Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-10-03


Waging between love and pride
Miriam made a step forward hoping-she
could hardly have told for what. Her foot
fall aroused Sir Rupert, and with a desper
ateness born of Satan he fell back on the
evil in his soul, ever sufficient to the
emergency, and faced the group once more.
Miriam paused; was there reconciliation
beaming on that paternal faces No.
"Don't come near me; don't cali me thdt,"
he cried, vehemently; don't call me
father after-after-"
His voice failed him, and he chung TO the
column nearest him for support, looking the
defiance he could not utter from sheer ex-
haustion,
The little group on the flags were silent
and almost terror-stricken at the fury OF
the old man.
II have gone far enough, it seems" said
Miriam, after a long silence, in choking
voice. Then IN an undertOne she continued
talking; partly to herself aad partly to the
white-faced group around her.
Father will not forgive me unless / bee
for the boon, and that, of course, shall
never do had thought to come back TO
Heatherleigh If Sir Rupert cared to have
me do so, and had fondly dreamt of making
his remaining days pleasant, If could.
But to beg admittance to the accursed doors
that never had but frowns for me is more
than q child of the Percivals will ever DO.
shall never grovel in the dust for love
rather the hatred"
A wave of proud, cold defiance swept her
pale face for moment and the fine eyes
kindled with an angry, insulted expression.
The child, frightened at the loud tones
and angry lmprecations and gestures Of his
irate grandfather, sOught.his mothers eyes
with troubled look on its dimpled face,
only to see sternness there that chilled
his trusting heart with childish terror.
Hiding his perturbed, frightened eyes in
the folds of his mothers gown he was
ready to cry,
'You swate little darlint,n moaned Peg
gy, kneeling down beside him. AN yes
don't know at all how name the wurruld
kin be whin it tries, me pet; an its yer
haythunish gran fayther that moight be so
proud of We if the divil hadn't such theri-
BILE hold of his hard old heart'
The child turned quickly, seeming to I'M
derstand by intuition that great wave Of
sympathetic love was setting in toward him,
and IN trice he had thrown his dimpled
arms around the neck of the demOnstrative
Peggy. Putting his fair, baby cheek up
lovingly against that of the housekeeper, he
began cooling and caressing her old face in
the appreciative love of his tender little
heart.
Peggy's warm soul could stand no more,
ana, clasping the fatheress innocent to her
great heart, she burst into tears.
"Never mind, Peggy" Miriam said in a
tender soothing tone, putting her hand
lovingly on the gray hairs Of the bowed
head. 1--WE all know just how it is, except
baby" she continued in low, confidential
tone, in order that Sir Rupert, who still
stood looking at them, might not hear
Eyes, yes, we all know, and trust there Is
no one hurt very much by this show of hos
tllity on Sir Rupert's part. Peggy you are
grieved, but | should not shed tear II
were in your place. 1t Is not worth the
while, as by so doing you can not remedy
the matter. Seel 1 am calm enough, Peg
gy; take pattern from my fearless face"
Clarkson raised her fearful face and
searched the eyes of her long-lost mistress
bent kindly on her
What did she see in those clear, dark
depthss Beyond the haunting sorrow of
her great bereavement there smoldered the
old, proud, willful, unrelenting spirit. Yes,
1t always had been, always would be, in
spite of death, sorrow and the grave, shaft
for shaft with father and daughter. Sword
10 sword when Percival aroused the evil
In one of their own blood had been a say
ing, and Peggy remembered it plainly now.
The vengeful fire in the eyes of Miriam
confirmed the truth of the adage, and prom
Ised balefully that the breach existing
could never be healed. Truly the woman
was not much changed from the proud, re-
bellious child in its nurses arms.
Miriam read the innermost thoughts of
poor, simple hearted Peggy in that momen-
tary upward gaze.
'You are startled, taken aback, Clarkson,
by my heartless GOODNESS after my long alb
sence; but think moment, Peggy; what
have / lost here, beside my sainted mOtherl
l have not misused any paternal confidence
nor crushed any fatheriy affection, having
never been the recipient of that much-to-
be-desired blessing. Surely l have lost
nothing and am none the less miserable for
my independence to-day.
81 have forfeited my right 10 Heatherleigh,
It is tire, but with me that is minor mat
ter.
"If father will not receive us, baby and !,
because of the name we bear, why, all recon
Citation is at an end at once, as | shall not
beg forgiveness for imaginary sins and TO
please Sir Rupert's love Of authority
Eeyerw
Inc snapeIy nand covered with Its olack
glove clenched itself in defiance, and the
hot blood of vexation and inherent dislike
surged up TO the smooth white brow and
burned in roses on either cheek. A silence
as of the grave fell over them as she ceased
speaking, for the housekeeper could find
no words for reply in the face of such an
imprisoned outburst, because of its truth.
The irate father still stood silently re-
garding his children while leaning on the
column for aid. Not muscle of his face
moved, but he was thinking, nevertheless.
A sweet, pleading face OF one long since
dead seemed 70 come before him and pc
tition in its old, tender way for reconcilia-
ton and atoning love. Aud q strange mist
obscured hls vision; somehow the womanIy
daughter out there. by her presence, drew
his soul toward her in spite Of all he could
do. OIL God, that this chasm of bitterness
existed between them. IL she, his dauRh-
ter Miriam, would only call across the years
TO him again, and reach out her arms IN
that yearning way. why, he could not re-
pulse her again; the spirit would be
crushed, and peace would brood white
wiERsd ever Heatherlsish-
Bat Mlfizm ala ast sah