The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-09-03
THE SINS OF THE FATHERS.
A Story in Three Chapters.

\ hroal archway, the gl~m of its
chill, murkv shadow only drri,rurd 10y
the llckerof the shattered gas lamp that
hangs from The centre, it, sIl nee only
broken 10y theagonized Weeping ri II poor
girl who strives Ia still the throbhing Of
her temples by pressing thrm against the
chtmnly stoues; whilst, lit.leas one would
imagine II, Int II few spaces separate her
from the crowd and glare at the wide
streets, such scrur Is bui tao COM
mnn alter mghtfall IN the heart ni
grrsu English manufacturing tnwu. A.
sui. 1t did not at first pr,Rulce IT very
Startling effect upon Leonard Vincent,
who, as H. was hurymg home 10y short
cuts from IL social gathering Of fellow
students, was stopped nj the mouth of
the arrhway 10y tine sninlS III distress
that Tell upon his ear; hut his interest
was more windy awakened as h" caught
a glimpse of the upurnrl face family
Illuminrd 10y the light which Just then II
gus. of wind blew into flame. The
dark, iias hing eyes, the long, black hair
all unkempt, AMI streaming over the
girls shoulders. IL" face, lovely III its
outlines, now weird with - L.uk al ago
ny aud glIastly pll', mli"a ph'tLrr such
rs lac had never looked on, and held him
iur moment as imno,iblr ns though
he had been gazing upon the head of
Mrdusa. IL was hut for II moment, how
ever, that he remained irrrsolutc. Step
ping quietly up to the sohling girl, who
WAS too much absorbed III her own grief
iier lightly on the shoulder. She i'll
stumtly turned round Ia meet his gaze,
suppressing with Il sudden and Violent
effort amy trace of her rmutiun save the
great tears, Which she cuuld not "a once
check IN their cOIlrsr down her checks.
The cheeks We're pale and somewhat
sunken, as if hunger ~ we'll IL grief bad
begun Ia mar her beauty, and, n she
looked nj the young mans face with II
proud, impatient gaze. her tightly-com-
pressed lips tremhled despite her efforts,
she aroused III him n feeling of the pro-
foundrst compassion. For some mini
utes they stood regarding each other in
SILENCE; then, as he SAW the girl deter
mined not Ia speak, Vincent began Ia
address her, though with ditiiiemcr.
MAY | ask the cause Of your grief?
DO not think me rude. ask because ]
might Is my wish Ia help you.
The young man. usually somewhat
hrlsqur IN his manner of addressing his
interiors in station, WAS himself surpris-
al ut the tone he was led to adopt. The
position Of the girl before him, and the
phlu, murh-worn character OF her dress,
showed that she belonged to the lower
la. Hal hAr
hook, and felt uncons,.iously that i'll na-
turr she was not beneath him.
The object of his commisseEa,tiom stood
Tor II moment ~ if undecided; then, the
proud expression GA her face still mal-
tered, replied briefly and III low, quick
VOICE:
IL wish To he alone. You are very
Kind. do not nerdhelp."
Leonard Nincent smiled III spite of his
pity.
"You must allow me to doubt that, I"
lac said. evil You not trust me ? 1t is
not from mere curiosity that ask your
confidence. | feel sure | can help YOU,
if you will let me.
Again she replied quickly, but the tone
Was not that of her former speech:
You are very kind. 1t IL long since
l hav" been spoken To kindly. But l
need no help. indeed need none.
The young man agaiu smiled a. he
Looked in her still uIImUyrd face.
lyon are very proud, he said. cit
~ long since ] met any one ~ proud. i
am proud, too. Will you not contide in
kindred spirit"
1t WAS now her turn to smile, and for
a lrin I,t.
with look that was like the faint mem
DRY Of happiness long past. 1t WAS
enough that there WAS IL sign of relent-
iug. Vincent continued to urge her,
aud, after II few moments Of hesitation,
she seemed about 10 comply with his re-
quest.
"Why should | trouble you with a
miserable story? You know it all be-
fore | begin. Aud yet, perhaps, you
seem as if You had Il good home and good
parents; | will tell you i'll few words.
1t will make Inc cry again. that is good
for my pride.
Then she told, briefly and plainly, the
story Of her young days; of Il Happy
childhood III IL little market town in the
south Of England, Of sc!looldays, and the
Joys Of loving companions All WAS
happy, till her father, who had been II
small farmer, died, and her mother, II
beautiful woman, yielded Ia their rich
landlords cntreaties, and married him.
She had acted Oh an impulse Of pride,
and her punishment was severe. Laura
LindOn, her only child, was hated by her
stepfather. chiefly because she would
not give mp her old rustic friends. The
man, whose nature was coarse and vul-
gar, abused the poor girl dreadfully, till
her life became intolerable TO her.
"What could do? could not kill
myself for my poor mothers sake; 10
resolved /" leave home. | came north,
accompanied 10y girl Of my own age,
who had always been my best friend, for
II few weeks We just managed to live oh
what We got for sewing, and then poor
Lizzie would not bear the hard life any
longer, and left me. Do not ask me
what has become Of her; dare not think.
have seen her once since; God grant
may never see her again. Aud myself
/ am alive; and that is ALL can nc
longer earn enough 10 live on; am get.
ting weak; ] am afraid. grew desper,
ate and came out tonight, why and
where | did not know. There IL my tale
You see You cannot help me. II Wal
kind Of you to think Of helping me. II
il getting late, ! am afraid. Goo,
night"
She turned quickly round, wishing t.
hide the tears that again were coming
into her eyes, and in another momen
would have been gone; but Vincent, has
tening after her, again compelled her t.
STAY.
"But can help You; Miss LindOn.
must help You.
His first impulse had been 10 offer he
money, but he ut once saw how unwel
come such M offer would he, how i'm
possible 10 make her accept Of it. In
stead of that he proposed to find he
work, 10 provide her sewing enough h
enable her to make living. The offe
was at once thankfully accepted.
And, said Vincent, as they wer
parting, " / may see you again; may
come aud sec yom?"
"Thank you" she replied, firmly bu
modestly, 81 had rather you would not
! must work all my time. You are yer,
kind to get me work."
And 30 they parted.
Leonard Vincent was IN good us hi