The Cecil Whig., 1884-02-09
DAUGHTER OF A RICH MAN.
A Fathers Reply-"And They Twain
Shall be One Flesh"

A Fathers Reply-"And They Twain
Shall be One Flesh
IN the country neighborhoods often
extend for miles, while people living in
cities 81: ire .ly know who live next door.
| never exchanged greetings with my
ncighbors across the way--never even
knew their names until the blinds were
closed and the second fl)nr of the gloomy
block was again tenantess. They came
in the early autumn, husband and wife,
with their lovely child, girl perhaps
six years of age. Size had large curlS of
golden hair that hoated over neck and
shoulders as VIII tie as alabaster. Her eyes
were OF rich hazel, and there was
something SO beautiful about the whole
expression of the face that, once seen, it
could never be forgotten.
The mothers face bore tokens of faded
beauty. but the crimson spots that
CLEANED upon her cheeks, and the sound
of the piercing cough that often reached
my ear. as she passed out, and in appar-
emily on some errand of marketing, told
too plainly whittier her beauty was tend
ing.
Nothing particularly attracted my at
tention toward these people, save that
the husband a shot. stont. robust look
ing fellow seemed to live entirely with
out labor. while the apartments they
occupied betokened people in humble
circumstances. All through the long,
severe winter noticed, as she went out
and in, that the wife often carried large
covered basket which apparently came
and went heavily loaded. Toward spring
her walk, hsaa ns less frequent, and the
husband Carried tn" basket ALWAYS 90
ing with il, hu Hever when he WAS least
Finally her walks ceased alrnget her. and
the basket came and went but seldom,
stopping entirel, toward the middle of
Jdly. Stlll the shrill cough Snur.ded
deeper across the way, and knew that
disease in that household was not idle.
oue sultry evening III August there
was an uiiu>aal stir ab ,ut tnei premises.
Lights fitted from room to room, and
once ! saw a physician pass down the
stairs aud out into the street About 8
O'Clock Il carriage drove up to The cub
house; then all was quiet. AS | THEW
open my blinds the next morning nv
first thought was of my afflicted neigh
bors; but the frail bit of Grape that from
the door opposite floated 50 innocently
in the morning breeze told all thore was
to know.
That afternoon, in beautiful coffin,
without mourner or funeral tram, a
costly hea.se bore away all that was
mortal of the wife and mother. To me,
silent observer. this strange burial
seemed almost thurman. But at an
early hour the next morning an elegant
eqnipage drew up in front of the lonely
""N'i'.s5 -ipiS Se ioi SSS u all ptd
the ground impatiently. and shook the
dust from their silver mounted harness,
as the lootman descended and with diff
Guilty assisted feeble old man to alight
aud ascend the stairway. Following
him closely in her carriage was the same
lady whom | saw enter the night the
death occurred, and who, by daylight, l
recognized as Mrs. Flagg, a lady resid-
ing in Il distant part of the city with
whom was famliarly acquainted. To
gether they entered the house, returning
in less than half an hour, the old gentle
man leading the beautiful little girl by
the hand. Placing her in the carriage
by his side, they were driven rapidly
away, while Mrs. Flagg, knowing that l
resided i'll the neishborhood, came
across the street, and from her. being
relative of the old gentleman, learned
the sad story of the little family in
whom, without acquaintance, had be
come 50 interested. Their name was
Brandon. and she was the only daughter
of a millionaire, whose country residence
was less than score of miles from the
city where his daughter had wilted and
died.
Against her fathers wishes she had
married this worthless man, whose love
for her extended only to the wealth of
her father, which lie had hoped to share.
Foied III this, he had utterly refused to
labor, and they had drifted about from
one teuemeI to another still CHEAPER,
supported 10y the labor of this frail lit
tie woman. WI" did plain sewing for a
ready made clothing establishment in
the cisl.
Oncr, when She knew that she must
die, she sent Il message to her father
begging him to come to her. and for the
love he once bore her, to care for the
little girl so soon to be left motherless.
But the disobedience of the daughter
was yet fresh in the heart of the parent. |
and the only return which the mes.er.
ger brought to the dying woman was a
slip of paper, on which, in /
the cramped hand of an intirm old man.
were written these words: And they |
twain shall be one flesh" Also, how
different the feeling in which they were
uttered from the spirit of the inspired d
writer.
But hearing presently of Mrs Brandon's |
death, her father sent an elegant coffin.
asking that ber remains might rest at
last in the family vault by the side of
her kindred. But when the old gentle
man came TO gaze at last upon the silent