Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1854-03-17

kencd ~ anniher luve-ihe husband aud chlld
we're fnrsakenl
When the fact became incon'ro'eriihlc
proved. II were vain ,o aliemp, tn describe the
race aud moriihcaiiun which swallowed up
every other feeling IN the husbands soul.
For two days he shut himself up in his room,
refusing to answer even the rhld.y"ice that
called so lovingly to him through iis closed
door. Through every hour Of those long.
deary nights, his father sat, with siralned
nerves, IN the rnom beneath, and watched lh"se
measured footsteps, up and down. down and
up, even the so0 velvet carpeiing giving back
the sound. as " IL contained too much mental
agony to he withheld.
Suddenly, there vas pause, silence Of
, Few mnmcni,. Then out on that still house
there came sharp. quick sound. a heavy fall,
and sprinpinr 10 his frct Mr. Alden alm"si
shriesrd. The curse n, oirss' It has come
at last"
The door, of his sons room were immcdi-
aicly forced open. HIS fears and anNiciics
Lad been but ioo we'll founded. He knew
hi, son. and h. knew also. that blow which
would fill poSerlc,sup'n him through his
hest affection would crush him through his
pride.
$50 many wears" hc SAID, as he stood be.
SIDE the lifless Grm, IL have tried To fnrge,
H. haze fincied that he had forgotten It ;
bot {, has come at la,r-"The sin of the Il.
theirs upon the children 80 aud he never did
such thing lIr vas always honest, always
true ror my un he died.
Rut il WIS ton late now tears ofbir,sr re.
pcnlance lrl upon the cufTio, hut they could
M, bring the dead hack to l,ir; and Mr. Al.
den fund himself alone. beginning to dc.
,cend the hrll n life, and the slung sirT,
which he had hoped to gasp ." drm'y, lay
hr,kcu NJ m, feet; only that oue 'rail, brauti-
hl liule flower remained 4 flower 10 the
plrh e.! such mln-vh,i could It matter ~
him Bm mn,lcr indeed II lld. G,r before he
vas cunsctnus ~ what was t,kinr l,rc, llulr
Laura hld lulr1cd tn wander away lrHm hcr
Grand dcsnlalc hume. and cunning ~ sohl, in
,ftrr him th,t hc never heard her light luoi.
,tcps, H. climb urun tire emmy sluul - sud.
denly ,ara,r,I. and sn with her l1'rr wonder.
mo ewes fixed upnn hm while almrs, INC
rhanicaly be- vent ovcr that iour Inst uf lir.
urrs. ior the fret tine deprived lo mm uI
some parr II their interest. Diy a6cr -,
the child vas there. Athr', anu'ed hy ,h'
novelty ofihe place. the oli fl,r'nnri url'
iinrdcsgs, wuh lhclrarlous compartments,
their small drawers and their mysterious
ls,kiug uile sliding dours then, the bundles
oi p,p,r. al tied with red tape, aud ihos'
huge ps,k,. wiihnuI even a title upnn ih"il
bicks. There vas n Gr,i a world "f amusc
mtni arI paycliy I" her. irving to imagine
ui What aud .ut what they "rrc' S'll sh,
never asked qucstiur. and II tie long ac'
counts could have held the ailcutlun of the
uf the merchant, they might have done -,
fr an the dNurbnc, Laura ever mldc.
When her mind had exhausted ~ prninhlli'
ties - tn the desiru, of what sho found there,
she began 10 bring first her bruk'. which she
silently pcm,rd, then her toys, and a, last,
when Mr.. Alden glanced up To assure HIM
self that tic child was there, he found uo'
only Laura, hot also her large uaNcn doll,
the last riit fhcr father. a bis accustomed
hour iur returning humr, be- would laho tic
child's hand. and is lIuIe warm pressure
seemed lu .rad liic and hope once more io iha
bnwcd Luvn old man. SuAn her prrseuce
b'gan u be necessity, whether at home, 10
hs counting ruom, or abroad though he
spoke but seldom luhcr, lee fell as Il an I'M
portant part nf hls comlnu was l",l II the
fairy figure vas not at h,s side. Aud lama,
" lih no one else but tie common servants o'
the family luspeak lo, soon became as iond oI
the Stern aud silent grandfather.
Imperopubly, the interest Of life began
anew To cluster amund her. That h"arded
cold cherished idol II Youth aud mat hnnd
how il would deck ihi, young and beautiful
thing how he would bind her to himself
through that old age, which WAS creeping
slowly upon him, by golden chains or hung
with every costly gem. Neither was her
lIe ,o he haunted as that Of hls sons had
been lor 50 many years, by the memory oI
that fatal curse. IN his sudden and awful
death. an of SIN. or guilt. in his own past
life, had been fully expialed, and this pct lImh
or an the h"ck should never be offered as a
sacrifice. The heavy cloud Of memory lay
darkly aver The past, but for tic future, there
hung the ninbow, glowing with hopes
brightest colors.
"Grand.pa.pa," said little Laura one day,
LAWN, a, tho sauo time hsr h"'"i"r hands
in his, "dcar rrand.pa.ra' feel sick
Mr.. Alden might have known this, long
befte. had he ever hecn accustomed to 'h'
serve children: for months, the child lad
been dronping. She had needed m"'hcT'
care. a, her tender age. and nnw, when size
altered her first complaint. the disease al'
,ay, .urc,, when mos, silently borne, had
made rapid and fatal strides, 1t we're as
r.ele.. as nainlul To lnger over the events
Of the ney, lew monlhs. Mr.. Alden at first
unpelieyinely. sending onc medical ma"
.aC,er another, as they uttered the fatal nam"
If the disease, angrily away. and then, as
the wasting form and pallid cheek convinced