Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1895-04-25

! searching orations which had won
| him so lustrOus name.
"My children" said Mr.. Maitland, III
conclusion, 81 beseech you to keep in.
nocency; for that, and that alone, shall
bring man peace at the last
| Strange echo of his sons first sermon
! in that church!
1t had been whispered about that
the broken, wistful-eyed man sitting
in the rectory pew was no other than
the too-notorious DIR. Everard. whose
trial and sentence were still so fresh in
the village memory. Searching glances
were directed upon him during after
noon sermon, and many eyes recog-
nized the features Of the handsome
and hopeful young doctor under his
wan and changed aspect, so that when
Everard came forth into the afternoon
sunshine, he was surprised to see a
little lame formed about the church
yard path, and to find himself ac-
costed by name. There had from the
first been faction in the village CON
WINGED of Everard's innocence. 1t was
the head OF this faction who now
spoke.
"Glad to see you back, SIR" blurted
out Straun, with perspirlng effort, az
he took off his hat and held out his
| great hand. 1--WE knowed you never
done It,"
GAY. we knOwed you never done ii :"
chimed In William Grove, and some
others, advancing also with out
stretched hand. "Granfer, he knowed
you never done 1t; and this here is
Granfer's tombstone" added the
shepherd who had seen Evcrard on his
road to Widow Doves on the fatal
afternoon, bringing his hard hand
down on the stone, as If its existence
were solid proof of Gramfers val,
liable opinion on the subject
"And Widow Dove" said Tom Hale,
the old soldier, las her daughter
married my wife's brother, as set up
in the hardware line at Oldport, 1t lay
on her conscience when she come to
die, as she never said nothing about
h'i NV p'lIIS 'iL hiltlh WI IobiI, anu
no candle and the door shut, when
you came up and thought the house
empty. Many's the time sheve spoke
of that to my wife on her dying bed,
rs helped nurse her, and had it wrote
in the family Bible"
"And my little gal, she minds now
how you give her the penny that
night added William Grove, pushing
forward bashful, buXom young
woman, with Il child I'm her arms, who
courtesicd and blushed. "Growed upI
she is, and made glslnfcr Of me, zure
enough" her father added.
Everrd could scarcely speak; hel
could only grasp each proffcrcd hand
and murmur some vague words of
thanks, but his heart was deeply
stirred rs he passed along the lane of
kindly, hearty faces, and went out
into the road, where he found Farmer
Long and his family, who were watt
ing to welcome him and express their
sorrow at the unmerited calamity
which had bcfallen him.
nhis little outburst on the part of
the stolid, undcmonstrativc rustics
was so unexpected, and so strong a
proof Of the feeling with which his in
noccncc was regarded by some of his
old friends, though not, MS he well
knew, by all, that it almost overpow-
cred him, and he was glad to take
refuge within the rectory gate. On
turning to shut 1t, he saw his friends
still standing In the afternoon sunlight,
with their hats Off till he should have
vanished from their sight, and he
again removed his own.
He sat with Mr.. Maitland and Lillian
under the thick -lcaved limc-tree, silent
and happy, watching the shadows turn
soft and slant, and the swallows dart
across the sunny blue. while the father
and daughter told him many things
that had come to pass in his absence,
and tea was brought out and. finally
Mr.. Maitland sunk into the peaceful
slumber which usually followed his
Sunday hho?s. Then Lillian took the
cat In her arms. and walked toward
"Why do YOU carry that great Great
ure?" asked Evcrard. LET me take
him for you."
AS If Mark would suffer any one
else to carry him. laughed Lillian as
the eat, with an indignant look at
Evemrd, claSped his fore paws round
her neck. and rubbed his head against
her cheek. "Iou can not imagine how
| love the thing. Henry; he is Il link
with the past. DO you remember the
day we found him, Il stray. half
starved kitten, up by Temple CopseE
1t was the Christmas vacation, and
You and | and Cyril were talking
about his chance of taking honors
How happy we wcrer'
III was frosty day" continued
Evcrard, muSingly. and the kitten
was numb with cold TIL YOU warmed
it In your furS. Its honNs were staring
through its skin "