The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-04-19

AOou III tuOuS lto oAAO
tuous night without, timepassed. Some !
one was at the door; the mob turned
gently, the door opened slightly, then
closed without sound. What could in
trude at that time of night2 The doe
tor woald hardly act in that manner;
the cat lay fast asleep on the hearth.
Again it came ajar, this time revealing a
pair of bright black eyes, shifting like
liyid Goals in their sockets, then a face
whose regular features and smoothness
would give it the impress Of effeminacy,
were it not for the tawry color. OF it.
The eyes lighted on the bed; look Of
recognition came into their dHpth; the
door opened wide-it seemed strange
that the girl did not see the man. There
was sound at last; the two confronted
each other with fire glcaming in each
nerve the tension of long drawn anxiety,
"Caspar, why have yoa stayed away
these long yeaFs?'
"Don't Ruth NO blame will altar the
matter now. 1 thought you had all
forgotten me long ago. When l came
back first they said the old man would
never"
"Hush! Speak low - that is our
father" interrupted Ruth, whose finer
susceptibilities were shocked by the ap-
pellation.
"After came home the people said
you had moved here op account Of my
being a jail-bird. Ha ha! the good
people, the very good people !" And
the man laughed low, discordant laugh,
. inborn of sinistered soul.
"But we never forgot you, Caspar,
and all would have been forgiven at
once if you ha d only come back"
"Oh, no, no, my pretty sister, it would
never have been policy for me to eoii1e
back. I have been too much of a striped
prison-bird, only they never found the
right one. But this is my old stamping
ground; how did you get here? 1t was
only by accident that l saw you and
guess ed the rest"
"Why, we bought this place few
years ago, the doctors advising father to
get the benefit of the sea air. But he
is past all help now, and nothing can
cure him."
/ "H'm! Is that so? Thought he
would have gone long before this"
"Caspar, how can you speak of our
father in that manner9 He is not Old;
besides, his days are already numbered,
and he lies at deaths door"
The man seemed somewhat abashed.
as he remained silent for son1e time
And so, at last, when the sick man opeu-
ed his eyes, they fell upon the figure Of
his SON smile almost spirit born
filed his eyes and face with radiant
joy.
"My son, is it indeed you? Thank
God, you have returned at last Cas-
par, know you only as the innocent,
guileless boy whom your mother loved.
Come and let ME give you last en-
brace. For this have prayed, that
might see the face of my brave boy,
who made the false step that turned him
from the right. But I have forgiven
you, boy-forgiyen you long ago. What
fine boy he was, with sunny flowing
locks, and the dark eyes of his mother
Yes, nice boy, nice boy, and he will
make nice man, no doubt"
;. So the father wandered on, grow.
ing more and more incoherent.
The doctors came at last, and they
pronounced the end not very far away,
He had a lucid interval soon, during
which he called his children to him fol
last talk on earth.
Casper, my boy, if you had lived
different life it would give me less paiI
here; but do not chide you now
Even during the worst / could have de
vised some way to make you happy; bu
!, you always stayed away. l would hat
. you do better, give up going to sea, ant
settle down here and take care Of, you
sister. She has suffered enough through
- our trouble, and you will make dealt
easier by obeying my latest wish"
+ Father. l will make this resolve,
q said the son, "If it will make you an.
q happier thereby, / will promise frol
this time forward to mend my ways"
}, "Thank God for that, my son! Clini
q to the right, and all that is pure an
upright, aud in the end all will be for
!, giyen.'
Z Old Mr.. Deval did not die then, bu
4 fingered long time, and his son an
r daughter did everything they could t
4 make his last days pass smoothly. Th
4 gossips had all they could talk about i
: explaining the wonderful fortune tha
n had befaIlen Jack Somes, the gay de
ceiver. But still they believe in hi
. sincerity, as it has been attested by th