Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1894-05-17

siveness. His head was peaked. and
was set low between his shoulders. on
which rested an unsightly hump. But
no bright and perfect child was ever
surrounded by more of luxury and
tended with more unceasing care than
this unfortunate one.
He is surely growing better and
stronger" his mother whispered to her.
self. Even though he may never be
large and straight, he will soon learn to
little Clarence could speak only two or
three words, and the few of Eleanor 8
friends who had seen him could not
hope that he would ever become intelli-
gent; but she would not allow herself to
believe that it was anything but his
prolonged weakness and ill-health
which retarded his mental development.
AS soon as his body became strong
enough to allow his mind to grow, then
he would talk to her, she believed, and
make delightful companion for her;
some merciful doctor had encouraged
her in this theory.
In week DIR. George Dover came
again to see her. This time there were
other callers, but he outstayed them.
Il hope did not come inopportune
ly," he murmured, when they had at
last said goodnight.
You could scarcely come inoppor
tunely," she replied, smiling. II shall
always be glad to see you"
You forget that you and are sitting
here alone" he reminded her playfully.
This is not the time for the language
of society"
"Oh, l am sincere" she insisted 81
was never accused by my worst enc.
mics of being anything but sincere.
And people who have-suffered- -as-l
have" she faltered, ''can be nothing
but sincere"
He looked at her keenly. He won.
dered if she had grieved much for the
old man who was gone. He knew
nothing about the child. Mrs. Langdon
Wing was aware that there was a child,
and that he was an invalid, but even
she had never seen him, and she had
not happened to mention his existence
to DR.. Dover.
zone would not think that you had
suffered, El-Eleanor, he said quickly.
Forgive me,-but the old name-I al.
ways liked it-slipped out before knew
it,"
She flushed like girl 81 like it,
too," she said simply. 1T seems to
bring back the old days when l was
happy 1 do not mind your calling me
Eleanor"
THANK you," he said, in voice SO
deep and full of meaning that she felt
almost embarrassed. He paused mo-
ment. Il was going to say, Eleanor,
that one would never suspect from your
face that you had had a care nor
trouble. Your brow is as smooth as it
was when you were eighteen-while /
and L am less than a year older than
you, If L remember rightly Il am
wrinkled and gray, and people take me
for forty. l have had lonely, care
worn, Woodworking life
Il am sorry she said softly, the
sense of his strange faulty, or his
strange misunderstanding, rushing over
her again,-'but-but you do not know
all of my life. You have never men.
toned my child. 1 do not know that
you have heard of him." She turned
pale under his look of surprise, and her
faint smile had something piteous in it.
Your child?" he repeated with sud
den coldness.
There /" she exclaimed "He is crv-
ing now"-as feeble wall came steal
ing down the broad stairway. Il will
show you that l, too, have suffered"
She sprang from the room, and pres
emily returned bearing in her arms the
fragile, malformed child. He had
stopped crying, and as she seated her.
self, and laid him across her lap, the
turned his dark, ,inscrutable
eyes, so like yet so unlike her own.
DULY upon the face of their visitor.
An involuntary shudder, which she
rather felt than saw. ran over the
mans frame. With all his experience
in his profession, he could never see
such being as this child without this
awful revulsion of his nature.
And yet-remember, George. this
little creature is the dearest thing on
sarth to me-you say that cannot have