Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1865-03-31
After Ten Years.
BY VIRGINIA +. TowNsENp.

| hcTe was no lnVltatlOn III the YOlct
which made this ultimatum to the young
girl who stood before the speaker in 9
tumult of fear, and doubt, and conflict
ing feeling, which drove the color from
her cheeks, and sent cold, sick shudder
over her, as she listened TO the word.
which in one way or another must shape
all her future.
And there, too, sat this girls father
tall, heavily built, somewhat elderly
man, his hair thickly sanded with gray
under which were pair of dark, shrewd
eyes, and a stern, resolute face, whose
coolest and badrest expression had con-
centrated itself just now about the mouth.
lis sharp, defiant lines told, as no words
could, that argument or prayer would be
of no avail-that the decision, whatever
ii was, was irrevocable.
Margaret Phillips did glance up once
with a swift impulse Of appeal to her faith
er, with a sudden purpose to reach some
spring of pity or tenderness in bis soul
but the sight Of that hard, ircn mouth
drove back the words which would have
sobbed themselves out. 1t was of no use,
she felt and knew.
She, Margaret, was her fathers Oldest
daughter, just beyond her twenty-second
birthday. She b no brothers, and
her two sisters were still schoolgirls in
their early teens. Margaret had been
in some sense her fathers favorite al.
though be was a stern, undemonstrative
man, who never articuated and tender,
ness that be might feel for bis daughters
by any fondness Of tone or caress.
Still he could not be called a hard
parent in the literal sense of that adisct,
i've.
He would have Indignantly and sincere> !
" repelled it, for Richard Phillips made
or his motherless girls luxurious home,
and it was the mans honest intention to
them with every comfort and
,are which his ample means afforded -
For he was at the head of a prosperous
house; man of unbemsh-
ID business integrity respected by all
nenj but having the name among bis
.lerks and employees Of severe n
xacting master.
This was his cbaracter-had BEEN
hrough life. He loved justice, meant to
bserve it vigorously in his dealings with
II men, but it was that hard and narrow
ind into which pity seldom or never
ntered.
His wife had in some degree modified
y her influence the dominate, inhexible
haracter of her husband, for, in bis wav
e had loved her. But it was nov more
laL teb years since she died. and the
emile, delicate, fragile woman had never
cqulred that subtle, but permanent
scendency over her husband which
ould alone have changed the strong cur
snts of his character.
Margaret Phillips was daughter that !,
ny father might justly have been proud ,
/. She had her mothers face, with its
ire and delicate outline, and soft glow OF ;
oom; she had in a great degree her ;,
Others nature, generous, impulsive,
nder, of somewhat stronger, stubborn
xture, however, which she inherited :.
ON her father. He had spared no pains :,
Or money in her mental and social cul.
Vaticn; and although he never express ;
the feeling, he was certainly prouder :,
his eldest daughter than of anything
the world.
Dir. Phillips's head book-keeper had :,
'joyed, for several years, the confidence
the senior partner, and he was not :.
silly deceived in his estimates concerns = :,
6 men. The young man had been ad-
itted TO the elders house on terms of :"
cial equality, and thrown frequently !,
to the society of Margaret. w
Stephen Keith was a general favorite,
pecially W I h women. He had all
ose graces of person, that swift pene- :
ltioE of character, that facile adap,a. .
N, and that mastery of Words which :,
sure to please the fancy of a young, n;
sceptible, and cultivated woman. -
Margaret Phillips was all this, and -
ephen Keith availed himself of every :;
portunity which his relations with her =
her afforded him, of strengthening the 70
preston which be was keen enough so
perceive that be had already made on co
, young girl. He was ambitious, too, 81,
d the thought of her fathers wealth N,
IS the great impelling motive of the
ung mans purpose to win the heart of to
argaret Phillips. ia