The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1871-01-20
FuoREscE,s REWARD.
BY FRANCIS HENsHAw BADEN.


BY FRANCIS HENsHAw BADEN
- twas Christmas morning. The sun
was shining brightly on the new-fallen
snow. 1t was just cold enough to
freeze. The sleighbells were ringing
merrily. The children were having q
gay time, skating and coasting, and
playing tricks on passers-by. One de-
crepit old man was thrown down by
their tricks, and lay so still they feared
they had killed him.
Another eye besides theirs witnessed
the accident and It's cause. A young
girl stood In the bay-window of the
mansion before which the old man had
fallen another instant, and she came
running down the marble steps, and.
unmindful of her costly attire, the rich
silk that fell In heavy folds about her
form, she sank down by the old man,
exclaiming:
g "For shame, boysl Come, Eugene,
and help me raise him Nay, he must
be carried. Go bring Brown here"
A moment or two after, Eugene re-
turned, followed by a large, strong
looking man, who, IN obedience to the
girls command, raised and bore to the
house the inanimate form Of the poor
old stranger.
: "Gently, gently, brownl Place him
on the lounge, she said.
Restoratiyes were applied. Tenderly
he was cared for. And after short
time, the kind girls efforts were sue
oessful. The old man opened his eyes,
and looked inquiringly into her face
She explained the accident, and was
2 holding glass of wine to his lips,
when servant entered the room. bear
ing on silver waiter a card. She
j looked at IT and said.
"ITel Mr. Granger will be up very
soon. Ask mamma to entertain him.
Fifteen minutes passed, and still she
fingered with the suffering man. He
was lame, and the fall had occasioned
such severe pain to the afflicted limb
that he had tainted 1t was impossible
for him to walk at all just then
A rustic of silken robes, and Mrs
Cameron glided into the room, and
stood looking with perfect amazement
on the scene before her. Kneeling be-
side the lounge, alternately bathing
the face and placing vine to the lips of
, the miserable old man, was her daugh-
ter.
"Florencei-who7 what is the mean
ing Of this 2" she asked.
The gentle girl explained, and her
mother said:
Gone of the servants could have at
tended to him If he is able to be
moved now, you had better send word
to the proper authorities, and have
him carried to his home, or the aims
house"
"But, mamma, we are the proper
ones to attend him Eugene and his
companions are accumulation his suf-
fering.n
: The old man said something in low,
feeble voice, and Florence's ear was
bent close TO catch the words.
"He viii go home" he says. 'fWell,
you must wait little longer, and I viii
have the carriage
GA carriagel II you please, Flor
ence, send Brown to procure one, Mrs.
Cameron said. As she turned to leave
the room, she continued, sfMr. Granger
viii feel hattered by your conduct"
Send him here, mamma. know
he viii think Pm doing right"
A few moments more and Carl Grain
ger came into the room. Florence's
sweet, bright face, that had been rails
ed to greet him, was suddenly cloud
ed. She saw that she had mistaken
her loyer-for, with an expression OF
contempt, which he could not, or cared
not to hide, he looked on the suffering
man. Scarce had Mr. Granger
passed the compliments of the day,
when again the door opened and ano-
ther young man entered. He was not
strikingly handsome, like the other,
but his was the face of one that chill
dren love to hnger near, women con-
fide in, and men trust.
excuse me, but / have permission, =
he said. "Mrs. Cameron told me you
were entertaining your guests here"
Turning to greet MIR. Granger, the
young man saw the sufferer on the
lounge.
"Who have you here2 Are you hurt
sir7" he SAID, going up to the side O.
the old man and taking his hand.
Briefly Florence told of his fall; anG
the look OF admiration, nay, almost ad
Grafton, which beamed in William Hart
ley's eyes as they sought hers, ought tC
have been the balm to entirely heal tht
wound caused by Carl Grainger's look
But it was not, Just then, for Florenc,
had thought more of the handsome Car
than any of the other young men VIII,
visited the house. She was dreadful,
disappointed to knotU him SO differen
from het thoughts. .s--.
- The old man signiied his desire t.
go; and when Brown returned with
carriage, William Hartley, with almos
womanly gentleness, assisted him In
and urged that he might accompan
him home. An approving look fror
Florence, and he jumped in, closed tn
door, and ordered the driver to tn
street and number directed.
9God bless youI You are a goo
child I shall never forget this day
Perhaps III come to see you agaf
Bome time" the old man said, whe
lsaving. f-- Y 10
The same contemptuous expressio
was again on Carl's face, and he sal
sneeringly: