The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-09-28

OH IN SearCn OF the missing luuctloHury.
The old man, half exhausted, staggered
to the palings.
Don't send for the perlide,y hecried;
sake, sir, tell mo il the young lady is
coming outl' This to Mr.. Power.
"NYhat business is that of yours?"
angrily replied that gentleman. "How
dare you create disturbance in re-
spectacle neighborhood2 I will have
you imprisoned"
"Prison me if you will, cried the old
man. earnestly, 'but let me speak one
word to the young lady, sir, for the love
of Heaven"
"The man is mad," muttered Mr..
Power to himself, "mad or drunk"
The old fellow caught the last words.
"No, I amt drunk, yer honor" be
cried. II earns an honest livelihood,
and that's more than every hunkey can
say" and he glanced Indignantly OF the
footman. who still kept by his side.
Elm in my sober senses, and I know
what I want. want to see Miss
Power"
''It is ono of those beggarly paupers
Constance is SO fond Of" thought Mr..
Power. ''This is tho fruit of ladies go.
ing about visiting the sick-a precious
piece of business, to be sure. If you
will promise to go away quietly, will
let you off" he commenced; but at that
moment hand was placed upon his arm,
and soft voice questioned:
''What is the matter, William?"
At the door stood Constance, in her
snowy opera cloak and golden hair, her
sweet eyes turned wondering1y on the
spectacle before her.
With CRY of JOY the old man strug-
gled up the steps.
30, Miss! are you Miss Power? It's
you wants to see."
Mr.. Power drew her angrily back.
"Really, Constance" he said in low
tone, "you are forgetting yourself. To
come out before all these people
really"
ooh, William" cried the girl, ''don't
said it was n matter of life and death.
Do see him, dear, if only for q moment.
It must be something very serious to
bring him OF this hour of the night"
Mr.. Power, though hasty in his tenn
per, was q just and reasonable man; he
saw plainly now the man was not intoxi-
Gated, and, though he was annoyed at
being disturbed at this unreasonable
hour, he could not but acknowledge the
fitness of his sisters argument, and
that the man was at least entitled to
hearing.
"Well, Connie" he said, ''let it be so.
Go back into the library, and I will
question him myself"
He told the footman to call tho man
inside and close the door. After while
Mr.. Power came back to his sister.
81 cannot make him out" he said in
answer to her anxious glance. ''He tells
o rambling story about some girl he has
picked out of the water, and whom, he
says, you know. I think you had better
see him yourself, Constance.
80 yes, yes! Ask him to como in at
once"
He was an old gray haired man, whose
garments betokened extreme poverty,
but whose face looked honest and sim
oere, despite the flush excitement had
given it.
''Are you Miss Power-Miss Constance
Power?" he exclaimed, hurriedly, with
out waiting for her to speak.
Eyes, I am Constance Power; what
can T do for your"
80, then, if you be her, T was asked
to give your ladyship this bit of q letter, I"
taking dirty scrap of paper from his
pocket; 'and you'll havs to make haste,
please, if you want to see her alive"
Constance opened it in profound as
tonish ment, which increased to look Of
intense horror as she read the contents.
II am dying, dying FAST" it said; "but
I cannot 60 till 1 have told you what is
on my mind. Please don't refuse, but
come as quickly as you can. The whole
happiness Of your future life depends on
your seeing Pauline Barry"
ooh, my poor Pauline!" exclaimed
Miss Power. "The girl that left me so
suddenly four years ago. Where is she,
my good man? will go at once?"
"Shes in my house. my lady. close by
the wnter-side. She lad been and
drowned herself, and I picked her up,
and me and my missis has minded her
ever since; they'd have taken her to pri-
son if we peached on her, you know,
Miss, and she's 80 quiet and good; and
the doctor has been so very good to US,
and given US bit of money, and"
Eyes, yes" interrupted the trembling
girl; you'll tell me oil about it as we
60"
"Nonsense, Constance! exclaimed
Mr. Power ssWho ia the Pauline vo,,