The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-05-28

way utu SllC "tObS NOo.
Silence, daughter!" he cried. "You
must not question mel"
II dare not now be SILENT" she said,
firmly. "If she wronged you, have you
never. never forgiven her? 1t is awful
to think that she has been dead all these
years. and that the ashes of your anger
are still burning. Bless me, father, in
my mothers name, and say that you
forgive hertz
She knelt upon the snow, and raised
her hands in an agony of pleading.
Could he gaze upon the poor, manned
child, whose life he had wrecked, and
not relent? Slowly the tears came in
to his eyes, slowly the flood-gates OF
his heart were opened, and the mem.
DRY of happier times-of times when nc
was a better man-stole upon him with
softening influence. Blurred in the
moonlight. he saw the form of his
daughter before him, and, placing his
hand upon her head, he said:
"For your sake. my child. / forgive!
In your mothers name, bless your
There was certainly something very
extraordinary the matter little DIR.
Bax. He had been called away from
the house some time since, and having
been absent for nearly an hour. had
Just returned; and when Laura, who,
struggling to forget her sorrow, was
playing forfeits with the young people,
raised her eyes. she observed him re-
garding her in the strangest and most
inexplicable manner. The moment
their ewes met, he turned his away; but
presently he was looking at her again.
and so strangely that she could not
avoid asking if AT ;thing allied him.
mo, my dear" he replied. with
singular eagerness, '.there is nothing
the matter with me. What should be
the matter with me, YOU little puss,
eh?''
II don't know said Laura; "but
you look rs il"
"Yes, my dear. as IL
LAS if you had seen a ghost"
"Ha har' exclaimed the doctor,
laughing SO loudly that all eyes were
turned upon him Immediately.
That's as good a thing as I've heard
for years. A ghost! What do you
think. Mr. Harrild? Do look to you
as if had seen a ghost?"
Il don't believe in ghosts" replied
Reuben Harrild. smiling.
s.Har' said DIR. Bax, taking Laura s
hand, and patting it gently. "You
don't believe in ghosts! Now, that
singular 1 do; see them often"
II beg your PARDON" said Mr.. Wy
mer, staring hard at the little doctor
Il hope there is nothing wrong here"
touching his forehead.
Not at ALL l say again, l am a be-
lever in ghosts. l never pass church.
yard at night without seeing hundred
of them. lodging round the tombstones.
do believe that if l went outside the
house at this moment l should pop
upon ghost, or ghost would pop
upon me. to certainty. 1 am pop
sure could raise one"
$50 many pops." murmured Mr..
Ramage.
MAY l venture TO ask" said Mr..
Wymer. with a glance ut his partners
which implied, Be prepared to receive
evidence: something may come of this,
..what kind of ghost You would raise?
for there are varieties. suppose"
''Ob, yes" said DR.. Bax, with a
chuckle. .'there are varieties. The
ghost jocular and the ghost detected;
the dolesome and the sprightly; the
sober and the rakish."
Il beg your pardon" said Mr.. Wy
mer, somewhat scandalized at this lev
ity.
beg away. my dear sir; 1 am in the
humor to forgive anything. But to
please you. will be more serious"
He led his friends to the window. Il
am creature of impulse. my dear Mr..
Wymer: one moment l am gay. the
next l am sad"
Sanguineous temperament" sug-
gested the lawyer.
Precisely so. Therefore l will not
ask you. nor you, friend Harrild. nor
You, my dear Laura, to excuse the
ehangeful vapors of my varying mood.
That sounds rather poetic, Mr.. Wy
mer?'
II can not say. Poetry does not
come within the legitimate scope of my
duties"
"Yau are mistaken, sir; your life
contains much poetry. But, as was
saying, will not ask you to excuse me
for wandering to personal experience
an episode in our family history
My father-it is forty years since he
died-had a brother Frank, from
whom, years before his death, he had
parted in anger. and whom he never
saw again. Upon his death-bed the
thought of that brother troubled him
greatly. l was not very old at the
time, but remember well his words:
If could but sec Frankr he muir
INJURED; we had so many happy years
together. We slept together. and went
to school together. He loved me, am
sure. If could but see my brother
Frank" And he turned to me, and
bid me solemnly never to nurse anger
against mortal man. Your uncle and
l quarreled,' he said, and parted with
words. If could see him
now. and press his hand, and exchange
a loving word, should die happy l
have never forgotten his words, and
through all my life have never let the
sun GO down upon my wrath"
Doctor BaX still held Laura's hand,
and did not appear to heed the Curl
ously-inquiring look Reuben Harrild
cast upon him.
:. There are mysteries and miseries
in all families" the doctor continued.
Z" 1t is wonderful the suffering man in
f1icts upon himself.
80 Reuben. YOU had son -"
Laura held her breath.
Yes. had son." said Reuben.
gently. Go on, doctor"
80 A son whom you have not seen for
years. You parted from him in
anger. He went abroad. What if he