Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1895-06-13

and that the praises which the world
bestows on your talent and your cha
acter are most highly gratifying to
my paternal PRIDE"
And Theodore did believe those oily,
hypocritical words; and since his
father rejoiced at his sons success,
Theodore had, at last, won from him
rndt rove Tor which mn ncart had 30
long and vainly yearnen-and believ.
ing thus. the young man was now In.
tensely happy, and pressing the Wis
counts hand, warmly and gratefully
he eNclaimed:
"By how many years Of my life
would have purchased those sweet
ard precious words"
ooh, l know you well. Theodore,
and have never doubted your heart.'
While Theodore with great emotion.
said:
''May the day arrive when you shall
have need to test that heart, dear
father, and then shall you behold ali
that it contains for you of affection
and devotion"
There was now long pause In the
conversation, and the Viscount rose
from his chair. and slowly paced the
room.
At length. he stopped, and placing
his hand on Theodore's shoulder, said,
with heavy sigh:
THAT day, perhaps, has already ar
rived"
And Theodore was delighted that it
should be so.
OF his fathers early life. Theodore
had been told. and had heard nothing:
i 1>s N0,s +1,n
Viscount now proceeded to relate a
somewhat skilfully invented story.
In his youth. Norton Sowerby had,
he knew not how. incurred the dis
pleasure of the then Viscount Dare
leigh; without knowing wherefore,had
been rejected by his relatives, and cast
forth penniless, to struggle with q
world with which. having been nursed
in the lap of fortune. and reared in
ease and luxury, he had been little
fitted to contend.
And his most unmerited sufferings
had been fearful.
Certainly he would have succombed
beneath the horrors of his misery, the
pangs of hunger-for even to that had
he been reduced-but for the help
which had been most freely and gen
erously afforded by a noble family who
had had pity on the sufferings which
they were certain he had not deserved
Continuing his supposititious hts
tory, the Viscount said that five-and-
twenty years had flown away with
out his having again beheld bis bene-
factors, and without having effaced
from his memory the generosity of
which he had been the recipient.
That having at length succeeded to
his title and his fortune, the Viscount
had been eager, in some way to requite
those who in his misery had so be-
friended him.
Theodore would readily believe, and
would rejoice, as greatly almost as did
the Viscount himself. that found a.
gain were those who formerly had res
cued his father from abject misery
perhaps from death itself. .
And Theodore, who had been moved
almost to tears by this atrooiously
false recital, did, indeed, rejoice that
he himself would be able to express
the gratitude he felt towards his
fathers benefactors.
But. alas!' said the Viscount, Civ
ing very doleful expression to- his
features; ''those generous friends
fortune has changed with them, and
now that have beheld them again,
have found them as they first knew
me, poor and deserted"
'No, no." Theodore warmly cried;
"they cannot be poor, since we, faith
err, are wealthy"
And now. without being observed by
Theodore, the viscount's eyes were
fixed penetratingly upon the young
man, as he said with melancholy
air, Theodore, poverty has also its
pride. l have offered, would have
given gladly, half my fortune" The
viscount paused and sighed. "My Of
fers have been nobly refused" he re-
sumed, speaking very slowly; ''and
you alone, dear Theodore-you can aid
me to acquit my debt Of gratitude"
And with seeming great emotion and
affection he grasped and pressed his
sons hand.
TO BE CONTINUED.