The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-08-27
CHAPTER XXI.
MY KIND RELATIVE OFFER

MY KIND RELATIVES OFFER.
Mr.. Demands appearance did not SUR:
prise me in the least. | was SO frus'
trated that l could not have felt any
surprise at that moment had the world
come to an end. It. Was the unexpected
that expected.
He seated himself coolly, after mo-
| tioning ne to q seat, then without delay
opened a conversation.
s'Agnes," he began, II have fe1'reted
out everything, and find that you are
made to suffer because of the interest
have evinced in you, and the pains ]
have taken to promote your welfare !
am truly sorry that ] have unintention.
ally brought you this suffering, and l
am willing to do anything possible to
atone for it,
| "How can you atone?" asked. How
can you amend my wrongs?"
| Gin but one way" he replied II
can dc it only by giving back to you
all that, through my means, you have
lost
'You cannot do that cried, my
tears starting afresh. "My good name
is gone, and nothing can still the
tongues of gossip"
''But can do it, he said, emphati-
cally.. 81 can recover to you your good
name and reputation. And not only
that, Agnes, but can place you be-
yond the reach of those slanderous
| tongues"
'SNo, no." cried, ''you cannot"
''But can" he repeated, land IswiL
! can place You SO far above those vile,
malicious wretches that they will not
dare to look at you, much less speak
your name. / can place your feet on
the neck of every worm of humanity
who has dared to breathe word
| against you. say can do all this. and
I will do it. will return to you all
| you have lost and thousand fold more.
/ will make you queen in society, the
envied Of the envious, and the admired
of all who see and know you"
! He spoke with such vehemence that
I shrank under his words and sat trem-
bling and powerless. He paused only
an instant and drawing his seat near
! me, continued:
"Agnes, listen to reason and COM
| mon sense. You are alone in tho
world, with not one single tie OF
| kindred. You have no mother, your
! father and sisters care nothing for
you. You are alone and friendless.
Your life has been long, hard strug-
| gle filed to the brim with suffering.
You have known no love, no pleasure,
no happiness. No one has cared for
! You: no one cares for you now save me.
| Sc, 4<> l..
| You know whatyou have gone through
and you know what the future has to
offer. Think of dragging through years
and years of such existence as the past
has been. Think of all the suffering,
the misery and the friendlessness. Think
| Of the darkness and desolation, the
! heartaches and sorrow, the neglect and
| sights. Think of all the future will be
| if your life continues in it's present
channel, and then say if you would not
willingly change it.
He stopped again, and fixing his eyes
on my face scrutinized it eagerly. His
| features were flushed and hot, his eyes
| anxious and expectant and his whole
nervous system strained to the highest
tension. Directly he went on:
agnes he said, ''you know what
| your past has been, and by it you can
judge the future. You know that before
| you there is nothing but long, weary
stretch of pain. You know that there
is no happiness for you there, no love,
| no light nothing but darkness, loneli
ness and sorrow. Then why not change
it? Why not change it now, and not for
smother day submitto drudgery, dishon-
or and persecution?' s15 !.
II cannot, ! cried. Ell y.
TO be continued.) }: