The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-05-14
THE ADVERTISERS
DAILY SHORT STORY

The Marnate started and reached out
a OBTAINING hand and elutched the other
by the arm. ..,
learned tie reason for your discharge?
WE'LL | will tell you. Your wife used to
bring your dinner every day. she used
to pass this window. ! could not help
seeing her. and-it annoyed me: She re-
minded mssof a woman who-who--a wo-
man l once knew. Do you understand!
That is all, good day
When the Magnate alighted from his
carriage, and assembled the flower bordered
walk to the cottage with the green blinds
and the vine-covered porch. smile OF
real happiness CLEANED in his eyes.
And when the door was opened by
trim little woman in a plain. but becom-
ing gown of blue calico, he caught her
unconsciously in his arms and kissed her;
And the woman uttered a glad cry ana
locked her arms around his neck, ana
called him dear, dear father.
Then he sat down and took her baDy
upon his knee and kissed 1t. too. and
gave 1t a bag of candy he had brought;
then set the baby down on the floor and
arose and took his daughter again In
his arms and stroked her hair and cried
softly. Then he held her out at arms
length and smiled into her tear-wet face
and said chokingly:
Il am travelling back over my life my
daughter-away from the face of Fear.
AMI l have come to a place where the
path Is wet with tedrs-to the day when
you married against my wishes and
pushed you away from me with all the
stubbornness of my blind pride. But
now. my daughter. | know you were far
wiser than your father was before you.
for you married the one you loved and
found happiness. while I-once upon a
time, long years ago. l laughed to scorn
the pure love of a good woman, and mar -
ried your mother, for she had wealth.
She was good to me, your mother was
k,t,t I iii Of lava bar Inl-a
her because-i could not forget, God, l
have not forgotten
He paused a moment to wipe the cold
sweat from his forehead. while his
daughter stared at him i'll wonder. Then
he continued.
Il cannot forget! | broke the heart Of
a true woman and-and-God! | have
looked upon the face of Fear
Then a heavy step sounded upon the
vine-covcred porch and man opened the
door and entered-a young man with
bronzed face and strong rough hands.
And the baby ran to meet him. and the
woman cried. Waiter, this Is father,
and the Mdgnate clasped the young mans
hand in both of his and said. God bless
you, my sonAmy SON..
In the hush of twilight the Magnate
stood, with bowed uncovered head be-
side an old. old grave in the quiet hills.
His face was drawn and pale, and his
eyes were moist.
Again ana again he read the woman's
name on the marble slab aad sighed. He
knelt in the tangled grass and covered his
face with his hands and groaned, while
the pain in his heart grew deeper.
And there came TO him the vision OF
her sweet, sad face, her trembling lips,
her trustful, pleading eyes, and again he
seemed to feel the touch of her chilling
hands as they lay in his while he said
good bye forever. And, through the dusk,
there came to him the echo Of Il womans
r. hn cob - 1lr1 inc Il
heart-4a sob that had haunted him, al
ways.
Alice he cried, reaching out his
hands towards the gathering shadows,
ALICE Then he raised his face implor-
ngly toward Heaven, and in the stars
cold stare saw only the brightness of
her eyes.
But presently he drew himself to his
full height and gazed boldly at the dark
ness slowly settling.
have naught to fear.
And then. startled ny thought that
stunE, he COW hred before the face of
Night. His debts. God, Could gold I'M
loose the clasp of death; could peadings
restore to that pulseless, loyal, broken
heart, the throb of life and love?
"Oh, Alice" His cry brea thed the
depression covers the Southwest, with fair
anguish of sob, H'Aliae, my dear one
my lost one, my BELOVED look down
ing at your feet. l have Travelled back
over my lifa's long, painful journey; [
have wiped away the blots that stained
my pathway and now-noW, have come
to that old. Old starlit night when We
stood under the naples and said good
bye" Put your h3nds i'll mine again.
dear, dear heart. and say-and say--oh.
God, and say you will forgive"
He sank. weak and trembling, upon the
ground: he moistened the mound above
her with his tears-t ears that seemed tc
flow out of the vanished. wasted years;
he hushed his breath. he strained his ears,
hoping yearning for the echo of her
voice. But the sill snees .leepened, deep
enel, deepened.
Ard presently he felt another presence.
ana he knew Remor;o again Lad come TO
sit beside him. An hour he lay PROSTATE.
wrapped III the winding sheet of misery.
And then he raised his head and gaZed.
shivering, silent, motionl sss, into the face
of-Fear!
Suddenly the glooms. the soltudes, the
sumbering hills were startled ny wild
cry-the Shrek of a soul that is lost.
Alice"
And his last debt was cancelled.