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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 5 6 4 MlCroCOW RESOLUTION TiST CHART (ANSI and ISO TESf CHART No. 2) :S /APPLIED IIVHGE I DC 1653 East Main Street Rochester, New York 14609 (716) 482 - 0300 - Phone (716) 288-5989 -Fax USA !1 ■■ i . t uA SAINTS, SINNERS AND QUEER PEOPLE •Rovelettes mt> Sbort Stories BY MARIE EDITH BEYNON I NEW YORK AUTHORS' PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION 6^ Fifth Avenue t ' t COPYRIOHTKD, 1897, BY MARIE EDITH BEYNON, All rights reserved. iTlUfi^vl' ""^^.^ ^^ ^^"«^t«' «"^» o( tears. Of bubbles, rainbow tinted ere tliey break And feel in every pulse, life's keen delight Our tatening souls, meanwhile.Ttet t Itch The commou rhythu., w^e^ ^^^ the wT^^ki^ I dedicate any fi..t book to my hnsband. whose appm^iative encou..ag , of my small literary talent, is a strong stimj lus to Its deyelopment.-MABiB Edith Bevnon. m SAINTS, SINNEKS AND QUEEEf EOPIE. AN APOSTLE OF HATE. CHAPTER I. It w^ a small frame church with gable front and arch.„g roof, standing alone on the prairie except for a few wooden buildings straggling t^ the right a,,d left. The evening se.;L la^ nearly ended and the warm summer dusl, heavy with the perfume of wild roses, was creeping through the aisles enfolding the bowed figure! Pf the congregation, as the minister offered up iiie closing prayer. He was a delicate looking man, slight, youth- fuUnd of medium height,his countentnc; "sick- lied o er with the pale cast of thought," and his voice, which was a clear treble like that of a woman, rose and fell upon the solemn hush like the plaintive inflections of an ^olian harp, bi.aU.ed upon by the winds of a celestial clime 'ather, whose ioye and mercy are 6 SAINTS, SiNNSnS AND QUEER PEOPLE. freely bestowed like the clew of heaven upon every living creature, look upon us now as we kneel before Tliee. We acknowledge our mani- fold transgressions and hardness of heart. We piay that Thou wilt give us the spirit of ten- derness and divine comptission for all who are in the throes of sin and suffering. Help us to feel one another's needs and bear one another's burdens that we may be joined together as membei-s of one body, serving and glorifying Thee. Inspire us to go forth in Thy nanre on a mission of love to raise the fallen, cheer the • desolate and pour the oil of joy into. hearts that mourn. May we be meek and lowly, gentle and forgiving, always endeavoring to reflect in our lives the mind of the Master." As the simple, pleading prayer continued, a man sitting in one of the front pews, fidgetted uneasily, and finally uncovered his face which had been devoutly hidden in his hands, and sa,t bolt upright. He was past middle age and of uncouth aspect. His rugged face was deeply lined, and his shaggy eyebrows almost met above small piercing browii eyes that had a sinister expression. When the last worshipper had gone out and the minister stepped down from the pulpit, this man with a slouching gait mr}^. his way along 4he aisle and joined the little knot of people ^if APOSTLM OP HATH. 7 xvho had lingered I«l,i„d t„ shake hands. He wa. a fama,a,. %„,,, eve.y one seemed to k„o^ "Evenin' Hewson,"said the men with a bob of the,.- heads. « How's the missus ■>" gruffly, "and I'm glad of it, it ,vill keep her away from that whining class-meeting." _The men laughed, though somewhat constmin- fl!r< /';:'« «°'»'"only remarked among them and tha apart from his vindictive spirit he wasn't a bad-hearted old fellow.' But hf 1 ', attempts at ],„mor were not always well r,. ceived, I,cy savored too much of vulgarity. sholet''''^'^''^'"''"^'^^^»™''-'^-t'>e olu. t friendliness. "The hotel is a poor place a bone. My woman isn't well, but my daughter Kate IS as spry as ever, and we'll manage to make you comfortable." * The informal invitation was accepted, and fte two men walked along together in the gather- " Step and clerical dignity of mien, the older one w.th low, slipshod movement. ITiey exchanged casual remarta on "'"i; ^ • - ^ . .-_-„_s on ^xvcixiaij lupics. It was the 8 SAiNTS, StKK^nS AND QTTEETl PmPLE. reverend" ge^itleman's first visit to the town ; he had come to supply for one Sunday a vacancy in the pastorate, and his mind was full of the vague impressions which were always stirred in him by contact with new people. "How is the church spiritually?" he asked. "While I was preaching I was unpleasantly struck with tl^e unresponsiveness of the congrega- tion. A speaker soon learns to know intuitively the minds of his hearei-s." " I guess the people are all right," said Hewson gruffly, "but you are all wrong, if you'll excuse plain speaking. We don't want, milk-and-water sermons about love and charity. We want something that will knock the wind out of God-forsaken sinners and let them see how abominable they are in the sight of man as well as God." "Eh? what's that," asked the preacher, coming as suddenly out of the warm glow of spiritual exaltation as if he had received a cold shower-bath. " This ,whining about mercy and fo'rgiveness to our fellow-men is all a sham. If we were angels we could live like angels, but we are here on earth, and we've got to fight for our rights if we expect to have any. ' An eye . for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,' that's my doc- trine, and I live up to it. The Hewsons are d AH APOSTlE OP BATE. It hot for their enemies. The man who iniures the XS""'™* *" """'^ ^""t '^^ for The preacher turning to look at this man who had suddenly, to his mind, assumed the "h!™ ofa^mo„ster,saw his e,e glisten with mZ qu'i'eUy!^""* "ember of the church?" heasked "I am, and then again I'm not. My name I aon t sit at the communion-table or attend class-meetings. I dmw the line there." _rou experienced a change of heart ? " ^ '•on ' know just what you mean by that I stopped drinking and swearing, that is, We^: faTe ZZr"""':'' """^ *""«'» "SU about charactei. I owe no man anything, neither noney norgrudges. I pay them all off n qS time and with interest." "i qmci They had reached the house by this time, and Kate Hewson, a large, well-built girl with rosy cheeks, met them at the door. , *"«» «»y as 's'.f^?'^?'' '■77'""'' ''°''''" *« '^^ "n^^iously as she ushered them into the dimly-lighted par lor, with ita stiff l.«ir»i,,.- t- ■. ^ - P" i.Bii-^iotu lurnuure and dried 10 SAINTS, SINNEHS and QUilEli PEOPLE. grasses in vases. "I'm afraid she'll not get better unless there is a change soon." " Nonsense," said her futlier, as he hung his hat on a peg in the hall. " There's more life and grit in your mother than there is in you. She's good for twenty years yet. If she would stop worry- ing she would be all right. Women are queer," turning to the preacher, who had found a chair for himself and was rubbing his white hands together in a nervous, preoccupied manner. " If they can't get up any conscientious qualms on their own account, they fret about the wrong- doings of other people. Whenever my woman gets sick, she takes it into her head that I'm in danger of losing my soul. She calls me to her bedside and says, * John, it grieves me that you are-sohaid and cruel, don't you think you could learn to forgive ? '" " A blessed lesson to learn, and one which the good Master taught," murmured the minister. " And I say to her,'' continued Mr. Hewson, chuckling, * Tut,. Mary, you've lived with me long enough to know that it isn't in my nature to forgive. As long as I get tlie better of my enemies, and come out on top every time, what's the use of worrying ? You ought to be proud of our family spunk. It's a fine grade, I can tell you. A 1 hard.' Is the table set for lunch, Kate ? That's right. Come along, Mr. Ingram. AN APOSTLE OF HA TE. j i A man can't talk at the rate you did tomVl.fc without needing something to sustain liis inner man." They sat down at the table, and Mr. Hewson served his guest with ham and brown bread, while Kate poured the tea. The liost continued to talk at a lively pace, but the preUcher was singularly silent. He was puzzled to know how to address a person whose spiritual state was such an enigma, and whose standards of right aving showed such a mixture of pharisaical complacency, ignorance, and cruelty. Undoubt- edly It was a fine opportunity for scriptural ex- hortation, but how can tlielightpenetrate where the windows are darkened ? It is hard to open the eyes of a self-blinded man. Moreover, the simple earnest nature of the preacher, free from those hidden reserves of evil which feed like a vulture upon the moral sensibilities, was repelled by this accidental glimpse of something beyond Its own depth. He was mild, unobtrusive, and harmless. He didn't know how enemies were made, having been in the ministry only a short time and not having had occasion to oppose any popular, social, or legislative enterprise. But he was well grounded on the Biblical view of the question, and if necessary could and would quote certain forcible passages and follow them up with a few explanatory remarks, as h^ 12 SAINTS, SINNERS AND QUEICIi PEOPLE. did in hia sermons. He hoped it would not be iiecessaiy, and tliat his host would spare him any f uither revelations of an intimate nature. With innate delicacy he shrank from unpleasant dis- closures, for the life of a father confessor had for him the distracting torture of a scries of nightmares. To avoid a continuation of Mr. Hewsoii's ego- tistical confidences, he ventured cautiously upon a stream of small talk, not unmindful the while of his ministerial responsibility and the fact that it was the Sabbath. He commented favor- ably on the weather, praised the cake and brown bread and the quality of the preserved peaches, and questioned Miss Hewson as to the social habits of the young people of the place. When the meal was over the old man went into the next room to inquire into his wife's condition. " Grumbling as usual," he said as he shambled out again, «and struggling mightily for my soul's salvation, as if I'm not as good as the best of folks. I don't set up to be one of the meek saints, no, sir; meekness is the kind of thing that makes a man lie down and lick the dust while his enemies jump on him with both feet. It's the other way with me. I do the jumping, and when I get my feet on a man he knows it. J can piake him writhe in his misery like ^" Ay APOSTLE OF HATE. ig " Would your wife care to talk with mo ? " asked tI,o minister, tin.iclly intonupting l.im. Sometimes when one is i„ mental distress a word of prayer " " She'll not see you to-night, Parson, though she wante to badly enough. iVe given ifor ordei« to compose her mind like a sensible woman and go to sleep. In the morning you n.ay talk to her if you like, though I Luce that men of your cloth don't have a cheering effect on her Kate, go to your n,other and make her comfortable for the night." The girl ro.se promptly and°lcft the room. Mr. Ingram had a sudden sense of chill and on- pression as he saw her go. He did not relisl^ the p,.ospect of a tSte^-tSte with his host, and had It n, Ins nnnd to say that he was tired and settled this little matter to suit himself. " rued out, Pai^on ? I see you yawninir Never mind, you may sleep all moving. Yof; e"L niV" ''" '"° ^'- «• «y-'venoob. jection, 111 have a smoke for a few minutes. Ihere are some books on the table there, you may find one to interest you. When I've fin- .shed my pipe, I'll tell you something of my e:S«'''""'^^'"^'^'^''^^" <'"-*'''' He filled his pipe, lighted it, and smoked fo,- 14 SAINTS, SIN.yEUSi AND QUEEIi PEOPLE. some (Inie in silence, his coujitenaiice gradually as;muiino a lowering and crafty expression, in which every vest -o of gruff kind.inesa was swallowed up. The minister took up one book after another, but could not concentrate liis attention on any of them. Finally' Mr. Hewson laid down his pipe, crossed his legs, and sat back into the depths of his chair. " EVer hear of Dr. Grayson ? " ho asked, with a suddenness which caused the other to start involuntarily, before he replied that, to the best of his knowledge, he had ' never met that gentle- man or heard his name.' " Well, sir, he wa.s a d n villain ! " The minister sprang from his seat as if he had received a smart blow in the region of his Iieart. " My brother, you forget yourself," he said, laying a hand on the old man's arm. « I cannot ' listen to such words. Consider, I beg of you, the impropriety " " Pooh, man ! Where were you ri'md, tliat you can't hear a littl-; strong languacr^ ' '^^'^ 'ut jurtiping out of your boots? You u Lnd mat word in the Bible a hundred times, and you read it to your congregation without giving or taking offence. Well, well, words are of small account j AN Al'o; TLE OF n4TW, 16 they can't alter facts, nor make a man worse or better. But, between you and me," lie bent forward and fixed his baleful, glittering eyes on the nunister, "he was a lying scoundrel, and he de, (.rved to have his life turned into a hell on earth. That's what happened to him. Might as well try to stop the sun in its course as try to avert the revenge of a Hewson." Mr. Ingram stood up and said nervously • "If you will excuse me, I think I will go to my room, I am somewhat fatigued and " " And scared, eh ? Not used to the talk of a man who is honest enough to call a spade a spade, and a liar a liar. Sit down, man. I asked you hero on pujpose to have a chat with you. We don't have new parsons eveiy Sunday in the year, and I irke your quiet way of listen- ing without saying much. What I've got to tell is a true story, and I don't think it will do you any harm to hear it." Mr. Ingram unwillingly resigned himself to the inevitable, with an unspoken prayer in his heart that the man before, him would at least have enough regard for the clerical sensitive- ness to refrain from sacrilegious exclamations. "Well, to go backtothebeguuiing,Dr. Gray- son attej.ded my father in his last illness. That • was nearly twc.ty years ago. My father died. bhortly afte^' hp was buried the doctor sent i« 16 SAINTS, SINNERS AND QUEEIt PEOPLE, his bill to me. It was about fifty dollars lamer than It should have been and I intended to make him knock something off it before I paid It, which I was in no hurry to do. I was bothered about business at the time, and he could affojd to wait for his money. He sent me another dun, demanding that tl/e amount-be paid at once as he was in financial difficulty It cauglit me at the wrong time and I told him that he Wasn't the only man in financial diffi- culty and he could wait, or do the other thing. " Months went by and I was thinking of making some settlement with him when I got a com- munication from Iiis lawyef informing me that the doctor was entering an action, suing me for the money. Well, sir, I was hot over it, I can tell you; all the Hewson pride and spunk rose up in arms, and I was ready to fight till I dropped dead if necessary. I told him he could sue and go to h ,but he wouldn't get a d cent out of me, for I was going to protest Hut bill and make some revelations into the bargain that would settle him for a long time to come! He and my fatlier had disagreed about some trifling matter a few days before