The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1897-06-11
unjust toward him.

"'G ou are mistaken, madam. | have
told this young lady that the matter
rests entirely in her hands. She has
the deciding power
"'You are accusing yourself of moral
cowardice. sir. You profess to love
your son, Yet you stand ready to- cast
him out as a pauper provided you can
blind your conscience by accusing some
one else of the enormity. Laura's love
is such that it will cling to him after
you have stripped him of what appears
to have supreme value in your eyes.
You propose to disown your own flesh
and blood. When you have done your
worst. she will share the fate YOU so
unnaturally inflict.'
You employ strong language. mad
am. But it is not for you to say how
much my heart enters into this affair
There are social considerations that YOU
cannot appreciate. To ignore them by
permitting this marriage to take place
would be to place milestone about my
sons neck. But l see possible way out
of the difficulty, and have presented
it to your niece. If she will go at
my expense to any of our more select
scminaries, where she can acquire the
education and the accomplishments
such as should he mad by the wife of
brood Harris. the objections / urge will
be withdrawn. But she flatIv refuses
Now auutie was grand in her anger
OF course, she resented, aa well rs rc-
fused, sir. Such an offer was an insult
to Wilcomb. Social cons Ceratio
indeed Then she opened with grape
and canister. DO you speak FreI ch
German and Italian in addition to your
native tongue, Mr.. Harris? Are OF
cratic managers besieging you to sing
on the stage? Were you ever abroad
three years at time improving your
mind and mingling in society at tn
European capitals? Can you tell III,
the name Of your great-greatgra
ther? How many of your direct ante
cedents fought in the revolution? What
is your family coat-of-arms? What dig.
nitaries of state are attracted here be
cause of your provincial greatness ;
What one of your proud race in either
branch ever sacrificed a million to help
loyal friend?'
Il tried to stem the rushing current.
Why go into family matters, auntie?'
Don't interrupt, Laura. This man
invited it. For him TO r;-se the queS-
tiOn of family. when | took such credit
to myself for waving it in his behalf,
| hope, sir, that you will inform your
self before YOU undertake a matter SO
delicate, and if you do withhold that
boys patrimony we will not be without
compensation
How so, madame% asked Father
Harris, who was more nearly van
tSha h-.r, h.a h.I
1T will not be necessary for us TO
meet his father again
oh. auntie.' | exclaimed, that is
not like you
IL think that madame is very con
sistcnt in her Language Then. turn
ing To me, he calmly admitted that he
might have underestimate me and
asked me if l would sing for him.
She could scarcely be expected to
sing for a quarter of million dollars
under existing circumstances. declared
aIntie. sarcaStically. | had no ide
that a man of his temperament coul.
lie passionately fond of music. but /
felt that he had gone through Il very
bad half hour. thought of brood and
sang an old Scottish love song-sang
as / never sang before, for it was the
cry of my heart to its lover. l could
scarcely believe it, but Father Harris
has since admitted that there wer,, tears
in those cold gray eyes of his, and he
had me sing until ring at the door
bell announced some one else to he
entertained. Then he put his arm
around me, looked down into my face
with a smile that had lost everything
but tenderness and told me how proud
he would be To have me for a daughter.
i was foolishly mistaken he said, hut
INV son should he a sufficient peace of
fering.' Then he added. disconnected
Iy: Your aunt is certainly remark
able woman
1t was only little later. you know.
that l unexpectedly came into n for
tune which we had given up as lost,
but in the meantime it had been ar
ranged that auntie was TO become my
mother-in-law. How those two hot
heads rcconciled their tempers and
learned to love in so brief cGurtShiI
is beyond me. But auntie frequently
hopes that have as good "A husband a>
hers.''-Detroit Free Press.