Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1895-09-22

'Kinaird," repeated the minister,
meditatively. Il never heard my aunt
speak the name"
"Kinaird," repeated the daughters;
and they, too, searched in their mem
cries.
Il can remember my grandfather
and my grandmother, the married
daughter spoke incredulously. There
was never a gentleman called Kinaird
that any of the family had to do with
that. I'm sure of that, or I'd have as
much as hear the name"
The minister shook his head, dis
counting the certainty.
Maybe John will remember the
name; your father, and your grand
father. too, had great talks with him
when he was a lad. I'll write line
and ask him. Poor William or Thomas
might have known, if they had lived"
William and Thomas, gray haired
men, respected fathers of families, had
already been laid by the side of their
own father in the burying ground.
John lived in a distant country, count
ing himself TOO feeble now to cross the
seas. The daughters, the younger
members of this flock were passing
into advanced years. The mother sat
by her Preside, and smiled softly to her
self as she watched the dacning flame,
and thought that her young lover would
return on the morrow.
The days went on.
Il cannot think it right to tamper
with my mother In this false way" the
spinster daughter spoke tearfully.
Would you rather see Mistress Mac
donOld die of starvation?" the doctor
spoke sharply; ne was tired of the pro-
test. The doctor approved of the new
maid. She's a wise-lke body" he
said; let her have her way"
Don't you know us, mother?" the
daughter would ask patiently, sadly,
day by day But she never knew
them; she only mistook one or the other
of them at times for her own mother, of
whom che stood in some awe.
Surely, you've forgotten Ann John
son, ma'am?" the nurse would ask,
carefully tending her old mistress.
The force of habit had made the old
lady patient and courteous, but no an.
swering CLEAN came in her face.
''Ye know who ann" the new maid
would cry in kindly triumph.
ooh, ay, know you, jeanne Trim"
and now look, I brought you fine
cup of milk, warm from the byre"
"Oh, Gamma TAX it; I'm no thinking
that care about eating the day"
We'll, but l want to tell ye"-with
an air of mystery. who dye thinks
down stairs? It's Mr.. Kiniard him
self"
Did he come round by the yard to
the dairy door,"
That he did; and all to ask how We
were the day.
The sparkle of the eye had returned
and the smile that almost seemed to
| dimple the wrinkled cheek
And l hope you offered him some
thing to eat, Jeanne; it's long ride he
takes"
Bread and cheese and a cup of milk,
just like this"
What did he say? Did he like what
We gave him?"
He said a cup of milk shoudna cross
his lips till you'd had a cupful the like
of his; so l brought in to We. You'd
better make haste and take it up"
Did he send We with the cup, Jeanne
TRIM"
CAY, he did that; and not bit MOI
sup will he take till we've drunk it all
avery drop"
With evident delight the cup wa.
drained.
eye told him was ailing and could
ma see him the day, Jeanie?"
Maybe yell see him tomorrow.
The maid stopped and folded the white
shawl more carefully over the dame.
breast, and smiled in protective, kind
! ly fashion. She had a good heart and
a womanly, motherly touch, although
many a mistress had called her willfu
and pert
There were times when the minister
came and sat himself behind his aunt'i
! chair to watch and to listen. He wal
meditative man, and wrote many al
essay upon modern theology, but her,
he found food for meditation of an
other sort.
There was no being in the world tina
he reverenced as he had reverenceC
this aged lady. In his childhood sht
had taught him to lisp the measures
OF psalm and paraphrase; in his you'll
she had advised him with shrewdes
wisdom; in his ministerial life she haC
been to him friend, always HOLDING
before him a greater spiritual heigh
to be attained, and now. He
thought upon his uncle as he haC
known him, very reverent elder Of
! the kirk, a man who had led Il Ions
and useful life and to whom this wo
! man had rendered wifely devotion
He thought upon his cousins. in whose
! lives their mothers life seemed un
alterably bound up. He would al
times emerge from his corner, and, sit
ting down beside the lady, would take
! her well worn Bible and read to hel
such passages as he knew were graver
! deep upon her heart by scenes Of JOY
| or sorrow. parting or meeting, or the
very hours of birth or death in the
lives that had been dearer to her thar
! her own. He was not an emotiona
! man. but vet there was a ringing pa
| thos i'm his voice as he read the ryth
mic words At such times she would
sit as if voice and rythm soothed her
or she would bow her head solemnll
at certain pauses, as if accustomed t
! agree to the sentiment expressed
! Heart and thought were not awake tC
him nor to the book he read, nor tC
the memories he tried to arouse. The
fire of the ladys heart sprang up only
for one word, that word a name, the
name of a man of whose very exist
ence it seemed no trace was left in al
that country side.