the end, and I had overheard the doctor retort sharply I put two and two together as lawyers do when they make out a case, and in a few days I had A N APOSTLE OF HA TE. 17 sufficient circumstantial evidence to warrant me m accusing the doctor of murder." " Oh, this is terrible ! " interrupted the pi^acher. " I cannot listen. How could you be so vindictive, so cruel and wicked ! You could not believe that lie had committed the act^" "No, certainly not, and I knew that no lurv would bring a verdict against him. But it answered my purpose to throw the slur of sus- picion on him. That will do more to break a man s spirit and crush the hope in him, than if he were convicted of crime and made to suffer lor It. Yes, sir, it's slow torture. I wouldn't have done anything to injure him if he hadn't been so high-handed and uppish and circulated mean reports about me which were likely to affect my credit. But when I saw how things wei^ going I set my teeth and said to myself. If Its a quarrel he wants he will get more than iie expects, for a He wson never fails to pay debts of that kind with interest-exorbitant'interest I openly accused him of the murder of my father. All the newspapers got hold of it and there was a tremendous sensation. I ear- ned the case to the criminal court. The Crown prosecuted, so it didn't cost me much. The 2trrr" "'' ^«"^l"«iv-' ^"t it was suffi- cier t to throw reproach on the character of the doctor, and shake people's fuith in him. ...a 2 " 7 •r-«\t 18 SAIWTS, SUViv^jrif^ ^, * ">y father's room of ., K Z "' «''scovery in «'e doctor's uZ It ^ "^ ™'"'='"« ^-'th -agination, ^ZlZ::^"' ^'t^' "P- Po.ao„ that less thau a Zo "r'"'^''"'"^'^ a man outright. ^ °' " would till " The counsel for (ho A^e a'g«mentthat noZuZTZ"" ^"^ ^'"''"'J '^e "nmistakable proof of h""" ^'"'"''"<«'ve such ^ wore reasonable to .1 "*' ""'' '' w<">W h"" been pu-pos"; pon^r /''',' "'^ "«'-" m order to blaokmaiUh!7. '" "'* "^dieine ^"tthe\;i:nrt:d\^sr''''^^'^'''-''ff. doctor twenty thouLK * "'"' " "»«' «'« ««"• Yes, sirl T^venl « " '" *^'''"' •"•»- Peated the old „,a„ wi?h « ""•'"r' ''°"™'" ''e- glee, which gave ^"^""""'"'■Pl'ant, malicious *3torti„„,rd^':S;iSe features a horribt a sweet morsel i„ hi, mof t I '^ "" '^ '" '>«'d " That was sometl'l,?,. ««»"»ued : °^a'.undreda„:,1f;^,X,?l'''»-»bi., paid bim better to hav. „ •! ,' ^' '"""'d have and kept a civil tonte ;:;,'*" "I ^""venieuce ' fpol. never grow wisf^A: ^J!^' ,^"' -™« h'3 property to rake up enoutb ^'" "''''" "" >>'» lawyers, and when it ".?? ?"'{ *" ^ '"' "" over he came pl^ely I H. business, reputation, and .on^y " His health, too, had suffered Wp more worried on his wif.'. ® ^^^^ himself, so peop.: i. ^ Wn't'bl'"" '"' ned more than three yeJm ZTt, \ ? T" troubles dreadfully to Tal^ G \ '^/' sense enough to keep out nf'n.'^f" '""'"'' sleeping do^s I.V ,ff ?,, "^' ""«'" ""d '«' do^. VaCen^^ort'^f ""'''"' neighbor's house without "i*'/*^' *" " his mean, shabby figure skuTkW^ f ^ T "^ on a man, I take it Tf l t ) «"«P^cion an ounce of superfluous flesh on him. Tde- rlT.l i^O SAINTS, SWvPjtd AXri. . tested the sight of hiin • T w^ugtj """"fS-^y"" tor the evilyou have like a thi.«t ;„.. XL'' f 7« «" " ".a,. W-npI., but it had „^sa«sfle/r / "" "^ revenge. The reven J iMf 1 ^ '"'■' ^°'' could not forego, „r;„ttr",T.r"''"^' apolog.es that could be invented I H T^'" had gone down on his kneer^ r '"" "^ have forgiven him." *° "^ ^ """"W "ot the'":irte:rir"*^«'i'"''-.".«u™ured wh;?yhSi"::f~;'ow it was. or he stood before LaZr' , ' '"""^ """ «« • In him, knowinT'irl *'" ""'"' '='"">&« SereSn:iT;r'^-^^^^^^^^^^^^ a mm aloud, and dragged him bodily 111 B walked 3et him, ys tuiji- auty of tppetite. ickened street, lie said u have u ever a man 311 my re for ling I raven ' man d not lured s, or tt as mge )uld liim •uld lily An APOSTLE OF ItATJE. ^1 f through the dirt of the streets. Not because of his persistence about that petty account, that was a trifle not wortli mentioning, but it was the fact that he had set himself in opposi- tion against me, and that by his manner he had dared me to do my worst. He had been too proud CO abase himself before a Hewson, and he got his just deserts. " When he spoke to me that day in his weak, suffering voice, looking at me with the eyes of a woman in the throes of childbirth, all the ferocity of my nature was let loose like a cage full of wild beasts, and I turned on him like a tiger. " * You sneaking whelp,' I said savagely, ' I don't care for your forgiveness nor God's either. I'm not done with you yet. I'll follow you to Hell.'" " Stop I " said the preacher, throwing out his liands and rising unsteadily. "I can hear no more. My nerves are unstrung. I must beg leave to retire." "Hold on a minute, Pai-son. There isn't much more to tell, but I've kept the best for the last. I made inquiries into the previous history of Doctor Grayson and his wife, and accidentally made some discoveries that were useful to me. I visited the place where they had lived before coming to our town, and I f 22 SAtyrs, stififEUt itr^ learned that their ch,l,l » i , out of wedlock. i.e „1 J;;?'''^'-' ^"^ bom till the younff moth!. ^ '^"'"'"'•■''^^Plaoe confinement"^ "other was recovering from her '•oped to live a^"^;;/4r^^^^^^^ •«ppened, supposin/the r, ^, , ^'' "''^«'' the wiser. B„t they didn^t . "'""'^ ^ ""»« "bint, of runnin^'itt alt "nlf 7'^- of an angry Hfewson. That ,ff '''"P* stock in tmde for me it i? '^ ™'' ^'"^h again and Imadelreal ! ,"'/ "'' "' •"■«"'««» son, feeling l^^lTropS f '^ ""r. «™^- tion to the mi-ifo-t f •* disgraced in addi- ^-bandXr^rdd :; t "'•n'r "- made her half as miseiJ.u fV ' '"■• ^ '""""'t her life went o„t"ke rtt ,1^"^' '" '^'"''^ she was a sensitive !n ^ "^ " """die ; sand in her and cl^^ "'"""'•^' '""d-'-t any in. her. Cligt^S'l^"? '" ^"""- hausted,and he ,W i * '^ . ''"" '""« ex- slid out of 1 Avorid •- ^^ "' '^"■^""■"^ «»d "Condem:St?''rr''{;-f,<'iesr? wore for escaping me 'l , v, '' ^"" "'« coward, to sneak off X. the r '" '"''"'""' -"•"otforhim. xiKr-.-;^^ 1 i Al^ APOSfL^ OF £tAm 23 pleased if lie had lived and suffered, knowing himself to be completely at my mercy." ^ " Where is tlie little girl ? " asked the preacher in a dull, mechanical voice. " Yes, where (8 she ? " reiterated the old man sliarply, the glitter of an unquenched malignity burning more fiercely in his eyes. " Tliat is the question I should like to have answered. No one IS more interested in her whereabouts than I, John Hewson. I have advertised for infor- mation of one Nellie Grayson, daughter of the ate Doctor Robert Graysoii. But I cannot find her. A stranger came and took her away after her father died. She Avas three years old then, and must be about twenty-three now if she is living. Ah ! I should like well to see the young woman, illegitimate child of the most con- temptible scoundrel I ever knew; my enemy's daughter, the last and only surviving human being, to my knowledge, who beai-s his name. *' I hope to find her before I die, and when I do he smacked his thin lips with renewed relish of the invisible morsel, " when i do, God help her, she 11 not have her sorrows to look for. I tell you, sire, when old John Hewson is laid in his grave, he'll have had the consolation of knowing that not many of his enemies are left above ground to gloat over his death! I drive them all there ahead of me with f.lm wh,v ^f u^^ „ I 24 SAINTS, Simsns AXb QUEER PEOPLK The young minister bowed liis pale face in his mnc^^,d trembled in agony of mind. "Wh could he say to open the eyes of this man's un- de.-standn,g, and let in the full light of divine evel:.t.o„ upon a darkened soul which had ne^r warmed to a glimmer of God's truth' " conditon, he sa.d earnestly, striving to over- I cannot .magmo^ any right-minded pereon find- ;ng pleasure m the deliberate infliction of suifer- mg upon any creature however bitter an enemy, iiut the punishments you mete out with such avengeful spirit are out of all proportion to their causes, and therefore the more deserving of condemnation. I do not know how you 1„ justify yourself to your own conscience; if^ deed you have any. Such a eoui^e as you have pui-sned wouhl naturally stunt and benumb yZ nioi^l sensibilities, so that in a short time your wr-ongKioing would give you no discomfort." HO ho! So you are launching into a sermon rZ Tf;:'''fT"' You can't come tC: like water off a duck's back." " The thing that touches me most keenly and of lehgion, while you are cherishing this sinful desire for revenge, and furthering your wicked An apostle of Hate. 26 purposes. This is base hypocrisy, and you must know it to be so. Creeds and dogmas matter very little, but the spirit of religion is the same all the world over, and it has only one meaning, love to God and our neighbor. Hate, for any reason whatever, can have no part in it. It is ' a noxious, soul-destroying root of evil ; its fruit IS as bitter as the waters of Marah ; and the man who takes it on his lips, till habit engendei-s a morbid appetite, will eat it to his own eternal destruction. " The longer I live the more I am convinced . that theological doctrine is a small part of our ' religion, which, when simplified, means the mind of the Master reflected in Imman lives— God breathing in us, and working through us. But if we are filled with malice and hatred, our souls are as barren as the sun-parched desert. God himself can sow no good seed in such soil." The minister s delicate, clear-cut face glowed with deep feeling as he spoke, and his eyes flamed into a sudden beauty. His sligl. igure ' quivered with pent-up emotion. " My friend," he continued even more gently, inclining toward the ungainly form huddled in the chair, with head dropping forward in an attitude which might signify close attention or physical drowsiness. « You are an old man ; almost seventv, I should sav. A f. h^c^f ,.o" ^"-^ I So KAmts. smNBiis and uukki: peoplb. ^ only a few yearn to live. I„ the ligl.t „f eter- n.ty how unuttembly small and unworthy the objects for which you have striven will appea. God ,s ready to give you the sweetening, sin-C: ■ IT" ""'*«— ''y "ote-t off i\l Gorget Jf you only knew it, and learn by blessed exne^ rience that true relidou ind (,„„ i ^ . insepamble ? " ^ ''"P^""'** "'« ^ The old man gave a mirthless, disdainful " Don't waste that fine talk on me Parxon You'll need it for Sabbath services Vr^ a hold man to accuse me of hypocrisy and every- thing ese hafs wicked, and I wouldn't iK.vPex- peeted .t of a puling, baby-faced chap likJycu B« 1 1 not let go my hold of the church. Z' ^■> I Ihats my strong weapon of torture, for I ' can disgrace people by means of the church quicker than any other way, and it'schea " «.a„ legal proceedings in court of h.w Tl,e Graysons are not the only enemies I have had^ Bless me, no. Why! Pardon Ingram, we Inve a record in this place that can't bf equaled ty w re ,n the province. We have had six chuii. trials in our own litUe Methodist chapel with its n.embe,.hip of one hundred, and I wL the p r^ ! l^ei,sii, I, John Hewson, rough-and-ready John, AN APOSTLE OF HATE. 27 as some folks call me. Well, I guess I am rough, for there's one thing I urn always ready to do, and that is to fight. I came out ahead every time, and the God-forsaken sinners got their props of religion knocked from under them, and had to get out. " IIo) ho I I've had some precious victories in my time I I can't sleep sometimes for remem- bering and chuckling over them. When a man finds he has such power over his enemies, -it gives him something to live for; it makes him wish that he could live, to be as old as Methu- selah." Tlie minister rose. There was an expression of pain on his pale face, as he walked unsteadily to the door. " Good-night," he said, not looking back, " I'll go up to my room." " Hold on, I'll show you the way," said the old man, stumbling to his feet. "But we haven't had the customary word of prayer before retiring," he added with a leer. " No, I do not feel that it would be in keeping with our, — that is, with your, conversation." " Ho, ho ! Setting yourself against a Hewson, eh ? Beware, Parson ! LI any a man has suffered at my hands for as small an offence as that. Here's your lamp and there's your room. Now • scramble to your perqU an4 sleep the sleep of a ■ pious, wliining fool wlio dn^Mn'f i keep l,i, se„„:„, to h LeUt"l r-' *"?"«'"° tl.ein. You're vonn J f i "^ "* "■"''«'' ^w called 1,X- '" ""^ ''*'>■■'""« W:/S';;,:-:;r^---^ou never ;'Qmtesu,<-wa« the weary response. "SnCt." ""^'^"^'■^"'"^'^^" M:7:^S1'nf'• ^ -"'-''»'« -re. rnnot;,o:%'';riirt!u''';''^ X^tt,;:"'"^"'^''^""^^-o^Vet Mr. Ingram did not sleep well thaf ..; 7 . 1 tossed upon his hprl in o ^', ^^^ ^"^*^ "^g^it, he "^i''^::rs: :::;FK~'t'?■ ^ nve. He talked and prayed with her. 4 EOPLE. 3nough to HHked for •w, jou'Il fter clos- •Jitl bceji lianibled kej-hole ►u never •e sure, ul her. f have e face :ht, he I state host's -n by isery. y tlie ' had 1 her nany her, AN APOSTLE OF HATE. 29 but there was little he could do to alleviate her mental distress. She was a good woiiiai), of tender heart and simple faitli, and forlierself slio liad no fears as she neared tlie threshold of tlie unknown. Iler one cry was that she might die happy ill tiio assurance that her husband was a clianged man, released from the bondage of his evil ways. But the minister dared lu-^t encour- age tliis hope, the most he could do was to rejul comforting passages from the Word which con- tained many sweet promises respecting tlie prayers of the righteous. When he said good-bye to Mr. Ilewson at the station as the train steamed up to the platform, the old man gave him a gruff invitation to come again and spend a day or night with him "if he had no objection to jilain fare and plain talk." But the minister had no tliought of accepting. He fervently hoped that he would never again lay eyes on rough-and-ready John Ilewson, un- less some miraculous power interposed to pull him up short in his course of iniquity, and drive him to the foot of the Cross. so "'""■• ^^^^-*^-^-....«.w.. CHAPTEK ir. "- pocket, and op „,." L^T'' """'^'' '"'« ''« itassLe walked ""*»"'"■ P'Weeded to read Si'e was a tall, slight girl hi, „, , featmc, with a liquid^eved „ ^'"™ """^ ^vliiel. shone a trustful I i f """"'' *»«« from Her „,other, a S L' "'^'"'''' ""«'»''■>* soul. -0"... to s«pp::!:;;;S';";-;»;>e earned Slie was of a sininle r„t.-, • '^ '"'"='"»? school. »«mate friends ^^i^^ZtTi""'' '"'" '^- -a« contentedand inte.I ed ' f, "' """^'"^ "seful occupations wh ch chi" ll '"""^ ^"'''"• Of late a wonderful t. '" '""' ""ention. "- quiet life, Eet^'TthTt 1 "'""'' '"'« "ew possibilities tlmt .f T , '"'''' "•'"l"' of to express the in^, t 'l "r^f '" ^^'>-" The summer lanlcape ;u;'r"f ''.''