The Somerset reporter., 1885-05-06

4
| With no"ers, summer flames Of rose and
| gold. The walls, pauelled TO hall thcif
nelght with oak, we've painted sage green,
the uniform tint broken by an ebony mir
ror or rare picture-an nndeniable
Grenze, an unquestionabe Rembrandt.
Inc sliken curtains were drawn 10 sfn'
out the dat iiehi, but the windows were
| open to ADMIT Tie fre-h ar.
| The atmosphere waa heavy with the cd.
or Of flowers. and stirred BY the murulur
OF arisiocratic Voices aud the sound oi low
laughter. An air Of luxury, Of ultra re-
| hnement, suggestive Of Unlimited wealth,
| prevailed.
| M rgaret sat at one end Of the table
Lord Somers At her right hsnd-fair and
calm as ever; queenlke in her dress of pal
est amber Color, diamonds flashing on her
arms and neck. Only a keen observer
could have detected the trace of tears In
her eyes, the care on her brow.
Opposite her sat her fatber-the proud
and complacoDt owner Of this msgni1cence
usually SO gay and genial under the int1u-
ence of perfectly cooked viands and good
company. But tonight he was not him.
self Fight against as be would, he
could not conquer the depression that lay
| like light mare on his spirits.
| The strange, awful words be had heard
bis daughter reading, and which he never
seemed 10 have heard before, rang in his
brain and would not be slenced
Above the animated voices, the gay
laughter, he seemed TO hear them repeated
solemnly and slowly. till he Thought he
should g. mad with incessant repetition.
Over all the lavish display around he saw
them written in letters of fre-"7he rich
man also died and ,cas buried"
"fbe rich man also died: "What q
"A L..
enne--he too must die Must die with a
face as white, ii form as shrunken as that
woman's in the cottage. He must leave
his home, his gardens, his broad lands, to
go-Where? SIN hell he TIT up has eyes.
being IN to"ments."
lii tormentf in hell? After all his ease
aud luxury here2 Oh, impossible,
Why did the rich man lift up his eyes in
hell? II ii bad been one of those poverty
stricken wretches, now, against whom he
had so often righteouslv nvc2hed-deccit-
full, drunken-he should not have wondered
but rich man, refined, moral, decorous? in
hellS IT. was too prepustarous! Sir james
shivered as if he had got ague, cold per-
SEPARATION bathed his brow His lead and
limbs ached, his eyes were curously heavy.
81 am llttl, out of Sorts, and ii affects my
SPIRITS" he told himself, sigbning to a
waiter to refill his glass.
Somehow the hum of conversation irri
tated him strangely; and was the room
growing dark?
Suddenly he turned to the lady at his
left hand and said II is not my fault
though he said it WAS it is not | tell you!
and will not del'
"What do you mean?" asked the startled
lady.
Instead of replying Sir james staggered
to his feet and put his hands out wildly.
"Margaret! Save ne! | am dyins-dy
mgr lie cried, and fell heavily forward on
the table, among the scattered and broked
broken flowers, stiff, motionless-appar-
eDtly dead.
But it was not death, though at first 1t
seemed so, bn. the commencement of an
attack of typhoid fever of the worst kind.
For months Sir James lay IN his luxuri-
Gus bed, haunted by the dread visions of
fevered brain. The imaginary d nuncia-
tons and curses rang in his ears. In i'm
agination he had died and oeen buried and
shared the itch maus tormenls. His
groans cries were heaitrendlng, and Mar
2aret was thankful whep stupor that was
like death INTERVIEWED; for her nerves
though not her loving patence-was
worn out
But the baronet did not die. Margarets
were answered, and e. lived.
One quiet evening when the winter moon
hung iD the crimson sunset sky, and one
star g.ittered through the elm boughs that
waved against the window, the sick man
came back to consciousness like a little
child, and heard-instead of the awful
words that had haunted him SO lopg-Mar-
.arers soft voice, as she kn,lt by his bed
side, murmuriug, "OUf Father, tchich art
in hedUen."
Like little child, he folded his wasted
hands together, aud family repeated after
her the words that succeeded his ieverish
dreams aud deliriouS fantasies like a strain
of sweet music-"OH Rather, lrhich art in
hearea.
SO Sir James Laureune began life afresh.
Few poor tenants are As well housed and
generally cared for as are those Oh the Lau-
renne estate. Good ventilation ana perfect
drainage have ban>hed disease from the
cottages, aud temperance has baDished su-
perfiuous luxury from the hall. Sir James
IS the personal friend of his tenants, and
though he will never cease to grieve for
the death of Mary and Jim S saunders, and
never silence the voice of self reproach,
yet the blessings of the poor-not only his
own people, but all others of his sympathy
and wealth can rearh-have brought him
happiness.
He has also aloned for his dismissal of
WifIed Staincs, by bestowing upon him
the fair haired, fair faced wife wlo is now
the light of the young clergymaus happy
home.