The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1879-08-07

eyes, tnen my erThHu hcro 10 ihuoC"
hopeless. If, in his new happiness as
your husband, my father never even
spoke my name, it is useless to hope he
will forgive me.
"Your father! Mr.. Hepworth your
father? He told me he had lost his
only daughter"
"Not that was dead. / was lost to
him by my disobedience. You love my
lsther?"
r just smile, proud, happy and ten
der, answered her.
"Then you will understand me. SAID
Clarice, "when 1 tell you l loved my
husband better than father, home or
duty"
"Fsther would not hear of our mar
r;age, and sternly forbade me to-speak
TO Lucien Manderson, assuring me that
he was fortune hunter, gambler, and
unworthy of my love-" ~
"I would not believe this.
"To ma he was the noblest and best
of men, and for him 1 left all to fly
secretly from home and father
81 have been bitterly punished.
"When the letter imploring forgive-
ness was returned to me by my father,
with few brief words casting me from
his heart and love, my husband proved
what had so fondly hoped was false.
"He had married the only child and
presumed heiress of Hepworth. the
millionair; and found himself burdened
with pennilness wife.
81 spare you the history of the four
years OF married misery that followed.
"Then my husband and eldest child
diedof contagious fever, three months
later, on the very day this boy was born. >
II heard of my fathers marriage
81 returned here, hoping for pardon;
but the house was shut up
"When you came, determined to
make one more effort for forgiveness,
hoping you would plead for me-"
"Oh, by your love for your child'
plead for me-"
"Think if he was an outcast from bis
fathers love, sorrowing and penitent,
and begging of stranger the gift OF
his blrthrightp'
eff my prayers will keep you here,
Clarce, you shall not leave your fa'
theirs house again. Mr.. Hepworth is
in the library; and will speak to him
at once"
She waited a moment to bathe the
traces of tears from her face, aud came
again. smiling. to the anxious group.
"Cheer mp, C!arice." she said brave
ly; "what is your little boys name?"
"Stephen. I. WAS she name of my
brother who died. My first was called
after my father"
'f5t--pi,<rr,, ,,'paii Mrs.. Hepwortih
opening her arms, ''come here, darling
and kiss your grandmother"
: The child sprang at once to the love
ly grandmother, kissing her again ant
again.
Quitting him into his mothers arms
the yonng wife lifted her own bab,
from its own cradle, and left the room
In the darkly.fuin nished library, Mr..
Hepworth was leaning back in his arm
, chair
A light step reused him from hi:
( reverie. and his wifo stood before him
Over her morning dress of delicate
rose color, that suited well her fresf
young beauty, fell the long white robes
| of the infant she carried with all The
pride of motherhood.
Her husband opened his arms to ca
ress both, and laughed as he said:
"Oh. these mothers! Do you suppose
madam, that babies are admitted into
the sanctums of legal gentlemen"
IL do" said the mother, eff the le'
gal gentlemen have the additional honcl
of being their papas."
"Listen to this most conceited O.
mothers, comparing legal honors will
the ownership of little pink roly y-polie'
like that!''
4 "Did yon know, Harold" said Meta
her lip qulvering slightly, as she fel
> the deep import of her words, "tha
this is my birthday, and you have giver
me no gift?"
"You are impatient, little wife, h'
answered, thinking of the costly ban
BILE that was to come without fail BY
noon.
"But I would like to choose my owl
gift" she persisted.
"What can give my rosebud tina
she has not already?'
"Does not your Office include the
power of pardou?' she asked, her swee
face paling with her earuestness.
'In limited degree it does" he re
piled; "but, hear one, I should no
like it to be known that l had shown
leniency to a criminal upon your solici'
tation. You would be constantly an
noyed by the loving relatives of scamp'
and rogues. trying to move me TO pity
through your intercession.
"But this is not case of roguery
Harold-only true penitent: one who
erred in extreme youth was led from Q
path of duty by love as warm and
true as our own. but mistaken. Oh
dear husband, do you not know fol
whom 1 would plead? Cannot yor
guess for whom / would beg your pity
and forgiveness?"
"Clarice," he asked hoarsely. :Wht
: has told you OF her?"
''She has come herself to seek YOU
forgiveness"
"She is here?"
"Yes. You will forgive her? Fol