The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-12-05

me to the quick, and before could quell
the wild thoughts which surged through |
my brain, burst out into perfect whirl- |
wind of passionate remonstrance. What |
| said know not, but he, unable longer |
to bear the reproaches heaped upon him,
suddenly started from his chair, white |
with passion.
"Leave my house, you besotted scamp
he said, pointing to the door, and If you |
ever set foot within my doors again shall
order the servants to eject YOU
"The words had hardly passed his lips
before | was at his side, and, with one
powerful blow, had struck him down.
Scarcely moment elapsed, after the blow
had been struck, before the sight of him,
lying stunned and dszed at my feet, re-
stored me to my senses. and bent over
him in an agony of remorse and terror.
When he had recovered himself suffi.
GENTLY, he raised himself upon his elbow,
and, pushing me from him with his other
arm, he said:
"You worthless villain You have
not scrupled to raise your impious hand
against fathers white head. Now, go,
aud take my curse with you. May God
in his justice deal with you according to
your deserts +
After assisting him to a chair, left
the house on that bright Christmas morn
| ing-left the house in which l first saw
| the light of day; passed down the same
steps over which, but one short year be.
fore, my sainted mother had been carried
cold in DEATH passed out into the world
an outcast from the home of my child.
hood. o God can l never atone for
that blow2 Is it always to overshadow
my pathway like some foul vampire, until
at last despair closes the gates of NOR.
tality behind me, and | enter upon that
eternity which awaits me, with remorse
as my only companion to share that
dreadful solitude2"
He covered bis face with his hands,
while the great tears trickled slowly
through his fingers and fell on the carpet
at his feet. When he had mastered his
emotion he raised bis head, while that
same hunted look / had noticed before
stole into his eyes.
"Since that time, Mr.. Stanhope," he
continued, "my life has been blank. I
have wandered far and near, until my
means have been entirely exhausted, and
/ am reduced to my present condition. l
in the serene apd devotional atmosphere
have sought relief in the wild excitement
of soldiers life. But high above the
seraphic strains that rose and fell on the
incense-laden air of dimly lighted nave
and side aisle-high above the roar and
din of battle, that curse has rung in my
ears like the shrek of demon. For the
last twenty-five years l have striven to es.
cape from that horrible memory, which
hsunts me like an evil spirit, but like
Richard,
"'My conscience hath Thousand tongues,
And every tongue brings in a several tale.
And every tale condemns me for q vilain.'"
"Your case is indeed lamentable one,
I began; but if you have"
"Priest," he interrupted, almost fierce
ly, seiziDg my wrist in vice-like grasp,
"you are teacher of truth to young and
old. Tell them for mel who have not
known q moments peace for twenty-five
years-tell them, say, that an uDgov.
erned temper is like fame which, If
once famed into blaze, none can quench
until it has accomplished its mission of
devastation, leaving the erstwhile bloom
ing garden of the soul sere and desert
waste, from the charred bosom of which
rises the smoke of blasted hopes as
burntoffering to Satan and his legions."
And before I could interpose to prevent
it, he impressed one passionate kiss upon
my hand, and rushed out through the
door which led into the garden-out into
the bleak, cold night, fleeing from the
memory of fathers curse. l neither
saw nor heard from him again, until one
| an or ohNnt 81
wards, just as l was starting out to pay
my daily visits to the sick in the village,
a handsome carriage stopped at the rec
tory gate. Two gentlemen alighted from
it. The one was remarkably well pre-
served man of about seventy-fve. His
companion, tall, erect man, was about
thirty years his junior. Judge OF my sur
prise when the younger one stepped up to
me, and, Selling my hand, introduced him.
self as Leslie Barton. Scarcely had l re-
covered somewhat from the establishment
into which this announcement had thrown
me, when he drew me towards the old
gentleman, and, with an air of conscious
pride, begged to have the honor of present
ing me to his father. All this time we
had been standing at the gate. When,
however, regained my presence of mind,
which had completely deserted me, we
entered the house, aud my guests were
shown to their rooms, in order that they
might refresh themselves somewhat after
their long ride. When they reappeared
we all decided that, considering the heat
of the day, it would be far pleasanter in
the garden, and, while seated in the cool
shade of large fruit tree, Leslie pro-
ceeded to give me an account of what had
occurred since that eventful evening three
years before. 1t is not necessary for me
to trespass upon the patience of nv kind
readers by repeating it here. Suffice to
say that he had met his father quite by
accident, in B ,ston, about two years and
half after our last interview. The
meeting had been very affecting one,
and all old scores were wiped out. 1t
was now decided that they should buy
sufficient ground at M on which to
build commodious house for themselves.
Aud here they have lived ever since. Les
lie is married, and is now my senior war
den. Years have come and gone since
| that memorable NIGHT in Octoher when