The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1878-08-13

looked at the child "A cons,raint.
even in his kindness. rs il in spite Of
the love he wished to give her.
cloud would come between his heart
and her, q dark, heavy cloud. left
from the long night through which he
had led his idolized daughter.
The details Of their lives during the
next few years could not be interest
ing. Mildred Wa still the light of
her home. and under her care. Elsie
was growing into creature almost "a
bright and beautiful as she herself
had been in her Youth.
Elsie was almost fifteen when
Mildred learned fully how strange
and unnatural were the feelings with
which she regarded the memory Of the
father who deserted her.
1t all came about oddly enough. and
with it, a revelation tn Elsie. which
filed her with wonderment for years
to cs,'ne.
Mildred hal not been quite well for
several days. and Elsie. a. usual.
watched her with unremi,ting tender
ness. So:ne,hin. tina, Mildred wanted
she surpassed {" be in box in Il closet
Of her dressing-rnni. aud one day.
while she slept, Elsie determined &"
look for it. and aslonished her by It's
recovery when she awake.
She went into the cl,'>et and pulled
the boxes armt. In corner she
found chest which she dill MT re-
member ever to have noticed. There
was M sign Ut lock Oh il. hut the iii
could not he raised. In pushing it
she must have touched some secret
spring the iii few up-'here iay the
contents: u complete bridal dress.
grown yellow with time.
Before she could even realize her
own establishment. she heard Millrc,l's
voice. aud ran back into the bedroom.
Instantly she recoliected that she
must have discovered some secret of
which she ought To know nothing /;
hut deception WAS foreign To- her
character. and when Mildred asked.
"What were You in the c'o-et for,
dear?"
She replied without hesitation.
IL went to find the box you wanted.
cousin Mildred"
ut is not there. ] remember now.
it j. in a store.r"om at the top Of the
hon-e. We will ak Mr.. Otis tn
get it.
"s'ousin Mildred" sail Elsie. "dcn't
be angry. am very snrrv-i found
chest. was pushing it. aud the
iii few open. I found"
Mildred put her hand over the
girls mouth. "a If she could not bear
the words that we're To follow. SILVER
ing from head tn foot.
"Are yna angrv," crie.l Elsie.
ooh. I would rather have cut nv
hand I'll than-
Hush! DEAR" she said. with an
effort. Il am not angry-never
angry with y,u. | cannot give you
anv explanations. ! only ask you
never tn speak o: what Won saw. Go.
shut the chest, and pile the trunks an
it. Strange YOU should have touched
the spring -vou night have tried a
year to find il so strange.
She kissed Elsie The girl Obeyed
her command. and from that time the
subject was never alluded to between
them.
They began to talk IF Ei-ie's
childish remembrances, when she
suddenly exclaimed.
IL am sure | can remember nv
mnther once. She WAS irving Ia
comb her hair. But that is all. A
a child. it never seemed To- me pos-
sible-"
She stopped, AMI her face grew
crimson.
SEQ on" Mildred said; "finish
your thought. little one"
THAT | could rave had father.
Now ! understand, hate his very
memory. wish / could blot the
name from my soul :"
She poured out the words with a
violence that startled Mildred. aud
she exclaimed,
"No, child no; don't he so hard. SD
wicked! You cannot tell what he
was. Circumstances may have made
him act cruelty. Don't think harshly
If him-dOn't,"
81 can't help it" returned Elsie.
Il think IL he is alive, and were to
come to me tomorrow, | should fly
from him Us my mothers murderer
"But you know nothing about il"
urged Mildred, 'Nobody ever told
YOU Of him; he may not have been
bad"
But the impression was ON her mind,
and had been from her earliest re-
membrance. that her mother had
suffered some great wrong.
II cannot have YOU think these
things" said Mildred. ''How can
we tell who your father may be! He
may live. Some day you may meet
him. He may need your love. 1t
may be only your pardon that can
make him certain Of forgiveness"
.Do you know who l am ?" inter
rupted Elsie. "You speak So"
Il only know that you are my child
now-thatI love you dearly. Little
one don't think IF the past. it may
never have anything to do with your
life: but charge YOU. think Of your
father with other feelings. Pray for |
him nightly. living or dead, forgive
him in your mothers name, rs she !
would do if-if-"
She broke of suddenly. and, after
q moments struggle, added. with
more calmness,
"Promise me. Elsie. to think of
what l saw. Pray to feel differently.
What you have said makes me very
unhappy. could not bear to have
,,,,, Conc nm 9TH anv hatred in vos,r