The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1883-05-24

The long struggling beard and the bushy
hair were trimmed quite short, the gold
bowed spectacles replaced by eyeglasses
which il 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rusty old clothes had been superseded by
uuiet. stylish suit. But the greatest change
Of ali, and the one which poor old 'Demus
| felt most surely, was in the air and bearing
OF the man himself. He seemed TO have
awakened from a Rip Van Wrinkle sleep
and 10 feel once more the youthful blood
coursing in his veins. A new interest IN
life, a 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 SUI
fering! What can | do for you"
,Demus gave a mighty gasp and made
brave effort to control himself. But 1t was
Of no use. He broke down utterly, and
clasping Rand in his arms as he mad done
many a time when he was a little falr-halred
lad, he sobbed forth all the misery and pity
and loving sympathy Of his faithful soul.
At first Rand was bewildered aud utterly
at a loss to comprehend, but as 'Demus be-
came calmer and was able to speak more
coherently he came to know the lull welght
of the burden his devoted old friend had
been carrying. His own eyes were dlm win
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 lost his mind. Think rather that he
has found it, and that the long years OF
darkness and desolation in this home are
L. nh ma
me to win the brightness l covet, thank
God have been awakened from my selfish
living and we shall all be better and hap
pier henceforth | 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 APP
pearance, but most of all at his errand; for
Rand was exceedingly straightforward,
and so, with manly frankness and wlthal a
certain chivalrous delicacy he told her the
story of his life, its sudden clouding, Its
loneliness, its morbid selfshness 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 il 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 a happy home.
And almost as dearly loved as his own
two little ones is the blue-eyed damsei who
creeps into Rand's arms when her long
play day is over and falls asleep there.
'.Our Theodore" he sometimes says
softly to Bertha as he kisses the dimpled
cheek. Truly she was to me gift of
Cod which, being accepted, brought all
other blessings"
But to 'Demus, loving and faithful still,
the old, silent, quiet years seemed best
Elizabeth Olmis, in the Continent.