The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-10-21

bat the Da1ONct was tn6 ltast uAOehSiHS
of tho two. 20
4. The guest commemorative conversation
ssSir John Barton, until, yesterday !
thought as i'll of you as you ha' c, no doubt
thought of me. have learnt my error; y
is for me TO convince you of yours. eonlf
to yeu frankly. Our ranks In life are DIT
fereat but in our grandchild We have ons
great aim and object in common.
Up 90 this time both men had been stand
ing; but here. in compliance with ges-
ture from the Baronot, each took his seat
facing each. other across the hearth rug.
The gu st then continued:- .r-,.--r.
II will tell you my story first sir. was
the son of an iroDmenger, in 2 large way
of business 10 Nottingham. and was IN
tended by my father to sueessd TO hif
business. He gave me fair educaiOn
at the grammar school of the Place
Like most boys, had q taste fol
adventure, and when g Z was
seventeen hgden alteration with my faith
er about the. shop, ran away and enlisted
in the Tenth Foot. My father found out
what had done, and wrote to offer to
purchase my discharge, but refused, and
1 went out to India with my regiment
was q steady, well conducted man, aud
soon obtained my sergeant's stripes.
When in India heard OF the dsath' Of ms
father-my mother had died msRy years
Beforehand also that when lis business
was wound up the surplus remaining was
very small, o few hundred pounds, which
was placed TO my credit in England. AT.
ter / came back fell IN love and married.
Ny wife was the daughter of a Freneh-eDli-
are, with nothing but her good looks, and
her kind heart Ipurchased my discharge.
aud with my little property bought aud
furnished a house at Deal. where we let
lodgings. My. wife managed the house,
and I gave lessons in fenceing and drill to
the few schools there and to casual
visitors. We bad one child. When
she was ten years old lost my wife; and
after that all my feelings centered in my
child. I watched over her and loved her
as only man can love his only child. So
things went on until your son came as a
lodger to us. knew nothing ofhim-was
ignorant that he was the only son of bar.
onet and heir to large estate. knew
nothing of it until one day came home
and found my child was gone, anda letter
from her saying that she was secretly mar.
ried, and telling me the rank and position
of your son. l was rs proud, sir, of my
good name as you could be of yours. u
shrank from the idea thstit should be said
that 1 had been party to my child taking
in-I knew how the world would pat it.
the heir of a rich and ancient family, and
wrote to say that until you acknowledged
the marriage and approved of it, Iwould
not do so. .s.~.-ff t..--y5 gfs- -.
nv pride, sir, was less deeply grounded
than youts was. Kate wrote to me from
The suth of France, Eherer they had taken
up their residences. 20 saysthat you would
not Telent, and that they we're penniless.
Now, sir, my pride urged me to do the
thing which it had before prevented my DO
ing. SOLD my house. and furnitnre-sent
every.penny 70 them, and set'tb work with
my own hands to support myself. Hush,
Sir John Ba ton-there are no thanks, no
due. did what con-
ceived to be my duty; you did what you
believed to be yours. Mosths after, q let
ter reached me from my dear child. Her
husband was attacked with cholera. She
had little girl, and no friends but myself.
She implored me TO come on. Fortunately.
I lad . few. pouuds by mo aud hurried TO
Msrseilles, found Kate dying, and that
her husband had expired three days before.
She told me you had been written for at
the same time with myself / have since
heard that you did not, receive that letter
until week later. closed my dear child's
eyes.
laid herby the side Of her husband IN
the strangers cemeteryat Marseflles, and
then finding you did not come. and sup
posing you. would not forgive, took the
baby home TO England. Since then, sir,
have kept her-have brought her up, /
trust, kindly and well. At first the nornad
life led could do ber no haEm, but as she
grew up I saw that it was for her good that
she regain her lost plaeein the world. I
thought YOU might grant the forgiveness
to the grandchild I.bslieved you had re-
fused to the SON I came do~a here and
found that / had mistaken you-t that it was
only an unfortunate accident which. kept
you from standing beside your sons grave;
and then was able to resign Kitty toJou,
secure a. least, of her future 90 ~ ~.
The baYonet had listened deeply moved;
once or twice he tried to interfere; but the
speaker stopped him with perenlptory
gesture. When he ceased, Sir John Barton
rose and took both hands OF the other, -
'I have, as yen supposed, long mistaken
you, as you have, with Greatly more reason,
mistaken me. Yours is now the triumph
Be generous sir. You give up this child 10
me-this child whom, mnch Is love
already, yoa must love far more. st least
share her With me. Make this your home
Ny whole hope, nv whole aim in lIfe now
is in the child and her hHppiness.I Stop
and aid me to bring her up" -
II thank you, sir, the ex-sergeant said:
81 thank you from my heart for | feel
that your invitation is no idle compliment;
but it is out of the question. Your rank
in hfs is infinitely above mine; and I--yes,
I am only TOO proud to accept a position
like this"
"Yonf pride, then, is verse than mine, .
the baronet said, warmly. II am, ae-
knowiedge, a proud rian. but am not too
proud to feel without bitterness that my
son was supported By your generosity, that
your hand laid him IN the grave, that you
have brought up his child. Think you
that /, a rich man, with no means of ever
spending my wealth, can ever repay such
obligations as these? Do You think tha;
sharing this home with you could ever
make ne feel that my debt was cancelled
And do you forget the child Win you sc
away from her. and take from her the
friend who has heretofore been father to
her p? Sir, you have thought me proud
what is my pride 10 ,ours, 2" "-s-s-.-szz7 ~
The old soldier was evidently moved
with the address aud at the extreme ear
nestness and sincerity With which it was
spoken. The haronet sag his advantage
and rang the bell.
''Send Miss Barton here.
= There was silence unit, Kitty entered
With cry of Joy she ran up to the old sol
dier.
''Oh, grandpa. grandpa am 30 glad
kiss Kittyl / am so happyl New grandps
SO kind to Kitty; but me want ldgTandpa
too.P @ = s-s>-
"He won't stay With you, Kitty" th,
baronet said; ;-''he wants to go away, iasteaC
of living here with us. Come, SIR" hi
said, ''gtve way, for the sake of our deal
child. This house is large enough for III
both. You shall have your ewn apartments
where Kitty can spend a part of the day
with you, You can live the Life of her
nit there if you like. Nothing can dc
for you can ever make me otherwise thar
deeply your debtor. Surely the house i.
large enough TO hold Kitty's two grandpas
eh. Kitty? Tell him so.
Kitty, who was nestled in her old grand
pas arms, now whispered TO him:
Naughty grandpa, why do you wart K
go away and make me cry Me love you
why you away from Kitty?'
And SO the ex-Sergeant gave in. For
time he went away. and then came bacl
-, ard 4oOl- nm his racfdaaoa. 1a