McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-05-08
MAYS SACRIFICE.

my last hope rests in you, May"
sin me, fatherP"
May Warren made answer in a tone
OF surprise, raising her sad, anxious
eyes to her fathers face. :.
As if her gaze discomposed him, Mr..
Warren turned his head, and his glance
wandered restlessly around the apart
ment. He was an old man, with tall,
spare figure, thin, gray hair, and was
sitting in an armchair by table COW
cred with papers, while his pretty
daughter, May, sat beside him on an
ottoman. She repeated the words:
SIN me, father?"
eyes," he replied, starting from a
moments abstraction. Do you remem-
Der Colonel Leighton, my dearp"
'.Colonel Leightonp An old man
with a heavy beard, partly gray, and
pleasant blue eyes. He dined with US a
few days ago. Yes, 1 remember him,
father
s'Not 80 very old, May-not so old as
| am-and one of the fin st men living.
He is wealthy, very wealthy, too"
He met his daughters questioning
gaze fully, now, as if he wished her to
read something in his face. She kept
her dark eyes fixed searchingly upon
his countenance, the ebb and flow Of
the soft color upon her cheeks betray-
ing the quick pulsation of her heart.
"What do you mean, father?" she
asked at length.
81 saw him last night. He offered to
help me-save me, if
"If what, father?''
eff l would give you to him."
The words came hurriedly from Mr..
Warren's lips, as if he feared that if he
deiberated he should not be able to ut
ter them at all. AS they fell on his
daughters ears she started to her feet,
pushing back her hair from her pale
face, in bewildered sort of way, as if
she were haf-stunned.
.sMarry me, father? Colonel Leigh
ton?" she cried, in a low tone.
: Mr.. Warren took her hand and drew
her down to her seat again.
''May, Colonel Leighton will Re 8
good husband to you. I have known
him from boyhood, and understand
perfectly his character and principles.
He loves you-will be kind to you, and
strive in every way to make you happy.
And more-and more, May; he will
save me from beggary!"
He paused, but his child, with her
face bowed upon her hands, made no
reply-nor stirred not. The mute dis
tress that her attitude betokened was
not unnoticed by him.
''I do not force you to do this, May,
remember; the matter is left entirely
to your own choice. But you know
what my wish is-what the alternatives
will be if you do not accept the offer. ;"
She knew only too well. Fully she
realized how absolutely necessary the
luIuries to which her father had been
accustomed were to him. Absolute loss
of possession did not seem the most
dreadful thing in the world to her, but
she knew what a wreck it would make
of him. In her youth and strength the
future would still be bright and full of
hope to her; but how could he, with
his aged frame and burden of sixty
years, commence life anew? The hope
full thought that she could work for him
and supply him with his accustomed
comforts afforded her but moments
comfort. To him, with his stubborn,
aristocratic ideas, this would be the
most severe trial of all-his delicately-
rerred, petted child laboring for his
support. He would never be recon-
ciled to it. There was no alternative,
she saw at a glance. Then, with des-
perate effort to think calmly, she re-
called the form of Colonel Leighton.
She remembered his bowed head and
silvered beard, his dark, deeply-fur-.
rowed face and fifty years. She could
get no further. A younger face, with
merry, azure eyes and tossing, sunny
hair sprang up in strong contrast.
Stretching out her hands to her father,
as if for pity, she cried out: