The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-12-18
said one to me; tits no place for a GENTLE
man like you, especially at this hour.''

nan like you, especially at this hour.
%, I'm q doctor, and have patients
here" I replied; but for all that, did
not feel conf Portable, and was glad enough |
% espy the squalid one and her brother,
who conveyed me through the excited
crowd in safety. At the door OF the |
house met Connington.
"What, back again, doctorl Nothing
wrong, hope9" he said.
"No, nothing. How is your wife? I |
II have something OF Importance to tell
you. Where can speak to you alone2"
I asked.
80, here" he replied. "Mrs. McTag-
gat lets me sit in her parlor when she is
out; and out she is, fortunately"
And he showed me into miserable
little room, containing four-legged
table and five or six chairs, dignitied by
the. owner with the name Of parlor.
''Tell me, Mr.. Connington, was your
Wifes name Hollingsworth2" I asked, as
we seated ourselves before smouldering
fire.
He started.
"Yes!' he said, eagerly.
"Then you have not seen the papers
lately?" said.
'The papers, he replied; lis it likely,
doctors'' with sad gesture.
"rhen you do not know that Mr.. John
HOllingsWOrth, of the late firm of Hol-
lingsworth e Co., of Fleet Street, is dead
that he died, indeed, under very pain
ful circumstances9"
dead, is he9 Well, heaven forgive
HIM He has been my bitter, remorse-
less Toe, Dr.. Herbert. He knew our state
of poverty and want-knew that we were
well-nigh starving. My poor wife, there,
went to him not month ago, forced her
way into his presence-for he had sternly
refused to see her since her marriage
with me, a poor artist-and on her knees
begged his forgiveness and help! He re-
fused both, cursed her to her face, pray
ing Heaven that the child that should be
born us might prove as undutiful to her
as she had been to him. The excitement
and grief was too much for my darling,
and she was taken i'll that night; and you
know the rest, doctor" ~.
And he groaned and hid his lace in his
hands. - -.. ... ..y
"Mr. Hollingsworth left packet in m y
care for your wife," said, after pause
''In your charge then. you knew him?"
cried Connington, in surprise.
81 met Mr.. Hollingsworth but once," I
answered, "and but few moments be-
fore his death, which was a terrible one"
"How so?" he asked, anxiouslv.
"He died by bis own hand" replied,
in low voice.
'Horrible!" said Connington, in tones
of deep distress" 'But tell me alp
And I told him of my first and only
interview with his father-1n-law, and its
tragical ending.
"This packet, I trust, may contain
something to your advantage" said,
producing the letter.
"Not here" he said, hastily reading
his wife's name on the cover. Let me go
and prepare her for the news, then let
her have the letter. Harsh and cruel
as he has been to her, she still loves him
dearly, and this will be- terrible shock
| to her." .;-- ...
Half an hour atterward he returned
and took me up stairs. There were traces
of tears on Mrs. Connington's face as
entered the room, and her hand trembled
sadly as she took the letter from me, and
when her eyes fell on the well-know1
writing of her father, a smothered sok
broke from her. As she opened thu
packet, 'bank-note fell to the foo
it was for a thousand pounds, anc
there were five more Of the same in tn
letter, which ran thus:
"My Daughter II am a ruined man
and about to die! I loved you dearly
far more dearly than you imagined. Yo1
were my idol-the one thing l existed FOR
and when you left me, for a while m,
love was turned to hate. I have beel
cruel and unforgiving, and, before die
would atone to you for it, as far as lie
in my power. What enclose is your
by right-should be yours, for it wa
4 your mothers fortune, and all I hav
saved from the wreck of my property
Farewell! May Heaven bless you an(
yours. Forgive and forget me. You
father. J. HoLLlNGswRoTH."
! A deep silence took place as Geralt
Connington read the last words of tn
self doomed man aloud, broken only b,
the sobs of his wife, whose grief for he
father. cIt off from the earth by his owl
hand, knew no bounds. She forgot, TO
the time, his hardness and pride, tn
misery his unforgiving temper ha(
caused her-forgot that he would hav
sacrificed her herrt's love on the altar o
Mammon, and had urged her, by entrea
ties and threats, to give up the man sh
loved, and marry one whose only qualif
cation as q husband seemed to be tn
possession of untold wealth.
| No! she could only remember now hi
many kindnesses, his care Of her, his in
dulgences of her smallest caprices, hi
fatherly tenderness and pride in he
when she was at home in her early child
hood; and the poor suicide had one VIII
mourned for him with heartfelt sorrow
little as he had deserved it. y
A few months afterward went to visi
the Conningtons in their house at Chisel
hurst. Mrs. Connington, dressed in dec
mourning, still bore traces on her deli
cate pale countenance of the trial
and troubles through which she hat
passed; but nevertheless, saw that sh
was happy. The baby slept PEACEFUL,
in his nurses arms, who, followed by
tidy, trim nursemaid, in whom 1 had a
first some difficulty in recognizing tn
squalid one, carried him up and dow
= l. 4 u e L n 4.