The Bourbon news., 1902-11-14
A HARVEST OF
BITTERNESS @@
By CHARLES E. BRANCH.

indeed. it could have been Grace Ash
lord. They looked on the world
through lovers eyes and-found it pass
inc fair, the sky, unfected with a sin
ole cloud, never bluer, and never be-
fore had the soft evening song of the
birds sounded sweeter in their ears.
Grace Ashford was graceful of form,
blue eyed and fair haired, with COM
DleXion that was a blend of red and
cream of roses; a girl with whom any
man might fall in love, as Harold Pen
stone had done from that moment,
five years before, she had come to re-
side under Mrs. Terrell's motherly
care.
Her mother had died when Grace
was yet baby, too young to hold any
recollection of the original of the
.sweet-faced miniature she always
wore in locket round her neck; and,
until she was II, she lived under the
care Of nurse and governess at home
with her father, who could never bear
to miss her from his sight.
Her seventeenth year was an event
ful one in her life, for it saw the pass
ing away almost simultaneously of
nurse and gOverness, and Immediately
afterwards her father went to South
America to Look after business inter
ests there.
So it came about that she went to
take up her residence with Mrs. Ter
rell, an old friend of the family, until
her father should return, and in the
natural order of things met Harold
PenstOne, to whom she lost her heart,
for he was true specimen of man
hood, young and handsome, in whose
hands the girl he loved might safely
trust her happiness.
They were not rich, the Penstones-
nor for that matter was Col Ashford a
man of great wealth-still, Harold's
fortune was sufficient to Justify him
in asking Grace to become his wife, as
he had done a few months previously.
And she had consented, subject to the
approval of her father, whose return
was monthly expected.
The day our story opens he had ar
rived in New York, and on the morrow
would be with his daughter. That he
would put any obstacle in the way of
her marrying the man she loved she
never for moment dreamed, for had
he ever refused her slightest wish?
1t had been arranged between Grace
and Harold that he was to call and
formally ask her fathers consent in
the early evening, and meanwhile she
should break the ice. But after her
fathers JOY at seeing her once more
after his loving words, it was a task
she found harder than she had antici-
pated
Il am retiring, Grace" the colonel
told her, "and hope there are many
years of happiness before us. You
must not continue buried away here
any longer. You must see a little life
after all this time. q shall set up
house in New York, with you for hos
tess. Marry again?" in reply to his
daughters question. Marry again!"
and he laughed bitterly. No, buried
my heart when l buried your mother,
dear. l have lived, shall live, only for
you"
Thus Harold found the path quite
mprepared when he called.
In any case it would have been wiser
to have waited awhile ere approaching
the father who had so recently found
happiness in returning to his daugh-
Ter. But who in love ever understood
the wisdom of natiencao
Harold found Grace with her father
when he was shown into the drawing
Esom, and looked somewhat sheepish
when the colonel asked to what he
~as indebted for the visit.
L thought Grace would have ex-
planned, he answered, and then ad-
; ded fronkly eve arranged it that
way"
The colenel looked mystifed, first
at his daughter, then at the uneasy
young man who stood nervously fin
gering his watch chain.
i don't understand" he explained
But sit down; perhaps Grace will tell
me-"
And she did, while her fathers face
grew white beneath the bronze and his
mead sank upon his breast.
You will say yes" she pleaded.
harold loves mel love him"
A thousand thoughts of reproach
rose to the cOlonel's mind, as he saw
ne had found his daughter but to lose
her again; but he uttered never a one.
lor he was just enough to recognize
shat this was exactly what he should
nave expected. All the future he had
planned he saw destroyed.
But know nothing of this young
man. Grace" he said at length. "Wbo
he Is, what he is, nor even his name
He may"
Ny name, sir, is Harold Penstone
and"
The colonel jumped to his feet and
crossed the room to the young mans
SIDE. "i''" :
Harold Penstone," he cried, look
ing keenly into his face. "And vour
Iather was Harold Penstone, eh?"
Yes, sir, he was"
Then, Mr.. Penstone, my answer is
no no, thousand times. NV daugh-
Ter should never marry you, even if