The morning call., 1891-01-08

sufficiently hide from view the dearly be-
loved one. Then with hasty steps, which
brought NE blood 70 his pale cheeks, he re-
turned to his empty house.
Before reaching it he sgas met by the
workmen, who had fastened to him, and re-
lated, In Italian, Roumanche, German and
oervlan. the various ravages that had been
wrought by the storm. The iron rails were
torn up and several iron bridges carried
away to long distance. The Prahova con-
tlnued to rush over tile dams and cause
ways, as if in hopes to destroy even the last
yestige. He must go Immediately and in
s:pect the ruins-and he must go on foot.
And. as he proceeded, news of other diSas-
tiers came TO him from every side.
;, IL was late when he rea ched his home. He
found the children out Of doors making
comm OF heaped-up snow, in which one was
10 lie and then be covered by the others.
seeing them thus uncared for, he repr-
Mahded the nurse, who declared that it was
the 1ault OF the cook, who had not yet re-
turned. Then Dehormie remembered that
he had eaten nothing since the night before,
ana he asked to have something brought
him.
;. The children soon came in with food, and
qIsputing as to which should wait upon him.
ne smiled. and for an instant his white
teetn were visible through his light NOUS
lacne, and his eyes were suffused with tears.
lie pushed back the dishes-for he could
not SWallow-and went into his study,
when wore its usual aspect, as if nothing
mao happened. He sat down at his desk
ana attempted to overlook some papers; but
he was too fatigued. And he threw himself
upon sofa and fell asleep. Every quarter
OF an hour the children went in cautiously
10 see II their father was still asleep, then
retreated again on tiptoe.
1he storm commenced to rush and whirl
again, and threatened to crush the frail hab-
ltatlon. Ben and Mad remained for hours
kneellng upon the window scar, watching
the whlrling snow flakes aud laughing as
they settled upon the lower paneS and then
Ieli OIL when they breathed upon them.
Inelr sorrow went and came like the wind
which was passing, and in the altern tons
OF tears and vague forgetfulness, the long
gloomy day rolled away.
reward evening their father awoke with
pans In MS chest and limbs, and a sharp
ana vague sense of forlornnesS, which at
hrst be could not account for. second
TIME The voices of his children brought him
To reality. Then the thought of the absent
one came over him with such an overwhelm-
ing force that the idea of existence without
his cherished companion to share it with
MN appeared insupportable. He was en-
guided in an ocean of sorrow, and he turned
his eyes again to the pistol on the wall.
The temptation 10 take it and end his sui
1erlng wi h it became stTong-grew stronger.
His children? just now he did not love
them-they were nothing but Il care; they
were too young to share his grief or to Sui
fer with him.
His work? The storm had destroyed
everything-all was to be done over again.
There were long months of labor in the
future; and then perhaps another hurricane
comes and devastates all a second time.
1t were better to die and rejoin the de-
parted one i'll the cemetery III the valley:
He wished to dress, but his limbs seem ed
half paraIyzed-the effort to rise was too
great-tho strength to raise his arm to reach
the weapon was lacking-even his thoughts
ran incoherently and like the overlooking
stream yonder.
ITO be contiuuedl