National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-03-11

stunning shock He quivered, held his brcsth,
stared into the ewes of the onesta9nef, and then
suddenly becoming unnstursily cool and col
1ected, said, "Is It you, William.I
The two who stool back had once been
Johns warmest friends. They now came for
mapd. told the story of Williams sudden re-
turn, and sought for themselves forgiveness for
the cruel and false suspicion which had so long
estranged them from their friend.
John seemed to hear this as ono in dream.
He talked with William and the man in 3 man.
ner that seemed strangely cold and indifferent,
about where William had been voyaging so
long in distant seas, and Of his strange absence.
A quarter Of an hour passed away. The men
proposed that John should 70 with them to
their homes, and said there would be gather
ing of friends there. They pressed the invita-
ton with warmth, and such true feeling as
our voices express when dear friend has been
greatly wronged, and we humbly acknowledge
l.. '- 60 - 80 !
John said absently, in reply, that he did not
know. He looked uneasily around as If in search
OF something, perhaps his hat. He essayed 10
rise from HIS chair, but could not, and In mo-
ment he fell back ashy pale, fainting and
breathless. The men had not looked for this,
but accustomed as they were to the rough life
Of the wilderness, they were not alarmed. They
famed the fainting man with their straw hats,
and 40 soon as water could be found, applied It
to his hands and face. He soon partially re-
covered, and, looking up, said in q broken voice:
ssGive me little time boys" At this hint,
the two old friends, who were now crying,
stepped out of the door, and cousin William sat
down out upon the doorstep.
John found that little time was not enough.
He had Travelled too long and far in that fear
full desert of loneliness, easily or quickly to
return. A nervous fever followed the shock
he received, and for two months he did not
leave the homestead, and was confied to his
bed But the old house was not lonely. The
men and women came, both his old friends and
some newcomers, and tried to make up to him
in some degree the love and sympathy he had
so long missed. But for many days 1t was
evident that their kindness panied and Cypress
ed him. -
at appears like" said Pete, "that rough
word don't hurt him, but kind one he can't
stand" And this was true. His soul was
fortified against hatred and contempt, but
kind voice, or q gentle caress, seemed to wound
him so that he would sob like an infant.
As he recovered from his illness he contfnu
ed gentle, kind and shrinking, to fault. By
the operation of some spiritual law that l do
not fully comprehend, he was; after his re-
cOvery, one of those who win a strange affec-
ton from others. His influence seemed like q
wild fascination. 1t was said of him in after
years, that he was more truly loved, and by
more people, than any other man or woman in
all the settlement round. Children loved him
with a passionate attachment, and the woman
OF hild-like nature whom he made his wife lie
said to have died of grief at his death. He
departed this life at the age Of thirty EIGHT
years, and he sleeps on the edge of the great
valley, with his mother and his wife beside
him. p. DEMING.