People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1893-11-24

smiling sadly as she. withdrew her
hand. you must not give me too warm.
q welcome"
And now, having exchanged greet
ings with each member of the family,
Prudence again seated herself in the
chair at John Ingleields right hand.
She was natura ly girl of quick and
tender sensibilities, gladstone in her
general mood. but with a bewitching
pathos interfused among he merriest
words and deeds. II was remarked Of
her, too, that she had a faculty, even
in childhood, Of throwing her own
feelings like spell over her compan-
ions such as she had been in the
lays OF her innocence, so did sne APP
pear this evening. Her friends, in the
surprise and bewilderment OF her re-
urn, almost forgot that she had ever
eft them. or that she had forfeited
any Of her claims 10 their affection.
In the morning, perhaps they might
have looked at her with a tered eyes,
out by the Thanksgiving fireside they
telt only that their own Prudence had
come back TO them and were thankful
John lnglefeld's rough visage bright
sned with the glow of his heart as it
grew warm and merry within him
Onre or twice he even laughed till the
room rang again, yet seemed startled
by the echo of his own mirth. The
grave young minister became as frol-
icsome as schoolboy. Mary, too, the
rosebud, forgot that her twin blossom
had ever been torn from the stem and
trampled in the dust And as for Rob-
ert Moore, he gazed at Prudence with
the bashful earnestness of love new
born, while she, with sweet maiden
coquetry, half smi ed upon and half
discouraged him
In short, it was one OF those inter
vals when sorrow vanishes in its own
depth Of shadow and JOY starts forth
in transitory brightness When the
clock struck s, Prudence poured out
her fathers customary draught OF
herb tea, which she had been sleeping
by the hreside ever since twilight
God bless you, child!' said John
Ingleield, as he took the cup from her
hand; you have made your old father
happy again. But we miss your
mother sadly, Prudence, sadly. 1t
seems as if she ought to be here
now"
Now, father, or never" replied
Prudence.
1t was now the hour for domestic
worship, but while the family we're
making preparations for their duty,
they suddenly perceived that Prudence
had put on her cloak and hood and
was lifting the latch of the door.
Prudence, Prudence, where are you
going?" cried they ali with one voice.
AS Prudence passe out OF the door
she turned toward them and flung back
her hand with gesture of farewell,
but her face was so changed that they
hardly recognized it Sin and evil
passions glowed through its comeli-
ness and wrought a horrible deformity ;
a smile beamed in her eyes as trium-
plant mockery at their surprise and
grief.
Daughter" cried John Inglefeld,
between wrath and sorrow, stay and
be your fathers blessing, or take his
curse with you"
For an instant Prudence fingered
and looked back into the fre-lighted
room, while her countenance wore al
most the expression as if she wa.
struggling with a fend, who had
power to ize his victim even within
the hallowed precincts of her father
hearth. The fiend prevailed anC
Prudence vanished into the outer dark
ness When the family rushed to The
door they could see nothing, but heard
the sound of wheels rafting over thu
frozen ground.
That same night, among the painted
beauties of the tn, alter of a neighbor
ing city, there was one whose dissolut,
! - 80