The Daily Herald (Brownsville, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 170, Ed. 1, Tuesday, January 17, 1893 Page: 4 of 4
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CHAPTER IV
f RCS A GREAT DASGER IN TITS HOUSE
OF SHAVS
He Jumped upon hia stool and caught
me by the breast of the jadicL
For < a day that was begun so ill the
day passed fairly well We had the
shooting a question at me after a Ion
gilence and when I sought lo lead him
in talk about my future slipped cut of
it again In a room nest door to the
kitchen where he suffered me to go 1
found a great number of books both
Latin and English in which 1 took great
pleasnro all the afternoon Indeed the
time passed so lightly in this good com-
pany that I began to bo almost recon-
ciled to my residence at Sbaws and
nothing but the sight of my uncle and
his eyes playing hide and seek with
mine revived the force of iny distrust
One thing 1 discovered which put me
in some doubt This was an entry on
the fly leaf of a chapbook one of Pat-
rick Walters plainly written by my
fathers hand and thus conceived To
my brother Eboneser on his fifth birth-
day Now what puzzled me was this
That as my father was of course tho
younger brother ho must either hivo
made some strange error or ho must
have written before he was yet five an
excellent clear manly ihand of writing
I tried to get this out of my head but
though 1 tool down many interesting
authors oU and new history poetry
and storybook this notion of my fathers
hand of writing stuck to me and when
at length 1 went back into the kitchen
and sat dowe once more to porridge and
email beer the first thing I said toj
Uncle Ebenoser was to ask him if myj
father had sot been very quick at his
book J
Alexander No him was the reply j
1 was far quicker myselr 1 was a
clover chapes when I was young Why j
1 could read as soon as he could 1
This puzzled me yet more and a1
thoaght cojring into my head 1 asked
if he and n father had been twins
He jumped upon his stool and the
fcom spoon fell out of hia hand upon the
floor What gars yo ask that ho said
and caught me by tho breast of the
jacket and looked this time straight into
my eyes his ovni which were littlo and
light and bright like a birds blinking
and winking strangely
What do you mean I asked very
calmlv for I was far stronger than hs
and not easily frightened Take your
hand from my jacket This is no way
to behave V
My uncle seemed to make a great
eort upon himself Dod man David
hesaid ye should nae speak to me
about your father Thats where the
mistake is He sat awhile and shook
blinking in Ins plate Ho was all the
brother that ever I had he added but
with no heart in his voice and then ho
paught up his spoon and Ml to supper
again but still shaking
Now this last passage this laying of
hands upon my person and sudden pro-
fession of love for my dead father went
so clean beyord my comprehension that
it put me into both fear and hope On
the one hand I began to think my uncle
was perhaps insane and might be dan-
gerous on tho other there came up into
my mind quite unbidden by me and
1 r
f covert looks so that we sat at Cable liko
I a cat and a mouse each stealthily ob
j
serving the other
had ho to say io me black or white bat
was busy turning something secretly
over in his mind and tho longer wo sat
and the moro I looked at him the more
certain I became that the something was
unfriendly to myself
When he had cleared tho platter he
got out a single pipof ul of tobacco jusi
as in the morning turned round a stool
into the chimney comer and sat awhile
smoking with his back to me
Davie he said at length Ive been
thinking then ho paused and said it
again Theres a wee bit siller that I
half promised ye before ye were born
lie continncd promised it to your
father Oh naething legal ye under-
stand just gentlemen dafdng at their
wine Well I kcopit that bit money
separate it was a great expense but a
promise is a promise ana it has grown
by now to be a matter of just precisely
just exactly and hero he paused
That s what I
j
porridge cod again at noon andhocpor1 p0Il1 This last ho rapped oat with 1finail 1 inch and
ridge at night pbrridgo and small beer
a sidelong glance over his
diet Ho but little
was my uncle s spoke
pnd that in the same way as before
The pound Scots being Iho same thing
as an English shilling tho difference
made by this second thought was con-
siderable I could see besides that tho
whole story was a lie invented with
some end which it puzzled me to gncs
and I made no attempt to conceal tho
tone of raillery in which I answered
Oh think rgain sir Pounds ster
ling I believe
returned my
uncle pounds sterling And if youll
step out by to the door a mfnnto jrt to
Eeo what kind of a night it is Ill get it
out to yo and call yo in ajjrin
1 did hi will ps iiling to myself in my
contempt thit he should think 1 was so
easily to be deceived It was a dark
