Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1881-04-21

lOI Iuo UlsdPpOiuboU cCuemoI, IOT O1Cc,
got the better Of the cautious woman,
and the true fiber of her superficial good
breeding showed in all It's native coarse
ness. 1t made no difference what she
said. Alfred only looked more and
more weary, but spoke only to repeat
his words He gave NO reason no ex-
cuse, in no way tried to defend himself.
The truth he would never tell. for Glenn
entine's sake; and his simple, honest ma
ture gave him no help of ready-witted
artifice or adroit CLOSING Of facts. All
he could say was Il cannot marry her"
and further than that he refused to
speak.
The interview left him dreadfuIly ex-
hausted and Mrs. Allen furious. She
telegraphed for DR.. Packard; but no
reasoning or advice from his faithful old
friend served further than to change the
one reiterate sentence from Il cannot"
to 81 will not"
"He is perfect foolw was Mrs. Al
lens summing up of the matter, at the
end of a long talk with DIR. Packard.
Perhaps So" said the Doctor, dryly.
"He was born on the first of April"
But the angry parent could not take
joke. For the first time in her life, she
was foiled and when she withdrew her
forces and departed from Haddon, she
took her revenge by declaring far and
near that she had found out too late
that Mr.. Horton was imbecile, and she
could not sacrifice daughter to such
fate. -
e Clementine, however, was nightly
relieved, as well as astonished. She had
penetration enough to discover that Al
fred had loved her utterly and entirely,
and she accepted her mothers version of
his action in the matter as the only ra-
tional explanation. Frank Rivers was
glad and ready to console her; and Mrs.
Allen, for fear her world should discov-
er that Clementine had been refused by
any man, was eager to have her well
married ;and early the next spring the
ceremony took place; but in the mean
time our April fool suffered with pangs
that haves beset many a wise man. Itf
did not occur to him that he had done
more than the simplest duty in releas-
ing Clementine. He thought 1t would |
be a sin for her to marry him when she |
loved Frank Rivers; and he knew well |
her mother would force her to do so, if |
given for Alfred's desire to break his en-
Simple as he was in the
worlds ways, he had learned to fear
Mrs. Aliens resoiute will and unscrupu-
Gus management. For weeks he had
studied his own course of action, unable
% ask advice from man and praying for
strength to do right every hour. Strength
,ame; but when the struggle was over
mind and body gave way. The very
ight Of his life, the desire of his heart
was taken away from him, and he
would have died, except for one end he
lad in view, to attain which he must |,
reeds live to his majority. To this end,
he took every care of himself; and as his
ifeeame feebly back, it seemed to be
he object of bis Whole beingsto seek out
md help the needy. the sick, and, above
u, the unhappy. For miles about Had
lon his gentle, sad face and sttenuated
lgure were known and Welcomed in ev-
ry house, where, any suffering dwelt,
nc he. had loved friends every where;
'ut he never left his home again. DIR.
'aekard, well past the allotted age of
nan, came often to see him; but won
erred more and more each time what
lad sapped the springs Of this young
lfe and so utterly drained it Of all force
nd enjoyment. But he never knew till !
he summer after Alfred's majority,
Vhen he was suddenly called to Haddon.
)eha met him at the door, with her |.
prom to her eyes.
Hes a-goin', Doctor. He's a-sinkin'
way jest like drift O. snow under the I
ain. I'd ha' sent for ye quite a spell I
ack; but he wouldn't hear to it. There I
ant no livin' man do me no good, q
)elye,' says he, kind o. mournful, vet !
Orter happy like. L don't want to live a
o longer says he. L have stayed here b
DO long already, l want to go home.' I
lerey mel thought should give right Is
ut; but held on, and l says, says L: 2
Don't ye talk so, Alfred. l wouldn't.
What's Hiram an me a-goin to do, that's y
wed ye like our own this"
The Doctor could hear no more. He
ut Hannah gently aside, and with soft, :
ct hurried steps went up to Alfred's .
Dom. A fair, thin shadow, with great
right eyes, looked up at him as he en-
'red, and slight smile Int the wan fea-
Tres that were the very mold of death,
ut for that living look and the painting
reath that still moved the lips. With
he instinct of his profession, the Doctor
'und and poulel out restorative.
hich he made the patient swallow, a
w drops at time, till the dying flame
as for moment rekindled, and Alfred
astened to use the vanishing strength
voice to say: I
doctor! Don't think [ did not love
ar. | found accidentally she loved
lvers best. l did what could for her.
lfe, love, possessions-she will have all.
cd bless her."
The glow died from his face. One of n.
lose so-called delusions that illuminate :,
le last hour came to bless him. His CT
livsring, half-closed eyelids opened, a o. d
yht of wOndrous joy flashed upward Ii
ON the great irids, he sprang from the Ct
How with extended arms, cried "Moth- -
y and the body fell backward like the
od it was, for the soul had gone home.
A few days after, Mrs. Allen and VI
rs. Rivers were asked. after the funer-
services were over, to remain and tn
ar MI. Horizons will. A comfortable Ii
nuity was left to Hiram and Della: M
aire Horizons watch and chain to the an
)ctor; his mothers trinkets to Mrs. ev
lckard; two thousand dollars year to m
rs. Allen and Adeline for the life of "
tn or either; and the remainder of bis ne
operty to Mrs. Francis Rivers. ain =
'Inory of September 9th, 1s-." Glenn q
Dked at her mother in asfanishmopf y