Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-06-03

John Brenton's life had been one of
struggle and stress. A pioneer in one
Of the black blocks of Australia, he had
no opportunity for love-making and
had no sympathy for such of his fell
lows as brought their wives out from
England to share their hardships.
When his partners wife died after
q years pitiful struggle, he felt only a
righteous anger against his weeping
friend.
"Whining fool" he muttered, what
did he expect when he gave her life
like this to suffer? He ought to have
faced it one way or another, made up
his mind not to marry while he stayed
here, or cleared out and gone some
where else"
But these comments he kept TO him.
self. He had given his opinion before
the marriage took place, and he was
not man to kick another when he was
down.
The one woman who had been a part
Of John Brenton's life was his mother,
whom he had loved with a passionate,
reverent alteration. 1t was for her that
he had toiled and starved, 1t was for
her that he had made his fortune; and
her death only a few months after the
stroke Of luck which brought success
after success in its train, had filled that
cup Of success with bitterness. The
homecoming that was to have been so
~ ~
emptiness and sorrow, and the man of
millions would gladly have exchanged
his all for the poverty and love that
had been his.
1t was his loneliness and the happi-
ness Of his friends, George and Nellie
Marchmont, that had aroused unsus-
pected Iongings in his heart, longings
for love. home. wife and children.
What was the use of being a million
aire, with no one to share his wealth?
And in a moment of indiscreet conf
dence, he allowed Mrs. Marchmont, who
was bantering him on the duty he owed
to society, to see something of what ne
felt, since when his life was rapidly
becoming a burden to him.
That vivacious little lady loved moth
ing better than the eXhilarating occu-
patton of matchmaking, but her efforts
met with no success, and John Brenton
began to tell himself griInly that he
was too old to change into society
man, and that the best thing he could
do would be to return to his wilds.
As he flung off his coat something
fell out of his pocket; it was a minia-
ture he had picked up on his way from
Marchmont's He took it to the light
to examine it, and drew a long breath
of pleasure and wistful admiration.
The photograph was exquisitely clear
and alive looking. The fact was that
Of a woman near middle age. The
grave pure eyes. the wide brow, the ten
der mouth, were those of one who had
lived and loved and suffered, but had
kept through all the steadfast faitI and
purity Of noble soul.
Everything in John Brenton's honest,
sincere nature responded to the look in
those eyes, and his heart suddenly cried
out I'm irresistible longing
But it was no use; even if he found
the owner of the miniature, the original
was probably no longer alive. Even
John saw that the dress was that of Il
bygone fashion, and the abundant hair
-"brown hair, you bet, with a CLINT
OF gold in It." he said under his breath
was worn in a regal cOrOnet, as was
the fashion in his own mothers youth.
Some fellows mother-he'n be mad
at losing it, he said. putting it down
with a sigh. I'D better put an adver-
tisement In the paper tomorrow"
Then he went to bed; and for once
John Brenton did a very foolish and
sentimental thing. For the first time in
bis life he slept with q wOman's photo
graph under his pillow, and that the
photograph of a woman he had never
seen.
The next morning he found that the
owner of the miniature had been before
HMM advertisement announcing It's,
loss was already in the paper
Strange to say, Brenton did NOT send
It back that day nor the next. He felt
q Heptomantae reluctance to restore
the photograph TO its rightful owner,