Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-09-21

changed. An ante.room adjoining had |
been added, so the main room could be a |
comfortable parlor; IL contained now |
pretty sofas and chairs, a sweet-toned |
cottage piano, pictures on the walls, and |
delicious groups Of tloweringplants. The |
poor wife, no longer haggard and utterly |
hopeless, had been surrounded with |
every comfort by her powerful friend,
and she leaned devoutly upon his assur-
ance that all would yet be we'll She oc-
oupied herself with the care and teach
ing of her child.
The child, loving little creature, few
to greet Miss Rommelaine; and during
the half-hour visit both mother and child
so pcrceptibly drew comfort and hope
from her face and her words that she
was quite absorbed in thoughts of them.
But when she had left them, and had
taken the avenue car for home, their
images gave place to that Of the young
lawyer, Mr.. Thurston. Was it the
strange loveliness of the winter day that
gave the delicious atmosphere to that
reverieY
She ended a day. dream with one prac
tical thought; "1f Richard Willoughby
was like Mr.. Thurston, l think, perhaps
4
mamma; and obi l should like so much
to please mammal
Early February brought storms of wind
and sleet and bitter cold Winter once
more reigned. And on one wintry even
ing Frank Thurston- was summoned TO
visit Mr.. Rommelaine, who, although
convalescent, was still confined to, his
house. sN
The lawyer was received in the library,
where Mr.. and Mrs. Rommelaine were en-
| joying tete-G-tete in the warm fire light;
while Miss Rommelaine, at low-lamped
table near by, bent over her embroidery,
for which foppish looking young man
at her side appeared to be asserting the
| colors. r.-
Miss Rommelaine had not forgotten Mr..
| Thurston, but their words of recognition
were brief, for Mr.. Rommelaine appro.
priated him Immediately. Mrs. Romme-
laine became an Indifferent auditor of the
talk, and her daughter withdrew herself
from it to entertain the young man, for
whom Frank Thurston conceived at first
! sight a dislike.
AS the legal conversation proceeded,
Mr.. Rommelaine became more excited.
His voice grew loud. He recapitulated
with earnest delight the details of the
favorable turn apparent in the progress
Of the case" The attention of all in
the room was soon drawn to his remarks
Mrs. Rommelaine interposed. ",Dear
Robert, do not be too hopeful. You were
disappointed before;, you may be again.
Mr.. Thurston, do not sympathize with
my husbands intense appropriation of
this case. don't think there is so much
in name that a man should sacrifice
himself Unfortunately to keep it in re
pute. What if John Smith should inter.
est himself vitally in the doings and suf-
ferings of every other John Smith? To
be sure, Rommelaiues are not so common
as Smiths, but the principle is the same.
Well, Frank, you might as well speak;
know you want to-" '...
Frank Thurston started, but one glance
at Mrs. Rommelaine was sufficient to as
sure him that this closing address of her
speech was not made to him, but to Miss
Rommelaine-Frances, Frank, as they
called her en- .famille. t5l
My own name," he thought; and he
, felt a thrill of delight, as from one Of
those fond little procJiyities for coinci.
dence that one indulges in when the OBJ
ject of the coincidence happens to be in.
teresting or dear. g.sr ora -f.. 900.
Miss Rommelaine, being allowed, spoke
but her cheeks flushed and her voice
slightly trembled. Mr.. Thurston looked
at her with that gaze which draws into it
J self the strength of the conscious nerves
She dared not return his gaze, for to dc
that would be to lose composure.
81 cannot help feeling as father does,
timidly yet earnestly said Miss Romme
laine. 1t seems to ME right that he
should have taken Just this interest in
these people, although they are in no way
; related to us. They certainly have ia
! theirs name, and dear Robbie's name
there is something sacred about that.
am so glad that father has worked very
hard and spent great deal, and you
too, Mr.. Thurston, TO save this man.. ]
believe he will be saved; then he will in
deed bless the name. And then, anC
: then"-brighter glOwed her cheek, and hel
J voice still slightly trembled -"I thinl
more than ever now = since see the jus
and kind effect, that people should con
| slider that they are related to each other
! For my part, Iwish IcouId be to ever,
, one just as l would be if they were ny
l own, of my blood and of my name.
believe that would be really the sfulfll
ing of the law, as dear father fulfills ii. :
J And here Miss Rommelaine very grace
! fully, but altogether girlishly, arose from
! her place and came close behind her fa
! theirs chair, and putting her arms arount
his neck gave him little kiss ON tn,
J side of his cheek; and then came he
: silvery little laugh, and they all laughed
, at her enthusiasm; and she went back t
; her embroidery and to the gentle fol
whom Mr. Thurston detested; and yer,
soon thereafter Mr.. Thurston took hi
leave. -g -r-f -,e .-rr.-a .-.r .,r.f
But one month from that day he cams
} again; he came to congratulate Mr. Rom
melaine on the successful issue of thu
. second trial. The message conveyed Il
) him by Frances Rommelaine was tn,
, proof, now collaterslly sustained, that
: the death of an eccentric misanthrop,
had been by suicide, and not by the hanC
of the fellow-man who was found nea
, him in his extremity under circumstance
; of convicting suspicion, and who wa
) arraigned for highway robbery an,
murder" A letter written by the sui
: eide, and mailed upon the day that tn,
fatal act took place, described, as part o
his plans, the very details which had tol,
= heavily against the accused. This lette
) was directed to an obscure merchant il
3 an obscure town of Germany. Only tn
I most indefatigable and unstinting as
| sduity on the part of Mr.. Rommelain
had reached that obscurity and brough
the hidden thing to light. .., q
rsaar Haaf hfr - f.f f -aH4 rrfFr
Winter came apaiu. after a brief sum
: mer-are not summers always brief?-
and after an autumn eventful to NOR
than one expectant heart. The New
, Year had begun, and the gay city wa
astir with New Years calls Never wa
y there clearer, whittier New. Years Da,
upon which to make good resolutions
never more crisp, white, sparkling
sheet of snow spread to receive neV
tracks and footprints. The air ram
! with sleigh bells and merry voices; tn
II