South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1877-11-30

Mr.. Stesle had never married he enjoy.
cd his riches without companionship
he had not . relative in the world. A
hard, selfish, grasping man. beloved by
none, and respected only because Of
his great wealth. Spite OF his power
to do good. the world was none the
better for Richard Steelc's existence.
No one in Milford remembered Mr..
Steele as others than the miser he was
to day, for fifteen years he had been q
citizen OF the town, and no change,
either for better or worse, had come
over him in . moral point OF view.
His gardens OF Ireton Hall were tho
finest for scores Of miles; the yellow
pears and luscious nectarines msllowed
on its walls, the ungathered grapes
| purpled on the trellises. and no school.
boys daring hands disturbed the ripe
treasures. Mr.. Steele's great dog, Pluto,
was az selfish as his master. and his
cruel teeth were always ready to iufiict
summary punishment on all dsprcda-
tors.
One quie. afternoon. as Mr.. Steele sat
on the piazza gazing out ON the broai
acres Of Ireton. his eyes fell on two lit.
tie children who were coming down tue
road, hand i'm hand. They arrived i'm
front OF the gardens, and cast wishful
| look Ut the damask roses which hung
over the quantity carved gate. For a
moment they conversed together in sub.
dued voices, and then they turned in at
the iron.guarded gateway, and went
slowly up to the avenue.
An angry scowl contracted the brow
of MIR. Steele at this unwonted intru
sion. and he half arose from his seat as
if to drive away the unwelcome guests.
They were the first children who had
ever dared to trespass on the estate of
Ireton Hall.
! They came fearlessly up to the piaz-
"a, still holding each others hands. The
eldest was boy of perhaps twelve
years, noble, brave little fellow with
brown eyes and dark, glossy hair. The
other was girl; she could not have
been more than nine summers old. and
beauty like hers is seldom seen save in
some old, rare picture.
The sight of her face struck a strange
thrill to the heart Of Richard Steele.
and involuntarily he bent down to look
at her. She was as fair as a water lilly,
save the crimson which tinged her lips,
and leaped at intervals TO her white
cheeks.
Her eyes were deep blue. and her
hair like ripples Of motion gold touched
by sunbeams. Both the children wore
mourning garments cheap and coarse,
cut neat as human hands coull make
them.
The little girl spoke first.
please, sir. will you give my brother
and me some roses?"
The tone was musical and sweet as
harp notes, but the rich mans coun-
tenance grew hard and cold. He point
ed to the highway.
"Be off, he exclaimed; 81 do not
raise flowers for beggars."
How the dark eyes Of the boy flushed
and he was about to make some sharp
answer, but the pressure of the girls
| fingers on his arm checked him.
1--WE are not seggars, "shc said, calm.
ly," but our mother is dead, and we are
orphans. She loved the roses, and we
love them, too. Please give us one a.
piece. 1t will seem so good to smell
flowers once more"
The hard face did not relax-the
long, thin finger still pointed to the
gate; but the blue eyed petitioner did
not move. She was regarding him with
an expression strangely tender and
plying, and it annoyed him more than
any thing else to be pitied.
"Why do you look at me in that way?"
he demanded, harshly.
Because 1 am sorry for YOU she
said sweetly "You are old, and sad
and all alone. Where are your chill.
dren?"
81 have none" he answered, and won
dered at the same time why he did so.
None Have you no little girl to sit
on your knee, and call you papa? I'm
sure | pity you very much y
Hump
"But | do Indeed / dol It must
be dreadful not TO lovelanybody. Did
you never have anybody to love you?"
A spasm Of pain shot athwart the
rigid face Of Richard Steele, and his
tall frame quivcred, it might be with
agony or anger, one could not decide
from his words. He pushed tho child
away.
mot another word will not listen
Good heavens! that lips like those
should ask me that question -
Pardon mel didn't mean TO hurt
your feelings. You loved somebody,
and Heaven took her away. Was it
your sister,"
All, yes memory few back to that
gentle, fair-haired child who had chung
with soft arms TO his cheek, and kissed
with warm lips his cheek. His little
sister May How we'll he remembered
her, as sue looked the last time he saw
her face lying cold and calm, like mar
BILE, in the shadow Of coffin. Yes, he
remembered May, and his eyes grew
moist with something like tear, but il
was a strange visitant, and he dashed IL
away. Yet that tear was not given to
May: she had been for years safe in