Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1875-10-28

The TIMELY WARNING.
By MARY G. HA1.r1NE.

| 0OoA "'S3A0s l'NP", o'~ - ~" ~
childish voice.
| | looked down in surprise upon the
little girl that was standing beside m,
friends knee for though this was ou1
first meeting after a separation fol-
some years, had supposed him child
! less.
She had entered the room 80 noise
lessly that, until she spoke, neither OF
us had been conscious of her presence.
"Good night, my daughter, said my
host, smile of infinite tenderness soft
ening his rather stern TEXTURES, and
holding out his arms as he spoke.
The child sprang quickly to the
shelter of that broad breast, laying her
soft cheek lovingly against his.
As he held her thus, strok:ng, as
tenderly as mother might, the shining
hair that mingled with his own jetty
locks, l thought that l had never seen
a prettier picture. .tE
She was in form so petite, with feat
! ures almost infantile in their delicacy
of outline, he so strong and stately +;
her complexion was exquisitely fair,
and her eyes of the softest blue, while
his were dark and piercing, and his
flce bronzed by the exposure TO sun
and wind incidental to his adventurous
life. e.
A matronlylooking woman opened
the door, pausing upon the threshold
as it reluctant to disturb them.
AS soon as my friend observed her
he arose, and blessing the child with a
solemnity and tenderness l had never
witnessed in him before, dismissed
her .Yr ..
''Not your own daughter" I said, as
soon as we were left alone.
"No; but could not love her bets
ter if she was. She is the most pee
,ors of all my earthly possessions, as
well she might be. My darling little
Kathie she saved my life.
"What that slender, delicate child r
Eyes; and when she was smaller and
younger than she is now. -.....
81 will tell you how it was," added
my friend, replying more to the eager
inquiry in my eyes, rather than to any
thing had said; sit is not a long
story" 'ii - -''t --
And pushing toward me cut glass
dish, of some quaint aud curious pat
tern, filed with heavy clusters of grapes
my host settled himself back in his
easy chair, and commenced as fol
lows:
"Abcut two years ago, important
business called me to A, in the
western part of Canada. Partly be-
cause l was more accustomed to that
kind of locomotion, and partly because
public conveyances in that section OF
the country were slow and UNCERTAIN,
started on horseback.
81 had been about a fortnight on my
way, and was beginning to congrat-
ulate myself that | must be near the
termination Of my journey. a.
SIT was near shutdown, and the sky
began to look as if a storm was brew-
ing. had ridden many hours through
a rude, thiuly settled country, and
began to look anxiously about for
some human habitation. 1t was, there's
fore, with feeling of relief that | saw,
few rods ahead of me, what seemed
to be public house. 1t was so long
since had seen one that, in spite OF
its dark, dreary appearance, it had a
pleasant look to me. .caa
"There were neither trees nor any
signs Of vegetation around the house,
in front of which a crazy-looking sign
was. creaking in the wind that was
rising, and upon which could he seen
a few letters of what was evidently
once entertainment for Man and
Beast, now nearly effaced by exposure
to the weather.
s,As l rode to the door, saw stout
middle aged man sitting upon the rude
porch, cleaning gun.
"Good evening, friend, l said. 'Cal
you tell me how far it is to the village
!. of At , .l
'srhe man gave ME a quick. com
prehensrye glance, and then dropped
his eyes.
SIT is matter of eight miles, he
replied; lust beyond Black Forest
the edge Of which you can see fron
here f,fss.5
"Yoli had better not attempt it to
night, he added, as he saw | was hes
| itatiny rs to whether | had better sfor
or push ahead, now that | was SO near