Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1891-12-04

Cnink DIS great, Diue eyes ana crisp,
blond curls were like those IN his
mothers portrait, but imagination was
more potent than actual memory in re-
calling her.
~ wonder if father really is I'LL" he
thought, jogging along slowly. "He
seems so anxious to have me settled.
And that means married. He seems to
think will weary of dear old home, il
have no family ties to bind me there"
And then fancy painted again that ex-
quisite, graceful and accomplished be-
ing he had endeavored to describe to
Barbara. It was odd that even with
this mental vision before him he thought
what home Bah would make of the
stately pile that was to be his inheri-
tance.
.sThere Is not much that is home-like
about it now," he thinks, ''for Mrs.
Clark is too old to fuss much, and i'm
agine the servants have it all their own
way But how Bab's little trim figure
and red hair would tighten up those big
gloomy rooms"
A week later, he IS on his way to New
OEh, W tioIb I.io ddhe, W oOC oOCiOt1S
and, by his fathers express desire, to
find wife.
Heart-whole, fancy free, he mingles
with the guests who gather at Mrs.
Mark hams, his aunt's; escorts his pretty
cousin Mabel to opera, theatre, concert;
dances gracefully with one belle, takes
another out to supper, makes himself
,,,,fI, fhtrl cloi irrht
party, escorts fourth for a promenade,
and so on-sixth, seventh. eighth, num-
bers indefinite, coming under his care
pro tem., but not one stirring his heart
as Babs cordial greeting did when he
returned from college.
Bab There is scarcely frolic of his
lonely childhood that is not associated
mother called him in from SNOWFALL
fighting or coasting frolic, TO eat crisp,
hot doughnuts or gingerbread How
many candy pulls has he had with Bah at
one end OF the sweet, sticky mass and
himself at the other!
Bao is not his ideal. That was tall,
stately, brunette Bah is short, merry,
brown-eyed and with hair of FURNISHED
bronze that Malcolm irreverently calls
red And then, although there is no
foolish pride about Malcolm, he has GER
tainly moved in more cultivated and re-
fined social circles than Barbara ever
saw. He wonders how Bah would LOOK
in clouds of tulle, her round white arms
circled with bracelets, her glorious hair
starred with gems, and mentally decides
that she would look ''jollyl"
A letter from home reached him in
the middle of November.
DEAR Mr.. MALcoLM think ought to
write you about your pa. He won't COM
plain. and he amt to say sick. but he's pin
ing, and very weak. Barbara Croft is here
every day, reads to him, sings for him, plays
chess and brings him ali sorts OF good things
she cooks to please his appetite. She's
the best girl in the world think,
but she aiuT like your pas own. He frets
for you, though he won't say SO, and think
Mr.. Malcolm, if you'll excuse the liberty of
my saying so, the time is coming when you
will be glad it You come home to cheer him.
Your obedient servant,
"MARY CLARKE"
"My dear old dadw thought Nal.
colin, tearing down stairs with the letter
in bis hand. "He is sick I was afraid
he was last summer, and here I've been
fooling away for months while he has
been fretting for mel"
His remorse was deeper than his neg
lect warranted, but he loved his father,
the ever indulgent friend of his life, his
one tie in the dear old home. Aud so,
making graceful apologies to his aunt,
he started at once for Deerfeld.
Mr.. Hoyt was in the library when he
drove up to the door, and through the
window Malcolm could rec the ruddy
light from the CRATE, the deep arm chair,
the figure of his father reclining there.
But, pausing on the porch, he saw more.
He saw that the dear face was hollow
eyed, haggard, fearfully changed. He
saw trim little figure bending lovingly
over the sick man, coaxlng him TO eat
the dainty luncheon ON the table beside
him. And he saw Bah more than once
draw back to hide quivering lips and
eyes filed with tears.
Show good she is" Malcolm thought,
'to leave her bright home, to comfort
lonely old man." And he stepped soft
ly, not to disturb the pretty scene, and
went to the back door to send Mrs.
Clarke to give notice of his arrival.
He was disappointed when he went in
to find his father alone, but he forgot all
else in his sorrow at finding such
change in him.
"Why have you not sent for me be-
fore9" he asked, reproachfully.
~ knew you were enjoying your
visit, my dear boy. Your letters were
like CLEANS of sunshine; Bah read them
over and over to me, but would not let
any one write but myself, for fear of
troubling you."
''But you were lonelya"
"Yes, very lonely, though Barbara
has been very kind. She is the gentlest
of nurses, the most patient of com
panions," then, little wistfully: tHave
you no news for me, Malcolm?"
"None, but what I have writteuF
''I so wish to see you settled in your
home, before-I mean, soon."