Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1892-06-30
A FATHERS DREAD

udIcTg
''Not in the least. Her affability to.
ward them clearly proves her apprecia-
ton of men. The difficulty is all with
her father, who appears to suffer untold
torments every time he sees O man near
her."
"How very extraordinary! And is
she beautiful
Decidedly so. Beautiful, young,
charming in manner, rich. What more
could be asked?'
Nothing. 1t is quite sufficient. !
am going to go presently and pay most
devoted court to her, despite the can
tankerous antics of her father"
''Are you speaking of Miss Tulking-
hamT asked another youthful clubman,
who was sitting in the same alcove.
1--WE are."
"Then / advise you to lower your
voices. Young Greenwood over yonder
is very desperate about her, and he is
the sort of fellow who could be trouble
some if the occasion required it."
The person designated, though deli
cately featured, was so tall and brawny
that he looked as if he could indeed be
troublesome in the broadcast sense of the
term.
He was oblivious to the conversation,
however, and to all other present things
if the expression on his face was true
index to his feelings. He was holding a
newspaper in his hands, but it was up
side down, and though he was mechan-
ically sucking on his cigar, it had been
out several minutes.
At length he pulled himself together
with start, dropping both paper and
cigar. A hasty glance about the room
satisfied him that no one had witnessed
his abstraction.
Presently he left the clubhouse, saun-
tering up Fifth avenue till he reached
Thirty fourth street, where for q mo-
ment he paused to eye the wavering
shadows of his colossal self which a
Pickering electric light cast upon the
crosswalk.
A few minutes later he was on ferry,
journeying toward an elegant but quiet
Long Island residence quarter.
Exactly two hours after leaving the
club he was standing before handsome
house ringing for admittance, but with
hand whose shakiness betokened sadly
unsettled nerves.
The face of the man into whose pres
ence he was shown bore the stamp of
premature old age. Aside from the det }
burrows in an otherwise fresh, fair skin,
his beard and hair were of nearly snowy
whiteness.
He arose with considerable difficulty,
when his library door was thrown open,
and twinge of pain drew down the
corners of his mouth when he saw who
his visitor was
~Again!" he said reproachfully.
"Yes; am here now for the truth"
at has already been told you"
'tOnly portion of it. I want the
rest"
.But'-
"Mr. Tulkingham, you have refused
me your daughters hand in marriage"
eyes"
"You have also done me the honor to
say that that refusal is in no sense a
personal reflection upon me-"
Certainly, and I can go much further.
I can also add that not only have no
fault to find with you, but that SO far as
you are personally concerned am alto
gether predisposed in your favor"
"Sir, / speak plainly because it is a
time for plain speech, continued Green
wood. II believe Miss Tulkingham to
be all that there is of chaste and holy
spotlessness; but l shall wed her Just the
same were she corruption personifed.
Mr.. Tulkingham, love your daughter,
and that love is great enough to excuse
and obliterate everything, no matter
what, which you might think it natural
for me to consider. Aside from my own
feelings in the affair, it is my delight to
know that ] am not altogether indiffer-
ent to her, and SO, whatever your objec-
tion, sooner or later shall marry her."
The old man brushed one hand swiftly
across his brow.
"There is no other way than to be
plain with you," he said, Though what
will force me to destroy your peace of
mind forever. Will you not waive this
thing, which can solemnly assure you
that you will repent hearing?"
Greenwood gave one hand an impa-
tient firt.
$50 on he said coldly.
twenty-five years ago, then, said
Tulkingham, II was one of party Of
seven gold seekers in the California
Sierras. That year at the beginning Of
winter we pushed northward into the
mountains Of Donner lake.
'The weather was severe, and for
several days the skies were laden and
ominous.
"Then it began showing. Lightly, at
first, but more and more heavily as the
days wore on. No person who was not
there ever saw such snow. Soon it had
so changed the appearance of both
mountains and valleys that but for our
compass we should have been hopeless
~ confused. At last even that guide to
direction failed us. It was accidentally
dropped by the man who carrit,d it, aud
never recovered.
! "Still we were strong hearted, and
plunged blindly forward several days
longer through the snow.
"Helplcssly bewiidered, we finally de-
cided that our only hope was to 60 into
permanent encampment till the storm
just as sure as hot weather comes there
will be more or lees bowel complaint in this