Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-10-09
CHAPTER XXXvII.

hAhNAfsEI tsESEiN Dad ihE iNISOsD OE
HARoLD's QUIT.
Mother" said Joseph, RANTS flag is
flying from the mountain top. 1t is far to
go. You will scarcely have strength enough
to reach it."
{" You do not know, my dear, of what |
am capable. In the old world, before your
father and l met-and even afterwards, for
a time-I walked day after day, week after
week, month after month, and was seldom
more than healthfully fatigued. have more
than woman's strength, my dear; and
were l weaker than l am, the purpose for
which we are now treading these strange
paths for the first time would not allow me
to break down."
&c You did not show me the message you
received from Rant"
:" He desired me not to let any person
see what he wrote. You will soon know
all. Rant is wise, and has been working
for our happiness mine, and yours, and
Evangeline's.
Fog Evangeline's /" repeated Joseph
Sylvester softly to himself. and his mother
smiled tenderly as she heard the loving
murmur.
"You love Evangeline, my boy?"
eyes, mother"
''We have seen the growth of this love,
my dear, and it has made us glad. We
knew that you would speak to us when
you deemed it right. And Evangeline
loves you, with souls pure love. 1t is
the sweetest thing, my boy. But for your
fathers love my life would have been very
dark. He met me in the days of my de-
spair, and brought light to my heart"
"You have seldom spoken of those old
days, mother-and never freely. 1 have
often been curious to hear. Sometimes 1
have asked father to tell me of them, and
he has always replied, Your mother will
speak to you of them, when the time
serves but never refer to them unless
she encourages you, for in doing so you
might bring TO her the memory of terri.
BILE grief
"They have ever been tender of me !;
God will reward them"
"He has rewarded them. They are
happy, as l am. You have made us so,
mother"
Z" 1t has not been a merit on one side,
dear; we have striven for each other.
That is the truest happiness. When each
strives for each, when each thinks for each,
when each bears for each, then it is that
loves sweet labor produces the best and
brightest flowers. l have had both love
and sorrow in my days. During my early
girlhood and your grandfather, who died
long before you were born, and one who
was very, very dear to me-my sister
Clarice, Joseph-traveled about the small
villages and towns of the world, working
for our living. sometimes not knowing to-
day where the food was to come from to-
morrow. Our wandering life was happy
and beautiful, for love was with us, and
lightened our toll. Then my father died,
and being before his death mislead as to
the character of a man who protested to
be our friend, left US to his guardianship
and his care until we arrived at an age
when we should be able to protect our
selves from the snares which surround the
innocent and pure in the world beyond the
seas. Joseph, at that time, my heart, my
life, my soul, was bound up in my sister
Clarice, and when she was torn from me
by treachery, 1 felt as if all hope and
sweetness had fed for ever from the
world. The errand we are on tonight
concerns this dear and cherished being a
mystery is about to be unfolded, and l
both yearn and dread to meet it. But
RANTS message should give me courage"
They walked on in silence until Joseph
said, between his teeth
"Those who wronged you. mother-do
they liver"
If they did, and you knew them, what
would you do?"
"They should render an account to me,
cried the young man they should not
live to commit another wrong"
"God will punish them, " said Margaret
solemnly. "No evil deed is ever COM
mitted without bringing in its train its just
reward. Bring to your mind the story con-
nected with this very mountain. The
crime, the suffering of life. time, and then
in the end the Divine anger which pro.
claimed that the sinner shall be judged
hereafter. Joseph" she cried in terror,
"what is that moving yonder?"
Joseph looked in the direction of Marga
ret's outstretched arm. I" see nothing,
mother. You have been frightened by
shadow"
But, indeed, it was the form of man of
which Margaret had caught transient
glanced man weakened by fatigue and
hunger, who was creeping slowly and
YEARLY upward. At the sound of Marga-
ret's voice he dropped behind jutting
rock, and remained concealed until they
were out of sight.
upon my honor" he muttered, 81
never knew the value of food till now it
is really necessary. can sympathize with
the famished creatures / have met with
here and there in my way through life, and
have generally passed by without q thought.
Poor devils am in the same plight as
yourselves. Ii some witch were to throw
me bone, would throw myself on my
knees in gratitude. Or bottle of wine !
That would be more charitable gift. l