Danville intelligencer. [volume] (Danville, Pa.) 1859-1907, 1905-08-18
LITTLE
LANTERNS Of
THE SOUL
n, SlDNrv n rnIE
BY SIDNEY H. COLE



men faced each other. The little red
shaded lamp dimly lighted the big. lux
urious room. Outside the last traces Of
the soft Italian twilight were fading In
the west. and the first of the myriad
stars Were blinking, uncertain yellow
dots in the blue velvet sky.
Orne senior lifted his piercing black
eyes and looked at his son searchlngly.
You're Il common ne'er do WE'LL" he
burst out. "a gambler. Il loafer. rake.
You squander fortune at the gaming
tables and come whining to me for
more money to lose. Get your money
where you lost 1t. I'm through with
YOU"
Young Orne drew himself up. "Fa-
ther'- he began.
"I'm done with you." the older man
thundered. II wash my hands Of you.
AS God is my judge. I'll cut you of
without n cent. Go out into the world
and stand on your own feet or sink
into the mire Of ruin you've been delv-
Ing In. lis all one to me-
Young Orne strode silently to the
door. turned. hcsltated. then hurried
through the hall into the soft night
without. Tie last streak Of red was
gone from the west. Far below him ut
the foot Of the slope the little village
was agleam with lights. He noticed
that even in the trees tiny luminous
pin points of light shone steadily. Then
he remembered that 1t was st. Johns
eve and that the lights were part Of
the fiesta.
He descended the steps and strode
across the terraces and through the
villa gardens. As he came to IA group
Of olive trees just beyond the sundial
he saw dimly n g!rltsh figure standing
beneath one of the trees. There was
the rasp Of a match. a tiny Chinese
lantern was lighted. and In Its mellow
glow he saw plainly the girls upturned
face as she reached up to fasten the
lantern to Il low hanging branch. 1t
was Ethelyn Hope, the daughter Of
his fathers oldest friend. who had made
her home with the Ornes since her par
ents' death. That was years hack,
when Ethelyn was little girl In
frocks. Now she was eighteen, tall.
krdcelui dlu SWect ulke III IedtuT0 uuu
in temper.
Young Orne came into the little circle
Of light east by the lantern. There was
an old stone seat beneath that particu-
lar olive tree. and he sank into It
"Celebratingi" he asked.
YES" she said. pointing to the Ian
tern. at is little lantern of tho
soul"
"A what?' he asked In laughing per-
plexity.
"a little lantern of the SOUL" she re-
peated. You hang them on olive trees
and say little prayers for the souls
they represent. l heard Pietro and
the cook talking about them today. I
made them explain"
~ see." said he. "Who's soul IL
this" And he pointed to the lantern
II haven't decided as yet" she said,
and added quickly. II think it will be
yours"
by all means let 1t be So" he &C.
Quiesced. Heaven knows I'm sadly
In need Of pious prayers just now
Are you in trouble?" she asked.
"Have you and Uncle Orne been quar-
reling againi"
"Oh, there's been slight tim" he said
easily.
THAT is bad" she said, with ready
sympathy.
| "It ended by-by-wcll, to use be II
words. by his kicking me out" said LIE.
Her face became serious. He didn't
renlly mean 1t, Of course. He'll be sor
ry before morning"
"I hope so," he said. "You can let Inc
know II he is" he ended lightly.
"I let you know?" she said, frightened
by his tone. you're not-not really
going?"
Orne's face darltened. All the ran
Killing bitterness his fathers words had
inspired was upon him again.
81 may be all he called me and
more" he said, with IN omlnous calm
ness. "but I still have some pride left
l have to be shown the door but once"
The girls hands trembled violently
as she leaned against the olive tree
Orne, with his head bowed sullenly, did
not notice this. When he raised his
eyes she was still leaning against the
tree. He saw strange new light in
her eyes, and all ut once he realized
that she was no longer a child, but {"
woman and that her wOman's y, -.
was his. The fact that there was ,.vs
in his own heart was as much - :
shock to him as the discovery of |'i.s
answering love In hers. He could har
cried out with the Joy and pain Of I
He rose to his feet pale and shaken.
II must be going" he said roughly.
"Goingf" she asked blankly. "Goin ;
wherei"
He laughed harshly. 1--WE Ill tine
world to choose FROM" he said bitterly.
He drew her gently to him. For ons
moment her head rested on his shou,
his cheek.
Orne senior had long entertained an
idea. 1t was that some day his son
would steady down and marry Ethelyn.
But, being a wise old man and know
ing too well the dangers Of match
making, he said nothing Of this either
to his son or his ward. Now as he sat
In the library after the stormy inter-
view with bis son he felt that his hopes
had receive 'heir deathblow. For q
long time sat by the red shaded
; lamp. pom ng deeply. Then he rose
and went into the gardens.
| He walked "apidly up and down the
terraces for time, his head barred Ia
the warm light air. He saw the light In
the olive tree and went down the path
to investigate. AS he neared the tree
he caught the sound Of woman's spas.
modIc sobs. He stopped and peered
through the darkness. What he saw
beneath the olive tree lifted a great
weight from his heart and brought a
grim smile to his lips.
mo, no." the girl was saying wildly
, "I cannot let YOU CO. 1t will break my