The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-11-23

DnSKOu, ana COuRneu ana reaCneu Tor the
! paper.
The young man put it behind him
with flashing action of the muscles
surprising to himself. The freight
made her mild spectacles glare.
This is business matter" he apol-
ogized, blushing. The old man sat like
sphinx, and left his innocent and
tender guardian to encounter his fate.
"Well, maybe you would rather read
1t to Dear yourself" she suggested.
81 would, If he must have 1t read to
him.
"Arc you a lawyerp" she inquired,
timidly.
IL am. Perhaps forgot to mention
that my name is Eugene Laplace."
"Seems to me have heard the name
somewhere"
"Your husband has. 1t is name he
knew well twenty years ago in the West.
| My father was his partner"
"There, now, Dear" cried the lovely
old woman. accompany has been sent to
| us for this Thanksgiving. l knew we
wouldn't have to sit down 20 our turkey
| by ourselves, If we are lone couple.
You'll take supper Of course. And
where is your horse?"
81 walked here from the hotel in your
little town." explained the young man.
at isn't far"
| "Dear won't have the son of his old
partner stop at any TAVERN" she remon-
strated. "We can send the hired man
for your things, and you'll stay right
where you are. Beds amt so scarce in
this house that a friends child can't sit
down and stay"
| The young man folded his paper and
put it back in his pocket
81 will call again." he said in blum
dering manner unusual to him, and his
anxious hostess, seeing that he desired
to get out, indicated the front entrance,
and, mindful of dignity, conducted him
herself into the chill hall. She shut the
sitting-room door and leaned against
panel, her figure collapsing downward.
A fan-light, shaded by green paper,
threw ghost-lines on her face in the
dark. Upstairs the wind had found
some crack through which it uttered
mournful cry.
Laplace stood still, feeling that he
could not open the front door and escape,
leaving this sweet old woman sobbing.
81 don't often break down so," she
said, clearing her face with her apron.
''It was thinking how different you see
Dear from the way your father saw him.
He was such q fine figure, and so re-
spected. They made him justice of the
peace, and he could have been elected
county recorder-and there he has to sit
before folks now like dummy. o my
Dear-my poor old Dear!"
''Don't cry" said Laplace, hoarsely,
from his throat. "My mother used to
cry like that, after my father died"
SIS she living7"
"No. She, also, died when was
child"
"You would be such comfort to her.
Our boy would have been man grown,
and how could depend on him now! /
thought that was troublc-to have his
little face nailed up from my sight. But
when Dear was struck down and made
living corpse"-she covered her face
with her hands and shook.
81 didn't come out here to take on, and
my vittles on the stove and Dear needing
me. | came out to urge you'll take your
dinner here tomorrow. You know Dear
can't speak. 1 have to be nice for him.
He can't invite his friends, no matter
how much he wants them. We would
take it so kind"
''If can," promised the young man,
desperately, 81 will come"
"Dear will enjoy it so much. He used
to be the prettiest talker! He could
argue down anybody in controversy.
I oil hot 10 10, ,fn,t
never was man of more upright char
acter than he was before the afiiiction.
He lived without blemish."
"But you will spoil him with indul-
gence now," said the lawyer, trying to
smile.
Her sincere and anxious face received
the suggestion.
"Yes, he's husband and baby both to
me now. If he was of size to bundle
up and carry around it would ease my
feelings. What was the paper you
wanted read to him? If you leave it
with me l can read it when I'm reading
him an evening chapter"
SIT can wait-it doesn't matter" said
Laplace, opening the front door.
'There's some promise of snow to-
night"
''Yes, and you better turn your collar
up around your ears. Come early to-
morrow. We can't get out to the preach
ing"
Perplexity deepened in the young
mans face as he trudged into the town,
and continued to deepen after he had
shut himself in his chamber of the rural
inn. A box stove with its length of red
hot pipe and STOPPING ceiling bounded
his restless striding. A coarse home
made carpet failed to muffle his steps
A kerosene lamp revealed him with his
hair over his face gnawing his mus
tache.
I'm not fool" he said aloud. "I'm
not going to have justice knocked off |
the track by a little sentiment My |
mother suffered from the act of that old |
rascal. My father died of it. grew up |
in poverty that he made. could have |
read the accusation straight out to his
old image-his condition doesn't touch |
me bit But he has that woman set |
up in front of him; have to pierce
through her to get at the old thief.
His past blameless life is her comfort |
now! What would she do if she saw
this?"
He took from his breast an old paper
having broken red wafer on parts
where it had been joined, lighted and
4 i 4