Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1871-01-18
MISS WARREN.


eyes to her fathers face.
AS if her gaze discomposed him, Mr.
Warren turned his head, and his glance
wandered restlessly around the apart
ment He was an old man, with tall
spare figure, thin, gray hair, and was
sitting in an armchair, by table GOV
cred with papers, while his pretty
daughter May sat beside him on an OF
toman. She repeated her words;
In me, father 2"
g Yes" he replied, starting from :
moments abstraction. 'tDo you re
member Col. Leighton, my dear ~
Col, Leighton? An old man with
heavy beard, partly gray, and pleas
ant blue eyes. He dined with us few
weeks ago. Yes, remember him, fa-
ther." 5r
Not SO very old May,-not so old
as [ am,-and one Of the finest men liv
ing. He is wealthy,-very wealthy
too"
He met his daughters questioning
gaze fully now, as if he had wished hei
to read something in his face. She
KEEP her dark eyes fixed searchingly
upon his countenance, the ebb and flow
of the soft color upon her cheeks be-
traying the quick pulsations of her
heart.
g What do you mean, father 2" she
asked, at length.
L saw him last night. He offered
to h"'o me-save me, if
J. what, father? ?"
6 Ii L would give you to him. !"
The words came hurriedly from Mr..
n rnyl>c ! ha fao I, 81 J.,
dehberated he should not be able to
utter them at all. As they fell on his
daughters ear she started to her feet,
pushing her hair back from her pale
face, ! bewildered sort of way. as il
she werehalf-strnned.
Marry me, father? Col Leighton ~
she cred III q low voice.
NJ. Warren took her hand, and drew
her down to he. seat again
EIay, Col. Leighton will be good
husband to you [ have known him
from boyhood, and understand perfect
ly we'll his character and principles,
He loves you-will be kind to you, and
strive in every way to make you happy.
And more-and more May, he will save
me from beggary.
He paused, but his child, with hen
face bowed uoon her hands, made nc
reply, nor stirred. The mute distress
that her attitude betokened was not IN
noticed >by b m------------.---
= [ do noS force you to this, May, re-
men oer :, the matter is Left to your own
choice. Lat you know what my own
wish ls-what the alternative will he ii
you do not accept the offer"
She knew Onlv too ua11 F1111v oh q
reali 1ed now how absolutely necessary
the luxuries to vhich her father had
been accustomed were to him Absol
most dreadful thing IN the world to her
but she knew what a wreck it would
make of him. In her youth and
strength tie future would still be bright
and full Of hope to her; but how could
he, with his aged frame and burden OF
sixty years commence life anew? The
hopeful thought that she could work
for him and supply him with his ac-
customed comforts, affor,-ed her but a
moments comfort. To him, with his
stubborn, aristocratic ideas, this would
be the most severe trial of all-his de
hcately reared, petted child laboring
for his support. He would never be
reconciled 10 it. That wa, no alterna-
tive she saw at glance. Then with a
desperate effort to think calmly, she
recalled the form of Col Leighton. She
remembered his bowed head and sill
vered beard, his dark, dee oly-furrowed
face, and fifty years. She could gel
nc further. A yourger face, with mer-
ry azure eyes, and tossing, sunny hair,
sprang up in strong contrast. Stretch
ing out her hands to her father, as if
for pity, she cried out, sEI cannot !
oh, father, [ cannot!"
The old man sank back with groan
Lost-then I am lost !" he cried
shuddering There were no reproach-
es, only those bitter words and that de-
spairing attitude White and fearless
she sat at his feet, the agony of her
heart written on her face The wild,
desperate thought that the sacrifice was
possible, occurred to her.
Father, dear father -
He raised his head, wLitcned with
the frosts of sixty winters, and looked
at her with a CLEAN of hope in his
sunken eyes. She crept into his arms
as she had done when child, and laid
her soft cheek against his wrinEled
brow
" You know that I love you, father,
she said. g [ can never remember you
but as kind, tender, and forbeaIine
with me. Your heart has been my
home all my life. [ will work, beg
suffer for you, oh, how willingly, i
need be But that-oh, father, you dc
not know what it is that you ask ~
He did not speak, but moan broke
uncontrollably from his lips, as herest
ed his head upon her shoulder The
struggle in herheart sent dark, shadowy
waves across her face Gould she
could she ~
% Father" she whispered hurriedly
let me go, now. L will see you again
answer you tomorrow" And she
left left him
He could not see her face in tn,
gathering darkness, only glimpse o
something white, but he felt the qui
vering of her lips as she bent TO kis
him, and reached out his arms to EN-
brace, her but she was gone.
g Heaven pity me ~ The words cam,
like wall from her lips. She wa
alone in the chamber, flung prostratt
upon low couch, with her face hid il
the cushions The sound of the rust
ling foliage of the garden, and the
chirping OF the birds, came in through
the open window with the damn eve
ming breeze, and the pale light OF tht
rising moon filed the room with its
soft radiance, but she was unconscious
of everything but misery The house
was so quiet that the sound of a foot
step crossing the hall below fell upor
her ear, and aroused her to momen
tary interest. She heard q door oper
the library door, and then voice
uttered few words of commonplace
greeting. She remem ed itweIl, and
sprang to her feet wit =. desperate, in
sane thought of fight But the dool
closed, the house was still again, anG
she was calmer.
She crossed theroom istlessly, ant
drew back the curtain of the window
The scene without was beautiful. TIL