■• '>-■•'• "f^e, Hitli Its openuig buds 'EOPLs:, t ^ly even- ge post- Ill t face, J in the fi knew « hand. I Jiome- to Jier to lead n and 3 from soul. arjied :hool. few tshe njill, tion. into liof licli art. lids AN APOSTLE OF HATE. 31 and fresh green foliage, was not more significant of hope and promise, than were the thoughts of this maiden as ahe read lier lover's letter ; while Btray breezes stirred her muslin gown,, and trifled with the curls of brown hair whicli lay on her brow. *' Dearest Helen : *' This has been a long, lonely week, and many times I have longed for the sound of my sweet- heart's voice, with the strengthening touch of her hand in mine. In one sense you are always with me. I am conscious of your spiritual pres- ence wherever I go, for distance cannot separate us or weaken the bond that unites us. Our ■ Imman hejirts pent up in these mortal bodies chafe against the restrictions of time and circum- stance, and ciy out for the solace of a tenderness that can be felt not only in the hidden springs of being, but in every exulting fibre of physical consciousness. " I love the work of my blessed Master, and I rejoice more and more that He sees fit to use me in His service ; no other calling would be as congenial and acceptable to me. But I have sometimes thought that you have not fully con- sidered the hardships of a minister's wife, es- pecially in this country where salaries are small and the parsonages dingj ^n(| iBcouvenient. If 32 SAINTS, SINNERS AND QUEER PEOPLE. ' your lover was so fortunate as to be counted among the illustrious minority of the clerical brethren, these things would be different. We would be invited to the big churclies, and con- gregations would vie with one another to see which could bid the highest for liini. But as he IS only a timid fledgling, the conference sends him to backwoods missions where he need not be afraid of the sound of his own voice, and where he can grow big and strong on the stimu- lus of adversity. " However, I know that you are a brave, noble little woman, my Helen, and you have learned that true happiness does not consist in, or depend upon, the measure of our earthly possessions. " As long as Ave have each other, dearest, and that unswerving trust in our heavenly Father»s dealmgs which is tlie essence of contentment, what more need we desire ? Our liome, though humble, shall be a little heaven on earth, made beautiful by unselfish love. I am counting the weeks as they go by; did time ever pass so slowly? In two months we shall be married, and I shall bring my wife liome. Then life will begin for us in earnest. I tliink a man is never quite complete, nor fully equipped for life s battles, till he is united to his kindred soul, and has engrafted into his own character somcihing of the finer womanly qualities of hig AN APOSTLE OF HATE. 33 helpmate. As I take my long drives into the country, rejoicing in the beauties of nature, the thought of you pervades all other thoughts, and I am as hopeful and exultant as a boy, as I niakfj plans for our future. May God's richest bless- ings rest upon you, His child, and may tlje anticipation which I ]io\v enjoy, be only the foretaste of a happiness deep and abiding, spring- ing from tlie exhaustless source of all true joy, and reacliing out into an endless Eternity. Write to me often, dearest Helen, your bright, girlish letters are a Avonderful comfort and in- spiration. Remember that I am interested in everytliing which affects your welfare in the slightest degree. " Your faithful lover, " Robert Ingram." Tl)e girl kissed the letter once, twice, thrice, passionately, then blushed and looked around in shy apprehension of being observed. But the narrow, winding path led into the heart of a shad- owy wood, where everything was still save the murmuring pines and an occasional rustle among the underbrush, and there were no liuman eyes to witness the impulsive demonstratioji. ^ Several gophers darted nimbly across her path- way, and a white rabbit sat back on its hind legs looking at her very wisely. Vistas of silence 34 SAmrs; SINNERS AND QUEER PEOPLE. toucliecl into mellow beauty by the last rays of the sun, opened into the innermost recesses of twining green labyrinths. Helen was in close sympathy with nature's subtlest moods and inscrutable mysteries. The trembling leaves, gnarled tree trunks, twisted boughs and impressive stillness, added a touch of sublime exaltation to her glow of ten- derness, and snatches of a song rose to her lips. . She had a' fresh, sweet voice, and sang with as little effort and self-consciousness as the birds that paused in their warblings to listen to her. *' Love is a fairy most winsome and coy, Who cares not to dally or mope ; Her luscious lips are the gate of joy, Her eyes are the skies of hope ; Her step is fleet as the wings of dawn, Her arms are pillows for pain ; Her voice is music's most sacred shrine. Her heart is life's sheltered domain. She flits on the wind with outstretched arms. Her face in strange radiance glowing, As she spreads the net of her subtle charms With a smile full tender and knowing ; Sweetly she sings as she weaves her spell. And this is the song she sings so well : ' More beauteous than Fame, 'tis my mission to bless ; There is bliss in my name, in my breath a caress ; Oh, happy are they who dispute not my sway, For I live when Time's footsteps have long passed away, In a few minutes she emerged into the open "EOPLE. ist rays of ecesses of s ill close loods and e trunks, 3SS, added ow of ten- lier lips, ang with the birds 1 to her. An APOSTLi^ OP HATS. 85 s, o bless ; ress ; Qg passed lie open prairie and entered a small frame house, covered with creeping vines, which stood close to tlie road. A motherly-looking woman was bustling around the room, setting the table and preparing tea. " Just in time, dear," she said clieerily ; " have you had a pleasant walk? And Avere the school-children less troublesome t'o-day?" " Yes, mother, it lias been a delightful day altogether, and the best of it has come last." She laid her hat and gloves away in their ac- customed places, in the chamber adjoining the outer room. When she came out she had donned a white apron. '^Sit down and rest," said Mrs. Leslie, "there's nothing more to do. How well you look, Helen. That pink color in your cheeks is becoming. Well, what is it that has come last ? Oil, I know. A letter from that pale-faced preacher beau of yours. He must be neglecting all the saints and sinners of his congregation for the sake of making himself chatty to you. How can he find time to write sermons when his head is so full of love-making ? " " Don't make fun of my boj^" returned the girl with shy pleasantry. " If he is pale it is because he is always too busy to think of him- self, and needs' somebody to take care of him." ' Oh. he s a fino smppimpn imd ^^^ v«i.>.4^-^i,« S6 sAii^Ts, sm^^ns Am e mar- -P^tXit''-- other sounder ma:Xrng"a:;S>f «- -"otherlywo. "Nobody'oaf tc y:'u-:™ "'■"""' "^^• Robert, aud we'll staL by J. " ' ^"' '"" '"'"•* watzrLT::,«f-^'i^ti„g upon the face above ZT ^"'""^ "PP^"' A -^eleTti:;"! ll -^ "Ti ^"'^^- waited i„ dread for ;raCwt:rtr\rtit AN APOSTLJS OP HATH. 8d she felt that the confirmation of her worst fears would be less painful than suspense. Mrs. Leslie's large, amiable features contracted sharply with an expression of mingled pity and compunctio \. She was naturally a truthful Avoman,and the least prevarication or subterfuge was abliorrent to her. Yet she could not easily bring herself to the candid performance of the task so suddenly imposed on her. She felt her- self growing nervous under that strained pa- thetic gaze, and her principles of veracity began to waver uncomfortably. " I'll tell you about it by and by, dear," she said soothingly. " Some things are not as bad as they seem." She would have stopped there, but the girl's compelling glance forced her to go on. " Perhaps I ought to have told you tlie rights of the matter, and explained that I wasn't your real mother, but there didn't seem any necessity for it, and somehow I hadn't the heart to lay bare the troubles and misfortunes that drove your parents to their grave. It isn't well to cloud the sunshine of young lives with sad stories of people that are dead and gone, and a past that can neither be helped nor cured." " Then it is true ? " said Helen, her face rigid and tearless. *-vt*i.ivy, viwxi V iOOiv Hli.U Hint i exciaimea Mi's. I about: "L^ii ™;i"" L" '^"^- g-ning the faculty of apeeehLo/f"''^-'" -me logical connection offd'as '"™'"^ " Beheve nothing but what is ™o,1 tk rna^ mistakes lilce other people bSril Jev:r think they planned to do wrong. Your f thl t n ll"-'^ •■'"quitted, but the disgmce of i/ killed him.- Murder indeed ' H^ !f !? tender-hearted doctor I :::j,r''^^'^\7f your coming before your lawfu L/.f. unfortunater I'll admit vl ' *'" """ way. ^<'" *«« " "-as this I.n.'l' V'l ''*'" ™' "=' f"'' *« maniage, but it l.ad to be postponed on account of your gi^li AN APOSTLE OF HATE. 4\ mother's death, your mother's mother, my clear. Then your father took ill of a fever and was sent to the hospital, and lingered there i^r a long time between life and death. You were born about the time of his recovery. Wlien he heard about it you could have knocked him down with a feather. The marriage took place soon after, and your parents lived together happily till your father chanced to cross the temper of that old— that fiend who hounded him to death." The girl did not hear all the details of the narrative which Mrs. Leslie made as lengthy as possible in order to divert attention from the pith and substance of it. Her curiosity was satisfied on the one point which alone concerned her, and the sickening suspense had given place to a deadly certainty. What mattered to her the motives and accidental circumstances which surrounded her birth, they could not alter facts or clothe disgrace with even a semblance of re- spectability. The one fatal conclusion forced itself on her mind, <'I have no lawful claim on life. I am the offspring of shame and folly. I ought not to exist." Every sensitive fibre of her nature tingled and smarted with the pain of it ; she could not suppress it or reason against it, she had no logic of worldly wisdom and human ex- perience at her command to fortifv her ae-ainst. 57 - '.'4 its sudden attack, and it mastered her Sl>« knew tl.a something preeious had go ^ W iier never to Iff urn tk i 6""« noni ifeiirness and tlie earth its beautv ^h^ thought of Rnhpif n, I 7 "i-fiuty. {^he flasiidacr„sX:LTf:;.rtr.''r «.>d added to her misery ' """"'«'■ room, a„d^I:Lru:e^^ '"""'"■'" ''°''«''- ni;! : "^rcr- «■■« "«" "-patched come by the Ixt wf T/'''"f ''"^ '"'" *" to the house and\vaite"i It " T'" '^^"'^ and if the message found U>1 Tt In"^ ', ° "'°*' «mve before midniirht If ,™ ''^ ''°°''' manner, then ao-i ; n f i,^ , V ^ ^' ^ ^s^^ess and eea;ed ZS.t Cnl't r ' ""'''"'•'• moment later. ^ ""^ '''"^"'cd » "Poor child!" murmured Mr«. Leslie. "It's AN APOSTLE OF HATE. 48 her first trouble, mid I don't doubt that it's lier worst. I wisii I knew how to comfoit lier. She lias as good a light to hold up her head as the proudest lady iu the land. I don't see why she should let this knowledge erush all the hope and spirit out of her as if it was part of her doing, liut Knbert Ingram is a man of taet and wisdom, he has the right words for what he feels, and he will be able to cheer and comfort her." He came at last. She heard the click of the gate and his quick stej) on the gravel patli. The next instant he was in the room. He looked anxious and haggard. " Is she ill ? " he asked, breathing } d from the effects of liis unusual speed. He had covered most of tho di. «ance from the station at a running pacv . *' Your message gave me a great shock." " She is not ill physically, at .east not moie than you would expect, but we are in trouble, and I thought it was best to send for you." She led tho way into the little parlor, which was seldom used, and very quietly, in a low voice, told him what had transpired.' " My poor darling ! " he exclaimed in lender- est pity. " I must see her at once. Has she so little confidence in me as to think that I could change towards Iier because of these 44 SAINTS, SINNERS AND QUEER PEOPLE. things? lam more eager tlian ever to make her my wife, so that I may have tlie right to protect her against insult and injury. We must be married immediately, to-morrow, if possible." "I think likely Helen has dropped asleep," said Mrs. Leslie. " I haven't heard any sound in her room for several minutes, but I'll so and see." ^ Suddenly a startled cry resounded through the house. Mr. Ingram sprang from his chair, rushed through the narrow passage into the dinmg-room, and from there to the bedroom. A strange, sickening odor was in the air. Mrs Leslie was leaning over the prostrate figure on the bed. * "Oh, Robert! She has taken something. What shall we do? "she exclaimed, wringing her hands. ° ^ Then, as she moved back, he caught siglit of the girl's white, distorted face, the half-open glaring eyes, wide and dark with the agony of an awful ^consciousness, the rigid limbs, the helpless struggle to ward off approaching death long enough for a last effort of intelligent Si3eech. At a bound he reached her. He pressed his warm lips to hers, he entreated her by every endearing name that distracted love' cau invent, to come back to him, to happiness, AN APOSTLE OF HATE. 45 if to life, but even as he spoke, he knew that she was dying. " Helen, dearest, speak ! " he implored. Her stiff lips moved, and he bent lower to listen. " I could not — bear — the pain — of knowing that I — I — " she wiiispered inco]ierently,a sharp spasm sending a quiver over her features. " It burned into my brain, and I — I — ask God to — to forgive me, Robert." The glazing eyes over which the shadow of an invisible Hand seemed to be resting, fixed themselves on his face with a look of unutterable love, remorse, and sorrow. A convulsive sliudder passed over her, then slie stiffened suddenly and he held in liis arms a corpse. The next morning, while that silent awe which is the atmosphere of death pervaded the house, Mrs. Leslie paused in her soundless weeping to give expression to the thought which was continually recurring to her mind with haunting pei-sistency. " I wish that man could be brought here to see his wicked work," slie said in a passionate undertone. " It would rob him of his taste for revenge to see her so young, so lovely " — sobs choked her utterance. " He shall come," returned Robert Ingram, with an air of sad, quiet determination. " He III V>U 1,1 ^ i" i liii 46 SAINTS, SINNERS AND QUEER PEOPLE. shall Stand by her coffin and look on her, and say to himself, This is my doing. I have wired him to be liere to-night." A few hours later John Ilewson stepped from the ears to the depot platform with an eager alert manner, which in a man of younger years would have been decidedly jaunty. He still shambled, and his shaggy head lopped forward somewhat, but there was a new vim in his clumsy gait, and in his heavy features the brightening effect of an absorbing purpose. " Ho, lio ! Parson ! " he exclaimed in a jocular voice as Mr. Ingram stepped up to him. « So we meet again, eli ? Strange how things come about when we least expect it. ' Everything comes to him who waits,' that's true, isn't it ? Of course it is ! You'll not shake hands, eh ? Well, perhaps that's natural. I suppose you're cut up a little because I've spoiled your chances with Grayson's daughter. I call tliat deuced • ungrateful. Parson. You ought to be thankful to me for preventing an alliance like that." The minister scarcely spoke after the first cold greeting. They walked slowly through the silent streets in the deepening twilight, and both of them remembered a similar walk upon the occasion of their first meeting. The old man's triumph was slightly chilled by the im- passive demeanor of Mr. Ingram, from whom he AN APOSTLE OF HATE, 47 rom had naturally expected a tirade of protest, de- nunciation and remonstrance. But he assured himself that this would come later. The Par- son was not a man to treat so important a matter as lightly as his present cool, self-contained manner would seem to indicate. " I've brought some documents in my valise which will prove the truth of my statements, if any proof is necessary, to back up the word of rough-and-ready John Hewson, who was never known to be untruthful by word ofmouM? though he has been obliged, in the interf f justice, to do some sharp double-deal- ing, ill his time. I suppose that's why you sent for me, eh. Parson ? To have some substantial proof to show to the young woman." Mr. Ingram made no reply. " Mark my words, Parson, I'm not going to spare her. It has been the aim of my life for yeai-s to find lier and make her suffer, and it will be a supreme moment for me when we stand face to face and I tell her again what I wrote in that letter. Ah, I'll tell it in such a way that it will cut her to the quick. Yes, sire, you must leave it all to me, Pareon ! I don't want any meddling or molly-coddling from you." Still the minister was silent, and the old man, after several vain attempts to beguile him into nnrr ir Ai«c.n f i rm ■m 'if; rtoaoaA axiu. uQQamQ 48 SAINTS, SINNERS AND QUEER PEOPLE. vaguely uncomfortable and apprehensive ; each of them M-as engrossed with his own thoughts. The stillness of the external world caused the voices of their inner consciousness to be heard more clearly. One was living over again with intensified suffering the events which had so completely changed the aspect of his future, the other was exulting, with the selfish cruelty of a gross nature, in anticipation of a long-deferred, carefully-plannted revenge. When they reached the house and were on the point of entering, a gust of wind blew tlie crape which was tied on the door, and it flapped upwards against the face of John Hewson. He started violently, shivered, and drew back. But before he could utter a word of protest, oi- in- quiry the minister ushered him inside. " If you are hungry I'll see that a lunch is prepared for you," he said in a low voice, as he took the old man's hat arid vaiise and deposited them in the hall. "If not, perhaps you would rather see Miss Grayson now." " Yes, yes ; no time like the present," was the ^ager, nervous reply. "I haven't slept well lately, and my nerves are i-atlier shaken. I must get this matter settled at once. I'm used to fighting and brow-beating men, yes, and women too, but a girl— I'm not used to that. If she Jia^ a sharp tongue she may be top inual^ for m§, :• 1/ AN APOSTLE OF HATE. 49 DUld the well nust i to nen she m§, 4 But I say, Parson," he added in a perplexed voice, "I didn't know you had death in the house. I suppose there must be as little dis- turbance as possible." He spoke regretfully; it was no small sacrifice to relinquish the noisy self-assertiveness and freedom of language which formed so large a part of his triumphs. " Come this way," said Mr. Ingram. Softly opening the door of the parlor he passed inside, and John He wson, throwing back his shoulders with an air of dogged defiance, and swelling his chest to its utmost capacity followed close be- hind him. A coffin resting upon two chairs occupied the centre of the room. The minister paused be- side it, and the other man, yielding involuntarily to a mysterious attraction, &tood still at the same moment, and gazed down at the beautiful girl who might be supposed to be sleeping, but for the marble-like pallor and rigidity of facial curves, which no sleep in life can simulate. He looked long and steadily like a man wrought upon by some hypnotic influence. The minister's voice broke the silence. "This is Helen Grayson," he said, very gently and reverently, " the innocent girl whose happiness you sought to destroy. Your liate and cruelty have accomplished your purpose even more auicklv and skilfullv than 4 von ex- HI \t Ml 50 SAINTS, SINNEns AND QUEER PEOPLE. pected You see she is dead, quite dead," he struggled for the mastery of emotions which threatened to break doNvn liis self-control, then continued : " She was a simple-Iiearted girl. She knew a most notliing of oar world and its ways. Her pleasures lay in the quiet paths of contentment and duty. Sorrow was unknown to her. She loved nature and she loved me," he gulped down the sob that rose* in his throat. " She was kind and gentle; she could not have harmed the least of God s creatures. Hatred and malice were as far from her as from the angels in Heaven, bhe had the kindliest thoughts for everybody and not so much as a breath of bitterness Avas ever raised against her, for she lived in the charmed world of refined girlhood. When your ' letter came she was bewildered and fri<.htened and scarce could understand the meaning of your venomous words. The realization came sud- denly-too suddenly. It took hold of her ima^i- nation like a hideous demon and goaded her to the frenzy of madness. She had only one wish • •to escape from hei^elf and misery, and she took liLtr" ^' ^'''^' '^"'''' ""''^ ^^P<^ John Hewson watched him with a stran<>-e, fascinated expression, but he did not speak. Fresentl^ his glance returned to the figure in l;ii AN APOSTLE OF HATH. 51 the coffin. He observed, with dulled sensibilities, tiie texture of tlie shroud, and the white flowem nestling against the fair cheek and throat. He wondered stupidly whether she had died from poison or drowning. Gradually he wandered into a labyrinth of disconnected, trivial conjec- ture. When he lookod up, recalled to the con- sciousness of his surroundings by aslightsound, lie discovered tliat Mr. Ingram had gone. He had an impulse of fear and hastened to leave the room, but the door resisted him ; again he tried to open it, but without effect. His wrinkled hands trembled, and his limbs shook under him as he realized that he Avas shut in with the life- less body of his victim. He wanted to cry out but his lips seemed paralyzed and his parched tongue refused to do him service. He could not look again at the motionless girl ; for he fancied that her face had a different expression now. He was sure that her eyes were open, and turned on him with a mocking gleam as if to taunt him with the helplessness of his position, the emptiness of his revenge, and the cowardly feel- ings that possessed him. He moved stealthily around the room, taking care to keep his eyes averted from the coffin, and finally sat down in the farthest corner with his back turned to the silent occunant and Kti»rP!d JMl hV f ih U 62 sAmTs, sfmms Am QtrsEn peoplb. blankly at tl.o wall. Suddenly a face took slnne vaguely outlined at f .t agafnst a U^t^tZ me It It was a man's face and it wore a smilfl , "f '"^ff''W° peace and happiness. "Giayson, you sneak I" muttered tlie old come back to jeer at me, have you ? " hJ turned h,s head in another direct on that he m,ght not meet fl,at ..diant glance which ec^T tmsted so painfully with hi own condit "n eclge of .uch misery as appeals to the comnre l.ens.on but adds poignancy to the sensaZsof a disordered bruin. " Wh/ had he fancied H hewasalone ?"he asked himself. The room a' a hve with people whom he had never expecld How;:rh- "^'''^--»M..arays::r How well he remembered those wistful dis tressed features, but she too had earned He,' ward of^patient suffering, and a smile curved he; a.e°ncv\n"'' "^P""'"'* -"^ '^ ^y ^'^I^lieal agency, all joyous and animated by the con s .ousness of final victory, which could nevt know defeat at his hands. He had done ,1 CaVd'tr ''"' '''' '""'' •-"' - -"^ Hue "'^ °^'''' '"' "''"'^'^ S»™e of An apostle of iiAfE. 53 He put his hands over his eyes to shut out their penetrating derision, but lie could still see them. A dumb rage and despair seized upon him ; the hosts of his enemies were bearing down upon him in unassailable strength, with sharpened weapons forged from the fire of their earthly torture, and guided by the hand of Divine retribution. His senses were distorted ; it was agony to believe in them, yet he could not mis- trust them without being plunged still deeper into the delirium of ghastly fears and hideous images. He was surrounded on fill sides by these creatures of his disorganized fancy; he had never feared realities, but now he shuddered at the slightest approach or gesture of these phantoms, who exulted so openly in the weight of misery which oppressed him. Worst of all, the dead girl had found speech wherewith to stab him. He knew without looking that she liad raised hei*self and was staring at him with eyes like coals of fire. " Murderer ! " she whispered. " What of your soul ? " He groaned and hid his face deeper in his arms. The cold perspiration broke out on his brow, and he shook from head to foot as if he had the palsj'. " Prav, Door sinner. t3ray ! " This time it was » 1 lh.:l. I 1 1 !■ II f I I 44 SATNT.9. mx^iti Am aesat Pm'ts. tl.e Voica of her ,vl,o had been hfa wif.. „„a ^ hose Y moment. Inul beou ombittero I L t « Jolm lie,vso„ lived a lifetime of aconize.! W.e« I„,g with g,.i,„ Nemesis, i,. ,I,„ twoC « Btel In t, "' 7.'"' '■<''»'"- 1 ^vith hushed foot- ahu Jr '"" "■°"'"'"=S '" " -""•■'"• like ahunted cmmnal ; wild^yed, f,.a,.K.s,s, „„d fem" iiig Jeaifully from his own shadow. A wonderful tenderness and comnassion swe, ,t over the younger man's faee. He stooped ad eneuohng the writhing form with his fi™. riJ^ arm raised him to his feet, and support ghL feeble weight, led him gently from 'the "om He did not leave him again, but s^t iT • a::a:ct:r fSer^dr^ r *^^"'''' far off. Hi3 eonv„i::r;t gX h'd iZ""' jope. Jie iiad cried m crhtilv fnr /?«]• ^ w *J:r/? '" '--" Snfi^iS"? Lasteced to his relief. The spirit of Hate Ind «one out of hUn, a„d his heart' returned to E as it had been m his childhood. He could not S :: ''"^'"r'^ "l-p again- bu h W qwet, saymg a few word, from time to time A]^ APOSTIE OP IIAT^. 65 111 a voice of strange ilifBclence and simplic- ity. " Tell me again, Parson, tluit you don't hold a grudge against mo," he said wistfully. " I've taken away your dearest treasure." Robert Ingram's head was bowed in his hands, and tears dripped through his fingers ; tears that rose from a complete emotion of solemn joy over a penitent soul, and sorrow for the beloved dead whose frozen youth and beauty was ever before his eyes, though it lay in the next room. " No, my friend," he replied, " neither you nor any one else can take her fiom me. She is mine still, eternally mine in Christ. I forgive you freely even as I hope to be forgiven. But you have sinned grievously. Settle that witli your Maker." " I have settled it. Parson, and I've got some- thing liere" — laying his hand on his heart — "that I don't undei-stand as yet. It's made up of sunshine, and love, and unshed tears, as soft and gentle as summer rain. I never felt any- thing like it. Parson. I've been pinching myself to make sure it isn't a dream." . A little later he said weakly, "It goes to my heart. Parson, that you should be so kind to me after all I've done. I've known many men in my day, but none like you. I'd like to live long enough to do you a good turn, y . ¥ r 66 ^^^INTS, SlNkKliS ANJJ QUUmi PEOPL^^, but I guess my time's up. Tlut's tl.e hardest tliought; that I can't undotlio wrong I've done i want to love everybody and make things P c^sant in the workl. It's a sad worhl at heft, and tlie cruelost thing in it is Hate. Yes J see It now. Oh, Parson, can't I make up for It somehow ? Don't you think that an old man like me who was his own worst enemy and didn't i^now It, will have another chance where I'm going, to treat folks lovingly like Him you ve been reading about ? I'd be doubly glad to go children s faces, and lift the burdens of the old aye, and to make young maidens and their lovers happy. Speak, man ! Don't you think the next world Will be very nuich like this one, only be er and purer and more beautiful? Surely 1 11 have another chance to make people happy ? - His thin lips trembled pitifully, and in his eaniestness he reached out the wrinkled hand that had been fluttering nervously on the coverlid and clutched the minister's sleeve. " It maybe so," said the other cautiously, and the dying man lay back on his pillow with an expression of peace on his face. '' Put up a word of prayer. Parson," he whispered, "I'm going down into the valley. It IS cold and dark. Pray and I'll say Amen when you come to the end." AN APOSTLE OF HATE. 67 llobert Ingram knelt down, and stilling the trembling of tlio wasted liandin his strong clasp, prayed brokenly : " Dear Father, take home Thy penitent child I Give him an abundant welcome into the king- dom of love. lie has beei wandering in dark- ness and sin for many years, and is bruised and weary and heart 1 u'lgrj . A little light lias come into his soul, ;ii' ugh v»show him his need of Thee. Dear Fai,^<-r, j^ ;ther him into Thy arms of love, and cai.y liim tenderly into the fold." He did not rise from his knees immediately, but, with a closer pressure of the hand, waited for the promised word. But John Hewson's "Amen" had passed beyond the hearing of mortal ears. ! ■'!! li ¥ II A DAY IN OASTLE BOHEMIA nnS •'"""'^'^ '^ '' "'« Woof of wS motlier was Her Maiestv A,l,i;„ .i, j tho Plni.i,. • •" •* ■ ■'^^''"'e' the eldest of the ch,lcl,e„, a s.xteen-year-old young lady wl.o «3 an example of p.e„,atu,.e a„d^p,Z bus «to, p,obabIy because it was she who invented meknames for the othe,«. Alfred, because of h,s wonderful variety of talents, had b^en re ilr ^Z'"" *'" '^'•^•^'- Caroh-nt V ,0 was the most poetical one a.nong them JZ know„ .n the household ,s CaLul Ca.:i: 2' the w,se Edmond was Grimes, and Har old, „„ overgrown l«y whose pei^onality ,™ ent... y devoid o. angelic suggestivene s, r^ A DAY IN CASTLE BOHEMIA. 