The Press., 1894-03-15
r: and Maria Jane hemmed hali

 dozen new handkerchiefs. Twenty-four hours from the announcement of his pro- posed departure he was on his way, and day or two after Mrs. Raspton read his name among the list of passengers by the Liverpool steamer. Nothing more could be heard from him for some time of course, and all resigned themselves with out difficulty to their ignorance. For the first time in their lives the children drew free breaths. It was magnificent autumn weather, the woods aflame with gorgeous colors, the sky piled with rich clouds, the air sweeter than Eden. Maria Jane felt almost happy spite of her separation from her lover: she could think of him unre- strainedly at any rate, which she hardly dared do with her fathers cold eye upon her. The boys fingered a little at meals, lettering trifie down the street, or stop ped to chat with an acquaintance. Mrs. Raspton's kind face lost it's anxious look and altogether the absence of the stern head was pleasantly felt through all the house. The change in outward act was slight, however, for he would soon return, and the habit of obedience was too pow erfu!.
 Twenty days assed by-three weeks and some suprise was felt that no word reached them of his safe arrival. Nobody was prepared, though, for what came a letter from the captain of the steamer stating that on such night, it being dark and stormy; MT. Raspton had fallen over board and spite of every exertion it had it had been found impossible to save him. The circle stared wildly at each other Could this be true? Father gone All that strong will, that pervaded induence utterly withdrawn, and that so quietly! Were they never to hear any mole than this? No; he had periShed alone in the darkness with the wild sea, and out of it's depths his voice would never rise again
 q don't know what to think about it, said Mrs. Raspton. My own feelings were always in favor of mourning, but your poor father disapproved of it; he said it did no good to any one, and was d large bill of expense"
 We need not mind the expense, moth er," said James, gravely. He had taken the direction of matters since the news had come. Ut is a question of respect to fathers memory, and 1 think it should be paid"
 Pm very glad you feel that way, my son." said Mrs. Raspton, wiping her eyes. He meant well, James," she ad led, , deprecatingly. ''Father seemed a little
 
 for your good"
 "Yes, mother, suppose so," he replied looking back with a sensation of awe to things which a few weeks since had reused such strong resentment. How strange it seemed to be free from that stern control to be accountable only to himself for what he chose to do! Did he grieve; did any of them? It was not possible to feel the sorrow which the loss of more tender parent would have caused; but they ex- perienced great shock, felt that an evnet most solemn and painful had occurred. Uneasily conscious of the lack, without admitting it to themselves, they strove to make it up in outward observance and respect Their mourning was the deep- est, their veils the longest that could be procured funeral services were held in the largest church of the village, and to it the relatives were summoned from far and near A tall monument of the most ex- pensive marble lowered above the plainer tombstones of the cemetry, bearing the record of his virtues and his fate: Many time during these arrangements did his wife start at their extravaganza and dread Mir. Raspton's displeasure; then, as sud denly remembering all, put her handker- chief to her eyes. Her tears did not flow in hot rush of passionate grief; they welled up gently from a prevailing sadness. And by-and-by she ceased to think of him as MT. Raspton; he was 'Severus" again, as he had been in their young days. She } was by nature a little sentimental but the tendency had long been satisfied in her daily conflict with the hard facts of life Now it renewed itself. She unused with not unpleasing melancholy on the events of their early life and courtship looked often at the little pin set with his , hair and that of her first baby, whom she lost, and related to Maria Jane various amiable incidents which showed her fath- CT in quite a new light. "It's only nat ural that I should feel it most" she would } say; you and the others are young , you'll have new ties and new interests but nothing can ever make up the loss tC , me," Meanwhile the neighbors had very l different views. A good looking woman l still rather young, and with plenty ot means, she was sure to marry again after ' a decent interval, and three or four eligible