Year: 1877

Commercial Reporter with tranquil |
smile upon bis countenance, that told OF
"stocks" above par and good digestion,
backed by full larder and choice wines
to tickle a healthy palate.
The door opened, and good,natured
"haloo" greeted the unceremonious in.
| truder


"Glad to see you Have smoke.
Draw up chair and make yourself com.
Portable"


Thanks" said the gentleman, ac-
cepting both invitations. "l'm good
deal under the weather; in fact, | want
to have a talk with you about something
that has troubled me considerably OF
late"


Woman in it?" asked the older
gentleman, with keen but covert glance
at his guest.


" Yes"


"Give her check on your banker and
ship her. Should have disposed of that
sort of embarrassment a day or 80
sooner"


The young man got up and walked to
the window in some agitation, exclam'
ing, " Pm d-d william !"


"What. Eh? Is it conscience or
consequences that harass you?" the
other asked with touch of sarcasm.


Both"


otis too late to humor either, my
boy, and perfect folly to let such things
bother you do the square thing by the
frail luxury and turn over new leaf in
the dignity and responsibilities you as
sumo in the next twenty,lour hours.
When you have lived as long as | have
you will laugh at the scruPles that haunt
you now"


"This is not an ordinary case"


"Oh, certainly not" was the ironical
remark, ait will become 80 in the course
of time when the tears and broken heart
has been healed in another lovers arms
and cleverly bound up with your green
backs. Bah Go SETTLE up the little
difficulty, and don't let me hear any
more about this sentimental nonsense.
Have you seen the ladies'"


"No; | should not dream of stealing
their precious time to-day.


The old gentleman scrutinized his pro-
spective son-in. laws face through his
hall-closed, twinkling gray eyes, AS the
latter sat bowed and thoroughly miser-
able before him.


81 trust you are not foolishly involved |
in this affair; that is to say, your honor
is not at stake 2"


"What do you mean"


"Marriage entanglement--law suit !
or some such legal claw upon you y


Ono, nothing at stake but woman's
heart"


"Cheap commodity. Don't hatter
yourself into reproach at offering it a
momentary substitute for your devoted
protection"


As if driven by the furies the young
man rushed out of the room, leaving
the sage gentleman chuckllng merrily
at his expense.


In the hail he encountered flying
figure in the most charming neg,'gce, who
gave a little frightened exclamation as
she saw who it was.


why, Theo! where did you come
from?' lie clasped her hand and led
her into the back parlor.


Fate is kind to me, in granting me
this favor; my future depends upon the
interview. | have been a coward AS well
as william, and there is still time for
YOU to escape the misery of becoming my
wife. Listen, and bear with me in
mercy. Some years since my laundless
was in the habit OF sending very bright
little girl to my boarding house with my
linen. One evening she came with
swollen eyes and tear-bedewed cheeks to
tell me her mother was TOO sick 70 wash
for me any more. Iquestioned her in re.
gard to their circumstance, and il ended
in my accompanying her 10 her humble
home. The woman died. She was not
the girls mother as she told me almost
with her last breath. She hal been at
one time stewardess on steamship run
ming between New York and Liverpool,
when the steamer on which she worked
was wrecked in storm and all on board
lost but herself and rough sailor who
happened to save this child and herself
by tying them to chickencoop and
thus they were picked up by vessel the
following day. She had never been able
to find the child's friends or relatives,
and as her parents perished at sea, she
had kept her and did the best in her
power in bringing her up with the
meagre means at her command.


"1 buried the woman and sent the girl
to school. Mymotives were good, and my
intentions, God knows, were pure. fused
to visit her and give such books as | i'm
agined would expand her highly intelli-
gent mind. My idea was to educate her
according to my theory of what a self
regulated conscience would probably de
yelop in brain like hers. She was by
nature refined, Enthusiastically inclined
towards high and noble things, a creature
OF impulse and strong affections. be-
came very fond Of her; she of me; her
faults were mine; her heart knew no
other authority. To-day that girl should
be my wife if was what the world con
sidered me, man of honor her child
calls me father"


White as the dead, the young lady sat
, and listened until the story was told ;
not one word of reproach, not one look
of scorn from her, to the man who had
waited so long with his confession-whO
had nsulted her love by asking her to be
his wife.


, AGO and bring that girl to me-"
"She is gone, my devoted, unselfsh,
wronged girl"
, The haggard man handed father and
, daughter Il letter, and with a groan
buried his face in his hands, while they
, read the tear-iimmed page.
THEO.-Can the earth produce a
glory if the Creator is not2 You are
: my light and souls atmosphere, and you
have ceased to be and | have ceased to
live My worthless frame throbs only
to the signing of memory--sweet mirror
r of anguish. ! gaze across the little bed
I whare liea our dead babe. nv heart