Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-02-07
she sobbed a litilc. I still held her hand.


she sobbed a lille. I stu held her hand.
Two long hours I had kept Mr.. Clith.
gro In talk. For my friends sake I
would have prolonged the interview In.
definitely. For my own too. He was q
new character to me, this gentle soul, 90
sadly astray. Ny flial feeling for him
differed momently. And a. my pity
grew more exquisitely painful, shrank
still from quitting him, and 80 acknowl-
edging that the pity was hopeless.
We approached the fort. The dddlers
three were dragging their last grum.
bling notes out Of drowsy strings. The
saints began to stream by toward their
wagons. We turned away to avoid rec.
ognition.
Miss Clitheroe and Brent Joined us-a
sadder pair than we. The stars showed
me the glimmer Of tears In her eyes.
But her look was brave and steady. She
left my friend, and laid her hand on her
fathers arm. A marked likeness, and
yet o contrast more marked, between
these two. A moro vigorous being had
mingled its life with hers. Or perhaps
the stern history Of her early days had
taught her to forge the armor Of self
protection. She seemed to have all her
fathers refinement, but she used II to
surround and seclude herself, not to
change and glorify others. Godiva was
not more delicately hidden from the
vulgar world by the mantle of her own
golden hair than this sweet Lady by her
veil Of gentle breeding.
As she took her fathers arm to lead
him away to the camp, I could read In
her look that there were no illusions for
her. But she clave to her father-the
binder and moro hopelessly errant he
might be, the closer she clave. He might
reject her guidance; she still stood by to
protect him, to sweeten his life, and
when the darkness came, which she
eoulu not but foreseo, 70 be light b
him. However adversely had thus far
failed to toach him self possession, 1t had
made her q heroine and martyrs no.
bic and unselfsh soul, such as, one
among the inyriads, God educates TO
shame the base and the trifing, and to
hearten and inspire the true.
Snow, dear father" she said, 1--WE
must bid these kind friends good night.
We start early. We need rest"
She held out her hand to me.
"Dear LADY," said I, taking her aside
moment while Brent spoke to Mr.. Clith-
eroe, i've are acquaintance Of today;
but campaigners must despise ceremony.
Your father has told me much Of your
history. Infer your feelings. Consider
me a. brother. Nothing can be done
TO aid your
"Your kindness and your friends kind.
ness touch me greatly. Nothing can be
done"
She sobbed little. Istiil held her
hand.
"Nothing!" said I, "nothingl Will
you 20 on with these people' You, q
lady, with your fate staring You in the
facet
She withdrew her hand and looked
at me steadily with her large gray eyes.
What q woman to follow into the jaws
Of deathi
"My fate" she said. "can be no worse
than the old common fate Of death. That
I accept, any other defy. God does not
leave the worthy to shame"
"We say 90 when we hope"
~ say 1t and believe"
"Come, Ellen dear" called her tn
ther.
There was always between them,
whenever they spoke, by finer gentle
ness Of tone and words Of endearment, q
recognition of how old and close and ex.
elusive was their union. Only when
Sizzum was present at tea the tender.
ness, under that coarsening influence,
passed away from the fathers voice and
manner, making the daughters more
and more tender. that she might win
him back TO her.
"Goodby!" she said. 1--WE shall re-
member each other kindly"
"Yes. gentlemen" said Mr.. Clitheroe;
''this has been quite the pleasantest cpl.
sode Of our journey. You must not for.
g,t rs when You are roaming through
this region again."
He said this with his light, cheerful
manner. They turned away. Il seemed
- II death arose and parted m. We fol.
lowed at distance and watched them
safe to their wagon. The night wind
had risen and went sighing over the des-
ert reaches, bringing with 1t the distant
bowling OF wolves.
"Do not speak to me-" said Brent, ~
win talk TO you by and by"
He left me and went toward our
horses. II had been imprudent TO leave
them 20 long at night with bad spirits
about. .f!
looked into the fort again. The
dancers had gone. Bottery was FUN.
bling drunkenly over his fiddle. Ascors
Of men were within the house carousing.
Old Bridgers whisky had evidently
flowed freely. In one corner Larrap had
unrolled . greasy faro cloth and was
dealing. Murksr backed him. They
were winning largely. They bagged
their winnings ont Of dght, ~ fast ~
they fell In. Sixxum. rather TO my sur.
priss, was Q little excited With liquor
and playing recklessly, losing soveraigns
By the handful. A he lost. he became
furious. He struck Larrap In the face
and called him cheat Lsrrap gave him
an ugly look, and then. assuming .
boosy indifference, caught 6ixsum BY
the hand and vowed he was his best
friend. Nurksr kept aloof from the dis
puta
The game began again. Again Bis
Eum and the kormons Lost. Again Bis
Eum slapped the dealer. and cstchins