The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-11-27
Ing sadly as she Withdrew her hand!
'You must not give. me too warm q well

comet r6s
And now, having exchanged greetings
with each member oftlie family, Prudence
again seated herself In the chair at. John
lngleleld's right hand. She was naturally
q girl Of quick and tender sensib Titles,
gladstone In her general mood, but with
q bewitching pathos intcrlused among
her merriest words and deeds. 1t was re:
marked OF hcr, too, that she had q
faculty, even from childhood, o. throwing
her own feelings like a spell over her com.
panions., Such M she had been In the
days OF her innocence, 80 did shc appear
this evening. Her friends, in tho surprise
and bewilderment Of her return, almost
forgot That she had left them, or that slie
had forfeited my Of her claims to their
affection. In tho morning, perhaps, they
might have looked ut her with altered
eyes, but by thu Thanksgiving tireside
they felt only that their own Prudence
hiui come back to them md werethankful.
John lnglcticld's rough yisage brighten.
cd with the glow Of his leart, US 1t grew
warm and merry within him; once or
twice, even, no laughed till tho room rang
again, yet seemed startled by tho echo Of
his own mirth. The grave young minister
became as frolicsome as Il Gh0ol.boy.
Mary, too, tho rosebud, forgot that her
twin blossomh had ever been torn from the
stem and trampled in the dust. And M
Tor Robert Moore, h egazeda al Prudence with
the baslful eatnestness oil love newborn,
while she, with sweet maiden coquetry,
half smiled upon and hall discouraged
him. NHe
In short, It was one Of those intervals
when sorrow vanishes In its own depth OF
shallow, and Joy sturts forth in transitory
brightness. When the clock struck eight,
Prudence poured forth her fathers Gus.
tomary draught Of herb tea, which had
been sleeping by the flreside ever since
twilight.
"God bless you, child" said John Inglc.
field, as he took the cup from her hand
'you have made your old father happy
again. But we miss your mother sadly,
prndence-sadlv. 1t Gems rs II she ought
to he here now"
Snow, father, or never" replied Pru.
dencc.
1t was now tho hour for domestic wor.
ship. But while the family were making
preparations for this duty, they suddenly |
perceived that Prudence had put on hnr
cloak and hood, and was lifting the latch
Of the door.
prudence, Prudence! where are you
going?" cried they all with one voice.
As Prudence passed out OF the door, she
turned toward them, and flung back her
hand with a gesture Of farewell. But her
face was SO changed that they hardly |
cognized it. Sin and evil passions
through its comclincss, and
wrought a horrible defornity; a smile
cleaned in her eyes, as Of triumphant
mockery at their surprise and grief,
Daughter" cried John IngleAcld, be.
tween wrath and sorrow, stay, and be
your fathers blessing-or-take his curse
with you'll"
For an,insiance Prudence fingered and
looked back into the fire.lishted room,
while her countenaNce wore almost the
expression as il she was struggling with Il
fen !, who hud power to seize his victim
even within the hallowed precincts OF
her fathers hearth. The fiend prevailed
and Prudence vanished into the outer
darkness. When the family rushed to
the door, they could SEQ nothing, but
heart! the sound Of wheels rafting over
the frozen ground.
That ami night, among the painted
beauties at the theatre Of II neiehboring
city, there was n whose dissolnto mirth
inconsistent with any sympathy
for pure affections, and for the joys and
grieis which are hallowed by them.
YET this t,ras Prudence Lngkttld.