Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1905-02-24
CHAPTER III.

/ am the last one left of Mr. Porter's
old pupils; they have all been "bagged"
by some grim custodian, and carried off
I know not whittier. Others have taken
their places, but am still left. / am
melancholy, moody and dreamy. My
reading is limited to a few semi-religious
books. How ardently long for copy
of Shakespeare, but not one penny Of
pocket money has ever been given me;
neither would the Rev. Mr. Porter hear
Of such book being brought into his
house. Every image of that one break
in my monotonous existence is indelibly
fixed upon my memory; and can never
disassociate that mysterious child that
l met under the old Norman gateway
with the Juliet Of the play. What
strange memory she has left upon my
brain; she is ever with me in my dreams.
Shall l ever see her again? am ever
asking myself Yes; / feel assured l
shall. / feel that she is in some way
interviewer with my destiny.
We never saw Josiah Cook again, but
heard that he had gone away with the
theatrical company, who left the town
shortly after the time that marked my
adventure The Rev. Obadiah Porter, Of
course, at once settled his eternal pros
poets by condemning him to the bottom
less pit
During my boyish days the post of
servant was occupied by a very cross old
woman; but a twelvemonth previous to
the period at which / have arrived, she
left, and her place was taken by a
young woman of about twenty years of
age When ceased to attend the school
room | was consigned to the kitchen, and
helped in the household work Martha
and soon became fast friends. She
used to say that had it not been for me
She would not have remained a month
in the house. In the winter evenings,
after she had finished her work, when
Mr.. Porter did not require our presence
at Little Bethlehem, or at religious ex-
ercises, we used to sit by the fire and
talk. She had but little education; but
her shrewd mind was a better tutor for
me at that time than would have been
more learned, sedentary companion.
The second person of whom l must
speak conjures up a very different set of
images ] remember the first time saw
him was the very evening after my mem
Orable escapade. We were at praye
there'was loud, imperious knock at the
street door. The Rev. Mr.. Porter paus-
ed and signed to the servant to answer
the knock,
The next moment there entered the
parlor a tall, elegantly dressed man, with
remarkably pale face, the pallor Of
which was greatly enhanced by a FULL
glossy black beard, black curling hair
and large black eyes. One Of those
strange shudders, at which the supersti-
tious cry out that some one is walking
over their grave, ran through me as
looked up at him. He stood in the door
way, and cast upon the group a glance
Of infinite scorn.
"When you have finished your devo-
tions," he said, with sneer, addressing
my tutor, II have something to say to
you"
The Rev. Obadiah Porter colored, hest
tated for a moment, and then rising,
said, with his devotional whine, eve
win ask a blessing upon all here, and
pray no more tonight"
With an exclamation of contemptuous
impotence, the stranger threw himself
upon the sofa, his head still covered. We
were quickly hustled out of the room,
and the tutor and his daughter were left
alone with their irreverent visitor.
More than twelvemonth passed
away before he came again to the house
Then, little by little, he became a fire.
quent visitor. Miss judith and he were
very frequently together. used often
to see them stroll down the road arm
in-arm: and by and by / began to OBJ
serve how anxiously she watched for
his coming. Martha soon comprehended
how matters stood.
81 don't like that Mr.. Rodwell," she
used to say; "and if Judith wasn't quite
so high in her manner | should take the
liberty Of telling her So"
One evening / was summoned from the
kitchen to attend Mr.. Porter in his
study" When / entered the room he
babe me shut the door, and take a scat.
obeyed him, wondering what was com
ing.
"Silas," he began. fixing his small,
sharp eyes upon me, and brushing back |
the rebellious hair from his low fore
head, "can you remember anything of |
your life previous to the time that Provi- |
dence entrusted you to my keeping2 |
Don't hatch lie" he said, sharply; ere |
member the fate of Ananias"
'Tndeed, sir, l have no such thought"
answered meekly. Remember how |
young must have been when / first
came to you, aid"
Don't beat about the bush" he cried,
yet more sharply. you are concealing
something; you can't deceive me-" Then
suddenly changing his tone to his usual
one Of shutting hypocrisy, he added: ISL
las. am asking these questions for your
good-for the sake of those carnal in
terests that must be looked to while we
are soiourners in this world of SIM"
He leaned forward with his arms upon
the table, and fixing his snake-like eyes
upon me. as though to read my very
SOUL he began Ii a low voice: II will
tell you all / know; perhaps that win
help your memory. Thirteen years ago,