The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1888-04-12
Joseph

4 ~ , = 81
We were ct Cham when our delayed
mail WAS received. There was 5 month
old letter from my nephew, Reginald
Travers, containing sad news. Ny dear
old friend Oswald Hamilton was dead !;
his affairs left in Z bad way. The ar
rangement Of his papers, Strengthening
accounts and settling up Of the estate
were left in my hands. A second was
to the effect that Josepha Ghe only and
motherless daughter Of my old
friend. about "a years Of age) had fin
ally refused him. That he had secured
. change into the Tenth, which was soon
to be ordered away to fight Zulus, and
closed by saying that the best thing I
could wish him was bullet through the
head in the first enlargement.
Ny poor Reg! It was his first taste of
lies bitter, and it was going down hard.
I longedto grasp his hand in sympathy. I
cursed the stupidity Of mail-carriers and
stormed at the hundred and one annoy
ing delays that kept me 50 long on my
homeward way. However, in two days
I was we'll on my Journey.
Soldiers are rough Of speech. 1be-
gan TO: fashion. some soft phrases Of
sympathy for my old friends daughter,
but gave up in despair, trusting that,
as il battle, when the opportunity comes,
1 should be ready to equal it. And,
after all, to such self-reliant natures as
Josephas sympathy held tone of pity
which gave it distasteful flavor.
*A:word ofmyself here. An old SOL
der, nearing 50. but hale and hearty, I
inherited at my brothers death the pile
Of stone he called home, and his large
business interests. A misanthrope, he
had shown little taste for the society of
his kind. Ny visits to him were few
and brief. I had taken little notice of
Josepha until I came to Deerwood its
master. Her name describes her. Divine
~ tall, she had none of the awkwardness
peculiar in women of her stature, but
her motion was at all times free, sug.
costing the fight of seabird. Better
than beauty, her face expressed dignity
and character. Her mouth was shapely
and red, although square jaw and long
chin proved somewhat detractive to it,
But her eyes-glorious. Clearest
gray with pupils of velvet, set under q
mans forehead. She had frank, bon
comarade way which played sad havoc
with mems hearts, whatever their armor.
Many of thewisest and wariest knelt at
her shrine, but each and all vainly.
Between her and my dear lad there had
been an understanding based on child
ish attachment. Merely silken link.
I cared little for society (though, thank
God never unfriendly or cold to my
kind, like my brother). The surround
ing country families who would have
llonized mo on account of q few scars
and decorations met with small en-
encouragement, and but for the flying
visits of my young lieutenant and an
evening cigar on one of the wide YER
andas of Hamilton place, my time was
passed in riding and walking and shoot.
ing:
Now I will let you into tho secret.
was surprised when found it out my
self. had fallen in love with Josepha.
Preposterous! So said. At any rate,
give me some credit. I never dreamed
of telling her, and I went away i'm
Notwithstanding with q party Of
friends.
My old friend I mourned sincerely.
Though ten years my senior, We had
been friends years and years. He knew
stood ready to lend helping hand
whenever it needed; but he was proud
to fault, and though had begged him
to allow my assistance (for I knew he
was in sad straits) he would never take
. penny.
His reverses were quick and sudden.
His indomitable will upheld him in his
struggle for o time, when that broke
beneath the burden of troubles, which
grew heavier day by day..
Dear old friend! ''Here lies man
whom pride brought low, I murmured,
IS stood over his grave.
1 had arrived at Deerwood late in the
afternoon, and had stopped in the
ehurchyard on my way to Josepha.
The grass waved to and fro. fam
cied the one below stirred uneasily.
Peace" I whispered. Your name
shall be cleared; your daughter guard
ed we'll"
Josepha, let mo in. She stayed to
fasten the door, and as she came up
with me in the corridor she slipped her
cold hand into mine and I held it
strongly. Ny eyes fell on Oswald's
picture as we entered the drawing
room. Together we stood looking at It.
Then I looked at Joseha in her long
black gown, ner neck rising like lily
stem from its sombreness, as stood by
her side. Bereavement and harasi NO
cares had set their mark on brow and
lips though she still held her head
proudly, and her eyes looked into mine
unmisted. +.
If I had loved her in the midst of her
happiness and lightheartedness, how
much more I loved her now, penniless,
with faint shadow of dishonor on her
name, forsaken by the crowd of sum-
mer-day friends.
She looks into my face, for my tongue
was tied, and then bent her head and
kissed my hand.
my dear" I said, my dear"
The only safe thing for me to do was
to go to the window. and I went.
Presently she followed me. and. having
myself as thoroughly in hand as an old
fighter should by this time, I sat down
beside her aud we had long, serious
talk. = =:
>'Thelong rays of sunlight paled from
orange to amber and gradually faded in
to the gray of dusk, and as yet we had
not spoken of the future. AJosepha had
her fathers own pride and strength of
will, and my heart failed me as I men
tally marshalled my forces and prepared
to advance. First, meant that she
should come home with me. "
"Josepha," began, ''this is no place