Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1877-01-27

firm mutual respect, and neither had
ever lost one iota OF thai reverence
Gencvra felt for Monroe's kindness and
iorbcarancc. and he Tor her slstcrly de-
vution and scll-SacrItlcc.
The week wore by slowly till the ti-
teeuth oil the month. the day appointed
for regular payments of the debt Ge-
ncvra had taken upon her own slender
hands. Al the usual hour Monroe
Farnlev found 1t impossible to work.
impossible to fix his mind upon his cor
respondence or his daily accounts.
When the door opened and q slender.
black-robeh figure came in. he could
have shouted in the reliet to his over
wrought feelings. His visitor was very
pale. but in her large, soft eyes there
Iay 4 quiet. restiul expression which
Monroe had never before seen there.
You have been very patient with me.
She said and more than kind. Alter
to-day | shall tax Your patience no long
er. Ny uncle has SEM me the balance
ct the money ! " you. AS payment Tor
Hrnrv'S services. and my brother HIM
self requested me to- use it 10 lift this
debt. | think You will be glad to know
that Henry did most earnestly try to
redeem the past. working very steadily,
resisting such temptations as beset him.
and being most sincerely penitent and
resigned when death called him.
There was no answer. Monroe Farm
ley's face WAS turned away where Cen
eyra could not see it. and he did not eN-
| tend his hand To take the roll of notes
| she held toward him. While she wait
| ed. wondering greatly at this strange
silence. he lifted his head, and she was
startled Al the paIlor and agitation IN
It's face.
You will come no more; you Will pay
Your exactiug creditor. and shake him
oil with the burden Ut YOUR selt-assumed
debt. You will forget me soon; but l
can never forget the one gleam OF sun
shine that has come into my lite. only 10
fade aud leave it in darkness.
IL was Genevra's turn to grow pale
and agitated.
i have led a selfish life MonroeFarn-
ley continued, hurrying out his words
with L quick. painting breath. Alone
from boyhood, fighting poverty and ig-
norance hand to hand trom the time
was orphaned at fifteen. | have made
my fortune by hard, continuous toll by
u rigid ~self-drnial and closest applica'
tion. Before [ realized that | WAS cut
ting mvseif oil entirely from social hap
puleSs | WAS y middle-aged man, and =
wealthy one. The fortune which | saved
Was mine; the education had ground
INTO my head At every interval OF leisure
WAS mine. What more? Nothing
Other men OF my age had wives ant
,hildren, was alone, The last time
| ever clasped 4 hand in true friendship
was when | held YOU fathers hand II
mine. | have no life outside this count
ing-hUuse; only L lonely, bachelor ex'
%istGnce homeless. trlendless. Gcnevra
why did you come to make NE know
this? | WAS content. as slaves are con
tent to wear their CnainS till they see
freedom before them. | was dronins
out my life, piling dollar upon dollar. iii
vou came to show mt the depth and pu
ritv OF L sisters love. | never had L sis
ter. Genevra. No has loved III.
since my mother died. And You cam
t. let me learn that my dead heart wax
ened to lie craved the loving cOmpan
ionship of a true woman. | am All Ole
man compared to You, Genevra, but yot
viii meet no trucr love than mine you
will lind no heart more ready to give
You loyal devotion. Geuevr;t- having
taught me to love You, will YOU leave
me desolate and alone again?
He held out his hands rs he spoke, will
Il sudden gesture OF pleading that Wal
startling in Il man SO grave and reserv
ed. And into the broad. strong hand
fell two slender. white ONES, cool AM
soft. As Genevra said:
Never. could not think You woulc
love one so young and ignorant as | am
You who are so noble and good. Aut
lam the sister Of the man who robbed
YOU.
None the less my love, my darling
my Wife
The quick blush upon her cheek, tn,
soft light IN her eyes, told Monroe Farm
les that his love was returned befor,
Genevra whispered:
Il love You. How could | help it y
Tho clerks wondered q little To Sc,
their employer walk out OF the counting
. house in the busiest hour of the day
with L lady leaning upon his arm. an
, would have wondered more had the,
followed him to the house "t a ministe
and heard the solemn words that bounc
him to Geuerra tor life.
For, my darling he said you mus
I leave me NO more. ! have caught N
sunbeam and mean to hold it prisoner
But Genevra Farnley has never iOun,
| her prison wearisome or her laller augl
: but tender and loving.