The Evening post. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1888-1889, 1888-11-30
RETRBUTl0N ;
IN THE DARKEST HOUR.

1t was great shock to q man of DIR.
Wilton's pride when he heard from his
nephew that he was about to marry a
penniless girl. Reginald Hart had been
brought up to regard himself as his
uncle's heir, but in engaging himself to
marry Archie Grant he shut himself out
of large fortune.
Perhaps DIR. Wilton might have been
inclined to forgive his nephew if the
young lady occupied position in So
ciety, but the fact that she was forger's
daughter kindled all his wrath lie told
Reginald to leave his house if he per-
sisted in the determination, and never
expect any help from him again.
Like many stubborn-minded young
man, Reginald was all the more in love
with the fatherless girl he intended to
wed, after this strange scene with his
uncle.
He made up his mind that he would
starve before he called on his relative
for help, and few weeks after he had
been turned out of his home he married
Archie Grant.
1t would have been hard to imagine
happier couple in the stateiest halls than
in the three small rooms which were all
their modest income could afford.
A few years passed on. 1t was ru-
mored that the old doctor was about to
enter into a matrimonial alliance with
one of society's most brilliant orna-
ments Many times had his elegant
carriage swept past Reginald and his
wife as they walked to and from church.
But Reginald's pride kept him from
ever seeking his uncle, and SO the breach
was not healed.
One evening Reginald came into his
cosey home, where his wife and little
one sat before the cheerful fire, in great
excitement.
Archie's sweet voice stopped its lullaby
as she looked up.
"Why, Regy, what is the matter?"
'Matter! Why, the bank in which my
uncle's fortune is deposited has failedl"
Archie rose, and laying the little girl
in her crib, came and stood by her hus-
bands side.
"Reginald, what shall you dol"
''Archie, it seems like retribution."
Poor old gentleman
The young husband looked into his
wife's eyes, and read the thought that
was IN her heart
The great stone mansion looked very
gloomy to the passer-by, and alone in
his room, with his head bowed over two
letters, was the old doctor
The first was a short note from the
brilliant but heartless woman who had
pretended to love him in spite of his
gray hairs.
Fool that / wasl" he murmured, as
ha tora tho ,orf,,vn al nnta in bnn1 rnI
pieces. The other read thus:
DEAR UNCLE: Let by-gones be by-gones.
have happy home, aud there is room for
one more. Come to your affectionate nephew.
REGINALD HART.
Some time passed, and Reginald re-
ceived no answer to his letter, and they
heard that his uncles house was to be
sold at auction.
1t was dark and stormy night pre-
ceding the day of the sale, In his room,
with the curtains drawn, and no fire on
the cherries hearth, sat DIR. Wilton All
he had was gone-at one fell blow
Knowing his resources, he had carelessly
contracted debts, and now he was unable
TO pay them. What should he do2
The bent figure, with its white head,
YEARLY lifted itself, and going to the
window, he drew back the curtain.
The old man stood there for while
watching the few travellers plodding
along through the rain. Perhaps some
of these people would whisper through
his halls tomorrow, while he-where
would he be then2
He slowly walked across the long
room to an escritoire which stood at the
farther end. In it lay an end to his
trouble; his hand Is on the knob, when
patter of little feet is at the door, and
running into the room comes fairy
figure, with its hands full of rosebuds.
Straight to the astonished old man the
little one runs, and then holding the
roses to him with one hand, she slides
the other into his, and raises her inno-
cent lips to be kissed,
He is saved ! Fast the tears fall down
his face as he clasps the soft hand
tightly.
"Ah, know; it Is Reginald's child"
Eyes, and Reginald, too " exclaimed
an eager voice.
Archie little thought when she told
her baby daughter what to do as she
went into the room how nearly a tragedy
had been enacted there. She never
knew; and in after years she often-times
wondered at the strange look which
would pass over the old mans face when
the little Belle would slip her soft hand
into his.
1t was retribution, but that dread Wis
liant have come in angel guise,
The Son of His Father.