The Portland daily press., 1870-10-29

Margie wrote often the first year, often 1of
| those days. We could have a mail only once
during the week. How we waited ior thosG
letters, and how eagerly we read them. 1
| hold in my hand now the letter she wrote the
| first anniversary of her marriage. 1t Is vel
low and cracked with age. :! have great
news she wrote "A week Tonight was born
to us son. Give thanks for him, Faith and
| ask that he may live to be good man. /
think he looks like you although he has my
eyes ;he gestures like father, and altogether is
| promising little man. How much I love him,
how much hope for him."
| Afterwards came letters telling all about the
little treasure. 4 had hopes to name him at
ter you, father, but baby's papa claimed bet
| ter right, so he calls him Paul. She told us
that he had learned to lisp grandpa aud Aunt
Faith, and then-the letters ceased. we
wrote to prOminentIpersons in the city Wnere
| they had lived after all means OF inquiry 1all-
| ed. We received the answer that there had
heen a Clifford, alias Harvey, forger, in the
CITY. stayng In some obscure place, but get
ting word of officers on his track, had fed
Father went to the city aud came back look
ing ten years older. He never told me wheth-
er he learned anything of Paul Clifford, but he
found no trace OF Margie.
1t was eight years after Margie was mar
ried, five since we had heard word from her
when one pleasant day in the hazy autumn
| time, father and l were busy ia king down the
rose bush which grew over the piazza,-the
rose that first shook its perfume on the air
the June Margie was born-when the garden
gate opened. thought the neishboring
children had come of some errand and did
not look up.
Are you Aunt Faith p musical voice ask
| ed, l dropped the bush and ran to father,
| who had fallen forward with the words Mar
| gle! Margie! on his lips. A thinly clad but
beautiful boy stood before me. i am Paul.
he said little Paul, 'and mama is here in the
garden 81,
Margie had come back to us,-come back
with her gossamer web broken, and no
strengthEto spin another. We could not be-
lieve that the pale face and mourntul eyes be-
longed to our once brilliant Margie, and we
never knew until years after how rudely the
wings Of our bird had been clipped, and her
bright plumage trailed in the dust. Il am his
wife. Too late found he was unworthy OF
| my love. had my romance, and its end is
bitter. do not know as he ever told me his
name. I call Paul by mothers maiden name.
Paul Minden need not blush for Paul Cliff
lords sins.' tff8s
We could not keep Margie with us! we
knew that by the blush that burned in her
cheek, and the unnatural light in her eye.
One November afternoon we wheeled her
she might see the sun 60 down the clouds he
had tinted, Lifting herself forward, she
took Pauls hand, and pointing it to the
clouds, she said, 1t is beautiful there, Paul.
Eyes mama
1t is a great deal more beautiful beyond
there, my darling; am very tired, and am
going there to rest Some day you will come
will be there to meet you,-remember, Paul.
Turning to me she said, 4 shall find it all as
L hovo r,iof 1roI Eo;t
and Her head lell back upon the pillow,
there was gentle SIGH the spirit was reeas-
ed, and Margie entered the fair land and found
rest beside the still waters.
Paul was like his mother, but his natural
impu!siveness was SO tempered by his early
sorrow that we had no fear that be would
| give his fancy too great breadth. Father fell
asleep for the last time when Paul was ready
| tor college. We lifted the sods and laid HIM
by mother and Margie, then sold the old
homestead and went to town to where Paul
was to study. .gs l.- sa
never asked Paul what profession he wish
ed to follow, but one day he told me he should
enter the ministry. 4 shall be home mis-
sionary, and shall join the Methodist church.
he said. We had heard that Paul Clifford was
in the West. knew that my Paul meant to
do it.
