The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1865-06-22
VOLUME 26,]

s sweet illusion that disinterestcd afectio
q must eventually win for itself way to IN
e ion: but old Mr.. Raihcliffe had spoken seri
b ously to them, and altogether forbade thei
further meeting until Robert had spoken t
I his father He went home that very night
and nerved to a sort of desperation, did speal
e to his father ending with the usual declar
alton that his choice was unaltarable. Per
I haps it was; but whether or not, Richart
! bryce went the very way to make it 81
when he laughed that discordant laugh
and, with taunt against his sons weak
ness of purpose and his dependence told hin
to dismiss a scheming little hussy from hi
thoughts, for he was to marry when he haC
} permission, which would never be grantee
/ to such match as the beadle wanted tt
bring about. Robert left his fatherss pres
ence wi.houta word; but in week from
that date he had followed Agnes down int
the country whittier she had been sent ou
of the way. When he returned, he wrote
letter to his father to say that they were
married. 1t is easy to guess what followed
When he called for al answer to his com
munication. he received brief note, saying
that he was discarded from that hour, neeC
never trouble himself to enter the doors O.
the old house again, aDd that henceforth he
must look to his own exertions for the
means of living This letter was sent by
the hand of sort of managing clerk, one
Jaggers, who was at the same time commits.
stoned to tell Robert that he could, if he
| chose, obtain situation in a house at Liv
erpool, where his fathers interest was suffi
clent TO secure moderate salary.
Now 1t happened that Jaggers had always
appeared to be the best friend young Robert
ever had; he had sympathized with him on
the subject of his fathers harshness; had
applauded his noble sentiments when he had
| impaired the secret of his engagement to
| Agnes; had wished that he was the master
Of the est blishment in St. Simon's yard
that justice might be done to disinterested
virtue, and had generally assumed the part
OF guide, philosopher and friend, tempered
by humble Difference for the young man
1t was arranged between them, therefore,
that. after time. during which Robert
should accept the situation at Liverpool, a
more successful appeal might be made to
bryce junior, and that letter addressed to
him should be sent under cover to Jaggers,
who would lay it on his table. Then Rob-
ert and his young wife went away, leaving
this good-natured fellow 30 watch their in-
terests.
A year passed, and the letter had been
written, but remained unanswered indeed,
according to Jaggers showing, Richard
bryce was more inveterate than ever, and
was unapproachable on the subject of his
undutiful son, in pleading whose cause he,
Jaggers, had very nearly obtained his own
dismissal. The house i'll which Robert was
clerk went.to pieces in the commercial
crisis, and he was thrown out of employ
ment. Again he wrote to his father, saying
that he had an appointment offered him 10
Australia, and only wanted the money to
pay his passage. He received no reply but
some people who knew him in Liverpool
made up the sum, and his wife came to Lon
don to live with her father and to wait for
his return, or for the remittance that was to
come by the first mail, that she might Join
him there.
Their first child, girl, had been poor
sickly little creature, and was dead; but
Agnes was likely again to become a mother
and waited now only for the money which
would enable her to prepare for such an
event. Anxiously as she waited it never
came, and Jaggers, to whom it was to have
been directed, advanced her sovereign, az
he said, "out of his small MEANS" and then
lost sight of her, for she and her father had
moved into fresh lodgings where the mana
ging clerk could scarcely trouble himself to
go, unless he had good news to take with
him. Indeed, he had so much to occupy
his attention, that some months had elapsed
since he had seen Agnes; once only he had
written short reply to note imploring
him to say whether any remittance had ar
rived; but how could he spare time to at.
tend to such matters when Mr.. bryce was
every week taking less active part in the
business, and The Christmas quarter was
stealing on with the balance sheet not even
thought of in the press of country orders.
Mr.. Richard bryce was still hale and &C
tive; but those who knew him best thought
that he was breaking. His voice was less
harsh, his hair had turned from iron grey
to white, and in his face there was an aux-
ious look as of one who waits for something
that does not come. Once or twice old ac-
quaintances ventured to ask after his son,
but he shook his head, and said that he
knew nothing of him; he had written to his
last address, but had received no reply
| So Christmas care-Christmas Eve, that
tS3 bilN LlIO Olu uldtl lOO6Gu 50 SOllLafY LlAC
one or two tried to rally him, and even ask
ed him to come and spend the next day
with them, to which he responded by his
harsh laugh, and putting on his worsted
gloves trudged home through the snow.
| On Christmas morning he awoke early, al
most before the daylight had penetrated the
dull rooms where he lived. and had a sud-
den fancy to walk into the Church. 1t was
already daylight in the streets, but the in
terror Of st Simon Swynherde was dim with
mist and the obscurity of the high windows.
Some attempt had been made at decoration
even here, however, and branches of holly
and evcrgreens were placed about the pillars
and against the organ, where his own name
had been painted i'll gilt letters ever since
the time that he had been church warden
and helped to restore it.
Even as he looked up at it the notes of the
Christmas hymn came trembling into the
chill morning air, for the organist had come
there to play before the early service.
To most people there might have been moth
ing in the place or It's associations to evoke
much gentle feeling, but as the tones of the
organ sweled and the music grew louder, ole
Richard bryce sat down in the corner Of
ms wv PS" obd lChtlStl Ilcdu upOH Ltlt
book board, with his hands clasped before
his face Not till the warm tears had trick
led from his fingers did he raise his head, ant
then it was to look around him to the othel
end of the pew, for from some place neal
him he thought he had heard sound thai
was out of all harmony with the organ bu
not altogether apart from the association
Of the christian hymn-the wailing OF
, child.
4 Another moment and he was bendin
. over bundle seemingly composed of
e coarse blue cloak, out from which ther
j PRESENTLY came baby hand and--the GOV
o ering once pulled aside-a little round ros
: face in which large pair of blue eyes wei
: wide awake in utter astonishmeut. VII
II can tellwha had been the thoughts bus
It in old Dryce's mind? Was it prayer? w,
If it that yearning which finds no words