Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-05-26

as We're the pall-bearers, so that not a
sign of ostentation Of hired grief mar
rcd the spectacle.
/ Some Of those present remembered
that this was about the anniversary
of Mrs. Eyre's burying; but there We're
no flowers ON this coffin, nor did Mr..
Eyre follow, but bight-faced boy
brought fresh from school, and looking
round repeatedly for the only face he
knew among the bewildering crowd at
| his heels. But with his habitual con-
tempt for laws and appearances, Mr..
Eyre came last of all, leading lit
tie child, whose dressing had possibly
delayed him, as she had boa tied
on over her white pinafore, and a bon
net on that certainly was never made
for her, while a pair of her fathers
gaunteleted gloves extended to her
shoulders, and kept dry and warm her
dimpled hands and arms.
Though they came at last, the crowd
divided at the right of precedence at
the grave was given them; indeed, a
clear circle was left around the pair,
that might have touched less sensi-
tive man than Mr.. Eyre; but the only
sign Of feeling he gave during the bur-
ial service was when he looked down
at the child's feet, and for the first
time observing that she wore shoes,
snatcbing her up, and, having stripped
them off cl1affed her feet, then wrap
ped them and her warmly in his cloak,
and stood impossible as before
Tod Iay.
happy as she trotted along beside him,
and the sight of so many people, and
some familiar faces, pleased her, but
she was happiest of all when Dad
took her up, and from the enlinence
of his Statue gave her a bird eye
view Of the proceedings that ended
in a long stare at a boy, whose head did
not reacvhed her fathers elbow as he
stood behind it.
When the droll little head popped
over Mr.. Eyre's shoulder, the boy look
ed UP, and fell in love at once with her,
so that Whe her blue eyes dropped to
him, and her rosy lips pouted to him in
token Of satisfaction, it was natural
enough that he should reach up to,
and kiss her.
Colonel Busby was q witness to the
little scene, and considered it unseemly
to the last degree. The villagers whis-
pered that here was the old story over
again, a LOvel would love a Madcap,
even to his own undoing, to the end of
time. Most Of those present thought
of how Frank had led Doune at the
older Madcap's funeral; and some Of
them saw, grudgingly, how Providence,
in melting out it's bitters, had kept some
sweets for Mr.. Eyre yet. His inno-
cence, too, was clear and men wonder
ed that they could have doubted him;
even Colonel Busby, with a sigh, relin-
pushed his suspicious, and hated him
worse than before.
Those who saw him that day-this
terrible man this monster of evil incar-
nate, who had stalked fearless, I'M
needing through tragedies at which an
angel might have Wept-With a little
child clinging to his hand, prattling,
looking up into his face with perfect
trust and love, somehow they felt their
conviction of his Steamship rudely
shaken, and in every breast was
wrought Il reyulsion of feeling toward
him.
Perhaps some Of the men thought of
how great had been his Wife's love
for him, and she had not been one to
love unWorthily; perhaps every woman
present saw that he dressed the child
himself, and more than one mothers
heart yearned to him as she marked
the laborously tied bonnet-strings,
the clumsily knotted boa, and smiled,
with a tear between, at the masculine
brown paper.
Mr. Eyre had neither glanced to right
nor left among the crowd, so that if
his compeers We're present that day he
did not know it, and from first to last
gave no one the opportunity of either
turning a friendly Or a cold face to-
ward him.
He seemed neither to see nor heed
them, as he turned abruptly and left
the churchyard followed by the young
heir, who obeyed little command
ing hand that beckoned him over her
fathers shoulder, so that the three
entered the Towers together.
Win the lawyer and others Gnclud-
ing Colonel Busby, who must hear the
will read, or die came in, they found
drying dis daughters shoes by the
library fire, while she was feeding
the heir with cake, and kissing him
when her own mouth was not full.
He was like Doune, her brother, only
older and kinder; and her little heart
went out to him at once, while the
/ boy had no sister and only a fine-lady
cuckoo mother, who had never loved
him.
And if he hung his head and blush
ed little, he loved her, too, and took
her image back to school with him
that day SO that often. when alone
he would blush again at the thought
ofher,and long to feel the touch of those
velvet lips again.
The Duke of Marmiton, who had
been one of those passed unnoticed al
the grave, on entering the room, took
Mr.. Eyres hand very warmly mot seem
ing to notice it was his left, the rioh1
being occupied with Madcap's shoe)
and babe him q hearty welcomehomt
after his wanderings.
Mr.. Eyre met those good wishes
kindly inquired for the Duchess, and
having. dried the shoes to his satisfac
ton, put them on. and told the children
to go and play quietly in corner til
wanted them.