The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-02-09

But, Ike an iinpa1pable Veil, some
thing hung between her and this hand
some father Of hers, keeping them at
arms length from each other.
SingularIy direct and unaffected in
all her ways, she rashly essayed to rend
this impalpable veil, so that she might
get nearer to the heart Of the parent she
had been idealizing all these years of
exile from home.
She had been at home quite month
when she made the attempt.
They were standing side by side on
the hearth rug just before separat-
ing for the night. She was removing
from his lapel the wilted carnation she
had placed in his buttonhole at the
breakfast table. He had been suggesting
some alterations in her private suit Of
apartments and had just told her that
the examination of riding horse for
her had been among his day s activities.
Father" she said. ruthlessly tear
ing the carnation petal from petal, "if
you loved me more you would do less
for me-.
ney! why, DleeS my S0ul!
"Yes, you would"
"Why, you pretty little paradox, is
there anything you'd rather have than
horse-a phaeton or maybe surreyp
I'm anxious, my child, lam, pom honor,
to make you as happy as possible. Is
there anything at all I've left undone?"
She looked at him so steadfastly that
no dropped his eyes upon the glowing
embers of the wood fire.
"There is, father"
"Speak right out, my dear girl. We
may not agree on all subjects, as we
certainly don't Oh the darby question,
you pretty little abolitionist, but we
have cast in our lot together, Jessioa,
and the fewer imaginary barriers left
standing between us the better I shall
be pleased.
His entire phraseology, or so it seemed
to her alert fancy, was unfatherly in its
artificiality. He was kindness, consider
alton and gentleness embodied, but with
it all there WAS certain chivalrous
ceremony that had an almost apologetio
quality about 1t. 1t was as if he were
trying to compensate her for some un-
confessed transgression against her.
, "Yes, she said, reflsotively tapping
the low brass fender with the toe Of her
boot, II think speaking right out is al
ways best" 80
Decidedly" said the colonel, clear
ing his throat nervously.
Jessioa dropped into a chair near tho
hearth, and folding her supple white
hands respectfully OH her lap she lifted
her clear eyes to her fathers face, and
said:
II never thought to live in such a
refined, luxurious home as this, father.
My IS years of life, or as many of them
as l can remember, have been spent in
such different atmosphere that won
der why I don't find this trifle op-
...- ar,-~--.~,e---s'r--"-.
pressive instead Of fitting into 1t so
Mrs Shorter was a good
woman, but New Hampshire farm is
about as far removed from Mississippi
cotton plantation as the poles of the
earth from each other. My life with
Mrs. Shorter was rigid and contracted.
I was trained SO penuriously that moth
ing but original sin can account for my
spendthrift proclivities By the way,
was she any blood relation of miner"
"Mrs. Shorterp Yes-no-that Is,
very distant, very distant indeed.'
1.-THE more distant the better"
"She did not let you suffer for any
thing, dill beg pardon-bless her,
did she?"
"No-yes, she did. Or, at least, if she
did not somebody-you perhaps, father
did"
"But you were happy in that Boston
school, my dear?''
Happy? No, not exactly. I was
busy, and whenever the other girls, my
chums particularly, went home for va