Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1898-12-15
Continued.

caspard, he said, holding out his
hand.
Gaspard made his grave and rather
formal greeting; he could not bring
himself TO speak very warmly. The
old man was for moment repulsed
hut he had grown strangely humble
and he said nothing, only grieved
look passed over his face. Then at
once Gaspald's better self returned
he spoke courteously and gratefully.
Il have a great deal to thank you
for" he said; sit was very consider
ate of you to send for me, and the
Journey" He was Interrupted. Noel
unacc,Is toned to his voice, was be-
ginning to kick with all his might
and to hold out his arms to the dean.
"Ah, you do not know your uncle,
mon enfant," said Gaspard.
The dean received this new charge
apprehensively. 1t was many years
since he had held a baby, and Noel
was at the most springy and trouble
some age of eleven months. He was
pleased, however, at being looked
upon as a friend, and allowed the tiny
fingers to play with his long white
beard. 1t was pretty picture, the
hoary-headed old man, and the little
brigbt-eyed baby. Gaspard looked
and wondered What would his
mothers feelings have been could she
have foreseen that her grandchild
would have been so caressed by her
brother? The dean, looking up, saw
the expression of his face and guessed
his thoughts
You think it strange, Gaspard, that
| should love Esperance's child, but
this boy has been more of comfort to
one than l can tell you; | hope l may
be spared to be Of some use to him.
You have probably been told the rea-
son of my dislike to your father. He
crossed my plans, he was poor, he was
a foreigner, he unknowingly thwarted
my schemes for self-advancement.
see 1t plainly enough now, though at
the time | should have said otherwise
but | was blinded and self-deceived
You are young man-you can hardly
realize what a terrible thing 1t is TO
self-indulgence, to see all the harm
YOU have done, to think of the good
left undone. Yet don't think you are
unmerciful--you have been through
TOO much trouble to be harsh in your
judgments; and | ask you now not to
Judge but to forgive me-to forgive
the injustice and hardness I showed
CO. ha
cold uncharitabeness ! showed to
YOU"
The color glowed in Gaspard's
cheeks, his eyes shone with bright
light, and his face expressed al once
surprise, admiration and relief. For A
moment there was silence, then he
spoke warmly.
In the name OF my father and
mother, | do forgive you, uncle. AS
for my own pardon, | do not feel
that | have right to use such term
20 one so mach my senior. You dis
liked mel was aware Of it, and ! re-
turned the dislike necessarily there
was GOODNESS between us have to
thank you now for first breaking the
ice"
The dean held out his hand, and
Gaspard grasped it in silence, while
Noel kicked and crowed Justify evil
IDENTIFY finding the family reconcilia-
lion very amusing.
After this Dean Collinson seemed
really happier though of course the
ong, wearing anxiety about Claude
s'ill weighed heavily on his spirits.
II was wonderful, however, how cnuch
comfort he met with from the least
likely quarters; people who a short
line before would only have bowed to
him with cold respect, now ventured
TO stop him in the street, and actually
20 sympathize with him-tbe sensa-
ion was novel and pleasing. His OBJ
seryatory and his telescope we're shat
tered to a thousand fragments. Ril-
chester felt real pity for one thus
-udely deprived of his hobby. and
PEOPLE tried to interest him in other
matters instead He meekly con-
-ented to be pleased with almost any
hing; he allowed the precentor to
persecute him with Wagner, he gave
MS consent to several long-desired i'm
provements in the cathedral, he made
schemes for helping the parochial
clergy. and took a leading part in all
me winter charities Even his SER
mons shared in the general change;
hey were no longer the dry, learned
atscourses OF former years, but clever
earnest, powerful sermons, which peo-
pie flocked to hear the dean was rap
dly gaining the respect and affection
which, in the days OF his excluslveness
and self-indulgence, had never been
accorded to him.
Tho short December days passed
quickly by. The long nights sue
ceeded each other one by one In need
less monotony, and still Claude lin
sered on almost miraculously; the long
consciousness still remained un-
broken
The last evening OF the year came
stNl. cold. frosty night. Esperance
'und it hard then not to fear, almost
- In