Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1870-03-25

I
birth of his boy a secret. Yet. as th,
clock ticlked away the moments of thi
/ last hour, nature grew almost too strone
| for him. He could have cried out. s.
| that all the world might hear. for hi.
son-for his son, whose flesh and blooC
was the same as his. He heard the gir
| speaking to him as in a dream. He
voice trembled in spite of herself.
Tell me something about him, Uncle
Dan. Is he much changed p
81 see no change in him" He caught
sight of her face, and through all his
dull absorption, it startled him: It was SC
strangely fresh, and dewy, and young.
81 suppose John has been successful
then p she said at last, with an effort
''He told me once he would never come
back or write until he could do a mans
work and make all his friends proud Of
him. He thought they would forget him.
He need not have been Ves-Y much afraid
of that She was talking half to her
self, STOPPING as she sat on her stool, her
brown eyes fixed on the fire, her hands
pressed on her breast "I always knew
he would find some little home in the
West, and then come back knew he
would.
.'MaddyP'
Eyes, Uncle Dan.
"I'll tell you about Jack. in an un-
naturally loud, harsh voice. "He is a
man of mark nova leader in his sect.
They've called him to the First Church
here. His companions are not yours or
mine, and his ways are not ours. They
would look upon him as tainted if he
made friends Of shiftless Bohemians like
US. He's in a world the door of which
IS shut to you and me. 1t will be the
same way when we are dead. He will
beinside, but when come the door will
be shut-shut"
A sudden comprehension broke
through her face. DlmpIed, kissable lit
tie face as it was, there was a latent no
bility in it, great steadiness and strength
81 think you're unjust to us, and to
Jack, she said firmly, standing before
him. olL
81 tell you the boy is on the road to
success, and he must go on, - he cried
Nobody shall stand in his way to him
der him. 1 mean to stand out of his
way. 1t will be quite easy for me to do
it-quite easy.
Some suspicious of years ago were
coming back to her. 81 think / under
stand, she said. 'tIs Jack willing that
you should give him up ?"
What could it matter to him ? A
shabby old liar and braggart, as McMur-
ray called me. I saw his church to-day,
and the house where he. will live. So
grandly furnished, MaddyT"
"Churches and furniture T. with con-
temPtuous shrug. What are they to
Jack p .e5lE sE.a
al saw the woman he is to marry"
''Ah! the ag0Raal-
"A daughter of MoMurray s--a deli
cate, white rosebud of a girl. He has
everything now the world can give, Jack
has. There's but one bar in his way,
and that won't be there long.
But Madeline had turned to the win
dow, her face toward the sun that was
going down. 1t was some time before
she came back. When she did, she
stood by the mantle-shelf looking down
at him, docs the woman love him p
''I thought so. It was in her face.
''She only has known him little
while p
'Withrow told me they met Iastmonth
in Chicago. The match was arranged
there"
She looked at her hand. Therewas a
thin gold ring on one fnger-a cheap
little trifle, such as a school-boy would
give. 1t had been there so many years
that it bound and panied the woman's
finger. It had done so for
many years.
zone month ?" she said to herself
again and again.
The sun was down, but the reflection
from the snow on the roofs threw
pleasant brightness into the many win
dows, while the clock licked cheerfully
the last hour Of daylight away, A noise
below broke the silence into which they
had fallen. The stairs were long and
rickety, and steps could be heard creak-
ing from one flight to the other.
a'It's Jack? The Major spoke hoarse-
", standing up. He had been thinking
it over as he sat. However false and
his course had been since
he was man, he at least was right he
thought, in this act of its close.
"a Nothing in his life so became him
as the ending of it. +" he quoted to him
self. "But McMurray would call it a
theatrical trick" @sgt
lack was at the street door; in a few
minutes it would be too late. He thrust
his fingers into his pocket and secreted
the little vial in his palm. He went to
the door as if to close it. AT that mo-
ment Maddy caught sight of a yellow
bit of writing on the hearth, stopped,
picked it up. She nodded as she read it
without surprise.
.'His. son? And Jack wants the old
old man now to deny it Not to stand
in his way ?"
The first hint about that poor white
rabbit Clara had turned her blood to
gall. She was suddenly bitter and un-
lust as death to Jack, to whom she had
given her whole life Of patient, sweet
tempered, trust.
The steps came nearer. The poor old
Major backed toward the inner door,
his uncouth face white and wet. I'm
not we'll I'm going C. lie down on your
bed. Take him away with you, Maddy.
1 can't see either of you tonight. Yet
even then it gave him a vague pleasure
toahear how light and gay and sresolute
the boys steps were.
Maddy came quietly between him and
the door. ''No, we will both see this
Jack, who puts you out of his way.
The door opened. There was the old
short, stout-built Jackl The old sturdy
honest face under the same fur cap, the
twitch in the mouth ready to make a
Joke at anybody or at himself.
"Why, Maddy? I did not hope to
find you here, little woman giving her
a brotherly shake Of the hand, and so
figuratively setting her aside. How the
dull morbid shadows that had filled the
room crept aside before him Madeline
felt that her life had beer, but a passion
ate dream. Practical, common-sense
people on the same plane of society saw
each other month ago in Chicago, and
married nationally. And why should a
practical, rational man cucumber him
self with this late-discovered father, with
his undoubtedly unwholesome fancies
and STACEY habits
major Standish''-Jack with all his
hearty manner was embarrassed
came to speak to you on business Of i'm.
portance. You have no secrets from
Maddy r.
Don't speak, boyi For Gods sake
In little while / will set it all right
Wait one minute T. retreating to the
door.
"But I won't wait" Jack had hi:
! hands on the MaIor's Shoulders anf