Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1860-07-26
and searching ia. my thoughts for some way

"You! You help Edward Lopan." snt
Howard laughed heartily at the idea. "Yo,
had better elect yourself his benefactor.n
"Just what I've seriously thought Of do
Ing ssid Strong. "Now let me make tbi,
proposition. You pity Jim Coyle. Elec,
yourself his benefac,or. pity Ed dSsrs
Logan, and will elect myself his bene factor
Keeping our own counsel, let US see II We
cannot help both Of these men 10 enjoy III,
better"
Somewhat amused at this novel sugges.
tion, Howard agreed, and the two men seps.
rated.
Mr.. Strong wa. really in earnest. Hi.
business was that Of a conveyancer and res
estate agent. This brought him into fre.
quent intercourse with Mr.. Logan and gave
him opportunities for close observation. He
knew the man well-his character, his
means, his peculiarities, his weskn esses md
his prejudices. He loved money, it was his
idol. He started in life with a small inner.
itance, determined to accumulate, and lie
hsc been successful. Dollar had been added
to dollar, house to house, and field to field.
until now, at sixty Eve, he was the riches,
man In his neighborhood. But, as we have
seen. wealth had not brought happiness; so
Tar from il, IL he ives the richest man in his
neighborhood he might also be set down as
the most miserable. He had one son, but,
as he had loved money more than his child,
the boy was neglected for gold. A neglect.
ed child 10 almost certain to wander from
The right way, end get into the road to ruin.
The feet of bar. Logap's child went estray. /.
He grew up. self-willed, inclined to vices.
and impatient OF control. A. tw.u,y-oue
he was On idle. dissipated spendthrin. At
thirty he was killed in q drunken brawI.-
Mr.. Logan had also a daughter. But the
one great pursuit Of his lite absorbed all his
affections, and there were none left for the
little b 'ossom that opened in his household.
She did not learn to love the cold d.abs,racted
man she called her father. There was some.
thing about him that repelled her, some.
thing that prevented her from coming 10 his
side ur climbing upon his knee. He made
chilly the atmosphere Of his home, so that
this flower did not unfold in richness and
fragrance. The mother was nervous in
valid. between whom and her husband no
true sympathy existed. II they had ever
loved each other, their love died and was
buried long before little Helen grew into
conscious girlhood. . .... ..E1.. .-.f.
When Helen was nineteen, a not very re-
markable circumstance occurred, but one
which he'd the effect to set the mind OF Mr.
Logan all on fire with interest for his dauyh.
ter. A young man ia the neighborhood,
who had nothing to recommend him butt
good education, integrity Of char acter, in
dustry, and poverty, was bold enough to ask
for the hand of Helen In marriage. Mr..
Logan said NC in anger aud insult. Things
turned out as they usually do in such cases :,
and the young lovers took the responsibility
o! getting married. The feet of Helen
since that time, had never recrosseI the
threshold of her fathers house, and though
ten long years had intervened, she had
known more OF true happiness during that
period than had ever come to her heart be-
fore. The neat little cottage. where she
lived with her husband and children, stoud
not very far aa ay from her fathers mposing
mansion. and if the old man did not look
upon it daily, 1t was because he turned his
eyes resolulely away. Long ago the daugh-
ter had ceased 10 make any overtares TO her
father. A u tha: she could do to break down
the hard wall Of separation, she had done.
But he refused to be reconciied. For time
he sternly forbade all intercourse between
the mother and daughter; but the former
set, st last, his interdict q, defiance, and
now tew days passed in which her heart did
not grow warm in the sunny, home of her
child. ..',,.....' am b. ...,....,.
r., The husband Of Helen was principal In
our academy, .sno highly esteemed by all
who knew hun. He was true, good map;
but as he did not possess the talent of mon
sy;;making, he was Of no account in the
eyes of Mr.. Logon. ,,...., ..,,,,, ..i. ,.I
Thus 1t was with the richest man iu the
peighborhood; and Mr.. Strong was right
when be said be wac the unhapiest. On
the day following that on which our story
opens, She con'eyancer, called over at Elm
Grove, the meme Of Mr.. Logan's beautiful
Plsce. He was really in earnes, in his de-
sire to throw some CLEANS, of sunshine on
The rich mans shadowed. way, He had often
pited him. The conversation with Mr..
Howard stimulated his thought into a pur.
pose, and now he had called to observe Mr..
Logan little more closely. and see if there
was any way TO lead him out of himself, for
he knsw that it was because he was imm T.
sed 10 sell, tina. lite. as to all enjoyment, !,
had proved a failure. He found Mr.. Logan
sitting in The little Office where he usvully
Transacted business, holding new spaper 10
his hands, and apparently reading. From
the expression of his face, as lie lopked W.
itwas plain that his thoughts were by no
means agreeably occupied.
"Gooi morning." said Mr. Strong, cheer.
fully" 90" '''-
s"Good morning" returned Mr.. Logan a
kind OF growing welcome in his voice. He
arose, as he spoke. and offered his visitor a
chair. H'a 81 ~ $50
ga fine day." remarked Mr. Strong.
"ls III" and Mr.. Logan turned his eyes
YEARLY toward the rdow. IL don't notice
the weather half the time, ualess, maybe
when it rsins and can't get out. ANY.
thing new stirring, Mr.. S.rongl"
"Nothing Of special interest" T" .i'!
Mr.. Logon sighed heavily, and let his eyes