The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-09-17

aid and Endorsement which he felt little
inclined to give
While these thoughts were passing
through his mind he was courteously
urging her to come in, but she put the
offer aside. Here is the letter." she
said, laying an envelope in his hand.
twas only written last night and under
the circumstances it may seem strange
TO you that I bring instead of sending it,
but my father especially desired that l
should do so. He feared it might be lost
in the mail and never reach you "a sick
mans fancy and he laid such stress up
on my giving it to you myself that L
would have been careless indeed if had
failed to crafty particularly
now
The Senator took the letter idly. That
it contained an appeal for assistance he
felt confident and the girls grave,
pathetic beauty was, of course, expected
to do it's share toward influencing him.
He tore OF the envelope and read:
"Woodleigh, April 9.-My Dear Ern-
est: 1t has been many a day since you
received a letter from my hand and
doubtless YOU viii find ii difficult to de-
cipher this one I was never much Of
a scribe. as you remember. and what
little skill I ever possessed has deserted
me since my long illness. While lying
on my deathbed I have thought much
of you and your successful career. You
cannot know what a qualification It
has been to me TO see the lad whom L
always admired push boldly TO the
front and by his Wit and resource give
to his State that representation in the
halls Of Congress which she always de-
served
I would have told you this ere now,
but a political life is apt TO make one
skeptical, and perhaps if L had ex-
pressed myself frankly and unreserved-
~ as I am doing now you might nave
thought l had some ak to grind-a
friend I wished advanced, some wom-
an relative to be placed in the depart
ments, so l held my peace. l do not
say you would have doubted me, but
you might have done so, and nothing
could hurt me more than that you
should misjudge me. And speaking Of
that reminds me of what l meant TO
say Some time ago an acquaintance
Zone of those idle gossips who do so
much to make life harder) told me that
ne had every reason to know that you
thought I still bore you a grudge for
defeating me- I bear you a grudge!
/ Why my dear boy, the idea is too pre-
posterous. Surely you know that |
was not made of such contemplate
stuff and that my reason for not seek
ing you more was because you were
rich and prosperous and l was Meth
er, and when one is on the crest of the
wave it is so easy to misunderstood the
motives of those who are not
L Go not say this to reproach you,
but by way of explanation.
I was weary of public life and it's
accompanying trials, long before you
defeated me, and you did but pave the
way to what l had long desired.
ASK my wife, my children, any of
my friends, and they will confirm this
statement.
NO, Ernest, what 1 have regretted
land that continually is that time and
circumstance should have swept you
so completely out of my life, for it hurt
me that you should so soon have out
grown me.
That I hated you or envied you your
rightly Won hOnOrS is fallacy TOO pal
pable to need denial, but which l am
nevertheless writing to do.
They tell me you are at Ashley for
a fortnight, SO will you not drop in
some afternoon and see me?
4 would like to look upon your face
again and talk over the old days when
you were my stanch helper and right
hand man, and when you were only
dreaming of the fame that now is
yours.
The Senator lifted his hand to his
throat
I regret that you will not come in,
Miss Rothermel," he said, but will you
tell your father for me that l will drive
over to see him this EVENING""
She looked at him curiously, then.
drawing her veil closer about her face,
she turned back to the carriage.
That is kind Of YOU" she answered,
gently, but it is too late now-you can
do nothing-my father died this morn
ing. Chicago News.