Litchfield enquirer., 1881-11-10
WHOLE NO. 2S92

the nule lnOtionleSs figure, and softly tOuches one wee white hand The child opens her languid eyes and looks at him. She sees many, strange faces, and in her mind they are all more or less, ssst,ciated with pain. She turns to me lis it dotters ?" she asks o "No, darling, mIt dOctors, answered.
 'lt is LOlas father come to see her. w Won't she kiss him, aud tell him she Is glad to sec himYp 0@D.S oy Jc.l'a g5..
 T The dark eyes grow more wsiful anl be- wiliered. 'Lolla Las no father" she says, with A sorrowiuI shake of the pretty curly head sp like his own. Mother says so 1; mother knows"
 'oaA choking sob burst from the nan's lips. He knelt down beside the cot aud buried his head in the snowy coverlet
 9"P PhOr man. don't cry" s'Iid the child pity ingly d"Lolia lis snEry for you. LAFeg you some other little. girls father ? Lola, has nOne."
 "Yes, dear, Lola bas, Whispered, raising her on my arn, t'and he, is very sorry for LOlla and has come to see her. Won't she be kind co him and kiss iiilii9"'92H si 'H1aisI ? She shook l,ssshead. a''MaEher alwayGsays LOlla ssnl father." she reiterated; i.molher would not say it If it wasn't true But will kiss lhe poor man, if he likes. 5i Why does he
 thought ht'dhler then, and think stiii, that such 1 worse crime than ilisg NJ wOiIder he wkpi no wonder that his heart seemed broken as he Jloaked at the little fragil bloSs0iil God had sent him from heaven, and ou which he had bestO owed neither thpught nor care ny culture And now it was too late! NJ tears, nn pray CTS, no oefferts of human love 6F htirilan skill could, keep her here on earth, and while he kDeIt there, broken down and des0lale, her ibaby lips stabbed him with cruel and uncOn- scious truth.o and slrought him face ,lo face with the folly aud the sin of his own nisspent youth.
 There was silence in the ward. The child ren and the nurses moved nOiselessly tO and fro drew screen around thai 'ciIriier and fioved softly away. Perliaps lie could ex- plainato his child something of what was in heart, though knew it whs beyond his pOwer to bring that longed-fOr word from her lips What did she know, or what need hah slie. of any fatberf Was she not 'Mqlhess rLola" slAn hour had passed ] was expeetinp Mary Kennedy every moment. .!i I'went behind the screen tOl tell him he had better leave now, but the sight saw stsid the words op my lips. his aifhFild's head was pillowed on lis breast, asleep. ." "round her, and she had fallen HtMokeh at me appea",..., i.a,.r'i,r n ''I dared ioT lay her down fUr I..
 
