The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-12-21

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will make. My doors will never open
to you again, never"
He met with will as strong as his
own, that time. She did marry him,
and went away with him from her faith
er's house. Mr.. Golding had known the
day the wedding was going to take
place, and disdaine1 to step it. He
washed his hands of Harry Church, and
of Amy, his wife. She wrote home at
terward over and over again, but Mr..
Golding sent all the letters back nm
opened. Subsequent to that, they dis
appeared from the town and he had
never heard what became of them. 1t
was at least ten years ago now.
1t seemed very strange to him that
these things should have come back to-
night to haunt him-and with wild
remorse, pitying regret. He had done
notsing to recall them. Could it be
his sense Of failing health that brought
them ?-if so, what sort of anguish
might he not look for, as he drew nearer
and nearer to the endingP He began
to wish that he knew what had been in
those rejected dletters-whether Amy had
been suffering for anything that money
could supply. The next thought that
struck him was, why he had opposed
the marriage so virulently. 1t is true
Harry Church had been but clerk in
his own employ but he was we'll
educated gentleman, and would rise
with time. Faithful, intelligent, perse-
vering, respected-but poor. In that
last wsrd lay the head and front OF
Harry Church's offending. He, Joseph
Golding, was rich then; he was far
richer now; but he could not help ask
ing it, what special good was his riches
bringing him I He was an old man,
the span of life running quickly on, and
he was all alone. Who would take his
gold then? He could not carry it along
with him. All in a moment-he saw it
clearly-the dreadful truth stood naked
and bare; his life and its objects had
been mistaken.
"All alone all alone p he kept say
ing to himself, in sort of vague self
pity. "Tve toiled and worked for
naught!"
But during this time, even now, as be
sat there, a messenger of love was on its
way to him. Perhaps Heaven had been
but preparing his heart to receive it
He heard ring at the door. bell
Heard it without paying attention to it
Rings were nothing to him; people did
not come on business to his residence
and of visitors he expected none. Down
vent his head lower and lower with its
weight of thought.
Meanwhile two people were admitted
into the hall below Il man and Il little
girl The man had the appearance of a
staid, respectable servant. He took of
the child's warm cloak and hood, and
she stood revealed f; a dainty, delicate
creature of some eight years old heI
golden curls dropping softly around her
face, with its large blue eyes and its
cherry lips. The admitting maid, no,
knowing what to make of this, called
Mr. Ceilings housekeeper, old Mrs. o..
good. The latter went into tremor a:
she came forward and looked at the
face.
"It's Miss Amy's child !" she exclaim,
ed to the man, nervously. "1 couldn't
mistake the likeness"
"Miss Amy's that was," he answered
Mrs. Harry Church she has been this
many year"
81 know. 1t is as much as my place il
worth to admit any child of hers here.
"You are Mrs. Osgood," exclaimed
the little girl. "Mamma said should
be sure to see you"
Hear the blessed lamb! And so she
remembers me-"
"She talks of you often she says you
were ALWAYS kind to her nobody bu,
you loved her"
"Well, / did love. The old house ha.
never been the same since she went ou'
fit. What's your name, my pretty one ?
Amy"
"Amyl" repeated the housekeeper
lifting her hands, as if there was some
wonder in it.
"And mamma said you would let m,
go up alone to grandpa"
"And so you Shal," decided Mrs. Os
good, after a minutes hesitation. "l
won't stand in the way of it, let master
be as angry with me as he will. He il
up in the drawing-room, all by himself.
The man sat down to wait. And thu
child went up alone.
Opening the door. she went softly in
not speaking; perhaps the stern-lookins
old man, sitting there with bent head
awed her t. silence. Joseph Golding
waking up from his reverie, saw lette
held out to him. He took it mechanically
supposing its messenger, hidden behinC
his large chair, was one of his waiting
maids. With singular quickening o
pulse, he recognized his daughters writ
ing.
She had waited all these silent years
she told him, because she was determ
ined never to write to him again unit
they were rich enough for him to know
that she did not write from any need o
his help. They had passed these tel
years in the West, and Heaven had pros
pered them. Her. husband was a ricl
man now, and she wanted from he
father only his love-wanted only tha
death should not come between them
and either of them go to her mother
side without having been reconciled t
the other.
"How did this come here ?-wh
brought it" demanded Mr.. Goldine
in his usual imperious manner.
~ did, grandpapa."
He sprang up at the soft, tiuid voice
as if some fright took him, and stared a
the lovely vision, standing there like
spirit on his hearth-stone, with he
white face and her cleaning colder
hair. Was it real !? Where was he
Who could this child be ? But, as h
looked, the likeness flashed upon him
and he grew hungry to clasp her to him
1t was the little Amy of the old day