The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-08-20
A "MODEL FATHER. u
Story Of a Scheming Tragedian
and His Pretty Daughter.
Low Cunning and Selfish Ambition on
the One Hand, and Innocent Purity
and DutifuI Devotion on
the Other.
BY DAVID CHRISTIE MURRAY.
CHAPTER Iv.-CoNTINUED.

CHAPTER Iv.-CoNTINUED.
Jack would have obliged his chum
with laugh in the old times. and now
the Irishman missed that friendly con-
tribution to the gayety of the day.
dad luck to me-" he grumbled, Il
don't know whether the girls are more
like poodles, or the poodles are more
like girls. can't paint to-day" Jack
worked on in silence, and Cassidy
fidgeted miserably for an hour or two.
A knock came to the door at about the
usual hour for luncheon, and the serv-
ant appeared with a letter pinched in
the c!eanest corner of her apron. Cas-
sidy took it and passed it On to Cam
erOn, recognizing Bassett's handwrit-
ing.
The letters registered, sir" said the
girl, ''and The postman wants a receipt. :"
Jack walked out into the hall, letter in
hand, and by-and-by returned with it,
still unopened. Cassidy, pretending to
be busy, watched him furtively through
a mirror which stood in one corner of
the room. With bent brows the young
fellow read through the letter, and then,
searching the envelope. dew forth the
ring, and, after looking at it for a min
ute, tossed il lightly away, and began
to laugh in a manner so harsh and un-
natural that Gas 5idy was frightened by
ii.
One for love. and one for con-
staacy," J." cried the hapless lover, ''and
one Tor happy fortune. Love, and con-
stahcy, and happy fortune" He
stopped to pick up the ring and held it
high at arm s-length. 81 gave her this"
he said, still laughing in the same mad,
unatural way, "On Sunday night Be-
fore L gave it | kissed it, once for love,
and once for constancy, and once for
happy fortune. And now read this
He cast the letter toward his friend,
ard it futtered to his feet Cassidy
lifted it and read it through, and then
the two faced each other.
Jack, T" said his friend, "if We thought
about her twice after this, ye'd be less
than man.
Thought about herr' cried the Door
fellow with another wild laugh. ''Love,
and constancy, and happy fortuner'
Then he lifted up both hands with
sudden gesture of despair and dropped
them again, and began to rage to and |
fro along the room, cursing terribly. |
Money! Let it cram her hollow heart |
and burn it! Load her with money,
and let it sink her to the devil! Oh, the
Eari Sunday night, Bill, only Sunday
night Less than two days ago, and |
she swors she loved me. She kissed it /
back again-she did-think of it-Once
for love- and once for constancy, and
once for happy fortuneT He began to
laugh again more wildly than before,
and this time the laughter ended in aw-
ful tea1s
Cassidy stopped helplessly over him,
with an unfelt friendly hand patting at
his shoulder.
They're all alike, Jack" he said.
hrokenly; they're all alike. Don't
take it this way, me poor boy, don't!
You're breaking nay heart as well as
Your own, Jack. But may be it's best
Tor you to cry, after all. It'll be the
sooner over, me poor Jack. It's as well
that she's as bad as she is, for you'll be
going the right way the sooner for it"
Cameron recovered his sef-posSeSsiOn
in little while, and, shaking hands
with averted head. left the studio with
out a,word. The ring lay on the table,
and Cassidy, taking it up, looked at it
with moist eyes, and dropped it again.
Such pretty little girl" he said to
himself, miSerably. "With such down.
right honest, friendly look. And to be
such a cold -blooded little traitress after
allr'
At that moment Mary Bassett was
singing like bird in her own room,
and at every note of the love-song she
sang her heart went out to Jack with |
innocent, virginia. affection. At the
notes the tragedian writhed, and re-
morse already began to scar his soul.