The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-04-07
He CAME TO HIS OWN.

'0areSSlngly over MS ratneT SrdylSH,
though still luxurious. locks, and
studied the picture before him. 1t
was the photograph Of a girl, Or
rather of n who had been a girl the
day before.
Around him were many evidences
of wealth. In spite of his bachelor
hood he had all the cares and COM
forts Of a splendid and well ordered
house. He was not a clubman; he
had little taste for society; he had
Travelled all he cared to; he had
grown weary of plays, and at fifty.
still as vigorous rs he had been at
thirty, he preferred TO spend his leis-
ure moments in his library.
Yes he said to himself, still
looking at the picture, If her mother
could be as she was twenty-five years
ago they might pass for twins"
He drew a long sigh. twenty-five
years ago her mother had said no to
him and married q man who was
lffty-fve.
Il was poor then" Vinton unused,
,@and he was rich. Now I'm rich and
newell. I forgive him. He's dead.
And they are poor, and she is still
ready to give-not her soul this time,
but her daughter, for money"
The letter that lay on the desk
was from her. 1t was the first she
had written to him since their part
s-1 Che hA5 ut lnocr ham laval tn
the man she had chosen. Why, he
asked himself, had she sent him the
picture of her daughter, if not for the
purpose that had first suggested itself
to him? Wig had she not sent her
own? Her letter, coming so soon
after the beginning OF her w%idowhood
and the loss of her fortune, meant
but one thing.
When he entered his library the
next morning his eyes at once sought
the picture Of the fair-faced girl.
III 60" he said to himself, after
taking up the portrait again and gaZ-
ing at it for a long time. why
shouldn't !? There will be no unfair
ness about it-not, at least, on my
part. ''hey-hoth of them-owe it
to me. I've waited twenty-five years.
Why shouldn't I be rewarded now?
1t will only be a case Of turn about.
He took her in the glory and fresh
ness OF her youth, when she right
fully belonged 10 me. But here
he looked earnestly at the picture
again-"she has returned just as she
was When they robbed me of her. |
will have her. She is my own. Fate
has given her back to me-"
He found them in plain little quar-
tiers, and EleanOr-they had given
her her mothers name-placed her
hands III his and looked up with a
look that awoke a thousand memories
in him. 1t was the look that he had
so often, waking and dreaming. seen
before. Her fingers seemed to give
the Old. glad, thrilling touch. Her
voice was The voice that had been
calling him through all the lonely
years. He had found his love again
fair, undefled, just as she was
wren NJ hld lost ner.
The other looked upon them and
was silent. Youth was no longer
hers. Gladncss LAS not in her eyes.
Her smile was not the eager smile of
hope. Much Of her beauty she re-
tanned. but it vas not the beauty that
inspires love. 1t was such beauty as
might De chiseled out Of marble.
In the DAYS that came and went
Finton's JOY was boundless. There
had been dark years, in which he had
been sure that he would never taste
the sweets Of love again. He laughed
at himself fer having harbored such
dolelul thCIghts. And always he
kept assuring his conscience that he
was preparing to claim only what was
his.
She is mine; she has been re-
turned to me by them that did me
wrong, be declared. L hava won
her by waiting. I will have my
own"
Eleanor did not dread his coming.
Often she sat at the window looking
eagerly for him. She had learned
from he: mother why he had been liv-
ing jr loneliness. She had heard from
her mother Of the wrong that he had
suffered. She had learned that it
was their duty 10 make r%eparation.
Once, in a moment Of depression, she
had asked:
"If he were still poor, would you
think ! ought to give myself to him
to wight the Old wrong?"
Her mother Lad turned from her
and failed TO answer.
Hhey returned to something akin
to luxury. The doubts concerning
the manner in which they were to get
along had been cleared away. In the
mothers eyes there was a look that
was new ana strange. Not a look Of
Joy, not Il look Of content. Perhaps
the look oi The liGncss that has eaten
her whe!p 10 satisfy her own hunger.
Perhaps.
But EiC&n9r discovered in gool
time that shC was not to be sacrifced.
Affection fo. NiG:on had fonrd its
~ay in,p hr. breast. She did not
weep for shame VI the hing size was