Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1879-04-17

cook the soup. and her father went
once more to the seminary to teach
the boys German. She was restless,
this pretty Doretta, that day. She
told herself she missed the boys, but
did not admit even to her own heart
that if she could have retained one
scholar she could we'll have spared
the others. :.
Only one hour had passed when a
carriage drove swiftly to the doors oI
the little cottage, and Doretta hurry
ing out, saw three men carrying her
father up the garden path, while fol-
lowing, with IL frightened face, came
Sidney Rynear and the doctor.
I went for the doctor as fa t as
could Sidney whispered, taking Dor
etta's LITTLE, cold hand in his warm
clasp, and we met the carriage al
the gate. l am no end of sorrw, Ret
ta, but lin fact-he-it was seeing
mel am afraid :
What? she said.
Why, you see, he was all right
teaching the class when be saw Int
suddenly, and turned as white as a
ghost He asked me my name, and
ss soon as he heard it, dropped dowr
like dead man +
All this WAS spoken hurrielly, and
Doretta WAS too busy for hours tc
weigh the hastv words.
"A second stroke, the doctor said
and Doretta watched hunsrily 70.
one return Of consciousness.
Towards midnight, the invalid
moved slightly, and in p moment
Doretia WAS bending over him, meet
ing the glance Of his large haggarc
eyes fixed upon his face.
'Rynear her father said, in talcl
atterancs. He here-damonl stud.
and you- rich starving-curs'
him curse him I
The passionate utterance Of The las
words exhausted him, and he la,
painting, while Dors,ta tried to coa'
him TO take a stmalant left by th'
doctor. But he moved his head frou
the spoon---mu,tering. Kynear Ry
near my ruin my curse ! and agair
the distorted face warned Doretta 0
a third stroke. Before the day dawn
ed she was fatherleSs.
1t was not strange. with that deatl
scene fresh in her mind, that sh
shrank from Sidney'5 weil-meant ef
tort at consolation but as the wear,
days wore on this gave way betol
his kindly services. How could h
have wrongal her father, when h
mu It have been mere child, twelv
years before, when the Schorns ha,
left New York
Time with its many change;
brought comfort to Doretta, who oh
tanned situation as governsas III
private family, and went abroad wit,
her pupil and her parents. SIdae
Rynear left the country viilag' to en-
ter his fathers counting house i
New York, vowed eternal constanc
to Doretta and forgot her in 81
months.
Five years later, in a private roof
in one of the New York hotels tw
gentlemen, one middle aged lawyer
one man still Young, and exception
ably handsome, were talking togetll
er.
The whole matter rests with you
, the older man was saying. i vii
give you the facts, but you under
stand | accepted them as conhdenc
and Will never repeat them after to
night.
1 understand said his companio
gravely.
Your father left my Office thre
weeks ago in perfect health on
: hsur later | was summoned to hi
death bed, and found him suffering
from fatal injuries from building
that had fallen as he was passing.
Il know.
He made his will years ago, leav
ing you his heir, with the exception
Of few legacies.'
'Ah, yes. Well, in his dying mo
ments he desired to have a new vii
drawn, but finding death approaching
too fast he made his confession to me
and | swore to repeat it to you.