Catoctin clarion., 1907-02-21
PART III.
FLOWER.
CHAPTER VIII.
As Time Rolls On.

Eight years have passed. and Time
tho changeless. has wrought its change
upon men.
The world is still in labor, as 1t hath
ever been, and ever will be until the
Reign of Peace shall have truly CON-
menced-which will! be only when man
has changed his nature.
But although multitudes in their hui
man shape shall never be able to wei.
come this better time, to each man 1t
comes in his turn, and none shall es.
cape the Divine transmutation.
From this history Of every day events
no actor who has lyed a prominent
part therein has departed; upon
the comedy or / tragedy OF their
lives the curtain AS not yet fallen.
But some are whitening, while others
are ripening. In these suggestive as.
poets comprehensive picture of the
world is seen; here wrapped in dark
ness. there bathed in light. at one and
the same moment.
Thus side by side march JOY and sor.
row. life and death.
During these eight years Mr.. Deep
dale's hair has grown gray. but his
heart is as suspectible ms ever to char.
table and tender impressions.
Wonderfully like him is his son Wal
ter. now fine young fellow of three
and-twenty, the two are even closer
together than they were in earlier
days when Walter was a child. and
therefore. presumably, more easily led.
The secret of this lies as much In
sympathy as in love. These inseper.
able companions are more like twin
brothers tham father and sou.
Thomas Dextcr's hair has grown
white, and he has contracted serious
and reflective habit Of mind.
This Is due to more frequent as
sociation with Mr.. Deepdale and Wal.
ter, who exercise over the old curiosity
dealer an unconscious influence for
good.
1t has led as vet to no practical re.
suits, no crisis having occurred to he.
cessitate decided action.
His intimacy with Little Make-Be-
lieve and Saranne continues. and he Is
occasionally kind to them in a larger
degree than the bestowal of occasional
pennies.
This was especially conspicuous on
the occasion of the death of their faith.
er when he presented them with black
frocks.
1t was a gift they appreciated, for
despite his useless and evil life they
mourned their father with genuine sor.
row, and they would have been
shocked had any person ventured to
tell them that their loss was blessing.
So, but for three friends. in no wise
related to them, and Of whom circum'
stance or. the freak Of fortune might
deprive them at any moment. Little
Make Believe and Sarranne were alone
in the world.
They still led their precarious life. be-
set now with peril because of drawing
womanhood, crowned, in Sarranne's
case, with beauty which made people
stare after her in the streets.
The contrast between the sisters was
very marked. Beautiful as Is the
spring time of life it had invested Lit.
tie Make. Believe with no grace Of
form or feature: she fulfilled the prom
ise of her childhood Ivy growing up
stunted and plain.
She cared not: she lived but for the
happiness of one human being. and
that assured, she was herself happy.
She gloried in Saranne's beauty. and
was as proud Of it and as fond OF set
ting it out in it's best light as the most
devoted mother could have been.
Whatever dreams and fancies she in.
dulged in were all for Saranne and sa.
ranne's future.
Dangerous dreams, but indulgence in
them was n sweet pastime for which
neither she nor Saranne was ever dis.
inclined.
The kernel Of these dreams was
that Saranne was to marry prince.
Heaven knews from what mysterious
fairyland the prince was TO come, but
he would surely come one day and WOO
and win her.
There Is brief time in our lives
when we see the future through shin
ing veil which reflects, in their most
enhancing forms. our bright wishes
and desires.
=. TO be Continued.)