Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-11-20

her feet exclaiming, acknowledgements,
Miss Renwick, there's your pa comm up
the path with young man In tow'
Don't, for mercy sake, let EN- see me with
my face all hlotched from crying and
my hair in tousle, and she dartod out
into the kitchen and home the back way
through the garden.
1t was years since stranger guests had
come to tho old house Judith could
hardly believe her eyes as she saw her
father show in the young man who came
close behind him with courtly, old fash
toned politeness. Theyoung man, whose
bearing was modest, though his eye was
quick and lively, must have detected the
expression of dismay in Judith's face,
for there was a certain pulsating air OF
confusion about him as the old man,
waving his hand gracefully, said: my
daughter Judith, sir; my last, my only
surviving child. We live here, sir, in
old fashioned simplicity, as you win see.
Judith, this is Mr.. Mildmay, of Arizona.
He has come 10 speak to me on business,
the sale Of my western lands, in fact,
Judith, and you will make him well
come"
Judith was conscious of making a
very awkward bow to Mr.. Mildmay, Of
Arizona, as she hastily pushed back the
little lesson table she had arranged for
her pupils and covered it with an old
black shawl. Mr.. Midway, though he
sat there on one of the rickety patched
chairs looking like the most unobserv-
ing of mortals, had seen the movement
and was specializing as to the cause.
Unlike old Renwick he seemed not to
make the slightest demand on the hom-
age of his fellow beings, as if it had
never entered his head that he was
much of anybody or had the remotest
claim to notice. But Judith saw in q
glance that he had an engaging smile,
frank and friendly, even merry, and his
singularly bright hazel eyes wandered
into every corner of the old room and
came back to rest on the face and form
Of the young girl in her shabby black
gown with pleasant look of interest
and inquiry.
you have fine old house here, Mr.
Renwick," the young man was saying
early colonial of the first period"
Eyes, yes" said the old man, with
stately bow; "a good house, sir, in its
day, not kept up, am sorry to say, as it
should be. My family has shrunk to
such pitiful dimensions we have CON
tracted our way of life, sir; have, in
fact, abandoned the best rooms to the
rats and mice and crept into corner,
The house was built by my great-grand-
father, whose name figures not dishon-
orably in the history of our country, sir.
If you will stay and dine with us shall
be pleased to show you some autograph
letters from Alexander Hamilton and
General George Washington addressed
to my ancestor"
Mildmay's perceptions were Of the
acutest At glance he had taken in
the bare, poverty stricken aspect of the
room, and he thought he could interpret
Alright the look of confusion and trouble
in Judiths face, So he seized his hat he
had laid upon the floor and said firmly,
81 think must return at once to the
hotel"
mo, sir, you must remain" cried old
Renwick with pugnacious obstinacy
81 shall not allow you to 20 away with.
out breaking bread"
judith, with the memory of the bag
Of oatmeal and the half peck of potatoes
in her mind as the only available re-
sources Of the larder, had got behind
Mildmays chair and was making fur
tive but desperate gestures to her father
TO refrain from pressing the gentleman
to remain. But the old man, eager and
intent in his effort TO keep his guest,
was totally oblivious to the pathetic
dumb show Judith was carving ON he.
hind hildnlsy's back. She stood there
pleading as If for dear life when suddenly
she happened to glance at the opposite
wall, whore to her horror she saw an
old fashioned long mirror, hanging well
aslant from it's fastenings, which re-
fected everything in that part of the
room. Mildmay's eyes We're fastened on
the mirror, where her own face and form
and every gesture she made were plainly
visible. Suddenly her hands fell to her !
sides, and she turned of a vivid, fiery red
oil over her cheeks, brow and neck, and |
even the tips OF her ears burned like live
GOALS.
The young man sprang to his feet.
Ho still held his hat in his hand, and bis
face was quite crimson with embarrass-
ment to match the flag of shame hung
out in Judith's checks.
Really sir, !" he stammered, not know.
ing what no was saying, II must 20
= lind shall have to be off by the two
train, Very important business which
for the moment had forgotten" Re
glanced At Judith furtively with n rens.
suring look to tell the golden haired
young lady that she should not be trou.
bled by the presence of an unweloomo
guest II the heavens fell
But You must remain" cried tho o,d
man imperiously, getting on his feet 81
SHAH not allow you to leave INV bonsa in
THIS manner. Our business is unfinished
want to talk to you about your nedi
ing, Jung man smh-
Your pedigree. lam particularly n
terested, as you must know, n famiir
histories, and think it more than mon
ape that you may be descended r.,
mat Sir Bruce Mildmay, who fought IN
the Vans OF the Roses and was char,h.n