New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-08

own young ones earsf Why, that child can put on !
the airs Of any six when she's mind to. amt
punished her half enough. Do set down and eat
your supper, and stop bein' q fool"
These chronicled words have the ehect OF
rather bald commonplace, 1T is true; but to
the man and the child who heard them an appre-
hensive whinper, atimorous dilation Of the eyebau
and furried culver about the severe mouth were
accompaniments that held piercing significance.
Such tokens from their domestic autocrat meant
surrender and surrender was hard for both Twning
and Claire to Join with past impressions of rule and
sway of command and observance, from the very
source which gave forth their direct opposites
Both father and daughter still remained silent.
Clare's head still nesting against his breast;
winnings arms still casped her slight frame, as be-
fore. Neither spoke. But Mrs. Twining soon spoke
again, and she moved toward the door as she did So
"Oh, you won't set down. eh I" she inquired; and
there was now sullen fright both in her manner
and tone. Every well. Praps you'll eat your sup
per when Pm gone. I've always heard crazy peo-
pie must be humored. Besides It isn't SAFE with SO
many knives and forksround."
After that she left the room, going upstairs into
the little hall above the basement. whore she could
have her breath freeze If economic reasons had
not kept The tank, pendant burner still unlight-
ed
She had beaten positive retreat. Her exit had
been a distinct concession. Twining turned his
gaze toward the vacant threshold after she had
passed it, if he could not just realize the unwont-
ed humility of her leave-taking
Glare he said, again kissing the child, while
she yet chung TO him. you should have told me be-
fore that your mother struck you. You should have
told me tue first time she did it," He embraced her
still more closely. Since she baby he had al
ways treasured her. and now that defeat and disap-
pointment dealt him such persistent strokes, his
love grew deeper with each disastrousyear. Clares
presence in his life had gained precious worth
from trouble; it was the star that frightened with
sweetcr force against deepening gloom.
| He leaned down and slowly passed his lips along
her silky hair Just where its folds flowed of
fr, IN one pale temple "Oh my little girl" he said,
| in a voice whose volume and feeling had both
| plainly strengthened, / hope that happy days
are in store for you shall do my best, darling.
but if fail don't blame me. Don't blame mel"
| He appeared no longer to be addressing Claire.
He had lifted his head. Both his arms engirt her
as previously but his eyes, looking straight before
| him, were sombre with meditation
| Claire gazed up into his face Father" she
| cried, 81 shall be happy if am always with you!
| Don't look like that Please don't. What does it
mean / have never sean you so sad before. 1t
| frghtens me. Father-you are so strange and
! different He smiled down at the child az her
| high panied appeal ended but the smile soon fed
| again gloomy agitation replaced it. She felt
| his casping arms tremble.
"You cannot always have me-" he answered. II
| love you very much. my little one. but some day
| must leave you; my time will have come, and 1t
may come while your life is yet in its first flower.
| Then want you to be wiser than I. Listen to
what say. am in dark bumor now, but it will
soon pass, for can't help being cheerful. as You
| know there's good deal moro sun than shadow
| in me- But Just now am all shadow. feel as If
| should never be successful, Claire. That is
| queer word to your young Do you recollect.
| when took you for that one day to the country,
last summer how set out to climb the large hill.
and were sure at starting. that we should reach Its
! topf But halfway up grew tired aud hot ;
there was no breeze, and the way was rough so we
sat down. didn't we. and rested. and
then went homef you have not for
| gottenf Well, success means to do what
you set out for, darling. 1t means to climb the
hill-uor to get tired and go home. That 10 what
every body is trying to do. But only few of us
ever reach the top. Aud to reach the top means to
| have many good things-to be like the grand peo-
| ple who were once Mrs. Carmichaeps friends Do
| you understand, Claire y
Yea" said the child. Her lips were parted.
| gloom had clonded the blue of her Dyes; they
seemed almost black, and two unwonted CLEANS
MERGED them She was alarmed yet fascinated by
the real sorrow in her fathers look and by his I'M
familiar speech, with its fervent speed and bitter
| ring
II shall never gain tho top of the hill, Claire
| TwinIug went on. Something tells me 30 now
| tonight Tomorrow shall BIO changed. shall
turn hopeful again. shall 60 climbing along. and
pick myself up stoutly If / stumble. But remember
what tell you tonight In my heart. little girl.
faor II nm afr IN
| when do die, poor and helpless. We are always
helpless when we are poor. But you must not lose
| courage There is one thing girl can al
| ways do il she has beauty and wit. and you VIII
| have both. She can marry. In the years OF life
left to me- l shall strain hard TO mako you lady.
| am gentleman. My father. and his father. and
his father, too, were all gentlemen. 1t is in your
| blood to be lady, and lady you shall be. But
| your mother Here he paused. Even his
raw sense Of wrong, and the precipitate reasoning
native to all passion. forbade his completing the
| last sentence.
az know what you mean. father" said
| Claire. who had not lost the signif-
| canco of a word. and whose mind would
have grasped subtler discourse than the present.
She spoke faiteringly, and turned her eyes toward
the deserted table and them with her shaken,
tragic little voice. she lapsed into the prose OF things,
slipping over that edge between the emotional ana
| the ordinary whose unwilling junction makes the
clash that we like to call comedy.
Father she said, please sit down and eat your
supper It's getting cold. Please do"
This is not at all an index OF Claire's thoughts
for they were then in storm OF dread and msgiv-
pq but she shrank from the changed aspect of one
| known and loved IN moods widely different She
seized, as IL bya fond instinct the most ready
means of re-securing her father as she had first
found him and had always afterward priced him.
But her attempt was vain Twining's arms
only frightened about her fral form. Like all with
whom outburst is rare his perturbation worked to-