The Republican journal., 1875-09-30
The Timely Warning.

The Timely Warning.
"Good night, papa, said sweet child
ish voice
| looked down in surprise at the little
girl that was standing at my friends knee
for though this was our first meeting after
Il separation of some years, had supposed
him to be childless.
She had entered the room SO noiselessly
that, until she spoke, neither OF us had been
conscious OF her presence.
Good night, my daughter" said my
host, Il smile of infinite tenderness soften
ing his rather stern features, and holding
out his arms as he spoke.
The child sprang quickly 10 the shelter
of chat broad breast laying her soft cheeks
lovingly against his.
As he held her thus, stroking tenderlv
Us u mother might the shining hair that
mingled with his own letty locks, | thought
that had never seen Il prettier picture
She was in form so petite, with features
almost intantile in their delicacy Of out
line, he SO strong and stately; her com
pleXion was eXquisitely fair, and her eyes
of the soltest hue, while his We're black
and piercing, and his face bronzed by the
exposure to sun and storm Incidental to
his adventurous lite.
A matronly looking woman opened the
door, pausing upon the threshold as If re-
luctant to disturb them.
AS soon as my friend observed her, he
arose, and blessing the child with So
lemnity and tenderness l had never wit
messed in him before, dismissed her.
Not your own daughter?" said Us
soon as we We're left alone.
'No; but could not love her better if
she were. She is The most precious of all
my earthly possessions, as well she might
be My darling little Katie! she saved
my life
"What that slender, delicate child ?"
"Ies; and when she was smaller and
younger than she is now"
u win tell you how it was" added my
friend, replying more to the eager in
qairies in my eyes than to anything ! had
said, at is not a long story"
And pushing toward me cut glass
dish, of some quaint and curious pattern,
filled with heavy clusters OF grapes. my
host settled himself back in his easy chair
and commenced as follows:
about two years ago, important bust
ness called me TO A, in the western
part of Canada. Partly because | was
more accustomed to that style Of locomo-
ton, and partly because public convey
ances in that section of country We're
slow and uncertain, started on horse
back
IL had been about a fortnight on my
way, and was beginning to congratulate
myself that | was near the termination of
my journey.
1T was near sundown and the Sky be-
gan to look as il a storm was brewing
| had ridden many hours through a rude,
thlny settled country, and began to look
anXiouSly about tor some human habita-
ton 1t was, therefore, with a feeling OF
relief that saw, a few rods ahead of me,
what seemed to he public house Ii
was so long since had seen one, that in
spite OF It's dark, dreary appearance, ii
had a pleasant look to me.
There We're neither trees nor any signs
of vegetation around the house, in front
OF which a craZy-looking sign was creak-
ing iii the wind that was rising, and upon
which could be seen a few letters Of what
was evidently once - Entertainment for
Man and Beast, now nearly etlaccd by
exposure to the weather.
LAS | rode to the door, saw II stout,
middle aged man sitting on the rude
porch, cleaning q gun.
"'Good evening. friend | said Can
You tell me how tar it is to the village of
A-?'
1.-The man gave me a quick, compre-
bensivc glance. and then dropped his
eyes.
" 1t is q matter of eight miles, he re-
plled; Just beyond the Black Forest, the
edge OF which YOU can see from here
You had better not attempt it tonight,
he added, as he saw | was hesitatng as
to whether had better stop OF push
ahead, now that was So near my Jour
ney's eud. There's a storm coming up /;
besides, a good many tray yellers have
been robbed in Black Forest lately
"'I believe I,won't risk it them | said
for have that about me that | wouldn t
care to lose
"Irecalled afterwards the sudden bright
ening Of the landlords eyes as | said this,
but it was so brief that it made little i'm
preston on me at the time.
Remarking that his ostler had gone
away on an GRAND, he took charge of my
horse, and taking my saddle bags in my
hand, entered the house.
- 1t consisted OF large hall, with a
good sized room on either side AS soon
as | stepped in, my attention was arrested
by a little girl, in spite OF her neglected
appearance, one of the most perfectly
lovely little creatures that | ever saw.
81 learned afterwards that she was
nearly nine, but so small and delicate
was she that she looked full three years
younger.
''In one of the rooms was large,
coarse-featured woman, with a peculiar,
disagreeable expression of countenance,
engaged in some domestic duties; the
other was vacant, and entering it, took
seat upon the settee.
1.-The little girl came and stood by the
open door, fixing her large, earnest eyes
upon me with a mourntul intentness of
expression that | never saw in any child
before
Il smiled and held out my hand to her
To my surprise she came directly to me- y
"Touched by this expression of conf
dence in an entire stranger. no less than
by her exceeding beauty, | took her upon
my lap"
''You are not my papa" she said, re-
SditlHo iiiC Will Clo StlHc WiSt!ul look g,
''but you look like him."
"Where is your papa?" | inquired,
more for the sake of talking than because
cared TO know.
1.-The child shuddered and turned pale y
"Just then the landlord entered. He
frowned as his eye fell upon the child
and looked uneasy"
"You must not trouble the gentleman. u
he said, in voice whose harshness was
in marked contrast to the smooth, oily
tones he had used in speaking to me-
''Get down and 60 into the kitchen"
"The child shrank, in mortal fear, from
that tone; and in spite OF my OBTAINING
hand slipped quickly from my knee and
left the ROOM"
"After partaking of warm substantial
supper, | requested to be shown to my