The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-09-28
The NEWS DEMOCRATS DAILY STORY
To be published in daily installments on this page
The House of a
Thousand Candles
MEREDITH NICHOLSON
MEREDITH NICHOLSON
Copyright by
The Bobbs Merrill ComNany

'Yes; I'm spending my year In studies
that may never have chance for here
after. I'm going into an order whose
, members work hard"
He spoke a. though ite-were planning a
summer outing. 1 had not sat at meat
with a clergyman since the death OF my
parents broke up our old home In Yer
: mont, and my attitude toward the cloth
was, | fear. one of antagonism dating
from those days.
well. l saw Pickering after ALL" re-
marked
Yes. 1 saw him, too. What is II in his
case genius or good luck?"
I'm not a competent witness" l an
swered. ''Ill be frank with you: l don't
like him; / don't believe in him"
"Oh beg your pardon. 1 didn't know.
OF course
THE subject is not painful TO me-" I
hastened TO add, Though he was always
rather thrust before me as an ideal back
in my youth. and you know how fatal
that Is And then the gods of success
have opened all the gates for him."
"Yes-and yet"
"And yet l repeated. Stoddard lift
ed a glass of sherry TO the light and
studied IL for a moment. He did not
drink wine, but was not, 1 found, afraid
10 look at 1t.
And yet" he said, putting down the
glass and speaking slowly. when the
gates OF good fortune open too readily
and smoothly. they may close sometimes
rather too quickly and snap a mans
coat-tais. Please don't think I'm going
10 afftrt you with shavings of -wtsd1rn
from the shop-floor. but life wasn't In
tended TO be too easy. The spirit OF man
needs arresting and chastening 1t doesn't
flourish under too much fostering or too
much of what we call good luck I'm dis
posed 10 be afraid of good luck"
"Ive never tried it," / said laughingly.
81 am not looking for it," and he spoke
soberly
could not talk OF Pickering with Bates
the masked beggar!--in the room, so
changed the subject
"I suppose you impose penances, pre-
scribe discipline for the girls at st. Aga
tha's.-an agreeable exercise Of the priest
ly office, should say!'
His laugh was pleasant and rang true. /
was liking him better the more | saw OF
him.
BLESS you, nol | am not venerable
enough. The sisters attend to all that
and n fine company OF women they areH
But there must be obstinate cases. one
OF the young ladies conhded TO me--I tell
you this I'm cloistral confidence-that she
was being deported for insubordination." "
Al AllhN ulusl Dt 'llNtts Ntlif ufl
case is different She Is not one GIRL
she Is many kinds OF a girl In one fear
Sister Theresa lost her patience and hard
ened her heart"
II should like 10 inter, tde for Miss
Armstrong" I declared.
The surprise showed I'm his face, and /
added:
pray done misunderstood me We met
under rather curious circumstances, Miss
Armstrong and l."
"She Is usually met under rather un-
conventional circumstances. | believe,
he remarked dryly MY Introduction 10
her came through the kitten she Snug
gled into the aims box OF the chapel IL
took me two days TO find IT,"
He smiled ruefully at the recollection.
"Sho's a young woman OF spirit / de-
etaFeA- -AAfeHslpA4r-"Sh simply must hnd
an outlet for the joy OF youth.-paddling
a canoe. chasing rabbits through the
snow. placing kittens I'm durance vile -
shes demure enough when she pleases, ,-
and a satisfaction Co the eye"
NV heart warmed az the memory OF
Olivia. Verify the chaplain was right
she was many girls In onel
stoddard dropped lump Of sugar int
his coffee.