Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-05-29
Gales ar,0 Skttfkfs.


~
was harsh to me before, y murmured poor
Kate.
sYet Won must not be unmindful that
your father believes he is acting for your
best interests was the rather doubtful
remonstrauce of Mrs. Scott.
ssPspa ID acting entirely under the influ-
ence OF Percy Talbot" the girl asserted
excitedly; ..if he were not he would un-
derstand how grievous it would be should
marry n man whom detest-how utter
" impossible it Is when my whole heart
Is given to another. Oh, mamma. surely
YOU cannot blame me ??
What could the gentle wife. the troubled
mother saw? She loved her husband. un-
reasonable az he might be, she idOlized
her only child, and she shrank from hold
ing either blamable. So she remained 81
lent, while two big tears rolled slowly
down her fair. faded cheeks.
mamma, my dearest. you do not blame
me. do you?" pleaded Kate, crossing the
room and throwing herself on her knees
beside her mother. ut would break my
heart to give up Robert" love him so
dearly-oh, mamma, so very dearly. You
like Robert, too. and SO did papa before
this Percy Talbot came here to make
nothing but trouble for US all. And l
have fancied sometimes that you distrust
him quite as much as | do. You do not
really wish me to marry him, do you?"
"Your father is determined that you
shall be his wife. Kate" SAID Mrs. Scott,
winding kindly arm about the slim,
kneeling figure, and drawing the pretty,
brown head to her bosom.
IL know. And if disobey him. he de-
clares he will no longer recognize me as
his child" returned Kate with little
gasp of anguish; .he will send me away
from him. from my home, and from you.
Oh, mamma. it is hard And yet, if you
would not blame me. If you can trust me.
had rather go. After time papa might
relent, and wish me to come back to him."
The mother sighed, but she clasped the
pretty pleader more closely TO her tender
heart, and foundly kissed the sweet bright
face.
IL do trust you. Kate" she answered
with much earnestness. always remem-
Der. darling. that wherever you may be.
shall trust my daughter to do the right.
If you choose to 90 rather than become
Mr.. Talbot's unloving wife, | shall not
Judge you too harshly; and it may be that
sometime the storm will pass over. and
that this trial will end happily for us all.
After such concession the mother could
scarcely refuse to acQuesce to anything
her child might decide to he best. And
40 Kate took her last Iegretful look of the
dear familiar rooms; with quivering lips
she kissed her weeping mother, and then
in the early. quiet morning she lett the
pleasant house, the doors of which, as it
might be, had been closed upon her for
ever.
''She has made her choice" her father
said briefly in grim anger; land hence
forth she is dead to me-"
From his home, his heart, his lips, he
had banished her; and he forbade the
mention OF her name in his presence.
And for Percy Talbot he began to
manifest singular partiality-a special
liking that was frequently shown by
considerable monetary favOrs. Perhaps
he fancied that he owed some sort of
PREPARATION to the luckless individual who
had been so signally disdained by his
handsome and refractory daughter
at seems strange that rich man
would borrow such sums. and so often"
Mrs. Scott ventured to observe.
"You know nothing about such matters,
Maria," was the sharp response. Talbot
VIC tAuStCu WIN 10 u
shrewd man too. and if our last speculation
succeeds, l shall be as rich as he is.''
"What speculation. Peter?" his wife
inquired uneasily.
IL doubt you would understand if
should tell you." he answered testify.
He had yet to learn that his own under
standing Of the speculation into which he
had been persuaded was somewhat
deficient.
It was the 'oft-told tale" of the cred
ulity Of one man and the duplicity of
another. And there came time when
Peter Scott knew that he was beggared-
when he discovered that all his little
fortune. earned by years of honest zeal,
had been. by some manner of chicanery,
transferred to the possession of Percy
Talbot
MY dear sir, tits one Oft freaks Of for
tune and is neither curious or uncommon"
Talbot said blandly to his victim. I'm
my career rs n speculator, l, too. have
sometimes lost-evsn to my last farthing.
have been left with nothing, absolutely
nething but my debts. But never lost
courage; nor must you do so nsw Be-
side, II you will bring back your pretty
fugitive daughter and induce her to become
WhCs 4 ui"nC NVu q iCO xiv VI TIC
property that once was yours.
For q moment Rates father regarded
his interlocutor with a scathing gaze.
The scales had fallen IRON those tired and
troubled eyes.
my daughter" at length he enunciat-
ed, with dignity that was majestic,
was wiser than I-she could not be de-
ceived by your pretensions as have
been. may be a pauper. sir. but
shall still be honored that have child
who would prefer death to marriage with
such As you"
He turned away haughtily and went
back to the home that was no longer his.
But the shock had been too sudden. too
overwhelming; and an hour later he lay
writhing in mortal agony at the very gates
of death. In his delirium he raved pite-
ously of his folly. and of the man whom
be had 20 trusted only to be befooled. rob-
bed and insulted. And to his disordered
senses his bonnie Kate was everywhere
present. He would listen for her gay
voice and light footsteps; he seemed to
behold her bright and beautiful image,
and he would pathetically entreat her to
forgive him for his harshness and his great
mistake.