Paul accepted no particular field. but. as an
independent missionary, he took broad cir
cut. was with him when, in the tall of
1S'-,he determined to hold a campmeetine
in part of the Southwest which was Cd.
posed to anything IF a religious order. Gam
pliers, outcasts from every land, forgers, rob-
bers, composed the population. Many efforts
mad been made, but no successful meeting had
ever been held. There were stories told of
ministers who had promised, at the point of
i the hOWip- knife n, to f,o4 =. IL.
country. l trembled for Paul, but he told me
my fears were in vain. 4 shall have my meet.
ing, and l shall live; and l believe he said,
liking bis black eyes upon me with a look SO
like his mothers, L shall meet him there
| Paul leased place called Cold Springs.
where a fountain of clear water dubbed in
the midst OF an evergreen grove, and con-
ceived the idea of having dinner as well as
meeting. We must have something novel
to attract, aunt Faith. Once here know
can Empress the people as they have never
been before. There is witchery in eloquence
| and power in the truth - :
| An advertisement was circulated promising
a camp-meeting such as had never been held
before, and dinner got up in the best man
ner, and the best OF liquor was to be served.
We reached the ground little late. l could
see Paul was anxious for the success Of his
scheme, and was unusually pale. The grove
AAhSNA VAuA POOpiC3 AuCu, WOucn ana
children, carrying all sorts of faces, and dress
ed in every kind of costume. There were
mothers with babes hanging on their arms.
coarse men with rifles in hand, and ugly dogs
at their heels. There were gamblers with
keen blades shining beneath their coats, and
there were few well dressed ladies and gem
tlemen who were attracted by the novel ar
| rangement. Paul entered the rude pulpit,
| and thrill of plide went over me as thar
noisy occonIlqCa Inch o1 inf c;1 +:
| clear, melodious voice he pronounced a
blessing upon the people and the food they
were about to partake. I did not hear all he
said, but knew there had been power in the
words, for as looked around saw mapy of
the mothers faces wet with tears.
Twas standing by the most powerful-built
man l ever saw, not large, but of well knit
strength, and as caught sight of the pistols
in his belt and heard his muttered threats. I
trembled Tor Paul. This man shouted to Paul
in tones that cut like knives: "You have lied,
Mr.. Preacher. Where IS the liquor you prom
ised :" Paul raised himself to his full height,
and with look that seemed to embrace every
man, woman and child of that vast multitude,
he pointed to the fountain that sparkled and
leaped in the sunshine. 'Therev he said, in
tones that vibrated through the woods, and
came back to us, echoing, there! there drink
of that clear spring, bubbling up from the
and l will tell you of fountain clear as crys-
tai flowing from the throne on high, whose
depth no man can measure, and whose waters
cleanse all stain.'
did not hear any more, for the man beside
me turned his face toward me, and muttered
curse. shuddered, for I knew those ewes
with darts of fire leaping from then, and
those sneering lips with their cold smile had
haunted me for years. Paul Clifford stood
beside me. I could touch his garments. I
started to make my way to Paul, when there
was sharp click, fash: Aunt Faith. am
shot! Paul cried: then throwing his arms up,
he fell back upon the greensward.
Paul Clifford shouted, it is you who
have done this: you have shot your own son:
you have killed Margie's Paul. With a wild
cry he leaped forward. Make room. men:
stand out OF the way; give him air. He will
not die. Margie, Paul, 1 did not mean to for
sake you. l was hunted to DEATH
Stand back, all of you,' said; Paul Cliff.
ford, do not touch a hair of the head YOU have
laid low; he does not belong to YOU: YOU
have no place here.'
l lifted Paul's head to my lap. The warm
blood was streaming from a wound in his
breast, and the soft curls were damp with
death dew.
Aunt Faith he murmured, Il forgive him 2
70, God! he forgives me; my murdered boy
forglves mev the man groaned in agony.
Yes, be forgives you, Paul Clifford; he
came here to save you.'
Call him back to life. The God you believe
IN Will hear you. Pray, 0, prayp
:, Paul reused himself, looked round upon
the people, and said brokenly =
There is fountain filled with blood
m lie