The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1883-12-04


amuse him and ne had never before
manifested the slightest irritation at
her most capriciOus and tantalizing
moods.
She had, doubtless, allowed the
fiattering attentions of MIR. Chadock
with some coguettish qualification /;
but she could scarcely be blamed if
she preferred the wealthier and more
fortunate man, whose devotion was so
unmistakable and persistent. And
then Reuben bad never seemed to
care; he had never interposed the
smallest jealous remonstrance; to
accuse him Of jealousy was insolent,
cruel, and ridiculous.
She was too willful and too provoked
Just then to vouchsafe any amends for
her Offense that grieved him more
than she could know. But after he
had left her, coldly, with averted face
and angry eyes, she began to feel
somewhat penitent and wholly uncom-
Portable.
For a long time she sat by the
window meditating. absently watching
the big snOwfiakes whirling down
through the icy aira
Presently curious figure appeared
through the thick, white storm,
hobbling through the deep. soft drifts.
and halted at length on the lowest step
before her door. Tne Fl cure was that
of an extremely aged man. whose long
locks, white as the snow around him,
chung damply about his pallid and
withered cheeks. He looked as
sorrowful, as honestly deserving in
his evident misery, as could have
looked the beggra, who had excited
Reube:.'s generous pity and Ewes
careless scorn.
While the man crouched there
sbivering, Mr.. Chadock, wearing a
stylish ulster, ard swinging a costly
cane jauntily with his fastidiously
gloved fingers, came quickly toward
the house.
Those expressive black eyes were
very unbeautiful, the expression of his
aristocratic countenance was very
hateful, as, with coarse and Intimely
exclamation, he lifted his elegant cane
for an unmanly blow upon toe white
head of the old man, whose startled
protest sounded strangely distinct
through the peculiarly resonant winter
air.
/ bes here for Mister Wright, when
he'll be coming. Eve, watching at
the window, heard him cay. He hes a
rale gintleman-God love him las
liut me a dollar in the storm this day
week. Yees may save We fine cane,
Misther ChadOck, for another fine
thafe like yerseif; thaving it is, and
no less, OWN money as We does to yer
hetthers. Faith, | know We well. Yees
had betther pay back the thray hun
dred dollars yees borrowed of Misther
Wright when he had the plenty, than
batting an honest man wild yer unhnly
sthick. 1t is yerself as would have
the swate throuble if | tells Misrher
Wright how yees put up the mind of a
dirty LAWYER to chafe him of his own
legacy. If it bes the gurril yees would
decaive away from him by yer thricks
to kape him down wild the poor, than
yees had betther be goin' back to the
old counthry TO the ill-treated colleen
who ought to be your thrue wife.
The girls cheeks burned scarlet as
she listened. In an instant she had
sprung from her seat and flung open
the door, and stood gazing with scath-
ing contempt down upon Willis Chad
ock, who was preceptibly uneasy. al
though there was brazen assurance
and an odious sneer still upon his
countenance.
Miss Eve, my dear girl, he began
melIifuously but she Interrupted
him by an imperious gesture.
| believe all this poor man has a.
serted, she said firmly and haugbt-
lily.
And as he bowed submissively and
turned away he understood that
henceforth he must be stranger to
her and hers.
At the sound of her voice the old
man tottered to his feet. and extend
ed toward her a large and rather
grimy envelope.
1t hes for Misther Wright-the
gintleman as lent me dollar, he ex-
claimed as he turned and hobbled
away.
And as she marveled at the oddly
of it all, Reuben himself came slowly
through TIE drifts and sscended the
steps.
1 have come back to make peace
with you. Eve. he said simply; l
mean if you still have any affection