The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-05-10


her hand and sought to lead her from the
room, but falling upon her knees beside
the bed, she refused to go, and taking one
Of her fathers hands, cold and clammy,
she laid her cheek upon it.
Pauline" he said, - I've much to say
tn you. and not much time to say 1t i'll.
Before va came home | feared | might
die without seeing you, and | wrote let
ter ia which many things more strange to
YOU will be explained In the large ward
robe which you've been told contains your
mothers clothing and Jewels, you will find
al antique basket In that You Will find
the letter DO not open it until after my
death and Pauline, let your cousin Claude
be- with you when you read II, for por-
tluu uf It Is addressed to him
His failing voice warned him that the
valley ~ shadows was very near. Raising
himself with Al effort he stretched his arms
toward the weeping girl.
Come to me, my darling. Oh little
Paula, II is 50 hard To- leave you. think
# Gnd had spared me a little longer yDit
might have softened my hard heart, but
LoW | shall die and never see you again
never. never.
But, father. we shall meet again in
heaven. you know.
.'Oh no, child No heaven for me
I've put it off too late Ny sins are too
great Don't talk Of heaven to me, Paula.
| can die EASIER if you will promise tn obey
every command in my letter oh, God
Ia making this request | am adding to my
list of sins. but | cannot give up my re
venge I've sacrificed all else, even Ler for
H. and | cannot g back now.
Father, what Is It you've done Tell
me what those commands are. ddre not
promise 10 do that which you say is sinful
for you to request
'.I cannot tell You, Pauline you will
hate lie when you hear IT, But try to be
icve / would not have sacrificed yo,t, could
another been found Have you sent for
your COUSIN
Yes, he will soon be here
~ shal! not see him.
Must give him your blessing, Faith
er"
Ny blessing NJ. Give him my
Iii, voice failed him entirely, and he fell
back upon the pillow
,Jpstlce and Mercy are gone and ia their
pl& stands Charpn. grim and horrible
the waters ~ gloomy sky are touching
the f,ct w the weary traveller. and bright
eyed FAITH Who should have borne hIm
company where j. she Not here no,
no hr never sought her IN life ; II Is too
late now. With nu companions save the
skeleton form and the sullen boatman they
step into thr boat a gloomy triumvIrate
disappear IN the shadows Of the silent
river .pu. 10 the echolrss shore into
whose mysteries We dare not follow, but
Pa 1 tn tht orphan gr who with a cry W
anguish has thrown herself upon the cold
form. f tho dead man. refusing e. leave
him There moaning and weeping she lay
until the old nurse. knowing that the last
Sai offices must I've performed. took her lu
her arms ana carried her into her room
II vas uow yIItc dark and the family law
YER Mr. Leigh. having arrived, he, with
the assistance Of the dumestIcs, prepared
the body for burial Wax candles were
lighted and placed IN the room and the
watchers took their places IN an adjoining
room Z, spend the long hours OF the night
IL .nat saddest ot all occupations watch
ing beside the dead Silence reigns over
the household, when it Is suddenly broken
by the quick trampng Of horse in the
ward Pauline starts from the bed and
listens a moment Then goes outupon the
youth who had lust dismounted from his
horse and ran hastily up the steps.
Claude st. Claire was hardly nineteen
year Ola. but his manly form ana proud
bearing Nould nave passed him for twenty
one readily He vas strikingly like his
uncle. only his eyes were brown and his
hair dark chestnut, laying about his
classic head III luxurisnt masses Of curls,
while the hair and eyes Of the dead man
we're black as Jet. Still there was the
same naughty carriage of the regal head,
the same firm, unyielding expression Of the
chiseled hps He stood with his velvet
cap IN one hand while the other pushed the
damp curls back from his fair brow. His
dress of light cloth was splashed with mud,
giving evidence Of his rapid ride.
=" Pauline, my little cousin, he cries,
taking her hands in his How is my un-
Gle Better, hope.
No, Claude he is dead, and | am
alone IN this great world, and she laid
her head upon his shoulder, weeping vlO-
lently
Alone, my darling Am | not with
you You know. Pauline, how | love you,
/ tho I've never spoken Of my love, and
. LllS - no III llilit W slthh INV ICi 1'h
must have known how much loved you ;
and. darling I've dared hope that you re
turned nv love Tell me, was | wrong nj
He bent his head to catch the faint re
I ply, which, faint though it was, told him
his hope was no vain one.
You will not say you are alone again
will you, Paula 81 he whispered, = and
now cease weeping, | implore you. Do
not give way to your sorrow thus All that
a loving heart can suggest will do for you
All your future life shall be my care
He led her in the house, and learning
from Martha (her nurse) that Pauline had
eaten nothing since early In the day, he
persuaded her to partake Of light supper
Having become more composed she told
him Of the mysterious letter
= | fear to see it, Claude | know not
trLdt father has commanded me to do
and why did he speak so strangly Of "-
She stopped, for she did not wish him to
know that her father had refused him his
blessing, and had almost cursed him with
| his last breath.
MY uncle was a singular man, you
know, Pauline, and dare say the letter
contains nothing more than some eccentric
WISH lie NdHNcO 1Ou nhO W NdAA1 ihOc GA
ecution," but a look of uneasiness swept
over his face, even while he spoke.
. Let us 60 find the letter, Claude, l
cannot rest until know its contents, and
l can not think lightly of it as you seem
to-"
Ia one corner of the room where the
dead man lay, stood a massive wardrobe.
1t had been there when Hubert's father
was little boy, and was said to have been
brought over from England by the first one
Of the name who came to this country.
Pauline and Claude entered the room,
treading softly, as if afraid of disturbing
the silent sleeper. Going to small table,
Pauline took from drawer a large brass
key, so darkened and tarnished by age, that
it looked like iron. They went to the
wardrobe and inserted the key in the lock;
/ the massive 1onr SWING noisalesslv hack