The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1886-02-03

conversation, ''there was quite q scene,
Regular excitement; everybody upset.
l don't say there was anybody in par
ticular to blame. But scene is a thing
l really cannot stand; and so I've never
been to the house since.n
There was a murmur of applause at
this very spirited and aristocratic way of
treating the affair, which had hardly
died away when Sladger's face suddenly
became ashy pale.
He listened with fevcrish eagerness, for
it was something he had heard which
had caused the blood quickly to leave
his cheeks. Yes, there was no mistake.
J'remulous and low at first, but growing
louder and clearer now, womans voice
singing a simple ballad could be heard.
There was nothing much in that to
other hearers, but there was a good deal
in it to old Sladger. 1t was his daugh-
ter's voice. Surely he could not be mis-
taken. Making some trivial excuse for
going to the window, he raised the cur.
tains.and looked out. There before his
very doorstep, was a small crowd; one
of those crowds which spring up in New
York as if by magic; and in the center
of it was young woman wrapped in a
faded and old black shawl, with a
patched and shriveled bonnet on her
head In spite of this it was clear from
her general appearance and the timiditv
of her manner that she was not woman
accustomed to get her living by singing
in the streets Somn in the crowd were
sympathetic, others were mirthful, and,
Others again, merely looked on and lis
tened, and wondered vaguely.
Old Sam knew her in a moment. He
had not mistaken the voice. 1t was his
daughter he saw before him. He looked
out at her for some moments, unable to
decide how to act. He must not have a
scene, and he must have his daughter.
He cursed himself for having held out so
long. This sort of thing must be put
stop to, at allhazards. His daughter sing
ing in the streetsl 1t would certainly
come to be known and talked about.
The scandal would be too great.
Leaving the dining-Toom with as COM
posed an air as he could assume under
the circumstances, he went quietly to the
hall door, opened it and passed out. AS
he did so the song came to an end.
Stepping up to his daughter who looked
at him with steady eyes, he said aloud:
Every well done, young woman-very
well donel You must be tired Come
in and take little refreshment!" And
then, in a tone that reached only her
ears, ''For heavens sake, Julia, come
into the house and stop this horrible
masqueradingl You'll disgrace me for
everl Don't hesitate or make a scene.
wouldn't have scene here for any
thing. I'll take all back wrote you.
dare say your husbands very good
fellow-in his way. I'll make friends
with him too. You shan't want for
money, either of you.n And so saying,
the old man drew her into the house.
What passed between father and
daughter then, is, perhaps, hardly worth
relating, but reconciliation must have
been effected, for the young couple and
the old man are now on the friendliest
terms.
Strange to relate, Sam has come to be
fond of his son.in-law, for Vandeleur
has made a name as the founder of new
school of art, by his friends and admir-
ers called the. Mystic, and by his de-
tractors called the Moonstruck, and
which, whatever its claims to considera-
ton, is talked and written about a great
deal, and that is the main thing, after
all.
Julia says she has no secrets from her
husband, but, all the same, Vandeleur
has never learned what became of his
wife when she oonned the old bonnet
and shawl, or how it was that Sam Slad-
gers heart warmed so suddenly to his
runaway daughter and her husband.