Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-09-22
EYRE'S ACQUlTrA
Chapter VIII.


Perchance and so thou purify thy soul
And so thou lean on our fair father,
Christ,
Hereafter in that world where all are
pure,
We two may meet before High God.
and thou
Wilt spring to me and claim me thine.
1t was not Mr.. Eyre's lot to be !
brought before any earthly tribunal
more terrible than his own heart; for
in very few days he had answered
to a higher one, and the weird that
it had taken twenty years to free was
at last spun out to it's bitter end
He had got his death-blow on the
night that he discovered his guilt, and
from that moment withered rapidly.
not even the tOve of his devoted child
seeming to have power to check the
haste with which he was hurrying to
meet his wife, the springs of life Scent
ing to fail him suddenly, so that all
went out together, as mercifully per-
haps for Madcap as himself
There had been no pretense even of
his trial, and one day he was carried
back to the Red Hall, where he lay till
he died, with either Madcap or Frank
always beside him.
| Doune's grief and anguish. following
so swiftly on the joy that Nancy's
rendered him unfit for his fathers
presence, he could not control it as his
sister did, or think of the long here
after in which there would be time
enough to mourn, while Gordon remain
ed only in hopes of being of some as
Sistance, meanwhile busying himself
with arrangements for almost immedi-
ately going abroad.
! In those last short days, the heart
of the proud man at last found his
Maker, and one of the truest signs
of his repentance was when he sent
! for Hester, and asked her to forgive
him.
AS her burning tears fell on the hand
she kissed, knowing how she had
wronged and misunderstood him, her
awful repentance for her sin out
weighed his, and in the last look, the
last words, for the first time these
two erring souls understood one an
other.
His brain was perfectly clear, and
he set his estate in order, and destroy
ed Old letters, but gave into his daugh-
ter's hand Il little packet that he de-
sired her to bury with him. They
were his sweet-hearts love-Ietters-
the only sweetheart of his life; and
then he seemed to give himself no
more concern about business, but went
one afternoon to the bed whence he
did not rise again.
That night he spoke of his little son
DOdy, who had died within Il few days
of his mother, and slept sound and
sweet these seventeen years and more
in her arms.
/ 81 shall see him sOOn,' he said. Il
wonder if he will remember that /
was unkind to him. Perhaps she has
taught him to forgive me; and you al
ways loved him, Frank, and he you.
I've never asked your forgiveness.
though I think she has; and I've left
you another Madcap, my good faith
full child"
! He sank into Il Slumber even as he
spoke, and did not wake till morning;
then opened his eyes suddenly to see
the two who stood beside him.
I Light" he said; what is that verse
of yours, child, | have 50 often heard
you sing? SO many things seem to
have sunk into my soul lately without
my knowledge.
Madcap drew in her breath as she
repeated the words, but rs she came
to
Those angel voices L have lost ere
WhTte,
across Mr.. Eyre's face flashed Il look
Of Hght-ay, and more light. per
chance enough to light his soul to his
lost NIadcap, as, stretching out his
arms to his child, he passed away to
that last tribunal where, by the grace
of God, he may have found forgive
ness for his sins.
| The End.