The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1868-01-30

lDeaHS OI uIlEiuS HlS partners Young
wife-a fine souled, sensitive woman-to
madness and to her grave.
Afterwards Josiah Keep had prospered
for years, for sentence Is not always ex-
pected speedily against an evil work )"
but at last his goods and possessions be-
gan 70 fall away from him.
He had passed the meridian of life
when misfortune overlook him. Then
his wife and one and another of his chill
dren died Ill health came upon the
strong man, and the lonely log cabin on
the plains, where he had buried himself
for couple of years, and the one little
saIlow-cheeked daughter who remained of
all the brave sons and fair daughters wao
had called him father, tell the rest of the
sad story of Josiah Keep.
In later life, the partner, whose young
manhood he had SO cruelty blighted, had
prospered on every hand-a good man,
with a ripe, tender ma ture, full of broad
sym pathies, such as one does not often see
Everybody said this of Benjamin May.
Two or three weeks before, the sick
man had learned through a DeighbOr that
business had brought his former partner
to the town nearest to his log cabin, and
only fifty miles away. At first, it seemed
to him that the world itself could not hire
him to look in the face of the one whom
he had so Wronged F; but as the end drew
near, and remorseful memories crowded
| fast upon him, this first feeling was su-
| perseded by great hunger and craving
| to hear Benjamin Mays voice say that he
forgave him.
| So, Two days before, he had hired a
neighbor to go in quest of Benjamin May,
| desiring the latter to come 20 him, as he
hoped for mercy Ill his laet extremity,
though not daring then to disclose his
real name, lest the old bitterness should
rise up In the soul of the other, and he
would refuse to grant what he would deny
to no other man-the prayer of Josiah
Keep.
He lay there, with the tide of his life
going out, and the lights burning low,
while the storm shouted fercely outside,
and death and that young girl watched 5y
the sick man.
was at his side in moment.
Chow sick you look, father" she said
smoothing his iron gray hair with oD'
hand. and locking st tiBay Ter small, cal
! low face tull of great pity and grief; al
| though Bessie Keep had no idea of tha
, unseen presence just now crossing tn,
, threshold.
t "Bessie, poor little Bessie, what vii
5 become of you?" said the dying man
looking with craving tenderness on tn
S little girl.
Y Whatever his faults had been, he ha'
L loved her, the last Of his family, the deli
d cate, clinsiug, helpless child, who still O
d all the world clung fast to him In unWa
: vering faith and tenderness.
"Ah, never mind me, father dear.
!, shall get along we'll enough if you'll onl
> grow better"
u Tears strained themselves in the child
eyes. She put her cheek to her fathers
. aud wondered that it felt SO cold, an
}, drew the coverlet closer around him, an
the storm thundered on outside, and tn
}, wind tapped white banners of snow thrC
the air, and Josiah Keep lay dying.
t Suddenly the child lifted her head
y 81 hear something, father, that is not lik
|. the wind she said sit sounds like hol
i ses' feet," and she sprapg to the wiudoS
e There, close at hand, toiling throug
J the beating wind and driving snow, was
0 wagon with two occupants. The meI
8 worn out and halT frozen, sprang froI
the wagon just after Bessie's joyful shrie!
IS which had reached them above the how
!, ing OF the storm.
e ''They are herep' Bessie repeated
It "oh father, they are here p
A man little past his prime, stron
+ and hale, with white hair about his fac'
e which never left any one who studied
2 a doubt of the heart beneath 1t, was Bel
u jamin May.
d He came up now to the bedside, an
e with his first glance at the face lylC
II there, all wreathed in the ashy pallor
y death, Benjamin May forgot the chill an
weariIress which had possessed him
h 'My friend, | haze come to hear VIII;
er you have TO say" he said, bending te
o. derly over the dying man.
ID josiah Keep looked up in the face
ul the man he had wronged SO vilely mo
than score of years before. Despite ii
ID cheerful, kindly countenance, there We
of lines there which he had helped to carv
IN 'Do you know me?"
Id BENJAMIN May looked at the ghast
&C features. There appeared to him sGm
ne thing familiar In the face, yet he shoe
i'd his head-"no-"
ce I AM osiah Keep"
The listener covered his face with I
IS hand a moment "Ah, dear God y
re said, but not lightly, even In the sho
in and horror of that moment.
of ~ have sent for you, Benjamin Mi
ID, to hear whether you will look on me, lyl
tn here, and say you forgive me tor all
mt evil 1 once did you and yours va
GODS mercy, aud it seems to me L G,
he not lay hold OF any hope for that until