The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-09-03

| ~ on are not refusing Mr.. Weather.
lev now" cried Mr.. BasSett. Your
father pleads before you for an asylum
for his own gray hairs
In rinO reritds For the first time in
her life she began to understand him
! But having loved and honored him hey
| whole lfe long. she took this revelation
| himself Is an liberation from himself
! Then (since it was unnatural in her to
! think I'll of any one. and dOublv hard
TO think it OF her father) her ideas IN
! derwent a change. He put it in that
way to have weight with her. believing
| that she might be happier if she
yielded.
I'VE will speak of these things in the
morning. papa" she murmured, IF
they must be spoken OF Goodnight,
| dear"
As she advanced to kiss him. he laid
hand upon each Of her shoulders and
rocked her gently TO and fro. Her slight
| form answered to the motion of his
/ hands as willow wand might have
! done, and sense of his own strength
and of her weakness gave him. not ten
derness but power, and spUrred the an
ger rising in his heart. 1t was so safe
20 be courageous here.
Mary The magnificent bass voice
! throbbed little in its sound, like the
note of a vol, and he had ears for it.
/ And what with the thousa sand and one
suggestions OF dramatic passion that
! lay in it for his own fayed nerves and
whiskvtied fancy, it helped as much as
: anything to spur him on. Il demand
your answer now
This was new in her experience, and
it startled her a little.
''Say goodnight, dear" she asked, a
shade too cool and disdainfui in her
! tone.
Il Will not say goodnight" he an
swered. 81 will have your answer
now. The power and corrigible au-
thority OF this lies in NV will
Let me CO. she said, almost scorn-
full by this time; YOU hurt my Shout
ders. Let NE 90
Stand STILL he answered, with his
hands heavier upon her. Listen to
me. have be>ou~ht YOU long enough. ="
Her dlsdain all melted into pity and
distress.
"Pray-pray, papa. 90 to bed, and
let us speak of this in the morning.
| You are not like yourself tonight.
You are not quite-master Of yourself,
dear
Il demand your answer now was
all h. said.
You have my answer" she an
swered. in new disdain.
! Il will not take it for an answer" he
{ grOwleI back at her in the suppressed
tones of professional tragedy. Il am
| desperate of my fortunes if they check
me here. | command you, revise your
/ answer. She began to think him
| dangerous, but her own anger rose.
Had | too mach trust in the world
already that you need teach me such 4
lesson of yourself, papa? Let me 90. .
"YOu viii not accept young Wealth
erlay?' he asked, with his mobile eye
brows wandering fearfully about his
! forehead. He controlled his own facial
! expression with perfect consciousness,
and yet it egged him on.
Il will not, papa" she answered.
You shall" he cried. letting the
magnificent voice free, for the first time.
You shall; or, if that your jesse5 were
my dear heart-strings, I'd whistle you
oil, and let You down the wind to prey
at fortune
Reserve Othello's speeches for the
stare, dear" said his daughter. She
had loved and honored him always
until Row, and the contempt of her
own words and her own voice broke
her down, so that she began to cry.
Mr.. Montgomery Bassett began to think
this the way 20 take with her.
Give me your answer"
You have my answer" she flashed
back at him, through her tears. ''Ilow
{ dare you-oh, papa, how dare you
/ teach me to despiSe YOU so?'
| The crUmblcd hopes, now, beyond re-
/ building, gone to pieces; the seductions
of the magnificent voice the charm OF
unrehears d tragedy, the glow of whiS-
Ky, and that stale, logged demon of
/ the boards We're all at work at once
within him. And ne had so rarely had
! the chance 10 be courageous. with any
! degree of safety. Oft the stage, that
even that element was worthy counting
here.
ITO despise me-" cried the great
, traoedian. Twas this flesh bngOt
this pelican daughter. HyStericG pas 80
down. thou climbing sorrow. III
elements below" He was away now.
and had logged himself beyond his
own control. "Obey me, or leave the
house
He had released her, in order TO be
free to gesticuIate; but he turned upon
her now so wildly that the girl covered
for Il moment under his flaming eyes
and threatening hands. and terrible,
stormy voice. Her fear was that he
was mad. And his hope in the midst
of his self CALLED madness was that she
might Weld, and save him from i vio-
lencc from which he could only retreat
20 look ridiculous. voluntarily.
"Obey IRE. or leave the house." he
Numbered, standing over her.
Papa" she cried, impiOr;ng him,
"speak of these things tomorrow.
You are not yourself tonight. No, no,
no. no, dear. 10. Papa, papar'
She was yielding now, thought Mont
gomery Bas>ett.
Your answer. Your answer. For
the last time your answer"
Let Us speak of it tomorrow, she
beSOught him. when you arc master of
yourself again"
Yes or MOP" roarcd the leonine
voice. Mr.. Bassett found this unre-
stricted play of emotion curiouSly en-
joyable. The girl would yield, and he
would have justified authority. He
saw gins of yielding in her. and Hopes
swift hands built up new palace from
the dust and rubbish Of the old. .'Yes
or no?"
No" cried the girl. facing hira with