The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1889-08-17

Peggy. Putting his fair, baby cheek up
lovingly against that of the housekeeper, he
began cooling and caressing her old face In
the appreciatiye love of his tender little
heart
Peggy's warm soul could stand no more,
ana, clasping the fatherless innocent to her
great heart, she burst into tears.
| "Never mind, Peggy Miriam said in
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.n she continued in low, confidential
tone. in order that Sir Rupert, who still
stood looking at them, might not hear.
yves, yes, we all know, and trust there is
no one hurt very much by this show of hos
Utility on Sir Rupert's part. Peggy you are
grieved, but should not she'd tear II l
were in your place. 1t is not worth the
, while, as by so doing you can not remedy
the matter See! am calm enough, Peg
gy; take pattern from my fearless face"
| Clarksou 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 Inc
old, proud. willful, unrelenting spirit. Yes,
it always had been, always would ne, III
spite OF 0olJE, SGEIOW tiAu CllO ~ wy oAAoAv
| for shaft with father and daughter. Sword
to sword when Percival aroused the evil
in one of their own blood had been say
ing, and Peggy remembered it plainly now.
| The vengeful fire in the eyes of Miriam
! confirmed the truth of the adage, and prom
! lsed 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 abach, Clarkson,
! by my heartless GOODNESS after my long aD-
sence; but think moment, Peggy; what
have lost here, beside my sainted mothers
| I have not misused any paternal confidence
nor crushed any fatherly affection, having
never been the recipient Of that much-to-
be-desired blessing. Surely I have lost
nothing and am none the less miserable for
nv independence to-day.
81 have forfeited my right to Heatherleigh,
it is tire, but with me that is minor mat
| ter.
eff father will not receive us, baby and l,
because of the name we bear. why, all recon-
| Citation is at an END at once, as l shall not
beg forgiveness for imaginary sins and to
please Sir Rupert's love of authority.
! Never!'
The shapely hand covered with its black
glove clenched itself in defiance, and the
/ hot DIood 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
mpassioned outburst, because of its truth,
| The irate father still stood silently re-
gariing his children while leaning on the
| column for aid Not a muscle Of his faca
moved, but he was thinking, nevertheless.
A sweet, pleading face Of one long since
dead seemed to come before him and pc.
tition in it's old, tender way tor reccncilia-
| ton and atoning love. And a strange mist
obscured his vision; somehow the womanly
daughter out there, by her presence, drew
his soul toward her in spite Of all he could
| do. Oh God, that this chasm Of bitterness
| existed between them. If she, his daugh-
ter Miriam, would only call across the years
to Kim again, and reach out her arms in
that yearning way, why, he could not re-
pulse her again; the spirit would ba
crushed, and peace would brood white.
| winged over Heatherleigh.
But Miriam did not call.
"Imust be going now," she said. Il had
| promised myself somewhat different greet
| ing from Heatherleigh's shadowy doors,
why, hardly know, but never mind, that is
a. over now. fear, however, this days
dciags will sit much harder on father
than 1t will on me. Goodbye, Peggy; good
bye, Ancil, James, and all; an afectionate
goodbye"
She finished in softened, subdued tons
IS she gave her hand to each in parting.
| ''She is a Percival to the very center Of
her proud SOUL" murmured John to his
fellows, almost gladly. Somehow he felt
happy to find that Sir Rupert could be
! withstood and ignored in his commands of
submission, and that, too, by one of his own
house.
| Miriam took her little son in her arms,
| and called across the intervening space III
a clear, unhesitating tone: sGood-bye,
father-a long good-bye!'
| Little Arthur, following his mother's ex-
ample, stretched out his little arms toward
the frail, tottering form in the doorway,
and piped in clear, bird-like tones: "Dood.
bye to 90, dood-bye; lon dood-byel'
| When his childrens voices floated melo-
dious]y 30 him in these sweet yet sad, sad
| words, Sir Rupert made no reply But
what his thoughts were, who could say?
| Silent and wordless he stood, gazing
| after the retreating forms of his hapless
Cui1ufeu, Ills DesauLllu1 DerGaVeu daughter
| and the innocent little grandoaild, with it's
! long, bright curls flying in the sweet spring
| wind. Would he ever see them again! He
! did not know. Oh! yes, he felt that he did
! know; he was certain that he never Would.
| And
Peggy broke in on his sorrowful reverie
! by throwing herself at his feet and wall
| ing: "Oh masthur, masthur, call her
back Oh! masthur, do, Oi begn'
| She had rushed forward and knelt at his
! side on the steps, forgetful of the angry
| demonstrations she had just witnessed.
She was only thinking that she must lose,
! FOREVER, perhaps, her beloved Miriam
| And, in her despair, she feared nothing OF
word or deed from SIR Rupert.
But instead of replying with torrent OF
lnvectives showered on her devoted head,
as all the dumbfounded servants expected,
Sir Rupert turned away from the kneeling
| housekeeper with gesture of uvearfnaaa
| vcuchsatlng not word in response TO her
| appeal. A moment of hesitancy, and he
| went in, shutting the door softly after him;
then, slowly and painfully, he went sadly
| up to his rooms and their solitude. There