The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1888-05-31

father, dear children, and, please God the
past shall be atoned for In the future, and
now let us go TO mamma and Grace"
"Who can be coming home with tho chill.
dren,n said Grace, as she stood in the cot
tage door shading her eyes with her hand
from the brilliant sunlight She formed a
pretty picture, her brown hair floating out
in the fresh brecze, her checks flushed
and her graceful form arrayed in light
dress, plain and cheap TO be sure, but taste.
fully and becomfngly made,
Her quick intuition took in the possible
identity of the stranger, and fearing the ef-
feet of the sudden surprise upon the
mother should her surmisc prove correct,
she stepped out to the gate to meet them
"0h, Gracie,n cried Holly, "this Ia
grandpa, and we met him at the cemetery"
He put out his slender white hand draw.
ing her TO him, and looking at her search.
ingly. "My dear child, forgive mo that /
have left you TO bear so much alone,n no
said, gently, as he pressed kiss on her
fresh, young lips.
Grace looked up at the handsome old face
through n mist of tears. Was this the
stern, cold grand parent whom she had al
most learned TO hatel Yes, but stern and
cold no longer; the first look into Holly's
face, so like the one he had loved so tender.
ly, had broken down the last shred of prcju
dice and completed the work which the
loneliness of old age and the desolation Of
his splendid home had commenced in his
heart. And Grace, ms she saw the tender
light in the eyes looking down at
her SO pityingly, felt all her hard feelings
toward him melting away, and longcd 10
weep out the griefs which she had borne so
patiently alone upon his friendly bosom
"Does he come in peace or in angerw
asked the widow, TREMENDOUSLY, when Grace
suddenly broke the unexpected news TO her.
T" In peace, laughter, and anxious TO
make atonemcnt for the long years Of bit
terness and neglect in the past, = replied the
old man, who had heard the question and
answered for himself.
This was the beginning of better days
for the family; the mothers disease had
progressed so far that her case was hope
less, but every thing which wealth ard
love could procure was provided to allevi.
waite her sufferings, and when ut last
her spirit took its flight Holroyd Graham's
hand closed the tired eyes and crossed
the weary hands over the breast which
would never more be disturbed nv earthly
prejudices, or life's stern necessities.
They laid her beside her soldier husband
in Green Brookside, and then the orphans
were made ready for long trip among the
mountains to recover from the effects OF
tho long confinement and the griefs and
anxieties of the past; and IL was nearly |
autumn before the old home mansion was |
reached, and the great house echoed once |
more with young voices, and was br ght |
ened by loves warming atmosphere
The children became the very darlings /
of their grandfather's heart, and their
education, which poverty had seriously in.
terfered with, was resumed with renewed
zeal, and Gracie's musical talent in partic-
ular was carefully cultivated, though "a
longer a necessity as q means OF support
There is only one drawback TO the com.
pletencss Of their happiness, and that is the
thought that the dear mother can not share
II, and Holroyd Graham signs as he thinks
Of the many years of happiness which, in
his cruel prejudice and unforgiviRg spirit
he has deprived himself Of, and also thinks
Of the many years Of privation and suffer
ing he caused the gentle woman whom no
came TO love so well, before she left him,
and the hard and unaecustomed tasks
which, through his neglect. the feeble
hands were forred to perform, when a
1.-THE Of the wealth which he would never
have missed and little Of his love, which
should have been hers By right, could have Il
made her life an easy and happy ono
NES T. " HOWARD.