St. Tammany farmer., 1901-09-14

ceu!:e now avail. The seal of death
was on every feature.
"Don't fret, jack" he said, almost
cheerfully. ''There is really nothing,
either in life or death, that's worth a
tear"
1 did not need to speak to him OF
his affairs; they had been arranged
and explained to me long ago, for he
was well aware in what constant dan
ger he lived. Indeed, all care for OF
interest in his present life seemed to
have vanished. He talked in rapid,
feverish manner of the past; of his
home and his dead mother; Of his
friends and the pursuits of his youth ];
but he never once named Eleanor, and
[ could not bring myself to intro
duce the subject at this hour. As the
last tints of sunset faded in "ashen
skies" he died, circulating, almost
with his last breath, and with voice
of glad surprise, the word "Mother!"
I had known his mother well; lovely
little lady, who had idolized her son,
and been so tenderly beloved by him
that many had not hesitated to at
tribute his exile and the sale of the
old Vaughan Manor House to grief for
her death.
I assisted the negro woman 20 per-
form the last Offices for him, and at
sunrise little gathering of rough
men, whom he had led in many wild
and dangerous exploit, helped to lay
him in his grave.
He had left all that he possessed
gold, cattle and lands-to Eleanor,
wife of Richard Crosby, of Snowdon
Heights, Westmoreland; and as soon
as possible I returned to England to
inform her of the bequest.
I found her in little breakfast
parlor of the fine house for which
! she had sold herself. Her beauty was
much faded, her dress slovenly and
ungraceful. I introduced myself to
her, and named mutual friend at
| whose house we had often met. She
condescended to remember, and then
looked at me for further information.
81 have just returned from Texas" !"
l. L
if her heart would connect the coun-
try with her lover.
Indeed" she answered, quite calm
ly. "a very unpleasant country, is it
not?"
II hope you do not think so, for
am come to tell you that friend has
left you an immense estate there"
Into the white, passionate face a
great tide of feeling rushed; her eyes
frightened with their old beauty.
She stood up, and with parted lips
waited for me to speak again. re-
manned silent, however, for moment,
and in that moment her heart awoke
and whispered to her by what loss
her gain was made. Then she sat
down, and covering her face with her
hands, cried out: "Oh, my love! my
love! After all these weary years
-' 1 tried to comfort her by tell
ing of all his noble life-how he had
succored the sorrowful and fought for
the weak, and defended helpless wom-
en- and children with his own life.
"And what matters it?" she cried,
in wild passion of grief; che has left
me, who loved him so dearly, to suf-
fer all these years, without word
of comfort or of hope"
'But he has proved that he has
never forgotten YOU"
Eyes. Never forgot my most miser-
able folly and childish pride. See
what he has done! Give me gold, and
denied me even look or a word of
love or forgiveness! His remem-
brance of me is the most profound
cruelty. I will not touch farthing
of his wealth. I have bought it with
years of misery and tears of blood.
No, no! 1 have gold enough, and to
spare; and what has it done for me?
Look at that helpless, paralyzed old
man sitting in the sunshine: he never
says kind word to me, and yet for
him and his gold I surrendered the
noble heart and glorious beauty of
Antony Vaughan. And you tell me he
is dead! What then remains for me?
Endless weeping. Leave me now; I
will not speak another word to any
one"
It was impossible to take this for
answer, so the next day I called
again, but she was very i'll and could
see no one. The following day re-
ceived the same answer, and her ply
sician, to whom 1 spoke, thought it
might be some time before she would
be able to attend to any business. So
took q rim tower the hor6er'' To Ed
inburgh, and remained there several
days. On my return I went immedi-
ately to Snowdon Heights, and met
her funeral coming down the great
avenue. Poor Eleanor! the title deeds
of her estate had proved to be her
death warrant.-People's Home Jour-
nal.
Two of a Kind.