Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-05-24

! 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 the chill
dren,' 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 breeze, her cheeks flushed
and her graceful form arrayed in light
| dress, plain and cheap to be sure, but taste
| fully and becomingly made.
Her quick intuition took in the possible
identity of the stranger, and fearing the eff
feet of the sudden surprise upon the
mother should her surmise prove correct,
she stepped cut to the gate to meet them.
"Oh, Gracie," cried Holly, "this is
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 me that L
have left You to bear so much alone,' he
said, gently, as he pressed kiss on her
fresh, young lips.
Grace looked Up at the handsome old face
through mist of tears. Was this the
stern, cold grand parent whom she had al
most learned to hate! 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 preju-
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, as she saw the tender
light in the eyes looking down at
her so pityingly, felt all her hard feelings
toward him melting away, and longed to
weep out the griefS which she had borne so
oil hi
docs he come in peace or in anger?"
asked the widow, tremulOusly, when Grace
suddenly broke the unexpected news to her.
I'm peace, laughter, and anxious to
make atonement 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 and
love cOald procure was provided to allevi
yate her sufferingS, and when at last
her spirit took its fight, HolrOyd Graham's
hand closed the tired eyes and crossed
the weary hands over the breast which
would never more be disturbed by 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 a long trip among the
mountains to recover from the effects of
the long confinement and the griefs and
anNeties of the past; and it was nearly
autumn before the old home mansion was
reached, and the great house echoed once
more with young voices, and was bright
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 no
longer a necessity as means of support.
There is only one drawback to the COM
pleteness of their happiness, and that is the
thought that the dear mother can not share
it, and Holroyd Graham signs as he thinks
of the many years of happiness which, in
his cruel prejudice and unforgiving spirit
he has deprived himself Of and also thinks
of the many years of rrivatiOn and suffer
ing he caused the gentle woman whom he
came to love SO well, before she left him,
and the hard and unaccustomed tasks
which, through his neglect, the feeble
hands were forced to perform, when
1.-THE of the wealth which he would never
have missed, and a little of his love, which
should have been hers by right, could have
made her life an easy and happy one.
Mrs. +. NJ HOWARD.