People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1894-06-28

rDear father" sad Robert, burst
ing into tears, show sick you are
lookingm
Yes, Robert" said Ralph Ray
mond feebIy, Il am not long for thi S
world. l have become very feeble,
and know that l shall never leave
this chamber till l am carried out
in my coffin"
Don't say that. father, said Rob
ert in tones of grief.
ut is best that you should know
the truth, my son, especially, as my
death cannot be long delayed"
"You will live some months, faith
err, will you not?"
Il do not think | shall live week,
Robert" said his father. line
sands Of my life are nearly run out;
but am not sorry. Life has lost its
attractions for me, and my only de-
sire to live would proceed from the
reluctance l feel at leaving you"
What shall | do without you,
father" asked the boy, his breast
heaving with painful sobs which he
was trying in vain wholly to repress.
81 shall not leave you wholly
alone, my dear boy. | have arranged
that you may be in the charge OF my
old friend, Mr. Moron, who, | am
sure, will take the tenderest care OF
you, and try to be father to you"
Yes" said Paul, coming forward,
"as your father says, have prom
ised to do for you what can when
he has left us. | would that he might
be with US many years, but since
providence in its inscrutable wisdom
has ordained otherwise, we must bow
to the stroke, and do the best we
cam
He put his fine cambria hand kerr
chief to his eyes to wipe away the
tears which were not there, and
seemed affected by deep grief.
The interview did not last long,
for it was apparent that the excite
ment was acting uniavorably upon
the sick man, whose strength was
now very slight So Paul Morton
left the room. but by Ralph's request
Robert was left behind. on condition
that he would not speak. The boy
buried his head in the bed clothes
and sObbed gently. In losing his
father he lost his only relative, and
though he had not seen very much
of him in his lifetime, that little in
tercourse had been marked by so
much kindness on the part of his
father, that apart from the claims
of duty arising from relationship, he
felt warm and grateful love for his
parent The bitterness of being
alone in the world already swept
over him in anticipation, and he re-
manned for hours silent and motion
less in the sick chamber of his
father.
Matters continued thus for two
days. During that time Paul Morton
came little into the sick chamber
Even his audacious and shameless
spirit shrank from witnessing the
gradual approaches of that death
which had been FASTENED by his dia-
bolical Vaccinations.
He would have the entire control
of his wards property, and he did
not doubt that he could so use it as
to stave off ruin, and establish him
self on a new footing. Then again
there was the contingency OF the
boys death; and upon this, improb-
able as it was, he was continually
dwelling. After two days the end
came. The nurse came hurrying
into the room of her master, and
said. Come quick, Mr.. Morton.
think the poor gentleman is going. "
mot dying9" asked Paul Morton
with a pale face, for although ex-
pected, the intelligence startled him.
Yes; you must come quick, or
you will not see him alive"
Paul Morton rose mechanically
from his chair, and hastily thrust
into his pocket a sheet Of paper on
which he had been making some
arithmetical calculations as to the
fortune of his dying guest, and fol-
lowing the nurse entered the sick
chamber. 1t was indeed as she had
said. Ralph Raymond was breathing
slowly and with difficulty, and it
was evident from the look upon his
face, that the time OF the great
change had come.
ITO BE CONTINUED.