59 joiced ill tlie name of Seraph, while Bobbie, the youngest, a mischievous lad of five years, went by various appellations which fittingly described his promiscuous iniquities. The family en masse were spoken of by out- siders in significant phraseology, as " The queer, clever Wilsons," " The think-much, do-notliing Wilsons," " The rich, lazy Wilsons." Probably no one enjoyed these labels as much, or appre- ciated their appropriateness as tlxoroughly, as the Wilsons themselves, for they had a nice, dis- crimination in the matter of titles, and their alert faculties were keenly attuned to the least symptom of acuteness in otlier people. The juniors were considered remarkable in many ways. TJiey had a certain crude maturity beyond their years, and a bubbling vitality which characterized their every motion. Their talents were as conspicuous as their eccentricities, and their egotism was nothing more than the harmless, natural enjoyment which exuberant boys and girls derive from the contemplation of their own cleverness. Their manners, ideas, and customs were pecul- iarly their own by right of origin, copyrighted by preference, not picked up from the prevail- ing sentiments of the day or the codes which regulate the machinery of conventional society.. Perhaps the^ would have made some effort ^9 60 SAINTS, SINNERS AND QUEER PEOPLE. identify the fiery quality of tlieir individual tendencies with the slower, steadier pulse of humanity at large, if the advisability of so doina had ever been sufficiently impressed upon them. But after they had been ushered into the world, had been nursed, fed, petted, and gently repri- manded during the period of infantile suscepti- bility, they were allowed to spring up as best 11 ey could, under the sole guidance of nature ; who, as everybody l^nows, will play queer pranks when left to herself, and deliglits in the evolu- tion of freaks, joyous, laughter-loving, irrespon- sible creatures, who nestle close to her heart as to a sympathetic mother, and accept the smiles and frowns of uncongenial mortals with serene maitterence. King William, one of the best and most con- scientious of fathei-s, was unavoidably absent from home a great part of the time on account o. busmess exigencies, and Her Majesty, whose trail physical teneraent was poorly equipped for the accommodation of her extraordinary brain power, was seldom in Castle Bohemia, if she was able to be anywhere else ; for though she was consbintly experimenting in patent medi- cines, the unvarying i„oscription of the family physician was « change of air and scenery " So it frequently came to pass that slie cast mide her sovereignty as a burden too heavy to A DAY IN CASTLE BOHEMIA. 61 be borne by a lady of delicate constitution, and took to herself the freedom of an iintranimelled existence ; while her children — strong to com- mand, to do, and to dare — reigned in her stead, if not always with skill and judgment, at least with a degree of hilarity unknown during Her Majesty's supremacy. They grew and flourished and spread them- selves, shooting out the branches of their vigorous mentality in all directions, like young trees that have never felt the pruning knife. The servants imbibed freely of the exhilarat- ing lawlessness of the establiahment, and wliile they performed their duties fairly well, their methods were erratic, their manners excitable and jovial, and hopelessly out of keeping with their position as menials. After living a short time with the Wilsons, they were obliged to " stay on " or join a comic variety troupe, for they were totally unfitted for the monotony of domestic service outside of Castle Bohemia. Rhoda Jennings, the house-maid, explained this singular process at some length to Biddy Ma- guire, the washerwoman, as tliey ate their dinner together within sound of the lively talk which proceeded from the dining-room. " My h'eye I " she said scornfully, " don't talk to me about goin' anywheres for bigger wages, Biddy Maguire, because I couldn't do it nohow. 62 SAIMTS, SIMNEBS AND qUBBH PEOPLE. Wl,at'» wages, to fun, an' music, an' queer 'appen- usfron. m„™ till night, week in, week out? It s as good as goin' to a eireus every day to live m this family, special when Her Majesty h aw.^. They settle down ^ quiet as laX for a while of a morn „'; Miss Addie wrapped up i„ her •poultry news,' whatever that means. know itt? nw"^'" "' """"'"' "'"^ -^^ «- Tnd t, ^T''"\ ""." «'"«''-''^ffg''«t Ii, my h'eye, Biddy ! we do 'ave rich times. I just revels in tiiem.' That Bobl)ie is the blessedest child tliat ever drew breatli. He is a h'oin an'-ho'ii bit of Satan, that's what he is. Miss Addie calls him ' 'Rip^inal Sin,' but that's not stiong enough for Bobbie, no ma^am. I knows him well, no one better, we're --^ i id^lr as two peas, and I calls him a ' H'out-an'-li'ou(.ei\ Biddy Magai ve - r>,s coiLstrained to admit that a situation in. tlie Wilson domicile had advan- tages which money could not purchase, and that perhaps, all things considered, Rhoda could not - do better than remain M'here she was. " And Mias Addie is so obligin', never speaks unpolite no matter what I do, though sometimes siie and Miss Carrie takes to laughin' till I think they 11 'urt their insides, an' then I laughs too. I can't 'elp it. Just after I came 'ere, my young man come to see me ; he lives a long way off, an' I hadn't seen him for, oh my goodness, Kever so long I " Of course I didn't take him into the big drawin'-room with the mirrors and pictures an' life-size piano an' glitterin' things, I know my place too well for that. I just took hiiii quiet and modest like into one of the himitation par- lors on t'other side of the 'all, an' we sat there \ A DAY IN CASTLE BOHEMIA. 65 on the sofa as 'umble as you please. Joey was just at his wits h'end with jollity, he was. He squeezed me close around the waist and said : " ' Rhoda, my gal, you've struck a soft sit this time ; this 'ere sofa is meltin' under me, an' the sparkle of that crystal ganderleer, all lighted up like a Christmas tree, 'as got into my h'eyes so I can't see you, Rhoda my dear,' said he. * I'll 'ave to go by my feelin's or I'll not know you're there,' said he. And drat the man ; if he didn't squeeze me so tight, that I could 'ardly breathe, and I was in the sweetest h'agony, between wanting to breathe more h'easy like, and not wantin' him to stop, I was on the 'orns of a jellemma as The Great would say. " Then of a sudden Miss Addie and her young gentleman comes into the room, soft and un- suspected, and I blushed into the roots of my 'air, I was that shameba!;rhed and confusebar- rassed, for Joey's h'arm was round my waist and his mouthe, drat that man, was aperiently tryin' to go by its feelin's I But Miss Addie' just coughed a little an' turned her 'ead away, an' the gentleman coughed a deal 'arder behind his 'andkerchief, and then Miss Addie said : " ' This room isn't as warm as it might be. I'm afraid you'll catch cold, Rhoda. I think you'll find '*■• '^naior in flio IrifoTion ' imi 66 (( ( SAINTS, SINNEliS AND QUEER PEOPLE. * Don't trouble about me, Miss Addie,' I said. * I'm as comfortable as heiiiiything. But you needn't go h'out because we'ie 'ere, we'll keep to our side of the room.' " ." ^"^, ^""^y ^'"^'^SS^d n.y sleeve with a lambish gnu an said, ' Come h'out of 'ere, I feel like a Ji elephant in a china-box,' said he. So h'out we went. Joey is „o 'and for style, an' if I was ired in the Queen of Ilingland's palace he would want to do his 'uggin' in the kitchen." The unexpected was always happening in Castle Bohemia, and occasioned less surprise than a continued state of uninterrupted seren- ity, bo when one morning i,i January, Care- ful Came entered the library where the other members of the family were congregated and an- iiounced that the domestic machinery had come to a standstill, tli6 information was received with the utmost equanimity. Addie, who av;is reclining on a couch among a heap of silken pil- lows, pencil and paper in hand, added two lines to the last ver^e she had written, and altered sublime The Great, standing before his easel, with a paint-brush behind each ear, and hishairrising up from his head in a wildly perturbed manner, worked a little cobalt blue into the eyes of King William, and touched up the dimple in his chin. A DAY m CASTLE BOHEMIA m Crrimes turned Ji page in " The Life of Charles Dickens," and continued to read with unabated interest. Tlie famous English novelist was his favorite comi)anion ; in fact, he made a pet hobby of him and of late had instituted in liis library a new department which was devoted exclusively to this author's works, and a wide collection of literature relating to him. Seraph, from principles of policy, feigned deafness. He was rocking, as usual, and ponder- ing some scientific inventions that were shaping themselves in his creative brain, and bade fair to rank worthily with the latest achievements of Edison. Carrie, after several futile attempts to secure attention, broke out desperately : " Wilsons all, big and small, listen to my tale of woe. The cook went home yesterday to nurse a sick sister, and now Rhoda, who prom- ised to help with the meals, is laid up with rheumatism, and declares that she can't do another stroke of work to-day." " I knew there would be something the mat- ter with her," said Addie with conviction. " Yesterday I saw her meditating over a pa- tent medicine circular. She never reads the ad- vertisements wrapped around Her Majesty's medicine bottles without imagining that she has everv svmntom nf thp mnljirlv rlA«ov;Vu»d (i ■4: G8 SAINTS, SINNKHH Alft) QtfEl^R PKOPLPi. iwe, and now it is ■OttiL '. '1 Last week it was rlieuniatism." " Our Biddies ire the most unreliable creatuies I ever heard of," said The Great. " If they are healthy themselves their relati-- - ,„,*^, uy be sick or dying, and when they happen by chance to be in a normal condition of active service, they do more laughing and talking than an^, Jung else. Where's little Flinpetv the chore-girl ? " « i-i^ J'> "flome with her mother," replied Carrie. ^>he wa. afraid she was getting lockjaw with aughmg so much at Bobbie, and complained that It hurt hei- to shut lier mouth." "Surely she didn'f pretend that the difficulty of closnig her mo.'li was of sudden development," said Grimes. " I observed it months ago." "We ought to have a reserve supply of sr... ants who could be called in at any time to do the work Avhen the others are off duty, .suff- gested Seraph, in hi low '^eep vf o. "Yes, and pay them ten dollars a month while they waited, iMi^Bwher-Jike for sicknp-s ThrWisT ^" ^''^^"•^'^ical idea, u aly \ " said "Economy is all very well for people ^.ho are obliged to practise it," co in' d Seraph argumentati ely, " but we are t, ...d what's the 1.6 ol saving money I'd like to know ? It A t)Ar Iff ClASfLE BOUEMIA. dd must be spent some time or .vhat's the good of liiiviiig it? I don't bylieve in doing without luxuries when it's possible to have them. It's a mistaken principle." " Let up, Seraph," admonished Grimes, " I think it might not be amiss to engage another servant," remarked Addie ; " we could easily keep three or four busy in this house, and we would be less lik' ^y to be left in the lurch so often." *' Well, we can advertise, at any rate," sug- gested The Great, " and make definite arrange- ments afterwards. I'll write the advertisement, and Bobbie can take it to the Times office." He drew a pencil and note-book from his pocket and scribbled a few lines which he read aloud. f fii: ; Vanted ; For general housework, a strong, Iiealthy ^iil, who is not addicted to excessive conversation and laughter, or the annoying habit of becoming suddenly lielpless. Must be willing to do whuo is .required of her iliont questions or excuses. Wages no object." " What about luncheon to-day ? " asked the younger sister. " Ordi r it from Riley's by telephone, and make tea to drink vith it," repln 1 Addie. " 11 wat.." ' *"• ^°" "■-' ''""^ -ood and The youth thus addressed, who was a nw>. f l'«jvas long, reluctantly dmAt tJf CASTLE lidTlEMTA. fl people are always disturbing him, when his mind is intent on cranks and springs and electric currents. Edison couldn't do it, nor anybody else." There was no heat of anger in liis utter- ances, but his voice had a note of dreary pes- simism, sad to hear from one so young and robust. " Stop moralizing, Seraph, and go on," said Grimes, gently applying the toe of his boot to a conspicuous portion of his brother's trousers. " Well, there will be a change some time, that's one comfort," continued the victim of domestic fluctuations as he put one foot before the other. "I'm inventing a machine that will attend to the wood and water business. When I get it in working order Carrie will have to sing another tune besides, ' Come, Seraph.' " A gleam of hope was struggling through the clouds of sad- ness on his brow iis he slowly wended his way to the wood-pile. There was silence once more in the library. Once a piercing shriek broke the still- ness which created a temporary disturbance. Grimes ran to the door to ascertain the cause. "Bobbie has fallen downstairs," explained The Wise, endeavoring to gather a pair of lively legs and arms into her sisterly embrace. "Oh, is that all? Then hit him," said Grimes much relieved. ii: . !1 'IK - f :^f 72 SAmtS, sm^miS AND QZTEEIi PEOPLE " Yes, Lit him and comfort the staii-s," advised Ihe Great. Bobbie was composed of an elastic, inde- stiuctible substance like india rubber, and thoucrh he possessed to an alarming degree the facuUy of smashing everything he touched, nothing seemed hard enough to smash him, or inflict any visible mark of contact, and the yells which an- nounced his catastrophes were the result of inght rather than injury. After luncheon the family gathered before a cheerful grate fire in the drawing-room. Thev were irresponsible young persons with an abun- dance of leisure which they employed largelv 111 the development of their liobbies, and when tliey had nothing more imperative on hand they talked witn a vim and experimental relish which was thoroughly enjoyable to them, though a sedate listener who favored artistic reticence would have chafed under their extravagant language and the boldness of their premtes. 1 iieir talent for observation was brought to bear upon themselves as well as upon other people. Uieytook themselves in hand not seriously nor yet flippantly, but with a disinterested psychological inquisitiveness which had no im- niediate effect, favorable or otherwise, upon their consciences. Self-knowledge was to them a voyage of exciting discovery. They analyzed A i)AY m CASTLE ^OJlEMtA. n their emotions with a tolerant serenity not un- mixed witli humor, the tliought uppermost in their minds corresponding with the sentiment: " How queer we mortals are ! " It had been de- cided in the family circle that it was the duty of The Great to make himself famous, and in this opinion the young fellow reluctantly coincided. He had no objection to his chosen destiny, but the process of making himself famous im- plied personal responsibility and the active co- operation of his energies, and he was very much averse to anything of that sort. The expecta- tions of liis relatives were a burden to him in anticipation of possible failure, and besides he had not made a permanent choice of vocation. He did not know which of his talents, if assiduously cultivated, would lead to success, consequently he gave a little of his time and attention to all of them. For weeks at a stretch he would labor under the impression that he would be an artist, and tiie quantity of canvas he covered with landscapes, human heads, and animals, was simply enormous. At other times he was firmly convinced that he could set the world on fire as a professional singer, and at unseasonable hours of the day and night his rich baritone voice reverberated through Castle Bohemia. N •. ; f n SAtm, SmNEltS AND QUjo^n pt:oPtS. complimented hi.n upon hh singing and m-2 bod o suggest tl.at she should In^VZl oecamc slightly moderated. At presenf h. i^|ought of combining the compositic^ of Isic with portrait painting, tliou-h Im , ^ionaU.distuv.