Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-05-07


stretched both arms high above he
head. The fire was red and clear, ye
she could feel that the room had grow
colder. Outside a sleety rain bea
heavily upon pane and roof. Now ant
again came the whistles Of river Graf
hoarse and thin through the shiverini
Of the gale. Cornelia looked about he
room, bare and dull though 1t was
with heart warm sense Of gratitude.
1T is home, no matter how poor,
she said under her breath. Then sh,
drew long inspiration and shiveret
family. Lighting candle, she slipped
noiselessly into her fathers room. II,
was sleeping peacefully, with hi
sound hand beside his face. For sec
ond she stood looking down at hin
shading the 'candle with one hand
Something rose in her throat. He
eyes grew suddenly dim. AS softly al
night falls she crept back to the othe
room. There she stopped and said t.
the fire, her sole confidant:
"Dear old governor l wonder IL +
would not break his heart to know tha
what McCullom said was, You ar,
getting quite a reputation-as a bacl
writerw
Although Miss Thornley, had a fin,
conscience for truth, thought Of thl
piece Of disingenuousness did not keel
her awake. 1t was not the first tin,
she had changed the spirit while keC p
ing to the letter in repeating to her IA
ther things from the outside. He VA
all in all to her and hope the only med
icine for his broken spirit. Once brav
est of the brave, manly, masterful, /
touched her to infinite pity, to infinite
tenderness, to know how he clung t,
her, how he built upon this saving he
lief in her genius.
IF only you were my SON.! he hat
said in rebellious bitterness when frs
trouble came to them. Her heart hat
echoed the saying, yet she laughed a
she answered:
THAT would never, never Go, gov
ernor. Who could live up to being th
son Of the handsomest man in Nir
ginia? should infallibly he forced t.
marry a million and sink to the posi-
ton of my wife's husband"
A poor jest, but it had served IL
turn. The sick man had laughed fee
bly,, then after little fallen asleep
Before his waking COrnelia had chosel
her career; she would be free lance
of the pen. To one knowing the pro
fession Of letters it would have ap
peared the most desperate choice. IL
the strength Of ignorance she Tough
and won n faint measure of success
She must have failed had she ever re
allied when she was beaten. 1t wa
the ineffaceable stay Of the thorough
bred which had carried her through
her ten years Of precarious breadwin
ming.
They had been full Of surprises-o
friends unexpectedly raised up in th'
unlikeliest places, Of friends fallin,
away in the unlikeliest. fashion
Throughout Cornelia had been learn
ing the heights and depths Of human
nature, the touch and temper of he
time-beyond all, fine and subtle
mastery of what was within herself
In usufruct there was book which
had been haltingly accepted by grea
publishing house, one Of the creates
in the trade. Yet this house had so i'm
pressed Cornelia with the hazard o
the undertaking she felt almost guilt!
in thinking over it. Her utmost aspir
ing hope was that it should at leas
nav for itself. otherwise she mus
feel always like a schemer who hat
tempted men Of genial impulses Into
bad investment.
Nobody save her father knew of he
book. Nobody would know 1t for her
until she chose to claim 1t. If "Johl
Desmond" was unknown, he could no
he set down as hack writer, neithe
a newspaper person ratable at so mucl
the column. Some touch Of pride hat
moved her to that decision. Now tina
the last proofs were out of hand sh
felt that she had best put the who'll
thing out Of mind and go sedulously Il
work along her accustomed lines.
I'll do a lot of valentine stuff" sh
thought when her head was on the pill
low. After that don't know. Their
is not much chance for anything unit
all this Christmas and New Year stut
Is out of the way"
Three months later Cornelia and he
father sat listening neryously for tn
postman's morning ring. They ha'
made a pretense Of breakfasting al
hour before, though both were too anx
ious to do more than pretend. Thing
had gone contrary with them for quit
month. Cornelia had worked lat
and early the winter through, yet
had been impossible to do more tina
meet current expenses. For one thing
the major had been Ill. Medicine, win
and warmth for him had cost a prett
penny. So they were now at the YER
bottom Of the common purse.
Even the faithful McCullom had nov
for three weeks left her out OF hl
schedules. Other intermittent source
of income had likewise suddenly drie
I'D. Still she was not without hop'
There was the story sent n month bac
to The Blush Of Innocence. Away
heretofore that great publication ha
returned such paper argosies OF hel
within the week. Delay was hopefu
and il the story came back as chec
It would be big enough to put them b'
yond any present anxiety.
Other checks might come too. SOM
how the morning mail seemed alwaJ
! to give color to the day. If 1t wei
fruitful or yielded even so much as
friendly letter, the hours were not
weary as when, in sportsmans pa
/ lance, 1t drew blank. Whatever
M :.