Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1889-08-11


hull AsI returned into the house l saw
the pebble still where 1 had put 1t, and
the trihiug incident brought home to me
swift realiz alton of the words, In the
midst of life We are in death" 1 had to
wait a few minutes in the little side pass
aye TO recover my self possession before
risked meeting poor Cynthia. She saw
me lust for a few moments.
''Your mother has been so good, Ger
aid 20 she said gratefully, raising her pa
tent hazel eyes to mine. "But l can't
come TO YOU, as she wishes. There Is
Horace TO be thought of you see; he will
suffer so terrible over this We shall want
to ne alone together until the first wrench
Is over. Bat you'll know I'm grateful all
the same, wont yOu?"
Jem was right This calm, selfcon-
tanned grief was a thousand times more
touching than cries and sObs would have
been. As she stood there, with the tears
oCivsriug in her steadfast eyes and her
inns set In the saddest curves 1 have ever
seen, but without q sound or movement
about her suggestive Of the indulgence of
grief. 1 felt as # some one had suddenly
clutched my throat il grip Of steel.
raised her hand to my lips in passionate
svmpathy, and left her with my mother.
Before that week was out Cynthia De-
banbem had need Of all the sympathy we
conld give her. When the affairs OF the
dsad man were examined they were found
IN he in an almost hopeless state Of mud
Ale He had dsbbed IN financial schemes,
and on the dsy Of his death he had lost
about twelve hundred pounds. This dis
covery lef 10 doubt in my own mind that
Iris money troubles had had large share
in causing HE sudden death.
Horace. when he found how things were,
wanted to offer The creditors a composition;
lint CYNTHIA succeeded, after days Of pa
tiept persuasion, in talking him out of this
idea The brother and sister came to Us
the evening after the funeral, and discuss
ed their future plans in the twilight after
dinner
"Horace wanted to secure few hun
dreds out of the estate and emigrate, "
CvnthiatOld me as we sat little removed
from the others; "but l knew It was
hopeless scheme What do we know
about farming or sheep raising? We
should certainly be swindled out OF our lit
+ tie capital, and come home at the end OF
wear or so absolute paupers. Besides
there il our fathers good name to he
thought of. Mr.. Sedger tells me that, If
( we are satisfied 10 lesve everything for the
/ creditors, We shall be able 10 pay them n
full"
Bat" demonstrated, "the creditors
themselves would not expect such self de-
NAL as that. 1t would be prepOsterous to
leave yourselves without penny IN the
worldw
I'VE sha'n't quite do that" soc an
swered, with a certain quiet, gentle de-
cision in her voice which I knew of old to
be absolutely without appeal. I'VE shall
take furniture enough 10 make two or
three rooms cOmfortAble-the breakfast.
room chairs and couch and so on-and
start housekeeping On our own account IN
q very humble way in town. Horace has
decided 70 accept your offer, and to enter
/ the office at once, Gerald"
That's right as far as it goes; and I'm
glad Of itr' I said grumpily. But what
about ycu. Cyuths? Il does boys good TO
rough il bit; bat I don't like the notion
of your doing it. You DONE know what
life is in a fourth or fifth rate suburban
lodging house, especially when you're
cramped for money, as you would be-"
''Now, don't be hard on my poor little
planr' she whispered pleadingly. ''You
don't know what trouble I've had to talk
Horace into il; and, if Re once gsts no
ton that you are against it too, l shall
have all my trouble over again. 1 assure
Won. Gerald. il is the only honest course
omen to Us! As for being crampsd for
money, that can hardly DE possible with
the hundred and fifty year you have Of
fered Horace and the sixty or seventy l
shall earnn'
''You earn? Howl
The tone Of her voice was more pleading
tnan ever as she answered softly:
Il mean to get an engagement as daily
/ g0verness in a family"
1t islall pack of romantic nonsense"
l exclaimed, angrily. why can't you
make yourself cOntented here with my
mother and Jem for q few months until
Your first mourning for your father is
over, and then come to the home l viii
prepare for yOu?'
you are so good, Gerald, But Hor-
ace
"wby should your life be sacrificed 10
Horace" I cried sgaiD. IF he can't
live alone on his salary, let HIM come
and make his home here ard be a son TO
my mother when I am 70 longer with
her.
Her feca flushed wildly, but she SUP
pressed her emotion and ANSWERED quietly
enough
DO you think we could consent to live
on your charity ike that? Even while
you propose it yo1 know well enough how
impossible i, is for Horace to accept such
an offer"
'Theu let him live in en- garcOn in these
lodgings you speak Of and you come here
/ to my mother until All. do, Cynthia ~
I cried implOringly, as 1 saw her lips
Tightening reSolutely. Let me beg Of you
not to expose yourself to the petty wearing
discomforts Of such life as you propose.
You can form no idea of what it is like"
at is all very well for you to talk about
living en- gsrcon, with your knowledge Of
the world and your extended experience,
not TO speak of your thirty odd years Of
wisdom. But with Horace a lonely life In
London would be a very different thing
Think of the poor boy-he is really not
more-after a long days work in the Of
fee with nothing 70 20 home to bat empty
roomsl Would he 90 home TO them? You
know he would not 1 don't want You to
think I imagine that the mere knowledge
ofmy presence will always keep him steady,
but I DO believe it must have a certain in
fuence for good with him. 1t will make
him a little careful in choosing the men
he brings to his home, for one thing, and
that in itself is worth making some sacri-
fee for. Ny poor mother always recog-
nized Horace's one rcck ahead, his
moral weakness; and mis- godfather, Capt.
/ Sillicotes, used to say that he carried plen-
ty of canvas, but was short of ballast.