Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1885-12-12
AFTER SIX YEARS.
BY MARY C. PRESTON.

Why do you hesitate? Surely you
have no other lover"
The sick man lifted himself on his
pillow, and looked eargerly, fearfully
in the face above him.
1t was naughty, yet frank coun.
tenance-a face which mingled strength
of will with pride, and tenderness
with truth, yet had enough poetic fire
in it to make the request his father
made of Clarence Livingstone o very
hard one tor him to grant.
For Elmar Livingstone, dying, re.
membered the wrongs done by him Sin
the days of nature" and, recalling a
lucky venture, which, by enriching him,
had beggared another, asked his son
to take that others orphan daughter
for his wife.
Clarence knew nothing of the hour
of temptation which saw his fathers
fall-knew of no reason more powerful
than Christian charity which had in
duced his father to adopt the penni.
less girl, when she was left alone in the
world; and, full OF fair dreams for his
future, he shrank from a marriage
with one whom he had rarely seen, in
his years of study and travel, and who
was to him only shy, awkward child
mo more.
~ have 10 love-" he answered.
"Why do you ask this of me, my dear
father? Make any provision you wish
for Miss Munroe; dover her as richly
as you choose. But leave her, as
pray you to leave me, free. Ihaveno
love for her, nor she for me; we are
strangers. Let us remain so, lest in
mating us as you would you do both
lives injury"
"Stoop down, Clarence. She loves
you; you have been her hero, her idol
for years. have fostered her idola-
try for / have wished to atone for the
wrong ! did her; and there is but one
way-to make her the wife of my only
son. My boy, you will not refuse to
make my last hours easier?"
"Father, I would purchase your
peace with my life, were it possible.
But there is surely some other way
than this, and will find it. What is
the wrong of which you speak? 1
must know it, since | am to atone:
and trust me, my father, though it
take my life, will not fail to make
the atonement a complete one."
There is no other way" moaned
the sick man; land since you bid me
unseal my lips, will tell you how I
gained my wealth, and planted my
life with aloes of remorse, my son.
My cordial! The story is not long, but
very hard to tell-very hard my. boy
-ior it will make on blush for your
father"
And, while the summer night closed
in, gray and spectral, Clarence Living
stone, listening 70 lis fathers story,
: of credulou friend betrayed, and
wealth snatched from a t0o trusting
hand, bent his young head ina humil-
iation wholly new and wholly intQler-
able to him.
without, in the clustering shadows
OF the veranda, dropping like lilv on
it's stem, stood Lena Munroe, drink.
ing in the tale, with pulses beating as
strongly as those in the breast of her
Clarence, in her own girlish bosom
pain as keen, regret as bitter; for she
had loved Elmar Livingstone as a
second father. and felt the sin of the
dying as keenly as the wrong done the
dead.
Besides, another pang was hers-for
Clarence had begged his father not to
ask him to be more than stranger to
her!
The story was told, and the old man
lay painting on his pillows, his face
damp with dews of coming death; and
the girl, peering into the chamber with
wide, pain darkened eyes, saw Clarence
on his knees beside the couch.
Forgive, me, my sonl did the
wrong Tor you" came hoarsely to her
rom the drawn lips of the diving.
MAKE her your wife, and all viii be
well. She is pure as a flower un-
plucked. She has grown dear to me
IS . daughter-and, my boy, she loves
you."
A hot flush crept into her face at
the low, broken words, but it died in
stantly, for Clarence was replying, and
she bent her face to her hands as she
listened.
"She may be all you say" came in
the clear tones of the young man; but
she Is no more to me than flower
which have no wish to gather. If
she loves me, it is with childish love,
which viii not linger. Rest content,
lather, she shall not suffer through
regard for me. / will give
back every illgotten dollar. But ]
.ill keep my freedom; / can not sell
e, father"
what do you meanf"
THAT / viii make over to Miss |
1unroe every acre that you leave me |
every farthing that is her due. Nay,
l0t one dissenting word" as the old |
nan strove to speak 'Let me keep
~ honesty, and make my own way !
nth clean hands, if empty ones. /
'ouId not offer my hand to your
ard now, even though Iloved her,
hich do not"
''cssencs, my sonl"