The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1893-08-24

ner l1te IN tne city, Vne tue letters
ceased, and later came wedding cards
and cake. Then he heard nothing
more for two or three years, when n
whisper reached him that MANDY
Jones" had been deserted by her hus-
band, who had gone to California,
leaving her in Boston.
Crump heard these tales and made
no comment, but he gave up his. work
at home and sought employment in
Boston, hoping that he might be en-
abled TO help his old playmate, whose
parents were long since dead, and who
had no near kin TO lend her aid.
This, the only hope of his life that
was To have fruition, was fulfilled, but
Mandy was dying when he found her,
and her last hours were soothed by
the knowledge that her little girl had
found new father in her old friend.
''Don't look for her father, William, Z"
the poor girl had implores him, che
don't care for her, and likely he'd let
her drift. God knows, she may be a
blessing to you by-and-by."
Ablessing she was from that moment
to the solitary man, who loved her
with the intense affection which was
part of his nature. He got board for
them both with woman who was will
ing to care for the child, aud he loved
To come ut night and feel the clinging
of her tiny arms, the kiss of ber dewy
lips, and to hear her happy intantile
prattle.
So the little one had grown, know
ing no love or care save that of her
"Uncle William" and when at last
she left school she had coazed him to
take these four rooms, and had made
for him such home Ms he had never
dreamed of possessing. Truly, his
blessing in its fullest measure had
come
But, alas, for human hopesl 1t is
when our happiness is Mt its fullest
Tint the serpent enters our Eden,
marring the fair scene by his hideous
presence.
Such serpent had crept into poor
Williams Eden on this summer after
noon, taking the form of well-fed,
well-dressed and prosperous business
man, with white hands and diamonds
and soft persuasive speech. Yes, by
some unforeseen chance the renegade
father had learned that his child, in.
stead of perishing in infancy as he be.
lieved, had been reared to womanhood
10y William Crump.
He had come To Boston TO sce her,
N nj - a.. h..p l,,1 L..
pride had been inhGmed by the idea
that this beautiful girl was his daugh-
ter. His suddenly acquired fondness
for her was n species of personal CON
ceit, feeling which is too often be-
lieved by its possessors to be the much
maligned parental affection.
Had Annice been described to him
as plain, ill-educated and ill-mannered,
his search for her would never have
taken place, and poor William Crump
would have been welcome to bear his
burden alone. As il was, George vii.
sou had been urged To this search by
his second wife whom he had married
in his prosperity, but who had given
him no children. She had grown tired
of her pugs, and having rather more
-nol.ey than she knew how to spend.
she had thought it would be pleasant
more .Ish it uppn- yiesetifql girl--per-,
maps, sf'5S, too, fhe matsrrRnfsl iohsiing which
turks in every woman's breast was
strong in her.
At any rate, Wilson had made il his
business to seek Mr.. Crump at his place
of business and had there made large
offers which were indignantly rejected
by the proud, honest man.
at is true that Annice is your daugh-
ter; you have given me un oubted
proof of your identity. 1t is true that
you are rich man, and that l am
poor one ! will not stand in the child's
way, nor influence her III any degree
against taking the better fortune that
Is offered her-l love her too dearly.
! want no recompense for what 1 have
done in the past; you cannot recon-
peuse me for what you take from me
If YOU take her.
This was William Crump's answer,
and il had been arranged that Wilson
should see his daughter for the first
time, To her knowledge, that evening;
and William, in the meantime, had
promised to say nothing of the matter
10 her.
SO Williams step was slow and
heavy as he climbed the familiar
stairs, and his utmost effort could not
make his greeting cheerful as he
entered the room. For once he was
glad to escape her caresses and made
his way TO his rooms TO change his
clothing, rs had been his inyariable
custom since he had felt himself unfit
in mis- oil-grimed garments to nurse
the baby girl in her dainty white
raiment. As he entered in his cool
clean sccrsucker coat, Annice led him
10 the table and waited on him deftly,
chatting merrily the while. for she had
noticed that he was not III his usual
good spirits, and thought that the heat
and his work had wearied him.
-, gba lay.iah.I