Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-04-08

the Doctors arm and rejoined the
guests. They were happy enough, es-
peeially the very young people of the
party, who laughed and frolicked as
though life from this night forth was to
be nothing but long holiday.
But there was one present who was
supremely unhappy. 1t was worse
than death to Stephen Winkworth to
look upon the form of his crippled
child. His misery was complete, for
no ray of hope fell on the heart that
was cold to all but this child. Day by
day ne had seen her wasting away.
She bore her lot uncomplainingly, and
In silence. In this lay his chief unhap-
plness. If she had confided in him as
OF old-if she had complained to him
OF her sufferings-it would have af-
forded him some consolation. But no:
the bond that had united them was
ioosened- She chose rather to suffer in
slience than seek his sympathy. Hap
less indeed is that mortal whose life is
passed without the light of sympathy
and love.
He had watched his daughter the
whole of the night. Scarcely a word
had passed her lips: not once had he
seen her smile; not once had she
looked toward him with affection. He
could endure it no longer.
..Alice," said he, in a hoarse whis-
per, leaning over her chair, 81 wish to
speak with you alone
Without a word she rose to obey him.
1t was a strange fashion of hers that
she should wear her hair loosely; and.
as it hung down in heavy masses, it al
most concealed her deformity when
she stood in repose.
Come into the night" he said.
He felt stified in the house, and he
experienced a sense of relief when he
reached the garden-walk that bordered
Warleycombe Lodge. The girl stood
patiently before him, uttering no
word
alice" he said, why do you not
speak to me?"
What shall say, father2" she
asked. in a weary tone.
"Say?" he returned, with heaving
breast; ..say anything, Why do you
avoid my look? Why do you torture
me with your silencep"
The suffering tone in which he spoke
was not without Its effect. a softer
light came into her face-a light in
which compassion dwelt for him and
for herself.
Father she said, solemnly, taking
his hand, ''look up to the stars. Look
out upon this scene. Not in nv dreams
have / seen a grander picture. The
Divine Lord that shaped the world. that
gave us eyes to see, and ears to hear.
and mind to understand, is looking
down upon us now. Seei the earth so
pure-the trees so lovely-the sky so
bright! If Heaven be as beautiful as
this, how blessed is immortality!''
"Well. child?n he said, awed into a
quieter mood.
s'Weil, father" she returned. "we
are sent into this world to enjoy its
blessings. We are here, not to repine.
not to murmur, not to scatter seeds of
unkindness, but to live and be grateful.
If any one of us has sorrow to bear. it
must be borne. My lot. Heaven help
mel is hard enough
morsefully.
why do You make it harder?"
..Ahce,"
You have asked me to speak. and
there is that in my mind that must be
said. If it grieve you. you have brought
it on yourself. My heart cries out
against you! / can not help i'll can
not help tit is q power within that
moves me. Since last Christmas q new
light has shone upon me. Fatherr
she exclaimed, turning her face sud-
denly to his, "you have never in all
your life spoken to me of my mother,
Stephen staggered, as though bull
let had struck his heart. and deadly
shudder passed through him.
II never saw her-I have never seen
her picture. / have often wondered il
/ shall know her when / meet her in
Heaven. or if there is something that
will shut me out from her love in the
next world. as death hath done in this.
Father, speak to me of my mother!'
II can not. child can not" he
murmured, hiding his face in his
hands.
Il so yearn for love-for human
love-for love with light in it! 1t seems
to me that l can no longer live without
it. Your love - forgive, oh, forgive
mel" and she wound her arms round
his neck, and drew his face to heI
bosom. your love hurts me. 1t APP.
pears to me unholy, for you take il
from all others to bestow it upon ME.
Do YOU thiuk that, when l see the want
of sympathy that exists between you
and all around you, / am not
grieyed? Do YOU think do not suffer
when see good men and women smile
upon each other, and not upon you:
When YOU shut yourself out from man
goodwill. you shut me out also Your
fife is not blessing, father-Heaven
pardon me for saying So 1t Is
curSef
1t was part of his bitter punishment
to be compelled to acknowledge the
truth of her words. His life rdS s
curse, blighting everything with which
he came in contact-blightinge even his
child's happiness
..Alter it, father, alter it, she con-
tinued, earnestly. Think better OF
the world. Live in it and be of it
Forget what told You last year of my
my love for William Fairfield Nay,
do not touch me for a moment. She
SHRINK from him and hid her face, and
did not speak for little while 81
have conquered that love; and L pray
with all my heart that William may
come back and make Laura happy.
hare been silent to you / hare not
been what 1 was; for my heart has
whispered to me that you were in some
way the cause of parting William and
Laura. / do not ask you to tell me
ANYTHING; but if you can remedy any
wrong YOU have done. do so at once,
not for her sake, for mine.
There was such anguish in his face
-. r. tool b;s hand and held it 70