Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1890-12-26

Iro, deIlgnted TO wait upon MIN, Out ne
was not very gracious, and said but little
until Mrs. Grey said:
.'Cyril, dear, get mamma another
slice of bread"
''What did you call the boy" he
asked, sharply.
"Cyril. Oh. you have only heard his
pet name Birdie Birdie, come here
and tell Mr.. Bates your name"
cyril Preston Grey" said the child.
'Cyrit Preston!" said Mr.. Bates,
harshly. 81 knew a man of that name
once"
Every shadow of color left the widows
face, and she looked for a moment as If
she would faint. Then, conquering this
weakness by violent effort, she said:
E'Iou knew him."
81 knew no good of him." was the
qnick reply. ''He was theft
She tried to speak, but her white lips
made no sound.
1.-The man 1 mean" continued Mr..
Bates, ''was defaulter from the B
Bank. He had been cashier there, and
he stole money"
The blood rushed back to the widows
face, and her voice trembled with anger,
as she said:
"Since you know that, you should also
know that Cyril Preston repaid every
dollar, principal and interest, to the
bank, five years ago"
"You knew him, too?"
"He was my dear brother"
"Dear2 You surely do not hold
brother dear who disgraced you"
'Cyril," the mother said, "what do
you pray fer every night?'
The child repeated baby prayer, and
added: "God bless dear mamma and
Mamie, and bless dear Uncle Cyril, and
bring him home to mammal
There was a moment of silence, and
then Mrs. Gray sent the children away.
When she was alone with her neighbor,
she said:
"You say you knew my brother. Can
you tell me anything of him? Oh, if you
could know how long to hear!"
els it not better to know nothing of a
man who was only curse to those who
loved him"
''You are harsh judge. If he sinned,
he atoned. He has repaid everything."
"KilIed his parents?"
"Not so. It they sorrowed for his
sin, they rejoiced in his repentance. His
name was never harshly mentioned in
his home, and earnest prayers were daily
offered for him. Where is he? Tell me
all you know of him."
And then, with sudden movement,
Mrs. Grey bent her head and broke into
passion of tears, sobbing:
"My brother! My brother!'
She had wept violently, but when her
sobs grew more quiet, a gentle hand was
put upon her bowed head, and low,
tender voice said:
.'Annam
She looked up. A gray wig lay on
the floor, and on that a pair of green
spectacles, but the face bending over her
was that of man of thirty-fve or six,
with brown hair and soft, dark eyes. It
was ten long years since she had seen
that face, and sorrow had made it far
older than the years would have done,
but she knew it at once.
cyril! Cyril!". she cried, kneeling
beside him, with her arms around his
neck. "Oh, my dear, dear brother!"
'tYou are glad!" he said in a low
voice of amazement. "Glad to see
me"
"Glad, for I love you! Who was al
ways the kindest brother to his little
sister, Cyril, could you think ever I did
not love you?''
GA thief! A forger!" he said, bitter
". 81 have no excuse for my sin, Anna,
save that mean one only too often plead
ed, that l meant to replace the money.
1t was lost in gambling! My feet were
on the highway to ruin, when I saw that
discovery of my theft was inevitable, and
fed. But my punishment began at
at once, and never was remorse more
gnawing, penitence more sincere"
"You were never out of our prayers,
Cyril"
Darling, that was as the bitterness
of death, that certainty that I had
brought disgrace upon my homemade
my fathers name reproach."
''Buu you did all you could to atone"
"You can never know, dear, through
what privation and toll I earned the
money to pay the bank. went hungry,
half clothed and half frozen, working
early and late, saving every dollar But
when the debt was paid, fortune smiled
on me. My employers were kind men,
and they gave me an opening in their
factory. Do you remember, Anna, how
r Of ~ r