Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1868-10-02

| were slowly closing in, yet the roar OF the
busy city did not seem to lull. At inter
walls the horse cars went rumbling by,
packed full and running over with tired
men seeking their comfortable homes far
out in what had been commons and corn
fields nineteen years before, and the tide
of hurrying pedestrians which flowed
along the broad sidewalks seemed to know
no ebb.
Near one of the busiest points of the
city, a little "fancy store" In a modest
wooden house nestled shyly between two
pretentious marble-fronts." 1t bore on
its face the traces of fsrmer era and 1t
was evident that its successor would be OF
signally different style. Inside, young
girl was daintily putting in order some
lsces tumbled by iust-departed visitor
and slowly and tenderly manipulating the
| soft meshes with all the feminine fondness
for the delicate web. Drawing piece of
| the foamy fabric about her white neck she
turned to little mirror behind the mar
row counter, and stood dreamily contem-
| plating its effect. She was startled by
quick tread and a rough bun manly and
| pleasant voice.
"Pardon me, miss, but can you tell me
if these streets bear the same names they
did twenty years agoS"
| I'm sure don't know, sir" she replied,
with little pout and blush, as she busily
folded up the lace with a halfglance at the
amused face of the questioner. "Aunt
Mary can tell you all about it, though
and If you'll wait a moment, I'll call her"
She fitted away through door at the
rear of the shop, but returned almost i'm
mediately, followed by much older lady,
clothed in sober black, with a grave but
pleasant face, on which were drawn the
unmistakable lines of sorrow and tears,
but whose expression plainly showed that
these had not narrowed the heart nor en-
Uttered the spirit.
The young man repeated his question.
| "Yes, sir; the names are the same but
their features have changed in that time.
But surely you are too young to have
known them so long ago?"
Aunt Mary slowly drew nearer to the
young stranger, her eyes fixed almost wist-
fully on the fresh, ruddy face, while the
color which yet fingered in her rounded
cheek came and went fitfully, and an un-
wonted light moistened and trembled in
the habitually pensive eye.
Eyes" he replied, az knew them, but
my recollection of them is very dim and
faint. l am asking for my father, who
was very familiar with them then, and is
now looking about Just outside there to
see if he can identify some property he
once owned in this vicinity"
"Please ask him to step inside Per-
haps l can give him some information. l
have been familiar with this part of the
city for many years"
A paleness crept over the kindly face
as she watched the young mans elastic,
swinging tread, as he passed out to the
street. "How like has walkp came
through her lips, more like the ghost of a
| fOrnnttpn Huh of nd
A book, which she had been reading, and
was still holding, was laid noiselessly
down, and, with hands clasped closely
against her bosom, she stood fXedly
watching the door.
Presently father and son entered togeth-
er. Californian suns and Coloradan winds
had Drowned the once thin and colorless
cheek; the dark locks had changed to
iron-gray, and the wild, free life of the re-
} mote West, the healthful toll and exposure
of the mine and the camp, the CHEEKY com
panionship of forest and river and noun
tain, while keeping the spirit fresh and free
from moody repining, had, even at that
period of life, broadened and strengthened
the frame. But all these changes could not
conceal the individuality, and Robert
, Barnes was as unmistakable in this hale
and deliberate mountaineer, as in the hur.
, rying denizen of the city of nineteen years
J before.
"This is my father, ma'am-Robert
| Barnes"
"Yes, madam; Harry tells me you are
quite"
| He stopped abruptly, and gazed at the
woman before him, who, with streaming
| eyes and parted lips, leaned eagerly to
g wards him, and murmured, in tones choked
and low,
/ Answered o infinite Fatherl an
sweredl Robert-husband-a last-Oh
5 at lastp and, tottering forward, she
: seized his unresisting hand, and, claspinG
it closely in both her own, looked eagerly
: into the bronzed face, where surprise anC
t Joy and love, and the smouldering fires o
e halfforgotten anger and distrust, seemed
o struggling for supremacy.
g He would have signed to the young peo
n pie to leave them alone but she led hin
: still unresisting into her little sitting-roon
e at the rear of the shop, then, softly closin!
). the door, she released his hand, and, still
f, looking into his face, said,
8, "Not one kiss for your wife, Robert
l. after SO long-so long" and the low
r voice choked, and the clasped fingers grew
e white under each others pressure.
o "How is it possible, Mary"
She laid her finger on his lips.
Il you would say" Hastily throwing ope
n a writing desk, she took from it an OLD
J. yellow, folded paper, and giving it to him
o continued, "Read that, before you judg
v me-"
!; The writing was irregular and scrawl
l ing, as if done by one in great haste o
is with shattered nerves. Mr.. Barnes rea
a the few lines three or four times through
Ie before he seemed to take in their full sig
g. niicance. They ran:
n NEw YORK, August Tth, 1913.
MY DEAR WIFE Come to me at once. HarT
y is very ill., and, worn out with and watching
e. my own health Is giving way. Isend this by pr
~ your departure, and possibly may accompany yo
~ part OF the way. ROBERT.
u There was brief silence. Then he lai
)t the faded letter softly down, and whisper
le ing, with bated breath, " / see itall-I see
ALL" held towards her his trembling hands
10 A smile like the memory of childhood
he sunny mornings flushed through her liI
y. gering tears, and the weary burden c
II twenty years seemed to be lifted from he
life like the mjsts of the night, as tn
IS strong arms closed around her again, an
Is she heard the familiar voice, speakin
r rather to his own heart than to her,
i, "How can ever atone for these twent
8, years of wrong?"
" Oblivious of the young people waitin
10 and wondering in the next room-obliN
I'd ious of all the world but themselves, the
re looked in each others eyes, and talked fl
fully for more than an hour but the II
ply to his first question disclosed all "
e. care 10 know.
~ "Who gave you that letter."
s, "Mr Jeremy l did not know what
!, do. It seemed so unlike you TO send
" him, ard not TO me direct, that felt il
o. clined to doubt. But you were NJ
W quite we'll when you left home, andsM
Jeremy was your most trusted frien
So trusted, you remember, Robert, tn,
YOU laughed at me, as both vain and foo
ish, when | had told you, some mOntl
TO before, that he seemed to be seeking o.
Ad portunity and encouragement for culpab
el advances, and in very shame tried tope
40 suade myself that you must be right. Al
Q- then the fhnn oh FL hat Won and Harry mipl