The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-06-22

and the nuts fell like Mayday shower
in the lovely dim arcades of the grove.
/ went with the others to gather the
nuts, but lost my way. Night came ON
and founding me sitting on great fiat
stone, with darkness around me and a
pretty brook flowing slowly at my feet.
had strayed away from my companions,
and 'cas lost. Then he found me, auntie
dear, and knew me and took me home.
He came to see me often after that. He
loves me and / love him. He is nice and
respectable, and his father is richand-
and, Aunt Ann, I suppose you will not
feel badly when I marry himl"
a shall be glad, dear, if he is as worthy
of you as you think he is What is his
name, Kathy?"
With pretty blush and a gladsome
smile, the girl breathed the name other
lover in a bashful whisper.
Benjamin VoorhisI' calculated the
pale little lady, gazing at her lovely niece
in painful surprise.
@Oh, Kathy, my child, this is an un
fortunate attachment for you to make,
for you never shall, with my consent,
marry Voorhis!"
Surely, aunty, you would not be so
unjust?" faltered Kathleen growing
white.
1T is not unjust; it is wise," was the
quick response.
Kathleen, you have often wondered
why / never married; / will tell you
now as the story involves a misfortune
which you must soon know. was just
your age when met and loved and was
betrothed to one who proved to be as
cruel as he was handsome. His father
and mine were partners in a large
mandatory. Their business was sup
posed to be prosperous, and could com
mand unlimited credit. A few petty
disagreements grew into a spirit of en-
nifty so strong that it resulted in q final
dissolution of the firm. In the settle
ment that followed, my father dis
covered that, through gigantic fraud,
so cunningly execute that no law could
punish the perpetrator, he was beggared
and burdened with debts unnumbered.
This injustice and dishonesty of the
partner whom he had trusted and loved
like brother, and his sudden poverty,
unsettled his reason, and he died, as you
know, my child, a maniacal suicioe"
But you did not blame your lover for
his fathers sins?D asked Kathleen as
the pale little woman paused in agita
ton.
NO. was the reply: 1T was his own,
his own weakness that separated us.
The masterful ambition of his father
conquered his poor affection for me and
after 4 little struggle, perhaps with love,
perhaps with conscience, my lover mar
ried a brilliant, wealthy and fashionable
woman. One child was born to them
and then tie mother d.ed And then
James Voorhis-'
ToOrhis!' interrupted Kathleen with
sudden pang of painful astonishment
that blanched the rich roses of her
rounded cheeks.
"Yes, dear; my false and unkind lover
was James Voorhis, and his motherless
son was called Benjamin. After James
lost his wife and parents, he grew indif-
ferent to business and travelled much.
People speak of him as being man
quite as sordid and hard and stern as his
father was before him, and have had q
sad reason to believe the truth of this.
Some one said we hate those whom We
wrong and it must be that James Voor-
his hates me and my memory. A year
ago he sent an agent here to purchase
this place as he wished to add it to the
several hundred. acres that he owns ad-
joining just below. refused, and there
upon some flaw in my deed was un-
earthed from musty old records by
which am to lose my home. Can you
fancy more unmanly act than that,
Kathy? And once he loved me-ah mel
how happy we were in those days"
Two slow tears ran down her soft.
withered cheeks, and she turned away
her patient face, which wore look OF
sorrowful sternness.
$50 you see how impossible it is for
my niece and his son to be more than
strangers to each other. There-there
Kathy; don't look so white and grieved
/ suppose that James Voorhis will be
more opposed to sucha union than even
am. Go, and rest, now, dear, and to.
morrow We will plan something for the
future, for there are only few days be-
tween us and the time we shall be with
out shelter"
The little lady was quite right in pre-
dieting that James Voorhis would be
averse to the union proposed by their
children.
His opposition was bitter and vehe-
ment and seemed most unreasonable to
his son.
Il had rather see you dead than the
husband of that girl" he cried, and his
visage as he spoke was palid with an.
guish and anger. @fy you disregard my
wishes, shall never see you after will
never speak to you or your wife. We
will be more than strangers, for between
strangers there can be no bitterness.
Choose between your father and YOU,
Sweetheart boy"
Il have chosen" answered the young
man, pale and determined as his parent
aGood- bye, father"
James Voorhis, left alone, buried his
head in his arms aiaa groaned
The old days came back to him on the
wings of lurid memory that had em.
bittered all his life and had petrifed
every sweet, fresh feeling he had known
when Life was young, before the ancient
trouble had come.
Perhaps it was unnecessary for me te
be so hansh with, the boy" he thought