The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1902-11-20

She reminded me OF woman who
whoa woman L once knew. DO you
understand? That is all, good dayW
When the magnatc alighted from
his carriage and assembled the ilowor-
bordercd walk to the cottage with tho
green blinds and the vine.
porch, smile Of real happiness
cleaned in his eyes.
And when the door was opened by u
trim little woman in a plain, but bccom-
ing gown of blue calico, he caught her
unceremoniously in his arms and kissed
her. Aud the woman uttered glad
cry and locked her arms around his
neck and called him "dear, dear
father"
Then he sat down and took her baby
upon his knco and kissed 1T, too, and
gave it Il bag of candy he had brought; :;
then sat the baby down on tho floor
and arose and took his daughter again
in his arms and strOkcd her hair and
cried softly. Then he held her out at
arms length and smiled into her tear
wet face and said cholingly:
"I am travelling back over my hfo,
my daughtcr-away from the face of
Fear. And | have come to a place
where thc path is wet with tcars-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, l know
you were far wiser than your father
was before you, for you married the
one you loved and found happiness,
while l--oncc upon time, long years
ago, | laughed to scorn the pure love
of good woman, and married your
mother, for she had wealth. She was
good to me, your mother was, but |
did not love her. l could not love her
bccausc-I could not forget, God, /
have not forgotten!"
lie paused mOmont to wipe tho
cold sweat f,om his forehead, while
his daughter stared at him in wonder.
Then he contlnucd:
"l cannot forget! broke the heart
Of true woman and-and-God! ]
have looked upon the face Of Fear!n
Then heavy step sounded upon the
vinc.coycrcd porch and a man opened
the door and cntercd--a young man
with bronze face and strong, rough
hands. And the baby ran to meet him,
and the woman cried, "Waltcr, this is
father,' and the magnate clasncd The
young mans hand in both of hie and
said, "God bless you, my son my
son!"
In the hush Of twilight tho magnatc
stood, with bowed, uncovered head be-
side al old, old grave in the quiet hills.
Ills face was drawn and pale and his
eyes were moist.
Again and again he read the wo.
mans name on the marble slab and
sighed. He knclt 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 tC feel the touch of her chill.
ing hands as they lay in his while he
said goodbye forever. And, through
the dusk, there came to him the echo
of a woman's sob-thc sob of woman
crying out hor heart--a sob that had
haunted him always.
"Alicc," he cried, reaching out his
hands towards the gathering shadows.
"AliceV Then he raised lis face i'm
ploringly toward heaven, and in the
stars cold stare saw only the bright
ness of her eyes.
Bat presently he drew himself TO his
full height and gazcd boldly at the
darkness slowly settling.
81 have paid my dcbts," he cried
Sand have naught to fear"
And then, startled by thought that
SUNG, he covered before the face of
Night. His dcbtsl Godl Could gold
unloosc the clasp of death; could plead
ings restore te that pulsclcss, loyal
broken heart, the throb of life and
love?
Goa, Alicel" HIS cry breathed tho
anguish OF sob. "Alicc, my dear
one, my lost one, my beloved, look
down through The darkness and see me
knccling at your feet. | have travelled
back over my lifc's long, painful jour.
ncy; | have wiped away the blots tha,
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 hands in
mlnc again, dear heart and say--and
say-.oh, God! and say you will for.
give"
lie sank, weak and trembling, upon
lhe ground; he moiscncd the mound
above her with his tcars--,cars thai
seemed to flow out of thr vanished