The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1897-03-10

In autumn tne Olu hanuOlpn nome
stead looked as if it were showered with
gold The great elm trees, transmitted
by the touch of this Midas of the seasons.
stood in a yellow glory of myriad leaves.
which every breath of the cool west
breeze scattered profusely eastward.
where, with the still unchanged grass.
they formed spangled carpet of green
and gold The apples thronged the
crooked boughs of the orchard, some like
glowing rubies. others like the famous
fruit of the Hesperdes. though there
was no guardian dragon to give hem "a
fictitious value. The broad rootsbf the
house itself was Uttered with innu-
merable little golden scales. of work
manship far beyond the skill
of any human goldsmith, yet of
absolutely no market value. What is
the significance of this yearly phantas-
magoria of illimitable riches. worthless
because illimitabe? Is il satire or
consolation? Does IL mock the poor
mans indigence or cause him TO hope
again for competence? IL comes as the
guerdon of Nature, after her mighty
task is done: but when she has composed
herself to her wintry sleep it is trodden
into the earth and forgotten, and the
new year begins his labors with new sap
and naked buds. II is only the human
world that L,s TO bear the burden of in
heritance; AID perhaps we shall never
enjoy true wealth till we have learned
che lesson of the trees.
Poor Mr.. Randolph certainly had lit
Gle else beside autumn leaves wherewith
to satisfy his creditors, and the winter
Of his discomfort was close upon him
There is philosophy for the poor and n
philosophy for the wealthy, but the
philosophy q 1t can console the debtor
has yet TO be discovered.
Born and 'rought up in the custom OF
sufficient rr'Uurces, he had never con-
templated the possibility of want. There
had seemed to be something noble and
high minded in meeting without ques-
ton all demends upon him, but when
the supply actually ran short things
wore a different aspect. Had he spent
his whole fortune simply in paying his
sons drafts he would at least have had
the comfort of putting the whole bur-
den of the ,.sponsibility on his sons
part Of the less was due to private rash
ness of his cwn. When he found that
Eds rapacity was getting serious the
devoted gentleman betook himself to
Wall street and speculated there. The
brokers treated him as Richard Ill pro
posed to treat his wife-they had him.
but they did not keep him long. His
speculations after he returned home
~ere probably more edifying than those
be INDUCED in on the street.
The revolving suspicion that he had
been fool began to germinate in Mr..
Randolph's mind. This suspicion, which
Is the salvation of some men, is the de-
struction of others. The integrity Of
Mr.. Randolph's moral discrimination
began to deteriorate from that hour.
Having enacted all his life the part of
his own golden calf in the wilderness,
bis overthrow left him destitute of any
criterion of conduct. He talked violent
" and volubiy about his wrongs, and
discussed various schemes, more or less
fmpracticable and improper, of evading
his liabilities Beatrix was naturally
the chief sufferer from this ungainly
development of her fathers character,
and she was also obliged to bear
the brunt of most OF the concrete
unpleasantness Of their situation. She
had to talk to the creditors, to extenuate
her fathers side of the case, to hold out
fair hopes and to smooth over disap-
pointments, and when she had wearied
herself in parleying with the enemy she
had before her the yet harder task of
pacifying and encouraging her father,
who had listened to the dialogue from
the head Of the stairs, and fell upon her
with petty avalanche Of complaints,
questions, suggestions, seedlings and
quernloumess. Beatrix loved her father
with all her heart, but she was of PEN
etrating and well balanced mind, and
often had difficulty in not feeling
ashamed Of him. Insenmbly she began
10 treat him as fractions and super
sensitive child, who must at all costs be
humored and soothed, and when she felt
her own strength and patience almost
overtAned she would only say to herself,
"No wonder poor father has to give up
when find it SO hard"
But her troubles did not end with her
father. There was certain Mr.. Starcher,
the grocer's son; the grocer divided with
the innkeeper the highest social consid.
Grafton Of the village. He was young
gentleman Of highly respectable charac-
ter and education. After leaving school
b had studied for year at business
college in New York; he WIS member
Of the Young Mems Christian associa-
ton and n person Of gravity and re.
hsious convictions. Aweek or two after
Mr.. Randolph's misfortune became
known he put ON suit of black clothes,
relieved by q faded blue nscktie, and
called formally ON Miss Randolph. AT.
Ter tho first courtsdss bad been e1-
changed he said that hs desired in the
Arst place TO put the minds Of Min Ran
dOlph and her good father at ease re-
gnrding the little account between his
nm and them. The money was not
needed, and 70 far a. he was concerned
mieht remain unpaid indefinitely. "And