The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-05-05

she was not strong enough to drag fa-
ther from his allegiance. Mother was
of better family than father, but they
were both we'll educated and had the
best schooling to be had in their day.
So ,far.as can judge. mother always
had more balance than father and
much better Judgment yet look at her
nowrs W. re q
"Then you think 1t was your fathers
disappearance that really caused her
mind to wayer ?" asked Waitstill. Z
Il do, indeed. ] don't know what
happened between them in the way Of
religious differences nor how much I'M
I happiness these may have caused. |
remember she had an illness when we
first came here to live and | was d
little chap of three or four. but that
was caused by the loss OF a child, a
girl, who lived only u few weeks. She
recovered perfectly, and her. head was
as clear as mine for year or two
after father went away As his letters
grew less frequent, as news OF him
gradually ceased to come, she became
more and more silent and retired more
completely into, herself. She never
went anywhere nor entertained yisi-
tors because she did not wish to hear
the. gossip and speculation that were
going on In the village. Some of 1t
was very hard for wife to bear, and
she resented 1t Indignantly, yet never
received a word from father with
which to refute 1t. at this time, as
nearly as / can Judge, she was a
recluse and subject to periods Of pro-
found melancholy, but nothing, worse.
Then she took that winter journey to
her sisters deathbed, brought home
the boy, and, FASTENED by exposure
and chill and grief, I suppose, her
mind gave way-thats all. And Ivory
sighed drearily as he stretched him
self on the greensward and looked of
toward the snowclad New Hampshire
hills, i've meant to write the story
of the 'Cochrane craze some time or
such part OF 1t as has to do with my
family history, and you shall read it il
you like
II should like very much to read your
account. Aunt Abby's version. for in
stance. iss so dlRerent from Uncle
Bart's that one cab scarcely find the
truth. between the two. and fathers
bears no relation to that Of any OF the
others
"Some of us see facts and others see
Visions replied Ivory, and these diff
ferences of opinion crop up in. the vii
lage every day when anything note
worthy is discussed. | came upon a
quotation in my. reading last evening
that described It. One said 1t thunder
ed; another that an angel spaG;e.'"
do you feel as if your father was
dead, Ivory?'
II can only hope so. That thought
brings sadness with 1t, as one remem-
bers his, disappointment and. failure.
but if he is alive he is traitor"
There was a long pause. and they
could see in the distance Humphrey
Barker with his clarionet and Pliny
W:terhouse with his bass viol driving
up to the churchyard fence, to hitch
their horses. The sun was dipping low
and red behind the Town House hill on
the other side of the river.
What makes my father dislike the,
very mention Of yours?' asked Wait
still. II know what they say-that it
is because the two men had high words
once in a Cochrape meeting. when ia
Their tried to interfere with some OF the
exercises and was put out of doors. II
doesn't seem as IL that grievance. sew.
enteen or eighteen years ago. would
influence his opinion Of your mother
or of YOU"
at isn't likely that man of your IA
Tiers sort would forget or forgive
what he considered an injury. and In re-
fusing = have. anything to do with the
son OF a disgraced man and deranged
woman be IS well within his rights"
Ivory's checks burned red under. the
tan, and his hand trembled a little as
he plncked bits of clover from the
grass and pulled them to pieces absent
mindedly. How are you getting ON at
home these days, WaitstiiE?7 heiasked,
as if to turn his own mind and 8ilefs
from a too painful subject.
'sYou. have troubles enough OF your
own without hearing mine, Ivory. and
anyway they are not big Affections,
heavy sorrows, like those you have: to
bear, Mine are just petty, nagging,
sordid, cheap little miseries, like gnat
bites-so petty and so sordid that can
hardly talk to God about them, much
less to a huusan friend. Patty Is my
only outlet and l need others, yet l
find It almost impossible to escape from
the narrowness Of my life and be of
use TO any one else The girls voice
quiyered and q single teardrop on her
cheek showed that she was Speaking
from full heart. 'aThis afternoons
talk has determined me on one thing
she went on. II am going to see your
mother now and then. ] shall have to
do It secretly, for your sake, for hers
and for my own, but IL / am found out
then viii go openly. There must be
times when one can break the lower
law and vet keep the higher. Fathers
law In this case Is the lower and pro
pose to. break itn
a