Year: 1874

ScnoOl recepuOnS ana social parties,


was the one glimpse Of brightness that
lighted up his life. 1t had never oo-
CURED to him that his daughter could


be ashamed OF his uncouth ways, or an
noyed' by his rough yet simple man
his presence at Christmas festival of
more than ordinary style and promise,
deliberately told him that she did not


want him to come-that he mortified
her, and that if he wanted to do her
real. service he would go back to the
farm and stay there.


Like all men whose perceptive facul-


ties are slow, Biles, when he did COM
| prehend anything, realized it to its
| fullest extent and now for the first


time his eyes we're opened to the
| hideous fact that in advancing and


beautifying his idol he had destroyed
| its original purity, and that between


him and his daughter there had been


placed an impossible gulf. The base
thought that Dora was ashamed of him


rankled in his breast until he was well
nigh mad over it. Determined to stop
the evil current that was bearing her
love away from him, the foolish, man
did everything of. all others calculated, +,
to increase it's force. By removing her


from school and conveying her, against
| her will, and in spite of her remon-


strances, back to the farm house, whose
rough comfort was to her eyes repul-
sive in contrast With houses of friends
| she had made in the City, he succeeded


in damming up for time the streamof
| willfulness and waywardness which had


been rapidly developed in her character
by bus OPP position to her will. But it
only added force and Impetus to it's
wild youtburst when she broke the
bounds and swept away in one angry
flood all there was of'love,' of happiness
and of honor in that humble home.


One night there was long and bitter
quarrel between father and child.
Hard, cruel words were said, and harsh
threats made. The next morning Dora
had left the farm, leaving word only
with the faithful old nurse, who had
been nurse, friend and second mother
to her, that henceforth she would
travel her own path in life. The old
man was like one stunned when he fully
realized the situation, but he accepted
it and bowed his head in sorrow.


Dora returned to Baltimore, and for
few weeks visited around among her
former schoolmates without exciting
any remark Or suspicion, until her,
strange talks and singular actions
awoke inquiry, and the train was devel-
oped. She then began to realize the
fact that while she was the welcome
guest 81" long as she. came in the CO.
pacity of q visitor from her fathers
house, yet, as the, voluntary refugee
from it's shelter, once hospltable doors
We're closed against her. -'rT


1t was IN this emergen cy that Dora's
true character developed itself, reveal
ing the fact that under the form of an
angel there had laid dormant q heart
of stone. Acting upon the advice of
friends to whom he had confided his
troubles, the old man had placed in the
hands of the commission merchants
who attended to his business O sum of
money sufficient for her support, and
she was notified Of the fact. Without
the least hesitation or embarrassment
she accepted it, and would present
herself regularly once week at their
counting-house to receive her allow
anoe. At these times, instead Of ex-
listing any feeling either of respect or
gratitude for the broken hearted old
man, upon whose money she was sub
sisting, she would chatter gayly with
the clerks and exercise the fascination
of her wondrous beauty upon the sus-
ceptible heart OF the old bachelor
bookkeeper until he could hardly write
q receipt for her, to sign. Once she
only met her father on the occasion of
one of these visits, and as the old man.
stepped forwafd with fearful eyes and
extended hands, ready, willing, anxious
to forgive and forget, she swept past
him with scornful anger flushing her
cheek and passed on alone. Her posi-
tion in society was peculiar one.


The means which she possessed
through Biles' bounty enabled her to
live at boarding house kept by a de-
'oayed gentlewoman, the pressure of
whose poverty had darkened her eye
sight and deadened her hearing as to
what went on under her roof, 80 long
as people kept up the outer semblance
OF responsibility. So Dora went when
she pleased and with whom she pleased,
and the character of her male asso.
ciates may be readily imagined by any
one who has ever observed the style of
men who flock around q woman when
she is young, handsome and careless.
Her life was one round of gayety.
Theaters, balls, picnics and excursions
fll9ds ~ the measure Of her time. OF
mafe icompanions slze had host we'll
dressed men, with pockets filed with
in the parlors of staid citizens, were
always to be found escorting her in her
round of pleasure. Young men of the
"frst families inclined to be fast
spoke her name trippingly at their
clubs, but kept judicious silence in the
presence of their sisters.


In short, Dora cameiat last to occupy
that tposition insociety which is q sad
f7one, for O. woman, when unspoken sus-
picions set wall of fire between her
and the pure of her own sex. Mean-