The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1889-08-24

j ,,iam WAS secreted in the Hall somewhere
! and he caught her peeping through the
!; nalf-open doors, and waking MIN SO oisen
| from his afternoon maps, ne saiu' ~
| hours and hours he would search salous
the halls and corridors, going with steaitny
step and unwearylng patience. o,'1 80:
would pause in these searches ana ns.eAl
long and anxiously for the sound OF hef
footstep and the musicsof her voice. some.
| times he would start up at dead OF n1glt
and CRY out, eagerly: 'Oh! she is coming
| now: Miriam my beautiful daughter, -
coming: can hear her steps on the Stairs!
| Growing contented after these outoufsts
and glad flights Of expectation, ne "oulo
wait quietly for her appearing nntll ano'nei
pervous attack seized him, or he had quite
forgotten whom he was waiting LOT.
Once he was so determined That Miriam
had been in his apartments ana iao eouenou
him on his arm, awakening NM 1fon
so,nd nap. that all the servants had 10 DC
aroused to search for her because he failed
| tn find her, Ali unc omplalnlng the sleepy
honsaho]d instituted a mock Sc arch to quiet
| him.
So thus IN the midnight hour, with eapefs
a]ight. they moved slowly about the silent,
gloomy rooms, above and below. searching
for the satisfaction Of their master, VINO Iol"
lowed them in his feeble march, leaning on
| the arm of one of their number ana taking
necessarily OF his children
After hours of marching to and fro, hlther
and thither, at Sir Rupert's designation, ne
YEARLY concluded she was hiding III 5ne
| gallery, and no words OF persuasion Wooio
| deter him from going thither. y search IN
| that lonely Of all lonely rooms at Heather
leigh was all that would pacify him, and
with many misgivings and superstl5lous
fears crowding their courage to the wall the
servants led him into the chamber OF SORROWS
! and bitter memories. Ancll anu James
| guided Sir Rupert's feeble steps, and the
| trembling Peggy went ahead with Agnted
| taper
| !:Howly mother Of Chrlstn' she e]acu-
| lated, as she stepped aside for Marcia to ul'
lock the apartment, IAN II tins ghostly
| perade wud only COON 70 an Ind O1'd tale re-
! layed immensely"
The key grated i'll the unused lock, the
heavy door swung open, and the party en-
! tered the midnight gloom OF the musty,
close atmosphere Of the gallery.
On entering, Sir Rupert cast a quick, in
| curing glance around him. as it really ex
| pectlng TO see Miriam somewhere in tbs
| gloom, but nothing save the empty silence
! OF the shadows rewarded his an21ous VISOR
He stood perpexed aud disappointed tor
some time, and the white~faced, frightened
| servants watched him with bated breath
What next? The question was plain in each
| face Of the much-tormented household.
But the question was answered without
delay, for Sir Rupert, rs it recoilectlng hlm
! self, suddenly stretched out his arms TO
ward the row of reversed portraits opposite
him, and while a light Of recognition glad
dened his old face he exclaimed, almost
| gleefuily: "Ah! now Miriam is here after
| all"
They assisted his eager steps across tc
| the portraits Indicated by his unnatuTally
! bright eyes, and instinctively paused be
meath Miriam's picture. James turned over
| the portrait, at q look from Sir Rupert, and
Peggy held the taper up close to the beauti
full face looking calmly, proudly down from
it's heavy black drapery on the midnight
| visitors.
And Sir Rupert exclaimed eagerly, clasp
ing his thin fingers III rapture: ''OhI.
Miriam, my daughter, you are here; the old,
| mercless tradition OF our house is at fault
at last! There is love-1oua, instead Of hate,
existing between as; between Sir Rupert
fercival and child. Is it not SO, Mirian!''
and his face lighted up wonderfully with
owes wistful questioning.
Peggy hid her face in her apron anG
sobbed convulsively, while Ancil and James
brushed the un hidden tears from their over
flowing eyes in silence
Oh! the eager, hopeless questioning of an
affection that came too late!
'sLord! what a pass it has come to-
moaned the sobbing housekeeper, and
james made answer in a checked voice:
eyes, too late is the only certainty of the
Hail.
Sir Rupert caught at their meaning, es-
pecially the lament of the honest butler, c
whose faithful arm he rested. A shadow
ct deep disappointment crossed his features
as he looked from one weeping servant to
a1cther, and then, as if realizing something
CT the cause Of their grief. he dropped his
hands nerveless by his side. and murmured
il blank, uncertain way: "Ah! see how
it is at last -
Then standing quietly as if revolving the
matter more thoroughly in his mind, he
burst out with: 'Merciful God! had for.
gotten. Miriam is indeed here; but she
only is here to gaze ON her aged father
with rnerciless reproach. She will not
speak 10 me, her poor, old, stricken fatherl
OH she is beautiful, but so cold heartless
and cold IS my only daughter, and dunno to
all entreaty. Yes, James; am too latel
don't quite understand it; but feel that
am too late for reconciliation for sor.e rea
son. Miriam understands it; know by her
looks. Take me away, James; take me
away before my old heart is slain ia its
faithfulness; before she kills ME with her
proud, cold, wordless contemptl'
Inen they started with Sir Rupert for
his apartments.
81 wish to his highness that this NAV be
his last trip exploded Marcia, desperately,
as she banged the massive door to it's place
with an angry wrench, and turned the key
in the lock viciously
''FTush! ye haythenish spalpeen," repri-
manded Peggy, sayagely. "An' yen need
to chop out this nights lesson fer yer avid
feelin's."
''It's no evil thing to wish him dead, Pm
sure" responded Marcia, with defiant
toss Of her head. The dismayed Clarkson
made no response to this assertion, and
| DE-, r.! ! -