The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1884-10-01
ARIGHTED WRONG.


ARIGHTED WRONG.
Costly curtains shut ont the in.
'clemency Of the weather and gave
To the luxariously furnished room
a warmth and brightness that con,
tras.ed almost mockingly with the
pallid cheeks Of the owner Of al it.
surroundings, wholaid theredying.
OF what little avail, after ail il
wealth, he thought. 1t cannot
even purchase a few more weeks of
life. Feebly his fingers groped
about the satin coverlet as bis lips
spoke the name: paul"
"My father Thought you were
asleep" answered the young man,
bending over the bed and clasping
the sick mans restless hands with.
in his own.
"Ah, no, my son, l have been
thinking" Then, as if to himself,
he muttered: ut cannot be pat Of
any longer, or it will be too late"
Yearningly he gased upon his sons
face as he added, quickly "could
you forgive your father if he had
done you a great wrong"
"You have always been the kind.
est and best of fathers to me,n Low.
ingly replied the young man.
"DOE't make too sure Of that,
Paul, until you have heard my
story"
"Your storyl" repeated the son,
incredulouslyi then, thinking that
his father must be wandering in
his mind, he continued: "Tell it To
me tomorrow, when you are feeling
better. You are tired now.n
"To.morrow will never come for
me-" impetuously exclaimed the
dying man.
His excited tones caused an
elderly woman who was busy at
the further end of the room to hur.
ry to the bed, but waving her i'm
patiently aside, be said:>
81 am all right, nurse. Leave
uS l wish to be alone with my
son."
AS the nurse passed into an ad'
joing room, the invalid, turning
his sunken eyes upon his compan.
ionr spoke, saying:
"Now listen, Paul 10 what l have
TO relate. AS you care for me dc
not interrupt. Time is precious
and l have none to waste"
II am listening, father, and
will try to obey your wish"
For a moment they were silent
then came the words.
"You have always believed that
my vast wealth received It's frsl
impetus from golden nugget pick.
ed up while working my new claim
near Frisco. And in that you
have not been deceived, Paul
The nugget was found while l wat
working my claim, but not by me
Stephens, my partner, was its dis
coyerer, and Lob, my sonI IL
stole 1t from him."
"Fatherl" exclaimed the youns
man, a look Of inCredulity in his
dark eyes.
at is true-bus he was dead,
Paul"
An expression of pain crossed
over the sick mans white face al
ho replied, hoarsely:
"Nol mol He had a wife. Ny
Godl l did not know it would bo SC
hard TO tell. We had been boon
companions, working together fol
over a year and had stuck fast by
one another, although our claim
had yielded US very little for oul
labor. After a while Andrew tool
to working a new claim, but 1 still
remained by the DID,"
Here the exhausted man paused
and motioned to his son TO Civ,
him Of the drops on a small stanc
near the bed. Tenderly as a wo
men the son complied with his re
quest, smoothing the damp lock-
from the deeply.lined forehead a
his father continued with:
zone night Andrew awoke me
and l could see by the moons ligh
that he was white as a ghost, ant
full Of suppressed excitement
Laying his finger to his lips h,
bado me follow him. Like tw,
midnight robbers, we crept eau
tiously forth, making for Andrew
new claim, where, thrusting hil
hand into cavity, from which b,
had hastily lOoseued the earth, b,
d,n,, Ea.ll. ILL.,