Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-07-31

more willing and efficient workers under | the new order of things. But, my dear | child, you must be faint with hunger after | my long story" and she hastily rose and rang the bell for lunch.
 "Indeed, grandmamma, had not ! thought of any thing so prosaio as eating, in my interest" she replied, earnestly. "I havo foolshly thought had tho burden of | the sorrow of our separation, but in the | light of your suffering my troubles seem very small"
 "A very human fancy, my dear," smiled l Mrs. Pembroke; Sit is natural for every ono to think his own burden the heaviest"
 CHAPTER XII
 "Home again, sweet, sweet homeP' said Isabel, as sue stood before her mirror, l dressing for dinner; twas ever a place 30 dear as homeP
 ''Then the sunny South has not quite taken your heart captive," said Mr. Fall coner, looking up from his paper. He was ruddy and strong again, better even than before his sickness.
 'No," she replied, thoughtfully; "de- lightful as our visit there was, and much as loved grandmamma and the rest of the friends, there Is no place iko home, after au."
 "where is fathera Have you seen him of late1" There was an undercurrent of anxiety In his voice.
 "Pompcy and he, with Grace, went to drive," she replied 'Isn't 1t wonderful how he clings to her9 Ah! ifI could only win his loving recognition how perfectly happy should be" and she sighed heavily.
 'It is indeed O singular affection, and Grace seems to return his love sincerely and fully" said Mr. Falconer. "I doubt If you could have persuaded him to return with us had 1t not been for her influence. Do you know, dear, feel @ vague anxiety about him whenever he Is out"
 "But Pompey Is SO strong and 90 dev oted to him." returned Isabel, quickly, "I had never thought of danger. Perhaps l did wrong to bring him away from his homo haunts, but I did so long to win his affection, If not his recognition" and she looked at her husband with newly.awakencd sense of alarm.
 "Do not let my fancy distress you," he said; The Is probably as safe with Pompey here as at home; by the way, have O let ter for you from Lottie." and he handed her Q white envelope 'I was careless to have forgotten 1t SO long,"
 "One whole hour since the postman came, you naughty man," she said. playfully shak. ing her finger at him, "Dear girl, her room seems so vacant and lonely" and she broke week." commenting as she read, "and her parents month later Dear, happy little girl; I little thought that In bringing her here was bringing her to home, love and happiness" .|Y ness. ,,o,,o,. ,,,.n , ,,,on.., strongly against my will, assure you, to accompany Lillian on bonnet excursion, that was to meet my fate, the other half of myself, 90 to speak," he rejolned.
 There Is divinity that shapes our ends, rough hew them as we will," quoted Isabel, looking ct hlm thoughtfully. "It is 6 beauti- full thought, too my dear, that there is a great over-ruling Providence which, how. ever weakly and blindly we may be strug. gling to find the right path in life, can make even our slightest acts the leading strings by which we are drawn toward the crowning events of our lives. Had you come in five minutes later l should have been in the work room, and Jennie Dewey would have fitted Lillian with a bonnet"
 "In which case there would probably have been no Mrs. Falconer to this day." he re- piled, with smile. They went down to the dining-room arm in-arm, and found, to Isabel's relief, that Mr. Darlington and Grace were there be- fore them. "We had such a lovely drive," grand driver, the horses seem to know every word he says to them. don't they, Papa Car ringtonW
 He nodded with @ smile; he was never talkative, and his eyes had the dreamy ex. l pression of one just reused from sleep His l attitude toward Isabel had not changed, and she seemed an object of mild wonder to him as she called him father, and lavished the affection which she could not repress 1 uron him.
 1 He would often look in her eyes with the same puzzled look which he first wore, and say, mournfully: ''It Is strange, very strange, how you remind me of some one have known but can not recall"
 The child, however, seemed thing of the present; reality which he could grasp, suggesting no torturinR thoughts which re- fused to take definite form, end on her he l lavished the love which Isabel 60 craved keeping her beside him hour after hour He said little about hts Southern home {; that seemed to have faded from his mind {; but occasionally he would look about him as If he missed some familiar presence, and ask Pompey if Major Darlington had come in yet, and receive with overcoming sur prise the intelligence that he had not
 Pompey had taken care of him 90 long that he knew just how to humor every whim and make him comfortable. He was @ race; tall, stalwart. and with keen intelli- gence which would have done credh to many in higher station. His devotion to his unfortunate charge was untiring, and no inconvenience was too great to sufier in his interest. Oracle shared in his pro- tective love, and he was never weary o& contributing to her pleasure with songs or stories, which were fully appreciated by the child.
 Lottie returned at the time appointed, and was once more domiciled In her room. She was SO much better now that she could walk short distances easily without her crutch, and her face, sweet and pure al ways, was illumined with 8 soft glow of happiness which rendered 1t doubly charm ing.
 Dr. Conroy, though an undemonstrative man, could not control his eyes, and watched her with 8 devouriug look which plainly showed his heart, and the tender care which the blum, stalwart doctor showed toward his fragile little patient was touch. ing; even the gentle little mother had been entirely willing to surrender her darling Into his keeping when she saw his devotion
 and her love for him.
 The family would remove to Philadelphia | tvS aHN. ~V~ OIxAN