night with a few stars low down and
as 1 stood just outside the door I heard
a hollow moaning of wind far off among
the hills I said to invadf there was
ecmethiug thundery arid changeful in
the weather and littlo knew of what a
vast importance that should prove to
hie before tho evening passed
Whrn I was called in again my uncle
counted out into ray hand seven and
thirty golden griuia piocoa the rest was
in his hand in small gold rnd silver
bat his heart failed him there and he
crammed the change into his pocket
There said he thatll show you
Fin a queer man and strange wi stran
gers but my word i3 my bond and
theres tho proof of it
Now my nnclo seemed so rniserr that
I was struck dumb by ihi3 Eudden gen
erosity and could find no words in which
to thank him
2To a word said he Nae thanks
I want nae thanks I do my duty Pm
no saying that everybody would have
ilone it but for my part though Im
careful body too it3 a pleasure to me
to do the right by my brothers son and
its a pleasure to mo to think that now
woll can agree as such near friends
should
1 spoke to him in return as handsome-
ly as I was able but all tho while I was
wondering what would come next and
why he liad parted with his precious
guineas for as to tho reason he had
given a baby would have refused it
Presently he looked toward me side-
ways And see hero says he tit for tat
I told him I was ready to prove my
gratitude in any reasonable degree and
then waited looking for some monstrous
demand And yet when at last he
plucked up courage to speak it was only
to tell me very properly as 1 thought
that > he was growing told and a little
broken and that he would expect me to
help him with the house and tho bit gar
den I answered and expressed my readiness
to serve j
Well ho said lets begin He
pulled out of his pocket a rusty key
There says he theres the key of
the stair lower at the far end of tho
house Ye can only win into it from
the outside for that part of the house is
story like some bal1 no finishad Gang ye 111 there and up
even discouraged a
down the chest
r ti8 stairs and bring mo
lad 1 had heard folk singing of a poo
iadthatwas a rightful heir and a wick
ed kinsman that tried to keep him from
his own For why should my Tinole
play a part with a relative that came
almost a bagger to his door unless
his heart be had sofSieause to fear him
Yv lib tL s notion all nnaclmowledged 1
ntnPVfirtv 3 f Jti J tiled in 1
but
thats at the top Theres papers in
he added
Can I have a light sir said I
Nae said he very cunningly Nae
lights in my house v
iVery wellsir said L Are tha
stairs good
Theyre grand said he and then as
X was goiyg jtieep to eke w U bf
cdded there nae banisters
stairs are grand nnderf oot
Out I went into tho night Thewind
was still moaning in the distance thongli
It is
never a breath of it came near the house
of Shaws It had fallen blacker than j
ever andI was gkid to fcsl along the
wall till I came the length of the etair
tower atihefar end of the nnfinished
wing I r had got tho key into the key
tinned to ascend the stair
The tower I should havo said was
square and in overy comer tho step was
made of a great stone of a different
shape to join the flights Well I had
coino closo to one of these tum3 when
feeling forward as Uoual my hand
slinnod upon an edge and fqund nothing
batemptines bsyend it The stair had
been carried no higher to set a stranger
mounlirg it in tho darkness was to send
him elraigkt to his death and although
thanks ij iho lightning and my own
precautions I was safo enough the mere
thought of the peril in which I migh
have ntood and tho dreadful height 4
might havo SaUcn from brought out tha
sweat upon my body and relaxed my
joints
Dut I knew wlat I wanted now and
turned and groped my way down again
with a wonderful anger in my heart
About half tray down the wind sprung
rp in a clap and thcok tho tower and
died ngaiivXht rain followed and before
I had reached tha ground level iwfoli in
buckets I put oat my head into tho
storm and looked along toward fhe kitch-
en The dooy which I had shut behind
ma when I left now stood open and shed
a little gliuimsr of light and I thought I
could see a fignro standing in the rain
quite still lika a man hearkening And
then thsra came a blinding firah which
showed me my uncle plainly just where
I had fancied him to 3tand and hard
npon the heels of it a great tcwrow of
thunder
Now whether my uuelo thought tha
crash to be the souud of my fall o
whether he heard in it Gods voice de
nouncing murder I will leava you to
guess Certain it is at least that ho
was seized en by a kind of panic fear
and that he ran into tho house and left
tho deer open behind Iiim I followed
as softly as I could and coming un-
heard into tho kitchen stood and
watched him
lie had found time to open tha corner
cupboard and bring out a great case
bottle of aqua vit and now sat with
his back toward me at the table Ever
