The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-03-08

oil lamp he had lit and which smelt
abominably; but he paid no heed to the
compassionate words or looks of this son
whose tender nature was so incompre-
hensible to his own.
Have you enough to eat? How do you
live?" cried Rueben. catching hold of his
ragged sleeve.
Good heavens, to think you should
starve for the sake of a cursed picture
that was taken away by some mean thief
to whom it can never have done any
good"
The old Jew plucked him sleeve away,
and paced wildly up and down, his fin
gers twisting themselves in his beard.
Yes it is a cursed picture 1t has
ruined my life. shattered my peace. II
holds my soul in torments-the torments
of the damned" he cried hoarsely.
Come away, then, from this horrible
place and think no more about it. Come
with me- In spite OF everything, you are
my father. l am of you race, your blood.
Atone to my mothers injured spirit by
showing some affection for her son." said
Reuben, persuasively, holding out his
hands with one of those expressions which
still irradiated his features on occasions
as in his impulsive boyhood.
Old Co. stopped suddenly and looked at
the young man from beneath his brows.
Her SOM! he repeated slowly, with
bitter emphasis.
Then ali at once Reuben was conscious
of a skinny hand clasping his own, ana
the face of this strange parent gazing
triumphantly upon him.
And mine!" cried Old Co. in a voice
that Vibrated with intense passion. Yes,
yes; lay claim to the genius within you.
Her son in face, form and disposition,
but mine. all mine; in the power THAI
shall make you a great man."
Let it be So L am content so long as
we are friends" said Reuben with a de-
termination to humor his fathers eccen-
tricities.
inquired Old Co. with a vague look of
wonderment in his sunken eyes.
Because l am sorry for you-because
you are my father"
a q fO1 ar1 civ I4saif
in all the younger painter said or did
which carried conviction even to the suS-
picious mind of Isaac Cohen. He remain
ed silent for some moments, and then
turned away with a quivering long
drawn sigh. To Reuben this sigh was the
first sign of ordinary humanity the old
man had yet shown, and he regarded it as
a sign that his own filial devotion had not
been quite thrown away. He never could
explain, even to himself, the dual feel
ing with which this relationship inspired
him. Here was a being whom he yearned
to honor, and yet he was so constituted
that his nature revolted from the effort.
PITY was the nearest kin to love he could
offer, but that pity was passionate pro-
found, touched with self-accusing bitter
ness and mingled with a self-effacing de-
sire for Precipitation.
''They took him from me-" exclaimed
Old Co, with suddenness that made
the other start. They thought to de-
stroy my share in him, but destiny and in
heritance are stronger than hate NV son
has returned to me after all-yes, in spite
tears which dropped into his beard, and
he appeared to be addressing a dingy old
curtain hung across the end of the gar
ret.
Reuben was touched, though a painful
conviction seized him that his return was
of small avail to soften cherished ami
mositieS.
win you leave this wretched place
with me, tonight? 1 can offer you luxury
compared to this" he said looking round
at the ragged bed, heaped up in one corner.
What" cried Old Co, with an angry
gesticulation advancing toward him. You
come here to drag me out into the world.
laughed at despised, condemned"
For what?" inquired Reuben, in bewil-
derment.
For living under a spell I cannot
break for passing my life in worship of
what l hate and despise-the worship of a
woman.
There was something in his wild energy.
as he threw both arms up, as if in writhing
protest. that prevented the younger man
from smiling at so strange a declaration
'fShe lived in the Middle Ages" con-
tinued Old Co., speaking rapid undertone
that had the effect of a prolonged hiss.
'She sat to him as model for the Ma
donna of the Sepulchre. 1 was the Jew
boy who sat for John the Baptist-but
that is all long ago" he waved his hand
as if to dismiss the recollection, then
crept UP to Reuben and spoke fearfully
into his ear: THAT woman has dragged
me back through the long, long, Centuries
in my own and mix with my contempor-
aries"
Il will help to drive these fancies from
your mind said Reuben reassurngly
mo. no; they cannot be driven. Fancies
you talk of what you do not understand.