T H E TORCH OF REASON, SIL V E R T O N . O REGON , T H U R SD A Y , OCTOBER 13, 1898. caused her Io raise her eyes from “ They gave them to me when I as it fell splashing into the broad the hook she was reading. The left the— the place where I learned basin of the fountain. As tie young man seemed to have forgot- my trad e .” he said in a low voice, young man approached she looked BY FRANK H . SWEET. ten their presence and was walk- “ I suppose I shall never use them , up tim idly. ing back and forth w ith bowed My folks will not let me do th at. “ Are you going now?” she asked FWVHF morning was very head. Every few seconds he wheel- But I shall alw ays keep them near “ Not for another half hour,” he A p le asa n t but so far ed sh arp ly and retraced his steps, me. Some tim e 1 m ay need advice, replied. “ I had ra th e r wait here all the m o rn in g s bad ^ r8, Bradford noticed with curious and this little package will be able th an down at the depot.’’ been pleasant at th is wonder th a t he alw ays wheeled at to toll me a great m any things — a For some m om ents he stood gaz- d e lig h tfu l out-of the- exactly the sam e points. Then she great m any things which you will ing a t her. E v id en tly her face way resort Mrs Bradford drew a paw lh a t his left foot d ra gged he’ never un d erstan d , little one,” he brought up some memory of the long breath as she descended the hh,(1 o th er> as thou«h il ad fk d Papt» for he as he turned hotel steps. Her physician had carried a heavy weight. At first M ildred gazed at him wonder- aw ay. certainly been right when he recom- she thought he was lame, but even irigly, but as she saw the skilled A little later Mrs. Bradford was mended a change of climate. Al- w hile she was com passionating him fingers draw the leath er over the aroused by excited voices. Several ready she could feel the influence of he raised his head with a quick, ball and fasten it securely in place figures rushed past her. F or a noo- the mild air and the long days ; P a rtie d m ovem ent, anil for a tim e her look of wonder changed to one m ent she gazed around wondering- spent out of doors. As she reached the lam eness disappeared and the of pleasure. ly, then she rose and followed, the sidewalk she paused with a walk was extended to the end of the “ I am ever so much obliged,” she N ear the fountain was a group of questioning smile. path. Then his head once more said, gratefully. “ I ’d hate aw fully excited people, and in the open “ W here to M ildred?” she asked. sank u Pon h,s b reast, the short to lose the hall. G ran d p a gave it space beyond she recognized Mil- The little girl who was skipping tu rn s were resumed, and the left to m e ." She watched him a few died playing with her hall. W hat along by her side looked up bright- foot a g«’n began its weary, drag- m om ents in silence, and then add- was the m atter? ly ° J ging m otion. A pparently he was ed, with a sudden burst of confi- B ut even as she wondered came “ The plaza, of course, m am m a, ! conscious of his weakness, for sever- dence: “ G ran d p a lives at our t h e w i l d r u s h o f a p a i r o f f r i g h t e n - You can read and I will play. This! al tim es R,,e saw him recover him- house, and we’re going home as ed horses into the open space. afternocn we’ll go down to the l 8elf im patiently and glance sh arp ly soon as it gets w arm .” W hat followed happened so quick beach” around. T he young m an sewed on for ly th a t she could not realize it u n The street was ’very quiet. An O verhead, the mocking birds some m om ents in silence. At last til it was over. Mildred was plac- occasional dray with its load of were calling to each other, and the hall was finished, and he care- ed, sobbing, in her arm s, and a tru n k s and baggage, and here a m f 8omething i» th eir notes seemed to fully replaced the needle in his hushed group closed about a silent there a group of pleasure-seeker«» on «rouse him from his revery. Pres- p ocket. figure on the ground, th eir way to the plaza or the beach. I en tly he stopped beneath the tree “ I’m going home, too,” he said, “ It was the bravest th in g l e v e r Overhead, a few buzzards circled and glanced up with a rap t expres- gravely, as he handed her the ball. saw," n said one man in a low voice. Mrs. Bradford “ I ’m w aiting for th e train now..” “ But a sad th in g for th e poor lazily about, and from the direc sion on bis face “ Ami have you got a m am m a?” chap and his people — if he had tion of the plaza came a slight saw it a n d her eves softened. “ You like the b ird s?” she asked she asked, with sudden in terest.” a n y ,” said another, com passionate- breeze, which was laden with the “ Yes; and she has been w aiting ly, perfume of orange blossom s and the pleasantly. “ I—used to,” he replied lo sila t- for me a long, long time. Poor lit- Two of the guards from the peni- saltiness of th e bay which glistened ingly. Then noticing the surprise tie m other!” The last too low for te n tia ry now