The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1875-12-24

very pale and trembling very much. Then
without another word she turned and ran
out of the room.
Night had fallen again, and the old man
was lying Oh his sofa in the little back
when the door opened, and three persons
came in. They were Mrs. Hayward, a
tall young man, and female figure, close
ly veiled.
"Mr. Flint" began the lady, sharply,
''you are not the mean, covetous. hard old
man you were, are you ?''
"No," answered Flint, humbly.
"And you would be kinder to yonr
daughter if you had her back again, would
you P''
ayes. But, God forgive me, it is too
late to talk of that ~
''Then, there - she cried, choking and
gasping in her emotion 'take her.
And, with loud cry, the veiled figure
fell at the old mans side and took his head
to her breast.
''My child,' he cried, weeping bitterly,
''my little child ~
"a dream, dear father" soobed the
girl call terrible dream, it seems. For
give me for leaving you
"Tell him." said the tall young man,
laconically.
! Listen, you bad old creature" said
! Mrs. Hayward, twisting her dear little face
into all sorts of shapes to keep from cry
ing, too. 'One night, l came here and
found your daughter nearly distracted be-
cause you were bent on marrying her to
that hideous old crow friend Of yours.
When knew that it was for his money, 1
was sure that you would never soften to
any eutreaty she could make. / was mad
/ raved and stormed awful, and then went
home and told my old boy all about it,
Her old boy, otherwise the tall young
man, nodded admiringly.
Il asked him if nothing could be done
to save her from the misery which you
were driving her. Let her elope, said
he, in his dear stupid way; let her leave
the old rascal and if he loves his child, as
most men, however hardened, do, he will
relent.' And so we planned between us
how it should be done. | persuade her to
meet him, unknown to you, and at last he
consented. My husband" laying her hand
proudly on his arm, ''whom you have
never seen, was the man she ran away
with, and our home was her asylum. She
pined for the father who was not deserving
Of her love; she pined for the home that
had never been happy one, and-and''-
here the little creature sobbed and laughed
togethe:-''we have brought her back to
you, this bright and merry Christmas day,
and never. never wrong her SO again"
When she had finished, Roger Flint
slowly arose and, deliberately turning
about, pummeled his pillows until he was
out of breath. There he sa;d, beaming
all over, '1ies old Roger Flint, that schem-
ing old miser, dead as a door nail. And
bere,' tapping himself, sis the new Roger
Flint, who, with Gods help, will be a
kinder and better man." Then how he
laughed such laughs as hadn't come out
of that dry throat in years. How he hug
ged them all, aye, even the tall young man
himself! How he made perfect, jolly
dervish of himself about the room
Jacob" lie said, stopping suddenly, Il
3
years of harshness and cruelty, I'm going
to pay that debt, Jacob, every penny of it.
And here"-leading forward his blushing
daughter-''is the first installment." Then
turning to the others, he continued 81
have worn spectacles, made of the lowest
passions of my heart, all my life. They
have blinded me to all the good aud gentle
things of which this world is full. But
they are gone, broken, cast aside forever,
and oh my friends, l am happy old
man."
So had sorrow the power to resurrect
those nobler things, buried under many
misspent years, and make them live again.
So had sorrow the power To lay the first
broad stone of clear wide road to heaven.
-NOaHs Sunday Times.