and again ho would bo seized with a fit
of deadly shuddering and groan aloud
ana carrying the bottltf to hi3 lips drink
down tho raw spirits by tho mouthful
1 stopped forward came closo behind
him where he aat and suddenly clap-
ping mytwo hands down upon hia shoul-
ders Ah cried L
MyuuclogHeakind of broken cry
like a sheep s bleat ihmg up his arms
and tumbled to th iloorliko a dead
man I was somewhat bhocked at this
but I had myuelf to look tp firat of all
and did not hesitate to let him > lis as he
had fallen The keys wero hanging in
the cupboard and it was my design to
furnish myself with arms before my
uncle should come again to his senses
and the power of devising evil I found
a rusty ugly looking highland dirk
without the scabbard Thi31 concealed
iusida iny waistijoa and turned to my
uncle
He lay with ono knee up and one arm
sprawling abroad and ho seemed to have
ceased breathing Fear came on me
that he was dead then I got water and
dashed i m l s face and with that he
1 seemed to come a little to himself At
last he looked up and saw me-
L Come come said Ir sit up
r Are ye aLvc he cobbed O man
are ve alive
4tl t I u id I nall thanks
tr
1 A
Bnt th0 Vl Davie
little have a trouble
heart
I set him pn a chair and looked at him
true I felt some pity for a man that
so sick but I was full besides of
righteous anger and I numbered over
before him the points on which I wanted
explanation why he lied to moat every
word why he feared that I EhouHleave
it to bo hinted tbut
all him why he disced
hole and had just toned it when and m fether werotwins fethlft
upon a sudden without sound ox wind true x wh be
or thnnaer tho whole sky ss lighted mo m tQ T < vasccm
up with wild fire and went black again j M ciaim 1 of all
I had to put my hand over my eyes to why he had + t
i
get back to the color of the darkness
and indeed I was already half blinded
1 Vhen I stepped into the tower
The house of Shaws stood some five
lofts
frji stories high not counting
Not another word yyeri 1 advanced it seemed to me
the stair grew airier and a thought more
lightsome and I was wondering what
might be the causo of this change when
a second blink of the summer lightning
came and went If I did not cry out it
was because fear had me by the throat
and if 1 did not fall it was more by
heavens mercy than my own strength
It wa3 not only hat xh8 flash shone in
the
on every side through breaches in
wall so that I seemed to bo clambering
aloft upon an open scaffold bat the same
passing brightness showed me the stops
were of unequal length and that one of
my feet rested that moment within two
inches of the well
This was the grand stair I thought
and with tho thought a gust of a kind of
angry courage came into my heart My
undo had sent mo hero certainly to run
great risks perhaps to die I swore I
would cettlo that perhsw if I should
break my neck for it got mo down upon
my hands and knees and as slowly as a
anc
i snail feeling bsfore me every
shoulder and testing tho solidity of every stone Icon
tho next moment added almost with a > ij
scream Scots
VTf
>
its the tronblc said ho reviving 9
Itsthe
tried to kill me He heard
mo all through in silence and then in a
broken voice begged me to let him go
to bed
Ill tell ye the morn he said as sure
as death I will
And so weak was he that I could do
nothing but consent I locked him into
his room however and pocketed the
key and then returning to tho kitchen
maflo np such a blaze as hadnotshon
there for many a long year and wrap
ping myself in my plaid lay down upoq
tha chests and fell asleep
To Bb Coitiiktied
SO TO
Piatnro
FnimfS
95
for
Moinin s
attresep Garden Bc h s
Gallery Chairs ami tin
Continental Refrig
erafcnrs ete
S n Roman Building
Elizabeth Struct
riOWKSYILLETEXAS
TEXAS
fcubHsribo for Thb TTebaeb
DEALER LN
rUMBER BLINDS AND DOOR
Arid al kinds Building Material
grAjent for the celebrated Ja dison Indiana Boer for sale by
cask or car load Will pay highest price for country produce
STOJRE One Moi k rom Kio Grande raiitoad depot
J B WELLS
BjM yu viio
WELLS STATTON
r W < W J
IlW55TAYTO
f
li J ILLEBKRG
Corpus rhristi
KLEBERG
w
jAiS
ti =
And General Land Agents
ISIS ESTABLISHED 1S45J
SgtpWill practitc in arty of the federal or Stato courts of tha
sta te when specialIy employed
This space
belongs to
LN PETITPAO
UKE m U EBStOPEH 89Z
MATAMOEOS MEXICO
o
1
7
Furniture 5
J
r
San Antonio Brewing Association
4
>
< >
A
A
t
Best beer in tlie market Gnar
anteed to keep in this climate t
ade from the best Malf and Sops
So
Browns yiile
Agent
ross
B
JL
9
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Wheeler, Jesse O. The Daily Herald (Brownsville, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 170, Ed. 1, Tuesday, January 17, 1893, newspaper, January 17, 1893; Brownsville, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth61282/m1/4/?q=%22%22~1: accessed June 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; .