Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1892-02-19
SIDNEY Lorraine,
Or, The Counts burden.
CHAPTER I.
CHAPTER i.
~TIIE WHITE SKIES THRILL WITH A
MOON UNARISEN."

CHATTER i.
"TnE WHITE SKIES THRILL WITH A
MOON UNARIsEN."
J "Sydnev!" At the sound Of the call
ing voice a girl rose from the low seat,
luxuriOusly filled with scarlet cushions,
under the tulipa-tree, in which she had
been reclining, and for moment look
ed round half-bewildered. Then, Faith
er, dear, do you want me?' she answer
ed, and hastened to meet an old man
coming toward her over the close-crop-
ped grass.
1T is nothing very important" he re-
piled, as he reached her side; lit would
have Kept; only, happening to glance
out of doors, l was tempted for mo-
ment to think the library looked dull"
1T was good thought, father, and
now that you are here, stay and have
tea with me-"
! There is so much sunshine in the
world" lie added, absently, looking
overhead into the cloudless blue, land
sometimes indoors one is inclined TO
forget it,"
They were a curious contrast out
wardly, this father and daughter; he so
small and fragile-looking. with his
smooth white head and gentle face-a
scholars thoughtfulness in its refine
ment-she, so tall strong, and upright.
But if the points of divergence were
marked thus strongly, there were
stronger points still that made the
meetmg-places easy of attainment. In
her gray eyes Godfrey Lorraine saw
those that had tenderly lightened and
smiled for him. before he had known
that the daughters life must cost the
mothers; and though the buried dream
had suiliced him as far rs this world
was concerned, and 'Finis" was written
across the folded page that death had
turned. yet he did not fret and mourn,
or even ceaselessly regret. but passed
Woodworking scholars life the only
pleasure, outside his books, this girl,
who. in his library. in his walks, in al
his pursuits, was rarely absent from
his side. Thus life rounded itself afresh,
only sometimes he forgot, as he said,
how much sunshine, except in books,
the world contained.
And now the child was woman. The
days were over when, with her arms
clasped tight about n giant sunflower,
she had exclaimed, Next year | shall
be as tall as il is" Gone the time when
she had stood, her blonde head reaching
up to his gray one, and had said with
triumph, Father. | am taller than you
are. Soon | shall be grown up"
Yes, all that was past, the time had
come. The blonde head was smooth
and brown, the tall slim figure had
grown round and beautiful, and child
hood was over.
Then for time new trouble had
haunted him. She would marry. One
day she would come and say that the
dawn had melted into golden present,
that Love had touched her with its
wings, that all its beautiful hopes and
fears were about her, creating n new
world into which she was longing TO 90;
and he, remembering those other gray
ewes, would have to believe. and bid her
God speed" though any other paradise
always seems cold and unbeautiful,
compared with the one from which we
are eXiled.
SO he had trembled and waited, but
as yet 10 such day had daHned. No sad
or happy love story had come to trouble
the repOse of the calm gray eyes; and
now behold. she was Internationally,
and ii was so long since he had first
thought Of her leaving him. that God
FREY Lorraine had ceased to be afraid.
II was nearly asleep, father" she said,
as they sauntercd away together under
the sheltering trees. Il was so hot that
gave up reading and tried to think, al
ways dangerous experiment. but | am
wide awake now. Tell me what it is"
1T is only that young Lindenheim
has been up TO see me this afternoon,
and when he told me he was staying at
the Falcon, asked him 20 come here
instead. knew his father when we
were both students, and he has sent mo
books and notes by this young man
which will be invaluable TO me-"
THAT is good of him" sydney replied,
and, of course, it was right to ask the
son TO come here, but | cannot help
wishing that he had preferred the Fall
con. Men, you know, dear father, are
a great deal of trouble. They are not
content. They want'-she paused a
moment, looking round as if wonder
ing what more they could want, and
added after that moment-"lawn ten
mis-"
"But this one will not, L am certain"
replied her father.
TO be sure, he is German. More
lectiyely-"he is far more likely to want
poetry book. and that in this house he
is easily provided with. There, dear
father, you see | am beforehand max
ing the best of him. 1t is selfishness,
of course, but ohenever wants outsiders
in Paradise
No said her father, with little
amused smile, especially as outsiders
sometimes take the form Of the SER
pent."
Father she retorted, you ought to
be ashamed of yourself. L only spoke
thus to give you an opportunity of de-
Tending him. | shall be obliged now to
defend him myself, and he is your
friend
MY friends son-and sons and faith
ers, alas! are often sadly unlike. But
this especial son pleased me. He re-
minded me very much of what his faith
er was when we got into mischief to-
gether, in prehistoric times"
Lamplight was scarcely needed yet,
even for dinner, though few wax can
dies did help out the waning daylight;
but in the beautiful drawing-room,
which opened at one end into spacious
well-iilled library-descriptive combina-
ton which figured forth the joint lives
passed in the two rooms-no artificial
light was needed. 1t was beautiful
room on the first story. and its wide
open windows looked down into the
square, sheltered garden, round three
sides of which the house was built-the
garden where Sydney had slept that aft
ernoon. She and her father stood to-