joined the group. A beyond the trees. m om ent later one of them gave a As they reached the corner a in her face, he added apologetical- her to hear. As the little girl was m oving . few quick directions to a hackm an keen newsboy darted across the ly, “ I hav en ’t seen any before for street, and his shrew d face broad-| nio«t t**" years. They seem sort of away he recalled her with a sudden standing near. ened into a grin when his custom er strange. k ^ tu re . “ It is N um ber 306,” Mrs. Brad- sm ilingly refused the change he H e stood still for h m om ent, with “I wish you would take th is,’ he ford heard him say- “ Poor fellow! offered. the color deepening on his sallow’ said, earnestly, as he gave her a and he has only been out a few- I must telegraph to his T hrough the openings in the cheeks, then he slouched forward tiny box of equisite w orkm anship, j hours. trees they could see the wiiite sails »nd threw him self on the grass at “ I m ade it from a piece of ivory folks.” of pleasure boats on the bay, a n d ,! the foot of tbe tree. Mrs. Bradford which was found on a battlefield, Mrs. B radford watched them u n beyond these, the green shore of gazed at him curiously for a mo- and intended to give it to my sis- til she saw them place the m otion Protnontory Point. Near the ex- m ent and then returned to her ter. You m ake me th in k of her.” less figure in the hack, then she trem e end of the point rose the tall hook. ‘‘But won’t she w ant it? ” Mil- walked slowly back to the settee. Out on the p ath Mildred was dred objected. white buildings of the state peni U nder the live oak she saw some- “ She is dead,” was the grave an- thing glisten. Picking it up, she ten tiary . Mrs. Bradford shivered a playing with tier ball. At length little as she saw- them . The grim struck a lim b and hounded toward swer. found it was the little ivory box. buildings seemed out of place in the young m an. He picked it up I he little g irl’s face grew sym pa- “ Here, M ild re d ” she said in a the quiet w inter resort. eagerly and half rose to his feet, thetic. jow vojCP> ‘‘you may keep it.” It was not far to the plaza, hut hut seeing the frightened look on “ I ’m sorry,” she said, gently, __ __________ when they reached it they <ound her face he tossed it hack and re-, “ and I d like to have the box ever A Prayer Cut Short. th a t most of the seats were already sumed his slouching position on the so much, hut I m ust ask m am m a.” occupied. They walked down one grass. In a few m inutes she retu rn ed , Two H ighlanders found them - of the side paths and came back by After awhile the ball again roll- M am m a says I m u stn 't take selves unable to get into h arbor in the fountain. As they did so, Mil- ed to his feet. This time he did gift« from strangers,” she said; their boat, th e waves driving it out dred turned suddenly. not otter to return it. As Mildred “ hut I in ever so much obliged, to sen so persistently th a t Donald,af- “ There’s a seat th a t’s most all approached he looked up with ju s t the sam e.” ter obstinately battlin g with the ele- em pty!” she whispered eagerly. a entile. The sun spots moved slowly m ents, cried out to D uncan, in a It was a little oil the path and “ I he cover is coming off your across the glass and disappeared, dialect which we will not attem p t half hidden hv the low branches of h a ll,” he said pleasantly, “ If you one by one, in the thicker shadows fully to represent, “ Go doon on a live oak. As they approached, will let me I ’ll fix it I know of the trees. The young man your knees, mon, and offer a bit o' Mrs. Bradford noticed th at its onlv • how.” watched them listlessly. At length p ra y er.” But before Duncan was on occupant was a tall young man, “ But m am m a said I’d have to a clock began to strike in the dis- his knees the boat’s keel grated on whose face looked strangely white take it to a shoem aker. ’ she said, tance, and lie counted the strokes the beach, whereupon Donald and eager. He watched them cu- doubtfully. “ L eather is awful carefully. W hen it ceased he got shouted, “Stop praying; we’ve come riously as they sat down, and his hard to sew.” up and once more began to walk ashore by our own exertions, and lips parted in a friendly smile. Then “ Not if you have things to work back and forth. But 1 ow bis bead I ’ll no he beholden to anybody.” as if conscious of im propriety, be w ith,” he said, quietly. “ See here.” was erect and his left foot had l o s t ____ got up and walked hack and forth T aking a sm all package from bis its dragging m otion. And on his C h ap lain .—“ W h at do you do for uneasily. For a tim e Mrs. Brad- pocket, he opened and showed her face was a tender, expectant smile. \o u r sp iritu al w elfare?” ford scarcely noticed him, then se v eral cu rio u s m id l e s am i som e M ildred had grown tired of her Jolly T ar. “ D rink eveiything in something peculiar ab»ut his s te p , coarse, shining thread. ball and was w atching the w ater , sight.” N um ber 306, •Mtz —