The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1886-01-30

art. Ihey soaped the floor, to see Her
: bert measure his length on it. They
tripped up Morris, and chalked big let
ters on his back. Finally, Willie Den
ham put chalk into Herbert's inl1stand.
OF course the ink effervesced, and ran
all over the desk, spelling among things
of less value the Greek theme which
Herbert had just with some pains, COM
pleted. This piece of mischief was
. traced home to its perpetrator, and he
was soundly whipped.
Small good came from the punish
ment, however, for the offender was over
petted at home to make up the indignity !;
and Herbert's father was not satisfied,
and thought Willie should have been ex-
PEELED. If anything could have widened
the breach, it would have been this; for
paternal feelings as well as brotherly
were in conflict. But after a while,
things settled down into the old groove.
There was less active annoyance in
school, though n strong undercurrent of
dislike was always present.
Thus matters were, when the little
fair haired Aida was eight years old.
Two things happened this year. Frank
Denham's two youngest sons were
drowned when out skating, and Francis
Dcnham had dangerous illness. He
was terribly grieved by his brothers mis-
fortune and would have made up the
quarrel If he could; but by this time it
was beyond his power. He did try to
say few words of sympathy when they
first met, after the accident, but the
mourning father repulsed him.
"No, sir" said he, sternly, and not
without dignity; "when things went
well with me, you passed me by; now
that my boys have left me, and my heart
is broken, you need not intrude. The
grief is mine, not yours, and God will
give me all the comfort | deserve.
"The grief is mine, too" began
Francis, AMI this was much for him to
say; but his brother had passed out of
hearing, and he made no further attempt.
Still, in secret, his thoughts were upon
him. and when he had fever, they were
the burden of his delirium, and retarded
his recovery.
Aida was with him great deal during
his convalescence. Her quietness and
gentleness made her peculiarly in place
in the sick room, and half-unconsciously
, to himself, she became her fathers con-
fidante. They had always been intimate
from the time she could talk, and very
naturally, in his weakness, he talked to
, her of the past.
There was magnetic something in
the child that inspired trust in all. II
was not that she was older than her
years, for she delighted in dolls and
childish sports. 1t was more as though
she were child of some high order, free
( from the usual pettiness and narrowness
t OF youth. She was full of life, while at
| the same time sensitive and thoughtful
: -simpatica, as the Italians say.
. Now in the sick room her father found
} strange comfort in the unburdening to
her the thoughts and feelings that hith-
! erto he had kept locked in his own heart.
S He felt that she understood him, yet
did not sit in judgment. He was her
father-her dear father; mother did not
S think of it, or the boys but she knew
t well that he was not happy.
1t did not enter into the case that he
had been to blame; the question, how tc
e make him happy again. These thoughts
0 however, she kept to herself-the family
e had no idea OF them.
4, "And so you sec, Aida" he said one
: day, you must be careful how you be-
r gin anything, for the ending is often Out
: of your power"
: at might be in somebody else's
: power, perhaps" said Aida, half tc
herself.
: "Ah, yes" sighed her father, "just
: there is where the trouble lies. You
. can argue with and persuade yourself, but
:, it is so hard to influence another. Franz
. your uncle, dear-was a good boy, but
a | suppose | was too stiff; and so W.
e drifted apart. could never laugh, un'
o less saw something to laugh at, but
n Frank would laugh just for the pleasur,
c of it,"
Perhaps" said Aida, cheerfully
e you'll be laughing that way yoursel
some time"
"If only could"' he moaned. "Bu
! it is no use, dear, while have thai
# ring" turning it restlessly on his finger
n ~ don't see how can"
d "But the ring is your own, papa"
n do you know, dear" he began. ther
checked himself. "Imust be out of my
Y mind" thought he, ''to talk like this Il
# the child"
l. But Aida, in her own sweet way, un
t derstood and went on. ~ know thu
v ring is yours, papa, but perhaps yor
il think, after all, Uncle Frank ought tC
i have it,"
C Exactly" said he, with eagerness, led
on by this sweet sympathy. Il do think
d so, but Frank wouldn't take it now. II
y he only wouldr'
: Here Mrs. Denham came in, and the
d conversation was broken off for the