 Even as he spoke the screen was moved aside by quick tonch and before him stood his " ife.,s She made one hurried step forward her face flushed hotly, l touched her arn and spoke ''FJr the child's sake." %his- rgfpd, lo tHm trfn .j p'. 'g' .G. Il | ; She turnedgaway for an instant and covered her face with her hands. ,i...,a. -,.., 'N Presently She recovered her compnsiire, and teOk off her bonnet and shawl as usual T told hcr Of the fsurgepps, last report. [, I wished could have made 1t more hopeful. l saw tho anguish in Ter eyes, the quiver of tlie pOOr .I,ale lips but she heitIier Rp8ke nor weDt nbw. altwas sirRnge pathetic scene |. tlie strRHge- ness anh sadness, Hf 1t fallc came home tC,me with q curious pain and regret. They might iEH have been s'e happy. aud yet by Aleflnau's own ,rashness and folly the. three lives were ruined and desplate now. "' '''''''' "'' ditt not speak 9t eaclt other fnFItong 1t was tue father lobroke the painfulsilvhce At last. ,,...,a,
 "You never told her of me-" he said, half jfepr'acltuiiy. T,. sylEs ilyHFB sfinsu SAs raised ai her dark sad eyes and looked . ..Wlmt 'need?" she said curtly h.were you ever a fatlIer l0 her save in BailIe ?" g. ,S
 A deep shamed flush rose to his brow. He bent his head over the golden curls 2 feel noY,," "h he said ,b brpksplyr J when | see all that have lost1too laie! Win you do one thing for me, Mary ? T-I will not trouble you again. ajrel beiathat4L am indeed her father. She does not believe Ae." -glni ,isg.7jy.
 A flash of triumph E. .he girls dark eyes
 No" she said: Fl am all tO her. resOlv- e Tit should be sO.y1 What have you ever done f'r, her that deserved g thought of love.-a prayer of gratitude ?" - ., ''At least. She is my child, ioo," he Said wistfmlly.s yll i>s ,ydG7eJ' {iaiB'Ilo sas'D' es nature speak at last p,' asked his wife bitterly. ..i'She was your child when you de. nietl her the food she 50 sOrtly needed Sue was your cbill wheny y nr sep brought terror to her baby-leart. She. was you chil when you broke her tilnt Iier,s healt, and turned her life ts, one long fierce despairI lShe wHs your child when your, brutal blow crippled her L. tle limbs! She is your child yes, hui gave ier life, and vtiu -y'ii have brought deafh as yORigift. How can forgive you? Tam less your wife than her mother. 9ll is beyond my strength"
 Hesraised his haggard face and looked at per!I ls abg,j .1a9rgI- h. .u gc.igWshy1 Il see 1t is. '" he sad "I asked tno much; neVer thought of what had done It'll td-night." 5n His eyes fell on the little waxen fa6e -the closed lids. the pale lips through which the
 
 One deep hoarse sob burst from. his lips. He laid the child down and turned away. ,, The mother bent over the little sleeper. A faint cry escaped her lips i1'sNufse 7" 'iEtr ahs ttb rH..- 'Sfa ,i Il ,came, forward directly. l. too; ea V the change, Sq soon il had come after all, ,a
 ''SIle has fa nted,"I said.
 7u For afilile while we restored her to her senses aud the languid eyes opehed on her
 nnther's face. Yet she seemed res.le her lips hfjVed. she str,Ive to speak. but the ef- fort seenedabeyend her strength. ai ei ss.o , What is it., darling?"'4 her mother ybis- pered. Gan mother get you anything 2" i She turned her her head aside In that little rest less way nf hers. 'ai N''''7' 's 'a7.a7G F h,'Is, is it-is it --' she lisped faintly.ss7l ,a ills it what. my precious one ?',sa glran
 ''Is it-fafher ?" .t.-4,-t.. .
 The wisliul eyes looked up up for answer- iumhlY -apnea.inglyrtsri 1fsueaf sa ss ss tha struggle going on within the wo- ? She raised her head and met the angnished en,reaty oft her hustapi's eyes Her hus- band Had she, not said she would give ,him that name nd more, that forgiveness was be- fvohd Her strength: "''H h' s'oj ss" h''
 z ''Is it2p nrge6the faint vaice. ,seEg a'p.
 o How. much f4interit was npw e, b,r,
 Then, low and distinct, ca he at last, the ao- swer. for which he listened with such breath less dread ;,, .,...., . f,.,.,.... t..,,
 ''Yes !"" '''7''' '''' Pi A smile broke over the beantifdl little face. gs'il Am so glad .p she said softly. .'I told lliW would ask you. Where is he2 liwant him P Sire made a sign, and the young man came from his shadowy c''rner and kheflebeslde her. The child looked at him earnestly for q mo-
 nent. then took his hand in her little waxen fingers. ' '@ guy
 gs.fFather !"n she whispered faintlv. "YOu are my father -7she says 9sa--Id wish jI sihad known yOn before can't get well now. The
 ii,cturs said SD. They thought IiAid not hear then,,r but did Ii. Mplher will miss L',lla; she is going like that other little. girl who slept there. thought should le able tO run about again But you must take mother where The daisies grow-and be very good to her--won't you p'' i, st L. t s,