Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1915-05-20
FROM The DEAD PAST
~ GEORGE ELMER coRs.

V~VpsHsnAs AsA9. Dy W. -. Ghapm&n-b
Blind, deaf. dumb-that's Marvin
Thearie!"
why. the man seems TO possess all
his natural senses"
Il mean socially and morally
Thus, two men a the club discussed
the member who performed hts social
functions as though they were a pen
ance. and cast-a chill over all those
with whom he came in contact. The
first speaker went on:
1T was Is years ago. when he ar
rived at age. He lived In a town sew
eral hundred miles from here. and
was engaged to marry beautiful girl
Her name was Elsinore Dayton. There
was another sutton. His name, too,
was Dayton-Horace Dayton, but he
was no relation 20 the fiancee. Young
Thearle had inherited some money.
He had built a rare nest OF luxury for
his bride-to-be. II was filled with the
costliesf furnishings. Life never
seemed more roseate to a man. One
night Elsinore Dayton disappeared.
Horace Dayton, too. They have never
been heard from since"
"Eloped?"
Presumably so. From that hour OF
perfldy and heart-break Marvin
Thearie has been as you now see
him-shunning all womankind. a tyrant
as an employer, not a real friend In
the world"
And the residence he built?"
with all its rich belongings went
up in smoke one night, and the next
day he left his native town forever"
Into the store OF this misanthrope
there came two days later a tall. slen-
der boy Of tender age. He was neat
and clean, but his shoes were patched
and his well-brushed suit was thread
bare. Mr.. Thearle gave him a mere
passing glance. The manager hired
the boy, who became known as Paul.
A week later the lad was called into
the Office cf Mr.. Thearle. The latter
barely nodded to him.
Hang those pictures Of the new fac
tories" he ordered gruffiy.
Paul obeyed As he stepped from
the chair after hanging the last pic
ture. however. he stumbled. His pen
ell. a knife and a cheap silver watch
he wore fell from his pocket. With a
murmured apology Of embarrassment.
the lad started to pick up the scat
tered articles.
The case OF the watch had opened.
hoI lonAaH dfran4lr, auatnot 4ha Rnrt
Of the employer. who stopped to pick
1t up. AS he did so, he could not help
but notice the photograph OF a wom-
ans face pasted inside the case.
With a start. with a thrill, almost
with an involuntary cry. Marvin
Thearle stared askance at the face be-
fore him.
"Who-who is this?" he ground out
hoarsely.
MY mother. sir" answered Paul
You live with her"
Not here. not now, sir. She is in
another city, but as soon as earn
enough ! hope to have her with me-"
"And your father?"
II have no father, sir" replied Paul
sadly.
Very well. you can GO"
Marvin Thearle sent for his man.
ager. Briefly, he gave his orders-to
discharge Paul at once.
Two weeks after that, as Marvin
Thearle was turning a corner, he al.
most ran into a woman coming from
the opposite direction. He came to n
standstill. his face turning almost
CHASTITY. 1t was Elsinore Dayton. He
would have passed on. She grasped
his arm.
Wait" she spoke tumultuousfy. 81
should have found you elsewhere, so
! may speak here and now. You are
the man who employed my boy, and
cast him adrift without a character,
and broke his courage. and he Is
dying. But that his kind-hearted land
lady sent me word. I should never
have seen him again. He constantly
raves of your iDhuman treatment.
Why was it done? How you must
hate me and mine-but why?"
Why! Even on the open street
Thearle burst forth with his soul bur
den of years. In amazement Elsinore
Dayton listened. He almost cursed
her openly.
Il eloped with Horace Dayton," she
cried. why. after he had proven TO
me by written evidence that you were
already welded to another and | fed
from my misery, I never saw him
again"
Howl" cried ThearIe sharply-"the
boy, Paul?"
rs a poor. homeless child / adopted
TO assuage my loneliness and Danish.
ment"
Marvin Thearle trembled, a strong
man unnerved. The woman, still fair.
stood humbly by his side.
He stood beside Elsinore DAYTON
two days later, listening to the low.
musical humming of a sweet home
tune from the lips OF the recovering
invalid In an adjoining room.
you have brought my boy back TO
life" she said gratefully. But for
your timely. generous aid he would
have died"
"Elsinore," he said, can YOU forget?"
My wicked lack of faith in you?"
she faltered-"oh. never, neveri"
Then let. me teach you to forget"
he said. and his arm eneircled her. and
she could not resist. She was crying
softly
Il have the present. and IT is price
less" he added s.Civa mo - f,t,,ra
of trust. OF love-"
"oh. 1t was always love-it win al.
ways be that" she sobbed. and their
lips met. and the new and grander
compaet was sealed