The Penn's Grove record., 1886-02-13


feet.
There was a time when a touch on
his hand, tears, a loving kiss, had no
power to move him. He feels them
now-they burn him, they worry him.
He strikes the hand in his angry self
reproach or his pride. He hears the
sob, the pleading voice-he hears the
rustic of her dress as she move away,
and he turns to watch the door open
and shut after her. Where is she2
There was a time when letters came
to him one after another, tear-blistersd
blotted. What had he done with themY
How cold the room is-how dull the
light! How heavily the cloud gathers
down about himl-how his money rises
no before himl-how the spectre bills
and bonds dance and 6utter before his
eyes, and heaps of yellow sovereigns
glitter down there amongst the Goals to
mock himl So heavy is the cloud this
evening, that he hears sounds family
through lt-%approaching footsteps which
pause at the door-footsteps which en-
ter-a voice which speaks to BIN, STIR
ring the mist but family.
John March, the manager, is there
DtIOlS lllIs nHd1 III llO pBtCLACoA-
business. How cold the room isl
how dull and hard his eye, as he turns
to his managerl
81 have asked to speak to you at an
unusual hour" began John-and the
great man waved his hand as an &C
acknowledgement of the crime, and a gTa-
cious pardon for it, at an unusual
hour, for my business is unusual. l
have that to tell which may interest
you. Will you hear meP'
A little raising to the heavy eye'id,
a little dilating of the Ieaden n%ostril,
and the great man bows his assent, and
points to a chair. No, John will stand.
"Years ago." he says, ''when | was
obscure and penniless. when | had In
the world only hope and courage,
when I had for longing a Wretched
room, where night after night others,
obscure and penniless too, stretched
themselves on the floor to rest as they
could, and where often a brother or a
sister crawled in only to die'-(here
there was a slight change of position in
the leaden man, and a gesture Of i'm
paiience)-''there came to this place of
wretchedness," coptinued John,
watching him. "a woman, faint and
worn, old in looks but young in years,
rags to cover her, despair to nourish
her. From her finger she held it out,
the goI1en circlet rolled, and would
have fallen but for her jealous care Of
1t, so wasted were those fingers. | did
what | could"
Another impatient gesture Il a
smothered ejaculation.
"She had come from Italy, working
her way back as she could, for her
husband was dead. She told me how
the marriage was a stolen one; how she
left her fathers house stealthily by
night, how she %repented, and wished to
tell him so; how she wished to tell MIN
that even at that mad hour, with her
lovers voice in her ear, pleading, the
remembrance of a kind word from him
would have held her back"
lie paused for the leaden man start
ed to his feet, trembling, with the cloud
about him still.
'Give me my daughter" said be.
Il would give you-" continued
John.
''Silence! Give me my daughter
repeated the old man III his snaKy voice.
"a MlghtIer has claimed ner. On
her rag bed, in the desolate room" said
John, looking upon the luXurles around
him, "a strangers hand supported her
at last. On my arm her head fell back
when there was 10 more breath, nor
yearning after pardon. Hear me yet"
flor the old mau had sunk upon his
chair again, and was motiOping him
away under the cloak, taken from
her own poor shoulders, covered up,
warm and healthy. there was something
elsa child. daughter"
"Give her to meI'' exclaimed the old
man. 'How dare you all these years
keep it from meP How dare you--"
"a moment more, interrupted John
looking at the fire, and it was curious
that the leaden mans eyes took the
same direction. All these years | have
been seeking you. The child knew
nothing of her mothers story. L took
her, sir. as my sister; L left her at a
school, a good one, fit for her; she loves
me as her brother, She
"Give her to mel" repeated the old
man.
CLEAR me but another moment"
said John. II want no thanks for
what | have done. | am not rich,
am obscure and nameless; but l wiA
make a name. / will toll for wealth
and win it. Oh listen TO me; and think
of your own youth-thlnk what we
have been to each other, my heart IS
bound up in her,"
lie bent his head low, looking away
From, tba o1anna fbat mot biGs for in If
there was SCorn, and anger, and deli
ance. Still they stood there silent, op
pOsite each other, listening to the foot
steps which sounded now outside
listening to the low knock and the
gentle voice-listening to the turn OF
the lock, the opening door, the rustling
dress.
There seemed to stand then before
the old mans eyes the same light form
and wistful face he had been dream
ing of, the same earnest glance, but
filed with a wondering light as it fell
upon them both.
II had a daughter once" said the
mill-Owner, putting out his hand over
the fair head, ''but she forgot her duty
and has been forgotten in her turn.
JltS Cbllu las 1OhAV W q 0AANHNN
for her mothers disobedienee. 1 bid
her welcome"
He let his hand sink down upon the
brown head; he drew her towards him,
and put his lips upon her forhead. And
all the while he was thinking Of his
great name and his riches, and wishing
the girl had been a son to enter into
partnership with him.
81 will make her my heiress, " he
said; ''she shall take my name, and we
will look about for II fit to be her
husband"
But she turned to John hastily, and
sought to bring them together.
''My brother IS here, too" she said
wIstfulIy.
For that man." said her grand
father, ''for the nameless man, the OBJ
scure clerk, who has dared to presume
on his services to insult me, let him
name his price for what he has done"
"Ohlno, mol" cried out the girl,
starting away from the baud which