Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1896-08-27

Malice never 0Ct9 raShly Sud youl
life has atoned for your rashnesS l have
heard your sin, and. looking back OF
the past that has resulted from it. fee
that reparation has been made But, bt
that as it may, know this. my father,
my heart has gone out more and more
to you for this confidence. God pity the
man who ever refuses the hand of the
old father that cared for him rs yor
have for me. Do not draw it away.
shall take it See, father, seel l an
pressing that right hand to my lips as
often did when a child, and am bath
ing it white with the tears of my love. .
Louis Kyle did take the trembling
hand and he did kiss it, and the hot
tears of his pitying love fell on it like
cleansing hyssop
'Oh, my son, my sonl o God. thanh
theep'
The father turned as one turns from
the darkness in which he has been crop
gloom and marks the pathway up TO tht
light His arms were about his boy
again his baby boy, though the cheeks
he pressed were bronzed and bearded
And they knelt there side by side, theil
hands clasped and their heads bowed
and their suppressed sobs breaking the
stiffness
So the, were kneeling when Nors
nd her mother came back and softly
ntered the room and bowed down be-
ide them. Louis was the first to rise.
nd he reached down and lifted his Ia
her up beside him, and there was a
light on Valentine Kyle's face that had
ever been there before. The burden
.ad fallen off, and he felt as one who
las come to the mountain tops from the
Itygian depths
my brother Frederick" said Mr.,
lyle, as we shall continue to call Val
htine Weldon, after all had composed
themselves, "at the time of the great
var was a strong Union man, and I as
trongly advocated the other side. Up
o this there never had been a misun-
Ierstanding between us-even rs boys
We never quarreled. as the best Of broth
us are apt to do But at the beginning
Il that terrible war men were seized
With excitement, and the stronger the
,ast love the stronger seemed the hate
hat famed up between those that took
opposite views
"I never knew Frederick to drink be-
ore that day, and l, ever excitable and
mpetuous, had never drunk SO much
vas not myself. A friend had presented
ne with sword, and in my mad van
ty / had strapped it to my side and
wore it as l rode home with my brother.
we RUU Ilisf,~-sV-s1s~---s--A---- --ss'1 s1E
md south. He was cool, so cool that 1t
naddened me- A storm came up, and
~ the flashing Of the lightning l could
zee his pale face and cleaning eyes,
md, as God is my judge, when we halt
,d on the banks Of Beaver creek to see
( the rain had swollen the ford, /
thought / saw pistol in Frederick's
hand. Too late learned my mistake.
Excepting that cursed sword was un-
armed How drew it and how, by the
Hghtning's flash, / saw it splitting
iown his face seems like the memory OF
fevered dream.
"He fell from his horse with q cry Of
o God, my brotherp The next instant
was down and beside him. l hurled
ihe sword into the current lfelt his face
and the blood spurted out on my right
arm. From forehead to chin the blade
had cut By the Hghtnings CLEAN saw
that he was dead. heard horsemen be-
hind me and q craven fear came upon
me. 1 flung myself into the saddle and
dashed into the stream Preached home;
told my wife all; kissed my baby boys
and fed into the mountains There 1
remained for months without taking
part In the conflict that was raging
around me
"Then it was that you knew Of the
Blanchards, " said Louis, coming back
10 a subject that would assert itself.
'Dr. Blanchard's wife was my sister
Mary, your aunt" replied Mr.. Kyle.
"And these young ladies and Howard
Blanchard are our cousin"
"They are"
"And it is because Of your misfortune
for terrible misfortune it was, rather
than q wrong-that you do not wish
your relatives to know OF your where
abouts, and why you want me to keep
away from them'"
Eyes, Louis, that and more, " replied
Mr. Kyle.
What more?
perhaps I should not tell you, but
1t is better that you should know all
Mr.. Kyle hesitated and his wife said,
Tell them all, Valentine, tell them
all. 4"
"The Weldons were n rigid, stern
and religious people until they began to
intermarry with the Blanchards. But
perhaps l should not cry down blood
that runs in my own veins Still 1T has
cursed us and you should know 1t. Some
one child Of each such union has become
reckless and gone TO the bad, but they
have wronged themselves more than
they have others. My grandfather John
Weldon. hated them, and / blamed him
much for his treatment Of the Blanch-
ards. But since / have had years to
think 1t over 1 feel that the alliance was
bad. Each In its purity was good enough,
but the French Huguenot and the
Scotch Irish strain made q bad mixture
In our case.
"And for this reason you would have
me remain aloof2"
For this reason, my son, and anoth-
err that is even greater, replied MIR
Kyle.
"You mean the fear that Henry and
l shall meet?"
Mr.. Kyle nodded his head, but did
not dare 10 speak.
TCoNTINUED.l