is slfe2'pis
'At the house Of Mr.. Redgrave. Il
seems she has no1relatives. and lost all he
fortune in the boat that burned"
And she is ut -rhe home Of Mr. Red
, srave?" n Sass<
1