Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1886-04-29
GUYS CHORISTER.


ures before Ii, reminding one Of Dicksee's
picture of Harmony" where the warm sun
light streams through painted window and
falls on two figures at an organ.
But here the resemblance ceased, for both
inmates of the apartment were girls. One
she who was seated with her hand on the
! keys-had pale intellectual face whose
! regularity OF feature was its least charm
| while the other, who stood behind, was at
ordinary times barely pretty, but on occasions
such as this, when the fire of enthusiasm lit
up her changing gray eyes and the sunlight
turned her hair to masses of Furnished gold
was remarkably so.
She had just finished singing, and the
vaulted roof of the room still rang with the
echo of her voice. Her eyes were full of
tears as she laid her hand on her friends
shoulder.
1T is gloriousp' she exclaimed enthusias-
tlcally. "Guy is great musician, and this
she touched the manuscript music open Oh
the organ-''will live when we are dust"
Guys sister turned towards her with a
grateful look.
II think it will" she said simply. 1T is
very beautiful. How wish he could hear
you sing IT."
Fides Grimswold shrugged her shoulders
with slight impatient gesture.
ut seems to be of no use wishing, Theo.
He avoids Deepdene as If it were smitten by
the pestilence, and shuns me as though l, in
stead of being his dear little friend of a year
or two ago and his cousin, were his deadliest
enemy"
'',rhe year or two must be stretched out to
twelve, Fidesl More than decade has pass
ed since Guy used to romp with you and call
you his little wife and you were only seven.
You can't have forgotten how you cried
when for the last time he crossed the TIRES
hold of Deepdene, and your-and his-grand-
father swore he should never cross 1t again"
How cruel it was of grandpapa, Theol 1t
was the only unjust deed ever knew him 70
do. What made him so hard and unforgiy-
iug?'
Her companions cheeks flushed; then she
looked up proudly.
1--WE never talk Of it, Fides; but you must
not think it is because we are ashamed. Our
mOther-Guy's and mine-was the old mans
favorite child. He had this room built, and
gave her this organ the day she was eighteen,
because she loved music so much. And then
then she ran away with her music master,
and her father never saw her again. They
say that it was the most terrible grief of his
lllt anu lldJ TIC WAS CudhStu liz"
that time: but cannot blame her, for she
gave us the truest, dearest father ever chill
dren were blessed with. / am proud of him,
of his profession, his courage, and his genius.
He would have been great, am sure, If he
had not died so young-though, thank Heav-
Ell, he lived long enough TO leave us with a
memory we shall never losev'
"And your mother?'
"rhey loved too well to be long separated,
and the latter part of her life seemed to go
with his. 1t was only as she lay dying, leav-
ing us two helpless children alone and friend
less, that she asked her fathers forgiveness
for herself and protection for us. Even then
he would not see her, but he gave his promise
to help her little ones. SO we came to Deep
dene, and on our arrival you, a tiny child
with pale face and fair hair, came forward
in black dress-you too had lost those near
est and dearest To you-to receive us. l shall
never forget how grandfather led you out
and said to you, in his stately way. Take
your cousins hand, my child. 1t is right that
the mistress of my house should welcome my
heir"
And you, Theo?"
Miss italian laughed good-humoredly.
''0h, was ignored then, as afterwards!
But did not mind so long as you and Guy
were provided for. Between you l knew |
should be well taken care Of"
Fides Grimswold meditated for little;
then she said questionngly-
MY grandfather spoke Of Guy as his
heir?''
Her companion looked embarrassed.
'You know he changed his mind" she an
swered. with some hesitation. when, at
seventeen, Guy insisted on following his
fathers profession, and l naturally decided
to throw in my fortunes with him, ii was not
at all remarkable that our grandfather, being
the man he was, should do as he did and
cast us off altogether"
but Guy need not retaliate ON me-" the
younger girl said petulantly. why should
he have refused to visit Deepdene-why have
scorched me with his contempt and have
| flung back my charity as he was cruel
enough to call II, on that miserable occasion
when came to see you both two years agog'
"Guy is proud, dear, and the wound was
too fresh for even your gentle hand to touch
| il. He dearly loved the old man. and YOU
! you had taken his place"
'But not willingly! L would hand over
! the estates to him tomorrow ii he would take
them. That's the worry and responsibility !
| That's the idea-that no one can love me for
IDNStll, VI VIII Ilt lOI lily luOiltJ ,
and l detest the money that has estranged
me from-from the friends who loved me as
a childP'
Miss Hallam laughed softly.
ut has not estranged me" she said; "but
then am not too proud TO accept frankly
the invitation you gave us so willingly to
come and live here in our old home, and
share freely in all the good things of this life
ha love of g.,
cousin" AS she spoke she stroked gently
the others shining hair,
Tears started to Fides's eyes, and an old
aching yearning rose in her heart as she re-
turned the caress.
II wish," she began, then stopped with a
sigh.
"You wish?' hsr companion said inferno
gatively.
The girl turned and walked to the window.
The last rays of the sun were still Pickering
on the terraced gardens; but in the distance
over the spires of the old gray Minister, O
great yellow moon rose slowly.
why Is everything at such cross-pur.
.posesT she sighed. "And why dees only
the unattainable seem worth having? When
we are babies, we think that, IL we cry fol
the moon yonder 1t will come down to us
but we live and learn, and bitter experience
teaches that 1t never even looks at u.s.
Her companion crossed to where she stood
She was a tall finely-formed woman OF ovei
thirty, and lie looked down at her cousin
with loving air of amusement She took
Fidess chin in her hand and turned her face
upward till the troubled eyes looked straigh,
into hers-then with pleasant laugh 70
leased her hold.
II. n IL. G.xt<
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