Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-05-16
NAYS SACRIFICE.

May Warren made answer in tone
'ofsurpriss, raising. her sad, anxious eyes
. to hen fathers face. a.
As if her gaze disconposed him, Mr..
Warren turned his head, and his glance
wandered restlessly around the apart
nent. He was en- old man, with a tall
figure, thin, gray hair, and was sitting
in an arm chair by q table covered with
papers, while his pretty daughter, May,
sat beside him on an ottoman She re-
peated the words: u..
q I'm me, father?"
Yes" he replied, starting from q
moments abstraction. DO you remem-
ber Colonel Leighton, my dear?" ...
Colonel leighton? An old man
witt, heavy beard, partly gray, and
pleasant blue eyes. He dined with us
a few weeks ago Yes, remember him,
father"
"Not SO very old, May--not so old as
I am and one of the finest 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 checks betraying
the quick p,,lsation of her heart.
Whit do you mean father?' she
asked at length. r. "
II saw him last night. He offered to
hel p re---save nae. if"
IF what, father?"
IF L would give You to him"
The words oama hurridly from Mr..
Wa,Ten's lips, as il he feared that if he
deliberated lie should not be able to ut
ter them at all. As they fell en- his
daughters ear she started to her feet,
pushing back her hair from her pale
face, in bewild Tered sort OF way, as if
she were half-stunned.
Marry me, father? Colonel Leigh
ton9' she cried, in low tone.
Mr.. Warren took her hand and drew
her down to her seat again &>FT
MAY, Colonel Leighton will be a
good husband to you. / have known
him from boyllool, and understand per-
fectiy his character and principals.
He love you--will be kind to Won, and
strive in every way to make Won hanpy.
And more--and more. Nav. he win save
me from beggary" Nh -
Bee paytseds but his child With hear,
face bowed upon her hands. nadeno re-
pIy--nor stirred not The m1,te Distress
that her attitude betokened was not m
noticed by him. .SS..,...g..
remember: the matter is left entirely 10
-. your own choice. But Won know what
m7 wish is---what the ALTERNATIVE will he
if Won do not accept the offer." ~,
She knew only too we'll Fully she
realized how absolutely necessary the
lux11ries to which her father had been
accustomed were to him. In her Youth
and strength the future would still be
bright and full Of hope &c, her: but how
could he with his aged frame and bur-
den Of sixty wears. commence life anew9
The hopeful thonyht that she conld
work for him and supply hin. with his
cnst,,,n a ca,nf ortp atfora al. h ar l,,t.a
moment,s cnmfort, m hin, viii he
stubborn. aristocratio ideas. this would
Be the, most severe trial of all.--h;s del
icately reared petted child laborine
for his snpnort' Ha world nver he
B reconf,;led f. 4 ,Thara xyasno alter.
native She saw AZ j Glance Then with
}, desperate t.tfort rs fh;nk calmly sha
recalled the form sc Colonel T,e;rhton
SHE rr,e,membersd his bowed head md
silyered beard. his dark. deeply fur
4 rowed face and fifty wears. She could
4 oct n, Sur they.. yonnper fare with
I merry. azure ewes and fossino.. sunnv
hair sprang IN in strong c contrast.
q StratchingoIt her hands ~ har fathar
as If for pity, she cried out 4 "a.
Il cannot oh, father, j cannot >g,
Il The old man sank back With a groan.
I H satL los then u am lostl" he cried
shudd ering, Ss Fl; tI15
There was 40 reproach, only those
bitter words and that despairing atti-
t,1de. White aud fearless she sat at his
4 feet, the agony Of her heart written on
\ Lers face. The wild, desperate thought
that the sacrifice was possible occurred
Il to her. !g . /.
Father, dear fathar!'' B ~ 4. I. II
He raised his head, swhibenea with
the frosts OF his sixty win ters and looked
{ at her with CLEAN Of hope in his sunk
4 en- eyes She crept into his arms, as
q she had done when q child, ane. laid her
soft cheek against his, 2wplrln led brow. |s
You know, that I love YOU, father 4
I she said. II can never. remember You
= 81 n, = S1 ~