^dbya'^i^e vironZ he ,m destined by nature for the stage t would be a bitter, awakening if afte fi.^ „ wasted time and effort he shfnld d s ovenh^t he had disobeyed the primal W of lis £ It was eertain also that Addie ought trdis' S'sSI''"'!"'","'''"^'"^"''" ^al tttht„t ,f rjt' the "■" "'''''% ""^ «,«• • 1 1 ""um not. Mie was cojisiderpd onginal and elever. even brilliant, but she Wked mental coneentration, and failed to u.Iite the X:e"'''^^'""'^''''«'«t^'™tf<'rpe": Her achievements, such as they were came 101 them. It-,vas evident that she would float comp aoently „p„n the stream of life, ,v,th l" Ue long as a smihng sky ,vas above her, and she was surrounded by the atmosphere of C" f, love of richly colored life and an impatienof A BAY IN CASTLE BOHEMIA. 75 of monotony, wliioh is one of the penalties of tlie imaginative nature. It was evident also that slie would always follow her instinctive propensities whetliei' tliere was anything to be gained by it or not. She would compose pretty verses, interesting little stories, and dashing variations of popular tunes to the end of her days, thougli a discerning public sliould be none the wiser. She was impulsive and sympathetic, and her manner was charac- terized by a wholesouled demonstrativeness wliicli impressed reticent persons unfavorably. Her pleasures were intoxications, her disap- pointments, keen-edged sorrows. She was a veritable child of nature, made of laughter and tears, moods and caprices. No one could safely predict anything as to lier ultimate develoi> ment, there was so much in her personality that was contradictory. The Wilsons were ardent admirers of beauty, and conscientiously made the most of themselves in this respect. On this particular af teinoon Addie had donned a becoming gown of pink crepon, trimmed with long ends and bows of ribbon, and her black hair was charmingly arranged upon her shapely head and set off with a pink rose. There was a con- fident ease and self-assurance in lier attitudes which was not becoming in such an uusophis- 11 I 76 SAINTS, SINNERS AND QUEER PEOPLE. ticated damsel. She had been told so often that she was charming and pretty that she accepted the homage of flattery as a matter of course. She had been figuring in the lole of a heart- breaker ever since she had reached the matuie age of tliirteen, and of late, after many distract- ing experiences of a tender nature, in which her . pity for her suffering victims far outweighed any petty sense pi triumph suggested by tlie spirit of coquetry, she had begun to think seriously of marriage as the only escape from the tragic elements of existence. Carrie, who was two years younger, had long since decided that her mission in life was to be an old maid, a comfort to tlie declining years of Her Majesty, and King William, and a per- severing check upon Seraph's laziness and pon- derosity. But she was much concerned about her sister's prospects, and considered her case rather desperate. A girl who could refuse so many eligible suitors in so short a time, and that too in the coolest manner possible, without a heart-throb or regretful tear on her own account, was in imminent danger of becoming an unscrupulous flirt, or of finally mating with the "crooked stick," which is to be found at the end of the woods. Carrie was playing a brilliant waltz on the A DAY IN CASTLE BOHEMIA. 77 piano, and Addie was enjoying a lively di.scus- sion with Grimes and The Great, upon the subject of idealization in general, and Dickens' idealization of his sister-in-law in particular, when the door-bell rang. The elder sister rose to answer the summons. "Addie," said The Wise, anxiously, "if it should be Dick Norris, don't ask him in. If he hasn't sense enough to accept a refusal that has been repeated to him five times, snub him delib- erately and systematically, and leave no room for doubt about it. His persistency is as hard ou my nerves as on yours. It isn't pleasant to be wakened from sleep to hear you sobbing in your dreams, ' Oh, Mr. Norris. I'm so sorry ! ' I know you are not half as sorry as you ought to be, considering how openly you encouraged him, and I feel like shaking you, and calling him names." But the accused n'as out of hearing by this time, and tlie accuser relapsed into listening silence. The caller proved to be the Rev. An- drew Barton, popular young minister of Grace Church ; there was the sound of Addie's sprightly, informal greeting and the more precise though somewliat efT'isive one in deeper, drawling tones. " lie has oorae to have a word of prayer with her," remarl od Tlie Great. ^\^ m k^ 1 1; li *' T wisb !)«J! wniililn'f. .1 a l.lTlfl W \ih ill 78 SAINTS, SINNERS AND QUEER PEOPLE. increasing apprehension, " I know liow it will end. He will ask her to come out and see the moon." " Not a bit of danger. Tlie Rev. Barton will do nothing so rash. A girl like Addie, full of amusing whims and contradictions, a mixture of tlie sublime and ridiculous, is nothing more than an interesting problem to him. He is attracted to her largely fronu interest in her spiritual wel- fare, and because of her undeveloped possibilities. He- told me as much one Sunday night as we walked from church." " She has been a problem to half a dozen men and they all solved her in the same way, by concluding that she was the one being Heaven had created for theii- special benefit," said Grimes, who found the world's ways vastly amusing. « I am glad she had sense enough to realize that she would be miserable with any one of them. Why should she think of mar- riage at her age ? Fancy Addie struggling with the reins of household government ! Wouldn't they get into a queer tangle ? " " Perhaps so," as? nted The Wise, " but we don't want two old maids in the family." In the meantime the subj^^ct of these random comments was convei*sing in a highly edifying manner with the minister. He complimented her upon the merits of certain of her verses A DAY IN CASTLE BOHEMIA. 79 whicli lie liad seen in print, and earnestly im- pressed upon her the advisability of dedicating lier talents to noble service. He spoke humbly of his own successes in the ministry, and attri- buted them to entirety of faith and self-surrender. Hie also evinced a warm interest in each individ- ual member of the family and finally, as he was about to take leave, mildly suggested that they should be summoned into his presence that he might have the privilege of praying with them. This was accordingly done. They entered with meek, subdued footsteps, Carrie heading the procession and the Seraph, with his hands in his pockets, bringing up the rear. The good man prayed long and fervently, and was in the midst of an eloquent petition which was far-reaching in its comprehensiveness, including the whole civilized race, when Bobbie cautiously opened the door and looked in. The situation was peculiarly tempting; the kneeling figures with their backs turned to him, the preacher with his remote look of spiritual exaltation. He slipped softly into the room and looked about in quest of something to do. The Great had left his paint-brushes and palette on a table beside his easel, and Bobbie, who was an artist in all but opportunity, took advantage of this cir- cumstance. He dipped a brush into some of t-li© 80 SAINTS, SINNERS AND QUEVM PEOPLE. mixture and glanced aiound the room in search of suitable material for canvas. Then lie spied the round bald spot on the preacher's head and rejoiced inwardly ; it was like the china plaques which Addie painted for Christmas gifts, and he went to work at it without further loss of time. The gentleman moved uneasily under the fust stroke, and as the strange sensation continued, exhibited great discomfort of body and confu- sion of mind. Ho concluded that a party of spidei-s had dropped upon his head and mistiiken it for a race-course. Horrible thought to a man of refined sensibilities ! There was nothing to be done but to curtail his complex rhetoric and make a dash for tlie closing Amen, with the little dignity that was possible under such distracting conditions. " Lord, bless this family and consecrate their talents to Thy service. Help us all to be good and noble, to be patient under trial, to follow after justice and trutli, to be kind and loving to the meanest' creatures thou hast made, and " A loud screani interrupted him. Addie had intercepted Bobbie in the act of emptying a bottle of turpentine upon the head of his victim, and now bore him kicking and struggling from the room. "I was painting hairs on the gentlemanVs ]iead," he attested lustily in self-defence, " and A DAY . : CASTLE BOHEMIA. 81 the paint got too thick. Can't I paint liaii-s on the gentleman's head, where the real ones have come out ? " There was a moment's embarrassed silence in the library. The minister coughed, smoothed down his features with his fingei-s, and in a tone of deep self-reprcich hurriedly concluded his petition. " Lord, foigive us any irreverence of which wo are involuntarily guilty in Thy presence. Amen, amen." Though his instincts of piety were outraged, his humor was tickled, and he exhibited a spirit of magnanimity towards the delinquent which was creditable, considering the provocation he had received. " Poor little chap I " he said kindly, " don't be too hard on him. I've no doubt that his motive was good. He wished to improve my appearance, and observing a particular spot where there was room for improvement — ha, ha, don't be hard on the little fellow. I was a l)oy once myself." Grimes came out into the hall with stern resolve written upon his countenance. It was he who was supposed to wield tlie rod of chastise- ment in the absence of King William. He was of a cooler temperament and steadier nerve than m »h i Ij 11 82 SAINTS, SINNERS AND QCEEIl PEOPLE, in certai.j portions of liis anatomy without becom- ing uncomfortably warm and excited liimsclf. "Where is he?" lie demanded in his loudest parental voice. "Bring him to me I " "Will you give him the strap?" asked Seraph, with evident intciest. lie rather en- joyed seeing this youngster in the grip of justice. " Strap ? No, nor ^the birch stick either. Get me a bed-slat." But Bobbie was nowhere to be seen, though they sought him carefully with seductive threats. He had rushed precipitately into Khoda's bed- room and crept Tinder the bed. "Now, what 'rvvoyou been doin',you precious hout-an'-h'o, . :•' asked the housemaid ten- derly. She pi : .;ated a novel spectacle of rheu- matic disability. Her head was tied up in a shawl, and a quilt was wrapped around her shmilders. But the malady with which she was supposed to be afflicted had evidently not extended to her fingers, for she was inditing a long letter to Joey. " Paintin' 'airs on the gentleman's 'eud 1 Well, I never! Gc^od for you, Bobbie! A spiteful, unpolite man as isn't fit to be called a gentleman, judgin' by aperiences an' the style of his languish. Oh, I 'card him, I did, though little did he think it. I m not so bad with rheumatism but what I can work my * 1%4 .1 DAY IN CASTLE BOHEMIA. 83 way to tlif top of tlie stairs when liennythiii' lively seems to be goin' on. An I 'earn him say right li'out as bold an' Liashenas you please, 'Elp us to love that meanest creatuio the 'ouse- maid.' I was as mad as a vt '. 'an for very little I'd 'ave gone down just im an' given him a piece of my intellect. I'd 'ave said: " IJeggin' pardon forbein' out of sight when my name is took in vain. I don't want none of your lo\ nor your impidence either. What do you mean by talkin' like that about a real suspectable girl who never did nothing to you ? Mean I maybe, unknownst to myself like many h'an- other who is born of woman an' bruised by the serpent, an' 'as to fight the lion that goes roarin' about like Satan, an' keep the 'eavenly jail in view. But to call me the ' meanest', that's cappin' the climax with a cap too big for it. It's in- fl^ammation of character, that's what it is, an' as such you could be took up an' put through the sentonce. I guess that would 'ave settled him." Bobbie's mind wm too actively exercised with thoughts of the impending " bed-slat " to respond appreciatively. " Which one of the preachers was it, Bob- bie?" she asked, after a moment's wrathful contemplation of her unmerited injury. "The old one, or the younij colic who does the talkin' i>\ I i MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TEST CHART (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No. 2) 14. USA IM US u u ■ 4.0 10 1.8 ^ APPLIED IM^GE I, nc 1653 East Main Street Rochester, New York 14609 USA (716) 482 - 0300 - Phone (716) 288-5989 -Fax 84 SAmTS, SlNN^nS AND QUEER PEOPLE. When the old one is away ? They're both on 'em oaid as dodgers." " The young one," replied Bobbie in a whisper. 'Oh, indeed!" exclaimed the house-maid with , lofty scorn. "The 'andsome gentleman with the mobile mouth an' the alkaline nose, ^ , goes by tlie name of * Barton.' Well, if h'ever I saw such a onconsistent colic of the gospel I He beggars all presca-iption, as Tlie Great would say. I may be a 'ouse-maid an' aperiently thats what I am, oil the outside, but inside 1 m just the same as any h'other suspectable person. "Just the same. I 'ave my good points an my bad ones. My temper is unvariable like other folks's. I 'ave my uprisings an' downsittmgs, maybe I rise higher 'an sit down arder than some folks. I can't say as to that, but I do say an' I will say, if it was to be my last word this side the river Jordan an the lake of gnashin' teeth an' brimstone, that ousemaid or no 'ouse-maid, I'm just the same inside as any preacher, an' it's not for any bald eaded colic to call me * the meanest creature' no matter what he's got agin the general run of oune-maids, of which I am one, an' not asliam, d of it neither. "But man is born green as the grass of the field, hke the grass he comes up, an' like the grass he A DAY IN CASTLE BOHEMIA. 85 sliould be cut, so says the Scriptures, Bobbie, an' there's trutli in it. There's only one ex- ception to that Bible rule. Guess who it is, there's a dear, — come out from under the bed, nothin' can 'urt you while Rhoda is 'ere — guess who it is." "Is it The Great?" asked the little fellow, emerging from his hiding-place. " No, it's a greater than The Great, in my 'umble opinion, as shouldn't be so bold as to say it." "Is it Joe Smith?" " That's who it is, you blessed h'out-an'-h'outer. My Joey, as stands four feet eight in his boots an' calls me the *queen of his 'eart.' He comes up like the busy bee seekin' sweets he may de- vour, an' goes away in low spirits ; *cause time is so short when we're together an'so long when we're separate. You're goin', are you ? Well, take care of yourself. Come and tell me if there's any more queer 'appenin's, ; and I say, Bobbie, tell them to order plum-puddin' an' mince turnovers for dinner. Mince meat is very conjestible an' a sure cure for rheumatism." Downstairs the conversation was resumed which had been interrupted by the arrival of the unfortunate young minister. " What is idealization ? " asked Addie "ten- tatively. 86 SAINTS, siNysiis And qxt^j^r people. " The act of creating beauty and using it to clotlie the souls of those we love. We all have our ideals, our standards of excellence, no matter how faulty we may be ourselves, and this ab- stract beauty must centre itself upon some human object more or less worthy to be idealized, or else torture us forever with its elusiveness. It is not enough to know that such perfection exists somewhere in unattainable particles; that is too remote aiid unsatisfactoiy, we desiie to make it a part of ourselves and invest our lives with some of its reflected splendor, by intimate contact." T!>e Great was always veiy much in earnest when endeavoring to ex- pound liis crude theories, and gesticulated eloquently with his right hand. " I should think that intimate contact Avould dispel the illusion, for of course there is no such thing as absolute perfection," said Grimes. " That's one reason why I would rather not marry. I am afraid that some of my pretty ideas about women would get a sad shock of awaken- ing after marriage. I would rather be a cheer- ful bachelor kneeling at the shrine of an ideal woman, than a cynical benedict burdened with a •small-minded, gossiping wifa." " Wrappers that hang loose from the neck, and a trimming of curl-papers on a woman's A DAY tN CASTLE hOItmttA. . ^ forehead would finish me," said Seraph so sol- emnly that they all lauglied in chorus. The door-bell rang and Addie rose instantly. A slight, Saxou-complexioned young gentle- man stepped into the vestibule. He was smartly dressed, but his face was pale and agitated. " Are you engaged, Miss Wilson ? " he asked with nervous formality. "No, Mr. Norris, not particularly," she replied, wi^h a twinge of remorse as she observed tlie ravages which a hopeless affection had made in his once glowing countenance. She led him into one of the small parlors and attempted to guide him cautiously into impersonal discoui-se, but he resisted manfully and closed his lips when she spoke of the weather. " I came because I was so lonely and wretched," he burst out impetuously, " and you kilow it is soma comfort to see you and talk to you, even though you d'>r't care anything about me." " Don't say that, Mr. Norris. You know I do care for you very much as a friend." Her bril- liant eyes were tarned on him with a responsive sympathy whicli tended to aggravate his depres- sion. He was twenty-three years of age, and this was his first love-affair. It affected him so unhappily that he was physically and mentally unable to follow his usual practical pursuits. Solitude goaded him to madness, and his only i (m * ^8 SAINTS, SINNERS AND QUEER PEOPLS. relief, an unsatisfactory one at best, was found m the free outpouring of his misery into the ears of the liard-li(iarted cliarmer who liud repeatedly declared tliatshe would not marry him. " Oh, Addie ! You don't know what it is to suffer as I do, or you would have more pity," he said brokenly, looking at her with tear- dirame^' eyes. " I can't sleep or eat oi think. There's only one person in the world and that's you. I see and hear you every hour of the day. I can't pretend to go around among the boys and girls as I used to do and enjoy myself in the old way. Everything is changed— horri- bly changed. I seem to be walking alone, in a shadow." "I'm so sorry, Dick," she said, her voice lin- gering on hi^ Christian name which sounded sweet to him from her lips. « Isn't there any cure for it but reciprocity and marriage ? " she asked with unconscious irony. "None that I know," he replied dismally. " It gets worse all the time. The more I try to escape from it the more securely it binds and hurts me. But of course there's no use in trying to explain it to a person who has never had it." ''You'll get over it," she said soothingly, ** the others did, all accept Arthur Dean, and he " " I don't wish to hear about the othera,** he V A DAT IN CASTLE BOHEMIA. Bd Interrupted hoarsely. " Some fellows -^et a sutl- den fancy in their heads and call it love, and they forget it in a short time, but I'm not like that, I wish I was." There was a long silence between them, then Addie said briskly : " Well, you'll stay and dine with us, and try to be cheerful? It makes me uncomfortable to see you in such a state about a gay, foolish girl like me." " Gay ? Yes, but not foolish. Don't try to depreciate yourself in my eyes. You can't do it. Whether you love me or not you must always be my ideal of all that is sweet and beautiful, tender and womanly." " Oh, dear ! " she exclaimed mentally, " there it is again — the extravagant idealization of weak human nature." " But I may as well stay if you will be so kind as to endure my depression. I have noth- ing to do and nowhere to go. I hate all kinds of jollity. I can't sit alone in my rooms and brood. It makes me feel like committing suicide. Oh, Addie, don't you think you could learn to love me a little ? I'm not such a bad sort of a fellow and my heart is as big as the ocean. But forgive me for worrying you with my troubles. I'll try to be man enough to bear them in silence." 90 sAmrs, siNirms and queer people. At this critical moment so full of dramatic possibilities, the noble expression of liis face was lost in a sudden convulsion. He sneezed four times in rapid succession and struggled with a fit of coughing. Before Addie had time to conjecture as to tlie cause of tliis singular performance slie was overcome by a similar paroxysm of sneezino-, coughmg, and choking. In the midst of it the tears started to hei^ eyes and rolled down her cheeks. He was by her side in an instant endeavoring to calm her agitation. "You are crying, Addie," he said, tenderly triumpliant. " Your pity is akin to love. You can't disguise your ti-ue feelings any longer. Your emotion betrays you." " It isn't emotion," slie gasped, struggling for breath. '^ I think— I tliink it is pepper." " Pepper ! " lie repeated blankly. " Yes, pepper and Bobbie ! " Slie opened the door quickly and there stobd Her Majesty's Infant, caught in the act of blowing red pepper into a paper funnel which was inserted in the keyhole. Tliere was no possibility of evading the law this time. Grimes came promptly upon the scene and marched the culprit up two flights of stairs to tlie attic, that the softening effect of A DAY IN CASTLE BOHEMIA, 91 distance upon bound, might prevent the suffer- ing whicli would otherwise accrue to the nerves of tlie innocent. From this lofty locality a peculiar commotion was observed to emanate, resembling the beating of hail and rain upon loose shingles to the accompaniment of wind squalls. During the afternoon several young people dropped in unceremoniously, greeting the Wilsons Avith a hearty, voluble cordiality which was far removed from conventional stiffness, and intimating their willingness to bestow upon them the pleasure of their compjiny for an in- definite period, at least for the remainder of the day. Soon the home party included a large addition of informal guests, two girl cousins, and a maiden aunt whose milk of human kind- ness had soured in thunder-storms of disappoint- ment, and who enjoyed herself in her sister's home because of a comfortable conviction that those dreadful children were rushing headlong to destruction, and that their fate would have been different if William Wilson had chosen her for his helpmate instead of "poor delicate Victoria ; " also Minerva Berry, the confidential chum of Tlie Wise, Miss Dobson, a pretty girl who was suspected of entertaining a tender weakness for The Great, and lastly Mr. Rod- erick Hilliard, a handsome, blue-eyed English- 92 SAINTS, SINNERS AND QUEER PEOPLE. man who liad frankly declared that the Wilson family was the only ameliorating circumstance which reconciled him to Canada. He said the fHmily, but everybody knew that he meant /- .(die. The fraidcness which was his predominant quality was so largely blended with youthful simplicity that certain young men about town envious, no doubt.of his physical dimensions, which were perfect, took pleasure in circulating the impression that he was " fresh." " I must apologize for coming on my own in- vitation," he said, as he liung his cap and over- coat on the hat-rack, « but really, you know, Miss Wilson, it's so awfully jolly h^re, and a tellow gets so down-hearted in a boarding-house Please tell me that I am welcome and that you don't think I am an awful bore. I'll be ever so good if you'll let me stay." Addie received him with gracious words and smiles, and conducted him into the drawina. room. ° Mr. Norris accepted his presence with scorn- ful tolerance, regarding him suspiciously from the corner of his eye. They all remained to dinner which, thanks to Riley's catering ability and the services of two workmg-giils who had been called in at the last moment^ was excellent in every respect. The con- A DAY IN CASTLE liOllEMIA. 93 versatioii as usual was of tliu liveliest dcscriptiou, full of briglit iniaginatioii aud lepaitee, thougli sometimes rather too persohvi to be in good taste. • The only unsociable persons at the table were Mr. Norris and the maiden aunt. The former neither ate nor talked, and eyed the com- pany with a sad, patient unresponsiveness, as if he considered it a misfortune to be obliged to witness such a pitiable display of frivolity, in a world which he knew to bo groaning Avith its weight of tragic misery. The maiden aunt made a hearty meal which was :ione the less agreeable to her palate be- cause of the mournful liead-shakings in which she felt called upon to indulge from time to time. Once she looked thoughtfully at Mr. Noriis who sat beside her, and made a remark apparently apropos of nothing. " Oh, the wrecks that are strewn all along life's pathway ! " " I believe you," he replied, " I'm one of them." *' Miss Wilson, you like to be amused, don't you ? " asked Mr. Hilliard glibly. « You can appreciate a good joke? " " Yes, I think I can," said Addie. « There is nothing I like better than to be amused. I go about sometimes with a sense of positive in- jury at the hands of m^ fellow-creatures, b^- 1 '1* Ui 94 SAINTS, SINNMiS AN J) QUEElt PEOPLE. cause tliey will persist in tail.ing to me soberly and seriously when I want to ]>v3 annised. Sad l)eoplo can amuse mu as mucli as funny ones ; that is, if they are extremely and unreasonably sad. But a person wlioso manner and convei- sation lack lustre between tlie two extremes, is apt to weary me." " Balderdash ! " said the maiden aunt under her breath. ■, "Don't I" entreated Mr. Norris in a whisper. " You don't understand her." " Well, I heard a capital conundrum lastniglit," resumed young Ililliard. "I've been full of it all day, anticipating the pleasure of repeating it to you. It is really good, you know, the point is so clear and the idea so amusing. Yon may have lieard it before, it isn't new, I believe, but at any rate I am glad of an opportunity of con- vincing you that an Englishman can see a joke and appreciate it as thoroughly as any- body." He chuckled to himself and glanced at the ex- pectant faces of his audience with the sly, know- ing look of a man who is keeping guard over a delightful surprise. Then he said with slow, deliberate distinctness, lingering significantly on each word : " Why is grim death like a tin can tied to a dog's tail?" \ A DAY TN CASTLE BOtlEMlA. 95 I Tliey considered the question in silence for some moments. " Will you give it up?" he asked laughingly. " No, never," replied several voices. " I think I have the answer," said the maiden aunt quietly, with an air of modest deprecation of her own astuteness. " Because it is en- tailed." "Entailed, Auntie, what does that mean?" asked Addie. "It ought to be clear enough," said Mids Green with dignity. "Death was entailed upon our race by the fall of Adam. I am sure no better answer can be found. I don't approve of conundrums myself," she added, in a monotone of indifference. " Tliat isn't the answer, is it, Mr. Hilliard ? " asked one of the guests. " No, better give it up. The answer is — ha ! ha ! ha ! — " He threw himself back in his chair and laughed immoderately — " ha ! ha ! ha I Because it is tied to a pup." " I don't see where the joke comes in," said Grimes. " Nor I," said several others in chorus. " It's tied to a pup, don't you understand ? " gasped Hilliard, going off into another con- vulsion. *» That's cjear enough/' returned The Great, 93 SAINTS, SINNERS AND QUEER PEOPLE. "but vvhereia lies the resemblance between the tin can and grim death ? " " It is entailed," murmured Miss Green, nod- ding her head sagaciously. Mr. Hilliard became suddenly sober, and rubbed his liead in some perplexity. He thouglit it was rather hard lines to be asked to explain his jokes, though he was constrained to admit that there was an elusive abstruseness about this one which called for some elucidation. " Well, well ! That's queer, isn't it ? " he said in a baffled tone. "I saw the point quite clearly last night, but now " "Oh, I've got it!" exclaimed Addie and Seraph simultaneously, the former with her quick speech came out ahead. " Because it is bound to a cur. Bound to occur ! Yes, that is good." Several of them laughed, but rather feebly, the prolonged strain upon tlieir curiosity having blunted the spontaneity of their humorous per- ception. Ml*. Hilliard made no pretence of tliat sort. He had that quelling sense of the inade- quacy of laughter which comes to a man when he has been so unfortunate as to laugh in the wrong place. The Great had not been so delightfully en- tertained for a long time. His eyes brimmed with irrepressible amusement. V I .f, I * I A DAT IN CASTLE BOHEMIA. 