The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-05-19

In such mood he reached the house and
entered the library. His glance rested
upon the deep old rocker which had been
brought down from some long unused
chamber, and in which Bertha had sat with
the child upon her knees; at the screen
which she had made of some shawls which
had been his mothers; but the memories
they awoke in him extended no farther
PACK tnan thatvery morning when Bertha's
hands had pinned them there; at the ems
and bottles which disordered his writing
table; at the pillows heaped upon the
! lounge; at the tiny sock which must have
been dropped from baby's foot at the last
minute. L think the master of Kennedy
Park had never before seen just such a
! looking room, but he made no attempt to
arrange it. He put on his dressing-gown
and drew his own easy-chair nearer the fire
and sat there trying in vain to convince
himself that it was not lonely and desolate.
Suddenly his eye fell upon strange OBJ
Ject lying across his sleeve-a long hair of
soft golden brown color. Staid old bach
elor that he was, he blushed like a girl as
he took it gently in his fingers. Then he
| fell to remembering how sweet and
womanly Bertha had looked, sitting in the
| deep old chair with the baby in her arms:
how gentle and tender she had shown her
! self to the poor, little forsaken thing: how
bright and charming and capable she had
been in thousand little ways He never
knew how long he dreamed there, still
holding the brown hair as tenderlv as
though it could feel his touch, and 'Demus
hardly knew whether to be most alarmed
or distressed when his master babe him,
next morning, leave everything just as it
| was in the room.
"'Pears like Massa Rand done got right
smart 'fobulated wifi all dis yer motion
bout dat misabul pore white trash. He
amt nebber ben hisself sence old massa
/ died, do! Praise de Lord in His marcy
He done spare ole 'Demus to tend on de
dear boy-and he need tendin' now fur
! Shore" And the faithful old creature hob
ssSd down t0~eohflda~ tor Aunt Cfeo~lifs
dread suspicious that their beloved ''young
master'' was slowly but. surely taking
leave of his senses. And confirmation
strong" was not wanting within a week.
Going to call Rand to dinner one even
ing, 'Demus found him forever disap-
pesred, and in his stead fine looking gen
! tleman some fifteen years younger in ap-
pearance than the late master of the place.
The long struggling beard and the bushy
hair were trimmed quite short, the gold
bowed spectacles replaced by eyeglasses
which it seemed need not be worn con-
stantly, and so allowed a good view of.
pair OF keen, kindly, dark gray eyes: the
rusty old clothes had been superseded by
quiet, stylish suit But the greatest change
felt most surely, was i'll the air and bearing
of the man himself He seemed to have
awakened from Rip Van Wrinkle sleep
and to feel once more the youthful blood
coursing in his veins. A new interest in
life, consciousness of his own needs, and
bright hopes for the future, showed them
selves in every movement.
'Demus waited upon Rand in silence,
though his heart was full to bursting. But
at length the younger man felt something
breaking in upon the brightness of his own
musings, and looked up quickly to see
great tears rolling down the black, wrinkled
cheeks beside him. Hesprung up in alarm.
"Why, 'Demus," he cried, "are you suf-
fering? What can do for your"
'Demus gave a mighty gasp and made a
brave effort to control himself. But it was
of no use. He broke down utterly, and
clasping Rand in his arms as he had done
many time when he was little fair-haired
lad, he sobbed forth all the misery and pity
and loving sympathy of his faithAll soul.
AT first Rand was bewildered and utterly
at loss to comprehend, but as 'Demus be-
came calmer and was able to speak more
coherently he came to know the full weight
of the burden his devoted old friend had
been carrying. His own eyes were dim with
tears as he gently disengaged himself, and
holding both the hard black hands closely
in his own, said affectionately:
" No, dear 'Demus, your young massa'
has not losthis mind. Think rather that he
has found it, and that the long years of
darkness and desolation in this home are
at an end. For though it may not be for
me to win the brightness l covet, thank
God l have been aWakened from my selfish
liring ana we snail all be better and hap
pier henceforth l trust"
TWAS not long after this that Miss Bertha
Adams received call from Rand Kennedy.
Ofcourse she was surprised to see him at
ALL still more so at the change in his ap-
pearance, but most of all at his errand; for
Rand was exceedingly straightforward,
and so, with manly frankness and withal
certain chivalrous delicacy he told her the
story of his life, its sudden clouding, its
loneliness, its morbid selfishness and his
recent awakening to the need of something
nobler and sweeter. Then, having laid his
heart open before her he begged her to al
low him to become her friend, and if he
might, win her for his wife.
1t was all so unexpected, so strange, so
unlike anything which had occurred in
Miss Bertha's quiet life that she sat quite
overwhelmed, unable at first to reply. But
that she did so in time may be inferred
from the fact that Rand made frequent
journeys from home during the next six
months, and one lovely September evening
he did not return alone.
This all happened several years ago.
Kennedy Park is now beautifully kept and
the old house has come to be happy home.
And almost as dearly loved as his own
two little ones is the blue-eyed damsel who
creeps into Rand's arms when her long
play-day is over and falls asleep there.
''Our Theodora," he sometimes says
softly to Bertha as he kisses the dimpled
cheek. Truly she was to me a gift of
God,' which, being accepted, brought all
other blessings"
But to 'Demus, loving and faithful still,
the old, silent, quiet years seemed BEST
hot Minis an he