Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1899-06-01
THE 7RAMP'S KISS.

now, and it's owner was trembling like
leaf. With an agile spring the cy-
clist seated himself in his saddle, and
as his feet found the pedals he looked
round over his shoulder.
"Don't forget, said he; "the house
with the turrets. I will vouch there
is a good, square meal awaiting you. :"
And with that he rode away through
the drenching rain.
Robert Templeton, the world-famed
architect, sat in his study deep in
thought. From some distant portion
of the old house the sound of girls
fresh, Young voice, singing 'Love's Old
Sweet Song" reached his ears. Sud
denly the song ceased, and Robert
Templeton knew the dreaded moment
had arrived knew that Harold Frank
lin had called for his (Templeton's)
answer.
He had promised to give it that very.
night = that very hour-and Franklin,
anxious lover that he was, had braved
the inclemency of that night to hear
that which meant either lifelong hap
piness for him or dreary drag of
''stale, fiat and Improbable" existence.
Templeton rose from his chair and
paced slowly about the room.
The story he had to tell Harold
Franklin was inevitable. How would
lie receive that story? Would he, in
his great love for Clarice, laugh the
deception to scorn; or would he heap
contumely upon the narrator's head
and leave the girl who loved him for
ever? No. Danish the latter thought!
Harold Franklin was true English
gentleman not one of the soulless
creatures who sometimes pose as such
creatures of veneer and vapidity-
but man with heart as sound as
one of the oaks of his native land;
man who valued his fellow creatures
for their true mind worth and not sole
ly on account of Their wealth of the
worlds goods.
Half an hour passed, and Templeton
was still pacing about his study, when
a firm step approached, and knock
sounded upon the door. Templeton
went across and threw it wide open.
His visitor was Harold franklin.
''And so you have come for my
answer, Harold?" said the architect,
after their formal greeting.
eyes, SIR" replied the young fellow,
with a quick look in the others face.
Templeton placed chair for his
visitor and sat down facing him.
''But where is Clarice? 1t is neces-
sary she, too, should hear what have
to say" he said.
''Clarice is acting the good Samar-
itan to poor fellow L me. oa the
road" said Franklin. "He was faint
with hunger, so 1 presumed to invite
him to bite and sup beneath your roof,
Mr.. Templeton. I trust my presump-
tion did not overstep the bounds of
my acluaintanceship with yourself
''You did perfectly right, Harold"
interposed the elder man. "And
Clarice, you say, is attending to the
poor fellow with her own hands?"
eyes, sir; she preferred to do So"
A few minutes later Clarice Temple
ton entered the room, and both its
her eyes were fearful. ''You have
been weeping, child?" said her father,
as she sank down on the has sock at
his side.
EYES," she said softly; sit was
something that poor man did AMI said
when he was bidding me good night
and thanking me for the food had
placed before him."
Robert Templeton was too much
engrossed with his own thoughts to
reply to what Clarice was saying.
"My child" he said, after short
pause, sit is only right that you
should hear what am now about to
say. 1t is only right that the man
who desires to make you his wife, and
who is here tonight for my answer,
should know your history and mine. :"
The young lovers gazed wondering
ly upon the speaker, and their hands
sought each others instinctively.
"History, sir! scarcely under
stand you," said Franklin. 81 know
already that you, the most illustrious
architect of the time, were, in your
younger days, far poorer than you
now are. Have you not told me often
that your early struggles were fraught
with privation? Your history, sir; is
one that rebounds to your credit"
81 do not refer to the struggles of
my youth, Harold; it is something
else--something which concerns Clar-
ice. 1t is this: Clarice is not my
daughter"
The words were spoken At last.
"Not your daughter?' whispered
the girl, her face blanching deathly
pale.
''Sit down again, my child, and listen
to my story. 1t is an old story-a
common theme for novelists, but true
in my case:
''Two brothers fell in love with one
girl. One of the brothers is studious