Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1871-01-26
MISS WARREN.

tIlN w S"NA IL SOAS
Of surprise, raising her sad, anxious
eyes to her fathers face.
AS if her gaze discomposed him,
Mr.. Warren turned his head, and his
glance wandered restlessly around
the apartment. He was an old man,
with a tall, spare figure, thin, gray
hair, and was sitting in an arm chair,
by table covered with papers,
while his pretty daughter May sat
beside him on an ottoman. She re-
peated her words:
ain me, father?"
eyes," he replied, starting from a
moments abstraction. ''Do you re-
member Col. Leighton, my dear?''
"Col. Leighton? An old man
with a heavy beard, partly gray, and
pleasant blue eyes. He dined with
us few weeks ago. Yes l remem-
Der him father!r'
"Not so very old May, not so old
as am, and one of the finest men
living. He is wealthy-very wealthy
too"
He met his daughters question
ing gaze fully now, as if he had ex
pected her to read something in his
face. She kept her hard eyes fixed
searchingly upon his countenance,
the ebb and flow of the soft color
upon her cheeks betraying the quick
pulsation of her heart.
"What do you mean, fatherT she
asked at length.
'"I saw him last night. He offered
to help me-save me, if
"If l would give you to him."
The words came hurriedly from
Mr.. Warren's lips, as if he feared
that if he deliberated 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, in bewildered
sort of q way, as if she were half
stunned.
Marry me, father? Col. Leigh
TOM" she cried in low voice.
Mr.. Warren took her hand, and
drew her down to her seat.
"May, Col. Leighton will be a
good husband to you. l have
known him from boyhood, and un-
derstand perfectly well 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 her
face bowed upon her hands, made no
reply nor stirred. The mute dis
tress that her attitude betokened
was not unnoticed by him.
q do not force you to this, May
remember; the matter is left to your
own choice. But you know what
my own wish is-what the alterna-
tive will be if you do not accept the
offer"
She knew only too well. Fully
she realized now how absolutely
necessary the luXuries to which her
father had become accustomed were
to him. Absolute loss Of posses
sion did not seem the most dread
full thing in the world to her, but she
knew what a wreck it would make OF
him. In her youth and strength the
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 accustomed comforts, afforded
her but Il moments comfort. To
him with his stubborn, aristocratic
ideas, this would be the most severe
trial of all-his delicately reared
petted child laboring for support
He would never be reconciled to it
There was no alternative she saw at
a glance. Then with a desperate
effort to think calmly, she recalled
the form of Col. Leighton. She re
membered his bowed head and sill.
vered beard, his dark, deeply-fur
rowed face, and fifty years. Sht
could get no further. A youngel
face, with merry azure eyes, anC
tossing, sunny hair, sprang up il
strong contrast. Stretching out he
hands to her father, as if for pity
she cried out:
{" | cannot! oh, father, l cannot =
The old man sank back with
groan.
Lost-then am lost" he erie,
shuddering. There were no re
proaches, only those bitter word
. and that despairing attitude. Whit
: and fearless she sat at his feet, tn
agony of her heart was written o.
her face. The wild, desperat
thought that her sacrifice was poss
ible, occurred to her.
"Father, dear fatherr'
He raised his head, whitened wit
: the frosts of sixty winters, and look
ed at her with CLEAN of hope i
his sunken eyes. She crept into hi
= arms as she had done when Il chill
6 her soft cheek against his wrinkle
|, brow.
y "You know that l love you, f:
ther," she said. can never remen
Der you but as kind, tender, and fol