The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-01-19


later the locomotive entered the great southern
metropolis, hating within a crowded depot
As Frank descended to thc platform, pressing
his way through the crowd to an omnibus
many thoughts filed his mind Was he in.
deed to be the instrument 10 induce Clara Ia
return to her hcart-broken husband? lie had
seen her beautiful maiden in her first ioNci
had seen hcr stand sad, grief stricken BRIDE;
and now that he was to see hcra wandering rel
ugcc alone in the word-this was strangest 0!
IGll
Morning having dawncl aao breakfast being
over, he started to find his friend, at No
Canal street Passing up he "'""h'r steps OF
an elegant house, he paus' ! .... ..."'. %. ih'
threshold, and was somcwha. ,".-,I to iind
himself at the home Of DR.. Winston. bu'
Isurprisc gave place to bcwldcrmcnt when Il
moment later Clara herself entered the room
without warning or ceremony. Recovering
from the surprise Of her unexpected presence
he told her Of her gricfburdcncd husband
how he was dying by inches to sec her, no"
he piteously mourned her loss from the iiESl
and if he could only see her once more anu
ask her forgiveness he would be Conicntcd Il
die; and how he himself had written, search
ing every probable corner OF her retreat. rs h'
finished the picture Of her husbands misery
her eyes stood swimming in tears, for She hat
never before realized how deeply he loved her
J 4 1 To-, ,ll,, I,nI e
90, how thankful | am, Mr. Tedham, iol
your perseverance in your search for me- anI
that it has been crowned with success SHE
said in feeling tones; "for had it not been lo
you would never again have seen him. bu
shall see HIM now, and ii was | who, Will
theconscnt Of your friend, Mrs. --, pIannec
this meeting. | read your first letter to her
and determined then to meet you
Frank was ovcrjoyed, and saj ing, "Ioumus
excuse me till | can send him 4 telegram,
! left the ROOM and in u few minutes more
message flashed over the wires that inspired
the lonely sufferer with fresh vigor and CAV,
him renewed hope of at last attaining tho
precious boon he had SO long desired. y,
Frank returned and gazcd al the kind, sweet
loving expression of her face, he malvelcd al
the change, for in truth she was again the Clare
of her girhood days, so different from Tho
Clara Brooks of West Falls Bat could he
have read the past three years OF her lIic he
would not have been surprised. Like nun
within the walls of convent She had lived
devoting her time to the alienation OF human
misery. Turning forever from The bitter past
she had determined to lead II different life, anc
in DR.. Winston she had found true friend anC
coadutor. And in her anticipation she was
not disappointed. She found, rs all may, thai
to relieve human suffering and make Others
happy is the true path to ones own happiness
As Ycldham returned with Clara to thcil
rural home, it was hard for him to realize how
the far being by his side had been transform
ed from her moroSc, unhappy State 70 q state
little less than sanity. But ii is enough he
solioquizcd; ~ have gained my object, and
in another hour the two beings 50 long unhap
pily estrangcd will be united, and the fearful
chasm which separated them will be bridgcd.'
In the room Clara had left on the night o
her fathers death, sat middle aged man, ap
parcnty in agonizing suspense. The iron
gray locks floating about his brow and furrow
cd checks showed the traces Of premature de
cay. The few jewels left behind he had place.
on a table. On the walls hung the painting,
she had executed years ago, One hand restcC
on the table, while the other held II paper
which he read and rc-rcad, murmuring now
and then:
YES, shall see her once more, and, thank
God shall be forgiven at last. Has she come
Hannah ?" he would then ask in a startled
tone when reused by some passing carriage
and then sinking again into u deep revcric
At last the long.awaitcd carriage dtd arrive
and Clara rushed almost brcathlCSSly into hel
husbands presence.
Il have come at last" she cried on entering
the room,-but no ailcctionatc response cscap
ed his lips, for death again had entered there
and separated them forever
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