97 " Bravo, Hilliard ! " he said, slapping the crest- fallen young fellow on the back. " We absolve you from the verdict of obtuseness in the matter of a joke. We go even farther and deny that it is a characteristic of your countrymen. It is a base libel, and we will throw it back between the teeth of the man who dares to utter it in our presence. Bravo, I say, you have redeemed the reputation of your country." " Thanks, it's awfully kind of you t. ly so," returned Ililliai-d brightening. " I'm sorry 'l got it a little bit mixed." "You did, a little bit," murmured The Great, still regarding him with tender admiration. " It rather spoiled the effect, you know." "Not at all, my dear fellow, it heightened it immensely." But Miss Green was not satisfied, and as they repaired to the drawing-room she made a stubborn movement of her lips, address- ing nobody in particular. "My interpretation was more appropriate. The reference to the dog's appendage " " Sh ! sh ! Auntie. Be delicate, be proper ! " whispered The Great who happened to be near her. She gave him a withering glance and sniffed the air contemptuously. The band-wagon was soon in full blast. Grimes played on the violin, The Great ams 7 98 SAINTS, SINNERS AND QUEER PEOPLE. two jovial sailor songs to his own accom- paniment on the guitar, Seraph gave a dra- matic recitation, and the two sisters performed brilliant executions on the piano. Several of the guests also contributed their quota to the fund of entertainment, but Hilliard could not bo pressed into service. He preferred to rest on his laurels and listen. By some instindtive sympathy Miss Green was attracted to Mr. Norris, and made him the un- willing recipient of her mournful confidences. "Not one of those children knows wliat it is to be trained," she said, with excessive emphasis. He replied that he did not see that they were any the worse for that. "Tlie worse! They are ruined! ruined! ruined / " The shadow of a smile flitted across Dick's stoical face. Ah, if he were permitted to be- come one of the family by marriage, how gladly would he participate in the general overthrow ! "If Providence had decreed that I should be the mother of a family," she continued, " I would be too keenly alive to my responsibilities to drag out my existence In a half dying state and allow my children to spring up like that scandalous little nigger Topsy. But poor dear Victoria has no energy or ambition. Wlien I approach her on the subject, she throws up her A DAY IX CASTLE BOltEMtA. dd » r n i r « ( hands and exclaims, 'Polly, don't come near me with your direful prophecies, you aggravate my worst symptoms. It is all that I can do to keep alive when surrounded by cheerful com- pany.' " Cruel words to hear from an only sister, Mr. Norris, and at a time when I was sacrificing my own feelings on the family altar. But the world is full of such cruelty." Poor Norris sighed heavily. He had no sym- pathy witli her grievance, but her apparent dis- content was additional evidence to him that there was something radically wrong in the con- stitution of affairs. But he was too much ab- sorbed in his own afflictions to find suitable words of condolence. He made a wry face and said with lugubrious cheerfulness : Death will put an end to it all some time." Yes, yes ! " murmured Miss Green, adding as if seized with a sudden inspiration, " It is entailed." " Now Miss Wilson will sing for us," said Mr. Hilliard, " You will favor us, I am sure ?" bend- ing over her in an attitude of gallant supplica- tion. She acquiesced readily, too readily, thought the maiden aunt, who soliloquized audiblj^: *' Girls should be like the modest violets, hiding away, hiding away." u (( 100 SAmri sinners and queer People. Addie possessed a sweet, sympathetic soprano voice, and had been accustomed to sing on con- cert pL^tforms since she was twelve years old. Her selections on this occasion were "Mar- guerite," and "Auld Robin Gray," and she did full justice to the pathetic sentiment of these well-known ballads. "Capital, Mis^ Wilson I" exclaimed the Englishmpn when she had finished. « You must have a heart to be able to sing like that." " Have you been tempted to doubt that fact ? " she asked coquettishly. "Well, yes, rather, you know," he returned witli his usual guileless candor. " Sing something of your own composition, Miss Wilson," requested Mr. Norris. Music of any sort jarred horribly on his suffering senses, but he wasn't going to allow Milliard to have exclusive control of the situation. "I have a little song here which I composed this morning," rejoined Addie, "but I must tell you before I sing it that it isn't the least bit classical. I composed the tune first, and I tliink you'll all agree with me that it isn't half bad, but the words are very crude and lack- ing in refinement. You see my muse was cramped by the necessity of shaping the verses to fit the tune. I can write poetri/ when I like, but this is trash from a literary point of view, . ( A DAY IN CASfLE BOHEMIA. 101 ( j though it embodies a deplorable truth. It is called ' Come out and see the Moon.' I should like the help of the violin and guitar in the chorus. It is in the key of €, boys." Grimes and The Great, wlio were accus- tomed to play by ear, struck the right chords on their instruments and told her to go ahead. She settled hei-self at the piano and after a few lively notes of prelude, looked dreamily up at tlie ceiling and sang the following sentimental ditty. The strangest thing that e'er I know is happening all the time, It is a mixture of the sweet, the tragic, and sublime ; Oh, scarce a week goes o'er my head but some man says to me, In tones of ardent rapture and poetic ecstacy, " Come out and see the moon." Chorus. The moon, the moon, the silver moon, She shines in the sky above. But well I know that the Queen of Night Is in league with the God of Love. I look upon her tranquil face as oft I've done before. And while I gaze my escort tries to teach me Cupid's lore ; The moonshine steals into his biain and shimmers on his breath, He vows unless I'll maiTy him, he'll woo an awful death 102 SAlYfs, sm^mtS ANb QtTEEIi PEOPm. I love the beauties of the night, the darkness soft and ^""^ ^and Wirr'^'''"' ^"^""^^"^ ^^^'^ ™P« ^^^ ^^1« I love earth's drowsy murmurs and the star bespangled • ^"* ^ why- * '^^ ^^^^^"^ "'''''''' ^""^ ^""^^ *^' ""^°° There's danger 'neaththe moon. I am a shy and tiniid maid, and shrink from Fate's firm touch, rd rather never love at all than love a man too much • My freedom .s a priceless boon, from which I dread t'o part, And so I fortify my will and bid my trembling heart Resist the artful moon. It is irapossible to describe the manner of the young singer, the languisliing sentimentality, naive humor, and plaintive appeal which spoke in her eyes, voice, and every attitude of her small black head, which was tilted siicrhtly up- ward from her slender throat like the head of a bird. The tune was exceedingly pretty and catchy, and when the boys joined their voices to the ringing timbre of violin and guitar the effect was electrical. Mr. Billiard and Mr. Norris were uncomfort- ably self conscious, and studiously avoided look- ing at each other, or meeting the eyes of any of the company. The former was so fearful lest his natural ingenuousness should betray his * A DAY 7i\r CASTLE BOHEMIA. 10^ State of mind, that he turned his back to every- body and gave his whole attention to a painting which hung on the wall. There was loud applause at the close of this audacious performance, but the maiden aunt took no part in it. She covered lier face with her handkerchief and breathed into it as if it were a phonograph : " Oh, Victoria ! Victoria ! I blush for the fol- lies of your children." Mr.Norris made his way through tlie room to the side of the piano, and leaning over it fixed his solemn eyes on Addie with a look of re- proach. " Who wants to deprive you of your freedom ? " he asked in an injured tone. " You do," she replied, smiling up at him. " Oh, no ! You misunderstand me. There is more freedom in a true marriage than " But slie waived the point with a careless shrug of her shoulders. A little later they all dispersed, promising to come again unexpectedly, and carrying away with them the assurance that they were always welcome in Castle Bohemia. The Great laid a detaining hand on young Hilliard and begged of him not to forget to bring another humorous conundrum or anecdote with him next time he came. The poor fellow, who was alreadv siiffp.n'no- fii« »^^^«i.«.„ „.v-'-i- ./■ '*••'& '^^"'j pcii«,ii,y wnioii 104 SAiNtS, 8iNI^£:tiS AND QUEER PEOPLE, attaches to jokers, laughed and blushed as he responded : " I'll do my best, Wilson, but 'pon honor it isn't fair to expect me to joke all the time, don't you know." Norris lingered behind the others and was tlie last to leave. " I'll not ask ybu to come out and see the moon," he said, after holding Addie's hand longer than was necessary ar.d gazing at her through humid mist. "It is too cold to-night." After the boys had retired, Addie and The Wise held a serious family conclave before the open fire in the library. The elder sister, after enjoying the evening's amusements to the utmost was experiencing a sudden reaction. She was un- accountably depressed. Perhaps the sepulchral manner of Mr. Norris, who regarded himself as the hapless victim of her charms, had something to do with it, or it may have been that the part- ing touch of her aunt's cold finger tips had trans- mitted some chilly forebodings, or again, it may have been that she had a secret misgiving as to the prudence of some of her words and actions during the evening. She was frequently a prey to the self-in- flicted torture of an idealistic mind thwarted by ungoverned impulse. She had no desire to be just like other people, or to stifle with- ^1 (i, i A DAY 1^ CASTLE BOHEMIA. 106 in herself the exhilarating originality which flowed so freely in her veins. Slie liad long since decided that the majority of liuman be- ings were dull and uninteresting, a burden to themselves and to others. But she had an in- satiate desire for the good opinion of every one. Two days previous a dear friend had informed her— it is always our dear friends who tell us such things— that she was considered a heartless, unscrupulous flirt, and this thought was burning in her breast like a coal of fire. "Carrie, there must be a change in this household," she said suddenly. « We are be- coming demoialized. Luxury and laziness are undermining our principles." " Speak for yourself, my dear, my morals and principles are as sound as the Arminian doc- trine." The Wise liked to philosophize comfort- ably. She was seated at a small table drawn close to the fire, eating thin sliced bread and butter with onions and vinegar. Such a diet would not have been permitted by Her Majesty, who had a singularly susceptible nose. Prob- ably this was one reason why her youngest daughter partook of the impromptu supper with such relish. "There must be a chano-fi ! " i-pn^af'^rl A/i/i;^ m m 106 SAII^fS, SlNNJiHiS AND QUEER PEOPLE. " Do you know 1 have almost resolved to get marrietl." " It would settle you certainly." " That's my idea exactly. I want to get settled. I am beginning to weary of the aim- lessness of my life. I am too happy and com- fortable for my own good. If I were obliged to work and worrj^ a little bit, for instance " " You would die." " No, I would rise equal to emergencies, and adapt myself to hard conditions like a— like a man. You would be surprised." " Surprised ? Well, yes. I would be struck dumb with astonishment. I know you couldn't do it. Are you thinking of uniting with a laboring man who earns a dollar a day? " " How would a minister do?" " Addie Wilson ! " exclaimed The Wise, lift- ing her hands in consternation. « Don't dream of such a thing. Such a marriage might raise you a little nearer Heaven, for it can't be easy to be a sinner when the other half of you is a saint. But look at the temporal side of the question. You have never been taught to econ- omize, you don't know the value of money, you couldn't keep yourself clothed on a minister's salar^r, you would be out at elbows and toes— oh, my goodness, never mention it again." Addie sighed and fell into reverie. :f A DAY IN CASTLE BOHEMIA. 107 There was a long silence. The clock on the mantel ticked drowsily. The fireliglit flickered upon two pretty, wistful faces. The tlower- like, pansy-eyed countenance of The Wise wjis less ethereal than it had been upon other oc- ctisions, owing no doubt to her unpoetic occupa- tion » When she pushed her plate back a few moments later, her expression was angelic. "1 wonder how we will turn out?" said Addie thoughtfully. " We seem to be such a queer family in some ways. Tlie dear old dad dotes on us, and Her Majesty loves, scolds, and prays for us as mucli as her health will permit, but we are left so much to our own devices." " Well, no matter how we turn out, one thing is sure, we will always love one another forever and forever." They kissed in silence, and walked upstairs, with their arms around each other. ' 1 1 I; NANNY. The Baxtei-s were thoroughly Canadian by birth and environment. The wliole eou,>.e of their quiet, uneventful lives had transpired in Uiu. 10, though not always in one section of it To them, Canada formed the largest portion of the n,ap of the world; it was the main pivot whiel, held together other peoples and countries of the globe which ^yere as remote as the stars. It never occurred to them to seek to better them- selves by allying their interests with any other country, though the one of their nativity and preference had failed to lift them out of the grinding mill ot jDoverty. When Manitoba was booming financially and advertising its unlimited possibilities to a credu- lous, awe-struck world, there was a tidal wave of emigration thither, in the vicinity where the Baxters livea, but tb.y observed it indifferently, bidding good-bye to l^n^n and neighbors with' out one particle ot m ^re to follow their ex- NANNY, 109 ample. In tlicir views and metliocls of life tliey were strictly conservative. John Baxter, the head of the liousehold, was a carpenter o.i a small scale, but by no means an expert at his trade, lie was apt to be slow and heavy in his movements— the result, no doubt, of a lethargic temperament and a cumbersome equipment of flesh. lie had a stuffy little workshop adjoining his house, where lie was supposed to receive orders for odd jobs of a specific nature, but as his prices were exorbitantly higli, and the length of time required for these manual feats incredibly long, his customers were not numerous, and lliey did not liesitate to speak disparagingly of his shambling methods of business, when opportu- nity presented itself. Yet his mind, though it had been accustomed to work in narrow grooves, was not as slow as his body. In some ways, where physical exer- tion was not demanded of liim, he could display marked resolution and prompt activity, which V ould leave many a shrewd merchant with a fat bank account gasping for breath. Indeed, his stern immovability in matters of opinion, wheth- er relating to innovations of the Town Coun- cil, politics, creeds, or morals, was so well known by his neiglibors and fellow workmen, that it gave him a sort of prestige among them, and it no SAINTS, SINNERS AND QUEER PEOPLE, ' was not uncommon for them to remark in refer- ence to liim : " You can't budge Baxter when his mind is made up. No mule tlnit ever lived can be so all-fired stubborn as lie can, when he takes the notion." Judging from all accounts detailed by author- ities of unquestionable veracity, he took this "notion " rather frequently, and was generally to be found on tlie opposite side of any argu- ment which received the affirmative convictions of the majority. But as he was a devout church- membei-, with correct and rigid views of man's moral lesponsibility, his opinions always carried weight, and so far from condemning his per- verse ways, people were more inclined to speak of them with a touch of respectful admiration. He made long prayers at the Wednesday night meetings, in a loud, pompous voice that had at times a querulous undertone, as if he had some fault to find with the Lord which he could not • adequately express in words, but which prevent- ed him from speaking as cheerfully as he would otherwise like to do. Humanity of the most abject description was a characteristic feature of these petitions. " Poor miserable sinners ; worms of the dust, unwor- thy even to lift our eyes," were favorite phases in his vocabulary of devout language. No one 'Id