The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1874-06-30

! nOJnlng snail induce me TO Jrample my own
heart under my feet.' r.at.
"What reason have you for demanding
this2" Sears said, pausing before him in
his hurried march. "Why do you come
here with these damnable doubts, thrust
ing yourself between me and my happi-
ness?'' -et ,-I r.a..
81 have intimated nothing which 1 can
not prove" he said. l.l 3a.
f" Then prove it--let me know the worst
at once-I will bear this no longer"
" For your own sake do not force me to
say more ~ replied Mr., James.
"Speak, sayr'
"That woman has deceived you-she is
false, body and soul l''
The words fell icy and cold, stingirg
Sears to the very verge of insanity.
1T is lie p he exclaimed, "a mean,
miserable lie Mr.. James, you have
severed the last bond between us fare
WE'LL"
He moved toward the door, but Mr..
James rose and detained him in strong
grasp.
Wretched boy, where would you go?"
"To her-to the woman whom you have
sandered This is not your work, you could
not be so vile-you have been deceived,
but the very suspicion separates us-let me
60"
But Mr.. James held him firmly, his own
face pale, and revealing some hidden
passion which was more like hate than
grief.
"You shall not go--I command you to
stay"
"You command me % exclaimed Sears,
shaking off his hold; ga legion of demons
should not stop mellow dare you speak
thus ?"
"Because l have the right" returned
Mr.. James, while William stood paralyzed
with passion and doubt.
"The right, the right p he stammered.
"No, never, you have none-stand back,
you are powerless here ~
He would have rushed from the cham
Der, but again Mr.. James voice staid
him.
cay, the right l command you to lis
ten, because that woman is wicked and
depraved-because you are my own son,
William Sears, and she has been to me
what she is now to you, or would be if you
desired it"
Sears fell rather than sank into a chair,
gazing upon the speaker with his frenzied
eyes, while the whiteness of death settled
. over his face.
"Now will You believe me, young man {?
You have wrung forth the secret of life
are you satisfied ?''
Still there was no answer-Sears was
looking into his face with the same dull
stare. At length his head fell slowly for
ward and was buried in his hands, while
he trembled beneath the shock which had
so nearly maddened him.
William" Mr.. James said, in soften
ed tone, William y
"Dont speak to me-leave me alone y
"Only word-this must be settled now
and forever Listen--try to understand
we are going away on the instantl A
steamer sails from Havre tomorrow, in
that we return to America
Sears sprang to his feet, and despair
ing cry broke from his lips
"Unsay those words-tell me that you
did not mean it, and will follow you to
the ends Of the earth"
William, am your father p
81 know--I know--not that l can
bear shame-disgrace- tell me that
Catharine--"
81 charge you neverto mention that
name again-you dare not violate the laws
Of God and man by loving woman who
has been"
"No more--do not go on Let us go
where you will--when you will-but leave
me alone 70
Mr.. James went slowly away closing the
door behind him, and shutting that wretch
ed young man in with the terrible solitude
about him--a solitude which could never
be removed. That iron father wore a look
Of demoniac misunderstanding in the
dimlylt passage his hands clenched,
! while his compressed lips Kissed forth some
broken words. n
} "Catharine woman - in my path
again y
William Sears remained motiOnless
where that man had left HIM. lie could
J not think yet---his brain was too dizzy for
} that--but through the whirl Of frenzy and
7 despair came the recollection Of those fear.
ful wcrds--a gulf had been dug between