Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-11-22

L no man was very uIsrepubaDle looking
he had hard lines of dissipation on his face;
no was untidy, and he rocked with vile
liquor. No matter He was needy; that
was enough. After be began to eat, Miss
Garnett ventured to look at him again. His
face was bloated and unshaven, but it
wasn't the face Of common tramp. She
wondered, pityingly, what could have re-
duced him to beggary, and these lines
tangled slowly through her mind;
"Ahl blame me not that /
Have been a shipwrecked man;
You do not know how high
Tue tide and current ram
Suddenly she turned pale and stared at
the tramps shaggy countenance with
frightened eyes Tnat scar on his left eye.
browi Why, why. it was exactly like one
that markell Frank Bascomoss face, re
ceived when a child at playl She looked
closely, earnestly, anxiousy, while her
heart almost stopped beating. Yes, it was
true, Not the scar alone. but the features,
coarsened and distorted b. evil passions,
made the sickening truth plain to her. This
was Frank Bascombe This dissipate1,
staggering beggar, receiving charity at
her hand-this was the prince whose com.
ing she had so often pictured in royal col
ors! This, this was the man whose memory
had made ali other men seem poor and
meant She smiled grimly at the fine irony
OF the situation. she was like one waking
from a troubled dream waking to laugh
ho /
She had been dreaming for ten years, but
she was awake now-oh quite awake!
There are times when we are changed in
the twinkling OF an eye" even while we
live. Tnls was one CT them.
The man did not see her look of recogni-
ton. His eyes were on his plate. The
business Of eating engrossed him. He had
not recognized her, that was certain. As
he go5 up from the table his accidental
glance fell on a newspaper that some one
had left lying carelessly on a chair 1t was
The Clarkson Register, the old home
weekly, familiar to both of them from
childhood A fash of recognition went
over his face. He picked it up say ing
will you permit me to remain a moment,
madam, and look over this paper2n
She graciously assented, and moved
across the room out of his sight. Had she
needed any further proof Of his identity
this would have been enough.
1 lived in Clarkson once" he continued,
half musingly
She caught her breath, and her heart
gave a great bound. After ali. she had
misjuigsd him, perhaps. He had come in
the guise of a beggar that he might see her
before he revealed himself He was always
doing unheard.of things, and he was a
capital actor. This was like him, very like
him. Her eyes gllstened and her cheeks
famed at the thought And yet, what
curious things women's hearts are! The
next minute she wasn't quite sure that she
wanted it to be that way. An illusion
once dissipated is difficult to reinstate.
Garrison is a fine old New England
town." she said, indifrerently, in order to
give him chancs to reveal himself.
"Rather thickly populated with fogies
and pigheads," he replied, with sheer.
Il knew some people there myself--a
long time ago" she said, after pause.
He said nothing
The Melvines, the Dwights, the-the
Garnetts. she added
He was still silent.
Miss Alice Garnett was a particular
friend Of mine,' she said, watching him
closely.
The name did not m owe him
''Oh, yes; l think / remember her" he
said, indifrsrently. "A goodish kind Of
girl, rather fine looking, rather bright, ex
remely proud, but somewhat given to
strong mindedness.n
you seem to have known her well, she
said, with a shade OF special meaning on
the last word which he seemed not to
notice
ooh, SO So carelessly.
81 think she has never married" con-
tinued the lady.
IAN old maid with views, CHI And no
end of a bore, pll warrant"
She was silent. Some indescribable inner
sense convin ced her that he WASH acting:
that he was in his true character. a soured,
embittered brutalized man, homeless and
friendless.
How strange it all was! How wonder
ful had been tho revelations of an hourl
How marvellous the change within her
souN The old love dream fell away from
hor, like a useless garment. She looked
at It's miserable corpse aud woniersd that
1t had ever hal power to enchain her.
The ideal had been dislodgei forever by
the renl. And she was glad, not sorry.
He threw down the paper and rose to
leave, YEARLY. She approached him and
said timiily, as if asking a favor, "This is
Thanksgiving, you know, aud as / feel
gerry thankful this evening the color
flooded her face-I beg you to accept this
from me for the sake Of your sweetheart, If
you ever had one" and she laid some bills
in his hand.
Ever bad a sweetheart I've had dozens
OF them,' he said, with coarse vanity
CHANGING at the money in his hand he was
astonished at the munihcenca of the gift,
and looked at her in grateful wonder.
Then, understanding at last that no was
in tho presence OF noble woman, h. said,
with his old-tme elegance OF manner and a
voice thick with feeling: Amy words that
| might say would sound cheap In COM