The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-08-06

: mat night Mr.. Neltalls home was
t dismal and cherries place to the choler
E ic old man, who was left alone with hi
: wealth and his evil spirit. " What
r pity, said friends and acquaintance
2 ''what pity that she should throw ava,
her prospects in this mad way" AnC
| they shook their heads mournfully.
, The young couple spent the first par
of their honeymoon happily and conten
tedly in Mr.. Holm's modest home but
t when the honeymoon waned, the sting
of failure, continually in Bernard mind
! became sharper, and finally worked it:
legitimate result; he was seized with
; brain fever, which lasted a long time
When he had recovered far enough to be
able TO think, he knew that the little
money he had on hand must have been
exhausted long ago, but everything
seemed to go on as usual his young wife
was brisk and cheerful now that her hus-
band was out of danger, and appeared
not to be hampered by the want of
means.
Il suppose Mr.. Weltall had to come
to the rescue after al, said Bernard one
day, what money we had must have
been used up long ago"
. Yes, my dear, that is all gone but
father has not helped US"
. But how have you-?"
You mustn't talk; the doctor has
forbidden it, you know But if you will
listen, | will tell you what has happened
while you have been i'll.
. | am all attention may my tongue
cleave to the roof of my mouth, if | in
| terrupt you.
g Well, when l saw that our fortune
was fast dwindling away, | wrote note
to my father stating how we were situa-
ted, and as my anger toward him had
left me, | asked hun to send me some
money, But"
And he"
Be careful of your tongue, sir it
must be cleaving to the roof of your
mouth now"
Proceed, please I'll be as mum as
an Egyptian 5000 years old, till you are
through"
&c But it seemed my father was angry
as ever, and instead of renting the
needed help, he said he did not lend mon
ey to strangers without security.
The bru-"
Your tongue, sir, your tongue / am
not through yet. Not long after that
the bank with which he was connected,
failed, and he was left without penny
in the world. When his money was
gone his friends deserted him, he suffer
ed greatly. My heart bled for him, as in
ten days he had grown ten years older
| could not endure to think he should
go as a begger among strangers, so | in
vited him to come here and live with us |
he is here now"
An expression of vexation passed over |
Bernard's face, but he said nothing. |
" You won't be vexed, will you, my
dearie?" his wife said, in answer to his |
expression. g He is an old broken-down !
man; the truth is, his mind is affected ;
he is very quiet, and keeps out of every
bOdy's way as much as possible.
FOh, well, let him stay, and welcome
but he did not show much pity on us
when we were in trouble But now tell |
me from what source you have been draw
ing your supplies"
do you remember that short story
which was published in our magazine
not long after we were married You /
mentioned its having such peculiar
title, you know"
&C remember it, but what has that to
do with my question:"
I" You said you thought it was quite
good, didn't your"
g | believe so, but what"
g | wrote that story"
"You?"
I."
" Well, ifthat isn't enough to astonish
an oyster !"
g l was paid for it, too" she continued,
a fine color coming into her face =" and
the publishers wrote me they should be
glad to publish and pay for anything l
might be pleased to send them"
:" And you never told me anything
about it?'
&C wished to surprise you some day.
had sent them a number of articles be-
fore you were taken sick, and while you
were i'll also managed to send one oc-
casionally. There's where the money
has come from"
Bernard could only look at her in 81
lence but his face expressed the feelings
he could not utter in words; then the
thought of his own failure came into his
mind the ashes of dead hopes lay bitter
in his heart, he turned his head away
mist was gathering before his eyes.
The young wife stole gently TO his side,
and kissing him on the forehead, placed |
letter in his hand. "This," said she,
came while you were i'll, | was sorely |
tempted to break it, but l withstood the |
temptation" The following is the letter
they read together:
{" Mr.. Holm DEAR SIR write to |
inform you that | have received an of |
fer of one thousand dollars for your |
painting of The Two Influences. Ishall |
hold the picture subject to your order. |
ALLOW me to congratulate you on
your great success. Yours is a remark
able painting. To paint two faces as ex-
aetly alike in every feature as these in
your picture are, and still to represent |
love to our fellow-man, humanity, char
itv and unselfshness in the face of one, |
and cold-hearted avarice, selfshness and
hardness in that of the other, is great |
attempt worthy of the effort of genius, |
and such as only genius could accom-
plish. If this painting were mine |
should call one of the twins the Bank
President, and the other, the Honest
Man. lam authorized to offer you 50,
900 for your next work of art, leaving
the choice of subject to yourself
Yours truly, p. B. MARK.
"P. S.-The thought in your picture
was accidentally discovered by the per-
son who wished to buy it, while looking
over rejected paintings. The judges, /
am sorry to say, had failed to understand
the meaning of your work. P. b. NJ.
1t was not many months after this
that Mr.. WeltalPs sorrow and affiiction
ended in that deep sleep that has no
morning. His death was peaceful; his
once strong mind was as a child's again.
He spoke of the gladness and the glory
there Is in the earth when life and love
and hope are young. He lies among the
flowers, and the birds sing to him-his
once neglected friends.