Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1896-02-28

r. M/ sElt 10 mSeG uer
MI father. She glanced
CNS&xrvsk/ j u the mirror and
(7&S saw how pale she
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pallor from her O wn-his pallor like
none other in the world.
A shiver passed over her. Did she
love her father? Her anger went out
to him, not her love; her love was for
Jack, and he could never be anything
to her. Last night she had written to
Jack and told him the truth, and the
truth would Sc parate them forever.
She was the dar ,hter of thief!
What useless9ess it had been for her
moth er 10 moyAhundreds OF miles from
the old home J. had been done for the
husband, not 1or the daughter. For
the daughter there had been a hall
wears residenc in this new place, and
q learning to 1--we man whom she had
last night declined to marry. Her
father had wrDhght this unhappires
as he had wrought so mu3h more.
What grief had not her father
wrought Tue day he went to prison
for the defalcttion in the bank where
he had been cashier and her mother S
father president, had not her mother s
father fallen dead? The world had
said the old banker could not stand
4he disgrace! And what more? Had
not her mothers mother, always an
invalid, been stricken by her hus-
bands death, and never been told OF
her son-in- laws crime? There had
been O mass of deception, the poor
feeble woman being led to believe that
her daughters husband, whom she
loved as q son, had gone away on bust
ness, and letters written in his prison
cell had been read to her, and they
told her OF great prosperity in tbs
West, with a cheerfulness that was ap-
palling. Yes, the girl almost hatet
her father as she thought over the
events of the past four years. And
yet, would she have hated him save
Tor Jack?
She pressed her hands iercely to hel
eyes.
Suddenly she started; there was {
step on the stairs, her mother wa
bringing her father up to her. How
should she meet him him? Had it no
been for Jack, she knew now she should
have met 'himI But her father ha(
forced Jack from her.
The steps ascending the stair
stopped. There was cough OUTSIDE
the library door. She knew the sharl
little cough-she used to fly to NEE
her father, four years back, when sh
heard that little cough in the hall ii
the dear old home. Now she did no
move Fl rom the chair she sat in.
She heard o voice outside the door
her mother urging her father to ente.
the room. Then the handle Of tn,
door turned, and her mother led in I
strangely aged man.
The girl rose; her father stood be
fore her, expectancy in his face. She
went slowly to him, and held her fore
head up to his lips. Her mothe
looked angrily at her, but she wen
back to her seat and caught up som
sewing.
"Annie," said her mother, sharply
sis this the way to meet your father
DO you know that all that has oc
Cured has been more to me than t
anyone else in the world? Aud yet
forgive because I love. And you, wb'
have lover"
81 have no lover" coldly interrupt
ed the girl. 81 couldn't deceive hin
any longer. I wrote him last night
1 told him the truth, and that
would not marry him."
The father shrank in his chair.
"Ah," said the mother, "now un
derstand." She turned to her hus
band. "Mark, do not mind it, dear
You have me, and l shall never fai
you. Have I ever failed you? Wha
is done. is done; it is all wiped away
it is only remembered by your daugh
ter, not by me, and you are as mucl
to me after all the mistakes and suffer
ings as the day when / stood by your
side and vowed to be loving and true
wife till God should part us in death
We always spoke of you, mother
and l."
'Your mother" his dry lips said
"where is she?'
His wife caught his hand.
Dear" she said, "can you bear {
little more?"
He looked at her.
"Annie," she said, sternly, "get mt
those letters.
The girl went and took from book
case packet which she brought t.
her mother.
"My letters to your mother, th'
mans lips seemed to say, "and un
opened"
His wife fondled his hand.
y "lt WAS only q few months ago" Ght
sSSI. "l could not tell you the truth
aDy more than ! could tell hsE Tbs
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