The Morning herald., 1877-05-21

ret in which his daughter had frozen to
death. He saw, to bis surprise, his desk
where he kept Ma private papers and q
considerable sum Of money, open, and one
Of. his servants searching among the con-
tents. He tried to spring forward to stop
the man, but he could not move,
and when he endeavored to speak
his voice failed him. The fgure
pointed silently to the bed, and Gideon
Grindem looked helplessly in that direc-
ton.
A, man lay on the bed, silent and mo-
tionless. His hands were elapsed mutely
on his breast, and his eyes were wide
open and staring blankly At the ceiling.
Gideon Crindem bent over and gazed a.
the countenance, but he shrank back in
horror nnd dismay. Never had he seen
such look Of despair as that dead mans
face wore. So still, 90 terrible was it, that
it seemed to be something supernatural.
The "a ,rchant shrank back with groan;
for the face upon which he looked was
his own.
"Io this to be the end?" he moaned,
"This will be the end said the figure,
solemnly. ITO die alone neglected and
unloved, and without hope hereafter.
God help you, unhappy man y
The figure slowly faded away, and
Gideon Grindem looked up with start.
He was sitting in his liabrary, with the un-
tasted refreshments on the stand by his
side, and the embers cold and lifeless be-
fore him. The gas was burning in the
chandelier with a sickly glare, aud
through the curtained windows streamed
the proud, full light of the Christmas sun.
The merchant rubbed his eyes and stared
around vacantly. Then his gaze rested
on the portrait Of his dead wife, over the
mantel piece. The golden sunshine fell
lovingly upon her face, and the eyes Of
the woman who had been so dear to him,
seemed full of sweetness and tenderness as
they shone down upon him, carrying light
straight into his heart that had been 80
dark.
20, God be thanked! it was but a
dream"
Another look into the dear eyes of the
woman who had loved him, and he sank
down on his knees and bowed his head
low and reverently. Gideon Grindem
was praying.
1t was still early morning when the
handsome carriage Of the merchant drove
by the Park on its way to East River. b
Down through the vile streets, reeking
with filth, and crime, and misery, that
mark the worst quarter Of the great city,
the splendid equIqpage passed. 1t paused
before miserable dwelling. and the mer-
chant sprang out with a flushed, excited
face, and hurried up the rickety stairs,
fearing that one part Of his dream might
be true after all. A glance satisfied: him
that the blessed day had brought no joy
to the inmates of this sad abode. A wo-
man, pale and careworn, sat by an empty
crate, with look Of hopelessness on her
sweet, young face, while man, wan and
,ickly, lay on the bed with closed eyes,
and two children rested on rude pallet,
still happy in their innocent slumbers.
Started by the noise, the woman looked
upr Gideon Grindem's eyes clouded, and
he held out his arms and faltered:
"My. daughter forgive mep'
With glad cry she sprangi into his arms,
and the penitent father felt that he was
forgiven. The princely mansion had
never seemed so gay before ais on this
blessed Christmas when it rang with the
merry shouts of the children, and echoed
the soft laughter of the elder ones; and as
Gideon Grindem. listened he lifted up his
,eart and blessed God for the dream he
lad sent him to bring back SO much happi.
,ess: