Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-06-22

Miss Campbell, | want you to tell me
ABOUT my iather," Rose began abruptly the
instant the two were alone. " There is no
one else whom l would ask, and no one else
VINO can tell me what | wish to know. You
zee MIN often, of course. Do you think he
IS lonely? Do many people 90 there? Does
/ he look we'll %
" My dear, he seems to me desolate," NJ iss
hester said gravely. | think he often spends
sne evening quite alone. And he does not
look WE'LL
+" Dont't say desolafe - Rose cried out
Sharply. That is a terrible word. What
nave nave you heard him say, or seen him do?
w hen did you see him last ?''
Miss Fanshawe's face looked quite pale in
the moonlight, and her cheeks had lost some
thing of their roundness. Her friend noticed
that, and took her hand kindly. "I he ,rd
hlm speak yesterday" she said. &" When
he came home in the evening a little girl was
rgnning~along before him, with package in
her hand. Evidently it was something very
, precious. But she was too eager and de-
'TfgdCod 40 mind her steps, aud just in front
OF your house she slipped on the wet pave
ment. and fell. There was little crash as
she fell, and bits of painted china few about.
Judge Fanshawe took the poor little sobbing
thing up-he is very kind to children, my
dear-and asked about her mishap. 1t ap
Peared that she had, for a long time, been
saving up her money to buy her father a
birthday present. and had got a painted cof-
tee-cup; and there it was
= When she had finished her little story,
crying bitterly all the while, he gave her
money to buy another cup. Ii was better
to break that than 10 break your fathers
heart, he s1Id, and went up the steps to his
own house, where there was no child to vel
come him. He looked very sorrowful, and
he seems to be getting old. think he
stoops little
1t is never pleasant to sit alone at table,
especially at evening, when loneliness is
least tOlerable. Judge Fanshawe bad found
this to his cost But be could not bear to
invite company. While his daughters place
WAS vacant he could fancy that she was only
lingering moment-that presently the door
would open, slight shape come tripping in
a bright cheek touch his faded one and his
own dear little girl put to fight, by her gay
presence, all the cruel imaginings that had
been tOrmenting him. Tonight his trouble
pressed more heavily than ever He left his
dinner untouched, went into the library and
tried TO read. But the page might as well
have been blank for any sense he took of it.
The book dropped from his hand, and he sat
looking into the fire, and thinklng-not such
before them, but such as come to those whose
illusions are faded, and who feel upon their
souls the grasp of solemn realities. Till that
proud, rebeillOus daughter left him, Judge
tanshawe had scarcely thought of age or
death. HIS heart could not grow dull with
her young heart bounding so near, and gray
hairs did not trouble him when her pretty,
prying fingers found them out. and her
sweet voice chid him SO merrily. - You
think too much, papa, that's the trouble
You mean 10 be Chief j ustice, and YOU turn
your hair gray with plotting He could
hear her loving nonsense in his ears now.
His eyes grew dim, and long rays stretch
ed, trembling, toward them from the FIRE.
That miserable affair of Francis Gray's
Judge Fanshawe owned 10 himself now that
he had been hasty, and that Rose, in spite OF
her disobedience, had shown the nobler spi-
Tlt. :" Other s,SSsht lave been more
cred. = 7 don't want daughter Of mine to
be led by ring in her nose. IL Is only in
the light of religion that she has done
wrong
And what religion had he taught her I?
None. lie had sowed in humanity alone,
and must b. content with such harvest as
humanity could bring forth.
:. Ii Is evident that she will not come till
| have humbled myself to ask her. he saId.
night"
lie drew a table to him, and wrote one
line Rose, will you not come home 10
your father ?'-his eyes filling as he wrote
When the note was sealed and directed, he
dropped his face into his hands, and wept
like child 1t was cruel that be should
have to ask her, even il she should come will
lingly at his summons.
The door-bell rang as he sat there. lie
wiped his eyes hastily, and turned his face
from the light.
do you want anything, sir p asked
Thomas, the contraband, putting his head
into the room.
NO. What should make you think
want anything? The street door-bell rang"
Yes, sir :" said Thomas, lingering.
"COnfound the fellow ~ said the Judge
to himself. Z" He's prying-thinks some
thing is the matter since 1 ate no dinner.
'' Well, Thomas, = aloud" what are you
waiting for? Did any one come in?''
Yes, sir No, sir - replied the contra
band, in highly lucid manner.
Try to make up your mind about it,
recommended his master dryly, without once
turning his face toward the door.
Yes, sir - said thomas again, and with
drew, in fumbling way, obeying the imper-
atlve wave of a hand that was not Judge
Fanshawe's
Left to himself again, the master of the
house, with a long drawn sigh that told of a
weary weight at heart, went back TO his bit
ter musings.
q" Father" said breathless voice at his
side, at his shoulder, where a fearful face
dropped. May stay with you? I've wait
ed and waited-and, oh father, you would
have called me back long ago if you had
known how sorry was, how 1 wanted to
! come.
After all, the harvest of him who sows
only human love may be very sweet. Or is
1t, as Coleridge says, that there is religion
in all deep love?
( :. You re not growing old, are you, papa?''
she asked, after a while, winking the tears
off her eyelashes that she might see him, but
IN vain, since they gathered again immedi-
ately.
81 was old an hour ago, my child he
said.
She made great effort, and wiped hei
eyes with both hands. " Now, papa, won't
you please to stand up?'
The Judge stood up obediently, but witt
some wonder, possibly with an impression
that he was going to be put upon oath.
Rose looked him over with anxious criti
cism. Then triumphant laugh and blust
, broke together into her face. " You dom
stoop one bit - she cried, embracing hin
with transport. "And now "--pressinl
him into his chair again in her pretty, halt
imperative, half-entreating way, and kneel
ing down beside him. how shall l ever tel
you how sorry am? L don't mean to say,
J she corrected herself, d" that | am sorry
gave him kind word, but am sorry di
1t without your consent. For ] could hav
got your cOnsent-you know could-papa
1t L had coaxed long enough for it. l coul
coax anything out of you, you dearest an
most indulgent father, that hard-hearted
ungrateful girl like me ever had And l'r
sorry hadn't gone on my knees to you AFT
erwards. l would if had known that yo
wanted me to: You see, papa, 1 thought