Year: 1878

John HathaWay's Creditor.

 In the dusk of New Years Eve, made darker by the twilight gloom of his luxu- rious library, John Hathaway sat, alone. Yet not alone for all about him, crowd ing every alcove and corner, were the wisest and wittiest companions, pre- pared to advise him if John Hathaway were man to be advised to instruct him if so potent man could need in- struction, or to entertain him if man so lofty could stoop to entertainment. Scorning all such companionship, and turning his back upon it, John Hatha- way still had for company his own thoughts and these he would not scorn, for they were his, and could not turn his back upon, for they haunted him and would not be thrust behind. As he sat there in such company, the rich man wished hopelessIy for a solitude where those persistent ghosts could not pene- trate and even while he wished they plucked at and buffeted him more in- trusively than before.

 He was prosperous man. Himself and everything about him proclaimed that fact and emphasized it. Wealth was his servant and luxury his atmos- phere. Health had not altogether parted company with him. He had reached middle life his ties had all been formed and none had been broken the hot con- test of youth had given place to the calm of achievement his ambitions had been greatly gratifed, and he had only the easy task now of standing upon the height he had conquered. Surely such a man might be contented, and leave un- qulet aspirations to those of us who have not reached his happy plane. But John Hathaway was an inaovator, and so was not contented.

 While he was occupied with his ghosts his wife came in. She was not ghost. Substantial even to grossness and un- spiritual to the point of vulgarity was Mrs. Hathaway. And yet she was not the disturbing element in her husbands life. He did not care enough about her to fret on her account Whatever troubles he had came from within, never from without. She was in ightsome mood just now in the slow, slumbrous fashion COW might manifest.

 "Why on earth don't you light the gas, John?" she sad "you are the queerest one You must have plenty of nice things to think about, to sit here in the dark. Don't catch me saving the gas that way. Why don't you come-''

 How much do you want, Maria ?'' asked this husband, speaking as if his wife were his washerwoman, and putting his hand into his pocket.

 "I don't want any money" she an- swered in confused kind of way, Jumb- ling injury and explanation in her mind and in her tones. "It's New Years Eve, you know and I thought perhaps you'd like to come and sit with the rest of us and talk"

 "I don't ike," said John, still as il his wife were servant who had been rather too prespmptuous.

 She was not woman of high or deli cate nature, but she felt vaguely that il would be nice if John were to her more as other men were to their wives. She had tried in her way to bring it about She had failed, and sha went away witt a dull, faint ache in her heart. After she had gone, John, for the first time il years, thought little about her in hel absence.

 Poor creature !" he said presently "She acts sometimes almost as if sh, loved me, and that is uncomfortable Perhaps if would make love to her little she would stop. It's worth trying.

 While he sat there in the deepene, darkness, thinking about it, a swee voice, singing softly and half sadly, wa heard, and beautiful young girl en tered the room, bearing an antique sil yer lamp in her hand. She was Johl Hathaway's daughter, the only chil that had ever blessed him, and she ha come to the library to find some book t while away the evening chil whose father had nothing to say to he on New Years Eve, and whose mothe would not let her be in quietness. = She stopped when she saw her fathe, and look, half glad and half frightened came into her face.

 CT did not know you were here, papa, she said and her voice had in it the ps thos of child doubtful of welcom from her own father.

 As she stood hesitating, her faths held out his hand towards her with som show of interest, and at the signal sh sprang gladly towards him, and put he arm fondly about his neck.

 "That is very pretty lamp, he sait "and it is very pretty notion to igl the library with it instead of gas. To may leave it with me-"

 She set the lamp upon. the table an went away without speaking, but wit