The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1904-10-21

ever to attend his efforts. He had
worked hard and manfully, and he ac-
knowledged that he was rich beyond
his greatest anticipation. He could
| breathe again now.
Returning to the well remembered
scene, his youthful affection-the one
object of his ambition still strong
within 1lim-full of rich belief of her
love-proud of the equality which re-
that time, which had dealt so favor
ably with him, might also have set
it's mark upon the old mansion while
! those ten long years rolled by
The mark was there. The squire
long since dead and buried, the old
house closed up and deserted, for its
mistress was away, the wooden bridge
displaced and an iron one erected in
its stead, the pretty village "improv-
ed" into thriving little town-these
were the sorrowful preludes to bit
terer disappointment than all of them.
Katie was married!
Only a year before-just one soli-
tary year, of all those prosperous ten!
If he could but have known!
This was the burthen of his cry, as
he wandered through the grounds,
and through the lonely rooms, and on
| the threshold of the deserted mansion
unit, the disturbed echoes took up
the theme, and the soft wind carried
it upon the air. "If only had known!
If could but have known!"
=
Another year sped by.
| Sidney Warde, merchant and bank
er, of New York city, had the reputa-
ton of being the hardest man of bust
ness and the most daring Spectator
known to the commercial world.
Everything he touched seemed to turn
to gold. His power was enormous.
A nod from him would raise to pre-
MUM shares that were unstable at
| par.
He had written brief letter to
Katie. congratulating her upon her
wedding, wishing her every happiness,
and signing himself, yours truly"
thus closing accounts, as he bitterly
imagined, with his own heart, and
with hers. But, sitting in his office,
one afternoon, engaged in the perusal
Of an enormous pile of documents, a
missive, marked private" was placed
before him. 1t was addressed in a
| feminine hand, and ne thrust it aside
unopened
"No, no." he muttered, restlessly;
II have done with all thati"
He intuitively felt that it was from
Katie.
An hour afterward it again lag be-
fore him. He turned it over in a
fidgety, restless way, and again put
1t aside unopened
Still, he could not settle to his
work. For a third time the letter
was in mis- grasp This time he broke
the seal hurriedly, and laid the let
ter open upon his desk.
my dear old friend" it commenced.
He read no more, but leaving it still
open upon his desk, he paced the
room fretfully; then he thought of
the old times when he was yet boy,
and he returned to his place and hur-
riedly read as follows:
"My Dear Old Friend-I am sure
that il memory Of the past you will
assist and aid me now. I can hardly
hope perhaps, that you should in
teresi yourself in my welfare, but for
my child's sake must implore your
generous help. My husband is dead,
and l am sorely afraid that his ex-
travagant habits have absorbed nearly
the whole of our possessions. 1 wish
to see every creditor fully satisfied
yet l know so little of business mat
fairs in the hands of a stranger. Will
you undertake the business for me?
| feel that l am asking very great
favor, under the circumstances, If you
only knew. Come to me, Sidney, for
the old times sake.
KATIE"
"Humbled at last" muttered the
banker, with strange smile of salts
faction. as he folded the letter me-
thodically, and placed 1t in his pocket
book 1t was probably the only letter
in woman's handwriting that had
ever rested there
A better feeling came anon. Long
after business hours the concluding
paragraph, written by a hand that
trembled as it wrote, showing how
completely Katie had broken down
in her sad attempt to hide even from
herself the feeling that controlled her,
Come to me. Sidney. for the old
times sake." burned as letters of fire
into the cold and ashen heart of the
man of business.
Il thought the account was closed.
but | was wrong" he murmured. 81
must go to her, for she needs my
help"
Except that the mansion was occu-
pied the place wore the same appear
ance as when he saw it last. He walk
ed across the iron bridge, and