The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1888-12-13

denly betrayed her deep emotion he might,
by kind word, have opened the food
gates Of her emotion, but he was blind TO
every thing, and burned with mad rage at
the wrong she had done his boy Harry.
The wrong done his boy Harry Aye,
there was the rub. II was but natural that
she should cleave to hor own kin and be
true to the associations of her childhood
nay, the Captain could even forgive her
treason to tho Union; for women, he argued,
are emotional creatures, and always side
with the under-dog in the tight"-but that
she should turn from him and his to the pro-
lection of Alphonse Lecroix was an outrage
beyond his powers OF silent endurance.
Alphonse Lecroixi He detested this Al
phonse Lecroix with an aversion which
knew no bounds of reason; not that he had,
when he came to analyse the situation, any
Just grounds for such strong antipathy
against the young man, but he blindiy based
his contempt for him on general principles.
Alphonse Lecroix, who was stirring such
a torrent of luminosity in the Captains
heart, was young French Canadian, re-
siding in a neighboring village across the
river, possessed of small fortune which
he had inherited from a penurious father.
Fortune had been fairly generous to him,
and nature had been more than prodigal in
her fayors His was the ideal Of school
girls type of manly beauty-black, curly
hair; large, luminous dark eyes; regular
features teeth, which Duchess might have
envied; a soft, musical voice; ten
der, sympathetic manner with women,
and 1.-THE, active figure, whose
every movement was grace itself.
Then, his doting father had given him
college education, and, though his accom-
plishments were of the veriest veneer, he
had acquired the art Of making the most Of
the little he had learned-surely not such
an Objectionable parsonage after all. But
his volatile manner clashed with Daniel
winthrop's staid views of life, and in the
best Of times, when Lecroix had been ad-
mitted at the Orchard House as a frequent
guest, he had set him down as frivolous
iaclanapes;n but when the young man let
slip indiscreet expressions of sympathy for
the seceeders and evinced q too warm APP
probation of Miss Frobisham's society, his
wrath knew no bounds, and he had ordered
his women-f friends to close the door on "the
internal young copperhead."
Therefore, when from his retreat in the
pilot-house he saw the Frenchman drive to
his door and bear away the young lady, he
might be forgiven the storm Of impreca-
lions which rose to his lips. One thing COM
forted him: neither his wife nor daughter
appeared on the threshold to bid God-speed
to the departing guest.
And Harry was coming home that night,
too. How could he meet his boy with this
tale of sorrowi He would rather face the
worst storm that ever ragged on Lake Michi-
gan than tell the poor lad that the girl he
loved had been false to him.
Nevertheless, in the gloam of the evening
he went forth to meet his boy, intercepting
him in the big meadow, where years ago he
had taught him to fly his kite and shoot
reed birds. As the buggy approached, he
stopped the driver and said:
.Get down, Harry, and walk with me
TO the house. have something to say to
you"
Well might the father be proud of such a
son-tall, erect, the picture Of animal
strength, with frank expression in his
handsome face which would be his passport
wherever he went Harry Winthrop was as
fine young fellow as you would meet with
in long days march. But the old man
only noticed tho pallor in his boys face and
shrank from the blow he was about to in
fiict.
For time they walked arm IN arm IN
silence The Captain found it so hard to
speak
eHarry, boy" at last he gasped, 81 have
bad news for you-Kate Frobisham-you'n
bear it like man-she has"
ayes, know, dear old dad, she has gone
home"
"But do you know with whom she has
gonc9'the Captain asked, in surprised anx-
iety.
.'Yes, she wrote and told me she was go
ing with Lecroix. 1t seems as IL she had
given me up, doesn't it, dad9"
"And you, my boy" the old man said
with lips tremulous with emotion, shave
you the courage TO show the girl thai
you"
"Trust in her to the last. Why, of course
l have. Do not love her, dadm