The Saint Paul globe., 1897-05-30

I tailed to wait upon my bell. There
| fore, twenty times day was I obliged
| to suffer the unwelcome reminder or
| his presence.
/ dwelt much upon the subject of
| relieving him without his discovery OF
| the source which should supply him.
| Acknowledge him I never would. Not
| that / was possessed of that mean van
| ity which makes one ashamed to rec
ognize a friend or relative OF fallen
| fortunes. But [ know to acknowledge
| his paternity was to open the flood
| gates to stream of importantly ana
| annoyance, with which l had no wish
| to submerge my life Nothing drew me
to him, and 1 had but one instinct iii
| his regard, which was 10 avoid him as
| much as possible. Nevertheless, he
| was my father; 1 was woman OF 1of-
| tune. and he sunk to the low level OF
| domestic service; how could turn my
| back upon the fact Of our relationship
when he so needed the help that l
was amply able to afford him?
That he had not forgotten his old
| grudge against me I could see by the
| MALIGNANT expression Of his eyes as
| they fell upon me. But. filled with the
| assurance bred Of fairly long career
of success and triumph, l scorned the
possibility Of so poor a creature DONG
me harm.
At the end Of three days my ankle
| was sufficiently recovered to permit OF
nv returning home 1t was a home
| sick moment to me when I stood alene
| for an instant in the beautiful room
and bade goodbye to surroundings
which in so short a time had grown
| to love so dearly. I even think the
tears were in my foolish eyes, for |
| weep easily; and when, presently, l
was joined by Richard Qutntard, who
=, ,r71so ~ no RI INV c9Tri9
| I fear it was a sort of sorry April face
I turned upon him, face in which
conventional smiles tried to rout sad
regret. ,, r.
said. extending an ungloved hand to
him. II do not know how to express
my gratitude for your hospitality, anc
for the pleasure l have received Pc
meath your roof I am one to whom the
word home is a meaningless term. In
the last three days 1 have gained some
insight into it's real significance"
His lip curled slightly as he took my
hand.
II would not try to realize the ideal
value Of the word in my house. ne re-
turned. IT am sure our meager Illus
tration would be quite unfair to the
possibilities a word of such exquisitely
tender potentialities contains If you
have been comfortable here, I am glad.
You have brought sunshine into my
dull den, and the pleasant memory Of
your presence here will often cheer my
solitude - -
He was so cool and Indifferent, albeit
courteous his self-poise was so COM
plete. while mine was SO defective. that
{ was prompted to .stirs shimiir to some
show Of feeling, to some expression OF
real regret at my departurelHI dropped
my eyes and sighed; then raised them,
still moist, to his.
"You cannot imagine how lonely
life. even in the full midst OF worldly
success, may be-" said softly. "You
think it strange, doubtless, that my
eyes are wet at leaving a. strangers
house, wherein have asojeurned so
short a time. You cannot understand
emotion bred aof such slight cause. But
I have grown to love it here even in
these few days, and 1 hate to return to,
the public glare and excitement of my
old life. I cannot expect that you, with
all your manifold interests, should feel
my absence; but / am a lonely woman,
notwithstanding my profession, and
shall miss what I have enjoyed here
OH more than you can conceive"
1t was an unWarrantable attempt
this that I was deliberately making
upon his Indifference. But his absolute
self possession provoked my vanity,
and perhaps already the germ Of
warmer feeling was generating in my
heart on his account At all events
tErob of real satisfaction thrilled me as
I saw the light that I had wished to
kindle flash into his eyes. He knit his
brow, and I felt the hand that held
mine contract for an instant.
eff you are lonely woman, with
your freedom and opportunities, he re-
Joined, in low quick tone. 'it must be
by your own inclination. But do not, I,
beg of you, make the mistake of beiev-
ing that because a life is companioned
it is the less solitary. There may be
worse cases of isolation than those
caused by mere solitude. I shall miss
you; am sorry to have you go. 1t is
long since 7 have enjoyed anything SO