The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-01-24


and toll, and had been friendless and
forsaken of all but God. This was all
ended years ago but the sight OF the
stranger carried her back to her girl
hood, and the friends of whom she had
lost sight when her uncle found her and
bore her away to his stately home.
There was one she remembered most
OF all, poor struggling student half
starved, and half-clothed, who supported
an invalid mother from the miserable
pittance earned as a copyist; but not all
the penury and want which was his daily
portion could disguise the fact that he
was q true and honorable man, and that
he had talent, and would rise in the
world if the laborious life he was leading
did not kill him and in Agnes Carroll's
eyes he was hero to be worshiped at
distance. They had been friends-noth-
ing more. The blue eyes and prema-
turely old face of the young girl had
found no entrance to the frozen heart of
Harry Morton. He was kind, as he was
to all created beings, nothing more.
From the misery of hopeless poverty
and hopeless love combined, he, at least,
was spared.
Anu hRutS SdTTOll W6ut AWAY W leT
good fortune with good wishes and
warm pressure of the students hand
that was all; she, and all women but his
mother, were mere shadows on the wall.
She went away and forgot him, for she
was young and life afforded her many
delights; but she measured all men by
the idol of her girlhood, and though she
knew that he never cared for her, and
that at last his memory was Indifferent
to her, yet, strangely, all men short of
her standard, and eight years after she
was twenty five and still Agnes Carroll.
Two days after, when Mr.. Percy Bell
came TO tell Agnes that his sister Fanny
had come. she told him the story of the
stranger she had found at the gate, and
added that he was now dangerously Ill
of fever; told him also to beg Fanny to
waive formalities and come and see her.
There was nothing on the strangers per-
son to give the slightest clue to his
identity, and his chances of life were
meagre, indeed. Would Percy Bell like
to see him?
No, Percy did not care to see him.
Very likely he was some wandering
scamp, much beneath the notice of re-
spectacle people. Percy Bell said this
in very nice language and in polite
tone, emphasized by the pleasant smile
in the light gray eyes; and he wondered
very much why Miss Carroll was so very
naughty Immediately after and never
offered him her hand at parting. He
did not know that Agnes Carroll had
been on the watch to measure the SOUL
of her admirer, and that again her ideal
lifted itself to an unapproachable height
above him. He did not know, he never
knew, that after that speech his star set
from the heaven of Agnes Carroll's
vision.
Perhaps it would be well for her to
hunt up some beggar, and bestow her
hand and fortune on him Anything to
get rid of her senseless folly about Harry
Morton, who had probably never thought
of her once since their paths had diverg-
ed so widely; and Agnes strove to put
her troublesome thoughts to flight by
taking her work to the sick mans room
and sitting down by the window, sewed
and read by turns, or talked to the nurse
who was there, until the shades of night
came ON and the dinner-bell summoned
her down stairs. That night the doctor
prom ounced his patient out of danger,
and Agnes went no more to the sick
room; but resumed her old round of
duties and in her busy life nearly forgot
him, until her uncle introduced the
subject.
"My DEAR" he said, 81 have been
talking to the stranger invalid, and 1
find that he is quite a gentleman. He
has studied law, and don't know but
that I shall take him into the office. Be
sides, he is from Ashville."
"Ashville !" repeated Agnes, with
sudden interest. 81 should like to
know about some of my friends in Ash
vile. 1 wish you would ask Tim down
to dinner, uncle, if he has anything to
wear. Such wretched-looking object
as he was I am anxious to see how
much a good bed and care and food have
done for him. 1t was certainly a strange
plight for gentleman. Has he told
you his story ?"
"No ; he only said that he came from
Ashville, and wasin search of Unemployment.
He was robbed on the way, and says that
he should doubtless have died had we not
found him as we did. believe l will
ask him to dinner"
Accordingly, when Agnes came to the
parlor before dinner, she found the
stranger there her uncle was with him,
and as Agnes entered he said:
"My dear, permit me to present Mr..
-. Upon my word" he calculated,
81 never asked your name!"
"It is Harry Morton. 1t may be that
your niece remembers me-"
'SAgnes looked into his face, and laid
her cold hand in his. She did not re-
member him, for the long beard and un-
kempt locks were gone but, oh, how
changed Thin and pale he had always
been, but he was ghostly nova mere
shadow of the olden man.
Agnes had never, in her widest
imaginings, dreamed that her first love
would be cast helpless and broken down
at her feet ; she always pictured him as
rising power in the world, as esteemed
and honored for his goodness and talent;
and now he stood before her failure,
his life-work yet untouched. She drew
her hand away and, coldly kind, she
sat down to entertain him.
She went to dinner in sort of dream.
and listened to the story he told in q
dazed way. 1t was certainly a pitiful
tale and MIR. Carroll promised to help
him and he did SO by taking him into
his office as managing clerk, and letting
him sit at his table, and converse in his
parlor.
And MIR. Morton was gentlemanly and
kept his place, never presuming on his
old aonuaiptanoa iii 49, ~.o..o..