Year: 1878

HeDtr aosently opened the sheet. AS
he did so. a narrow piece OF paper, whose
prevailing color was green, futtered to
the ground. Just as absently he stopped
and picked it up. He saw. and yet did
not see, at first. that il was a hundred
dollar bill.


When his perceptions were clear as to
this, he crumpled letter and bill within
his palm. his upper lip quivered, and he
stamped his foot upon the ground. Then
in a moment, he had turned about and
went slowly toward the bank
A very pleasant little home had been
prov ided for Abel and his wife by the ev-
er-thoughtful father; not pretentious nor
grand, as it might have been, but inviting
and attractive, adapted to the wants and
condition OF the young people commenc-
ing life.


A balcony ran around the ground floor,
standing upen which one could look into
any of the lower windows. Near to the
dining-room vine had been trained upon
the column, and spreading out its eager
tendrils, had so covered the porch that
it looked liked bower, throwing into
deep shadow that part of the house.
Here, on the evening OF that day when
the dusk helped to conceal all deeds
whether good or evil, shrank a man evil
IDENTIFY in hiding. The shutters were open
the curtains withdrawn, and the light
from the lamp standing in the middle of
the table, giving him a good view of all
that was passing within the room.


Abel and Rose were at their tea. while
little way removed from her sat maid
holding in her arms a bundle, that from
her carefulness in the handling. and an
occasional vigorous, independent move
ment within, showed that it possessed its
share of animation.


The scene was delightful one. The
evidence of happiness and plenty were too
patent to be mistaken. The slight of
them should have brought only sentiments
of peace and JOY to the most callous look
er on.


Not such was the effect produced upon
him who without gazed thereupon as if
his whole soul were in his eyes. There
were bitter tears, too, coursng down his
cheeks. and every now and then his
breast heaved with deeper agitation,
because the burden pressing upon it could
not be allowed to find relief in any audi
BILE sign.


Motionless and undsturbed, he watch
ed through the whole meal like iascinat-
ing bird, attracted and enchained by that
which only insured his misery. He saw
the mother arise from her chair, take the
babe in her arms, and coming to the fa-
theirs side. draw his pleased attention to
its pink face and rich dmpies.


The sight increased his agony to fear
full pitch. His hands were clinched until
the nails entered the flesh and his teeth
almost bit through the lips.


The maid-Servant came to the window,
carlessly looked without, pulled down the
curtain, and the delirious spectacle was
shut out from the gaze of the agonized
man.


For ever, he said.


In a moment more he crept carefully
from his place of concealment, and dis
appeared in the darkness surrounding.


What a mere speck and dot is twenty
years to look back upon! Only a turn in
the road. and it is gone. Yet twenty
years changed Abngford so that it was
quite another place. A railroad had run
its living artery through the village, and
put new life Into the veins Of the town.
Il-cared for streets had been made into
broad, well-swept, smoothly paved ave-
nues vacant lots had been filled with new
buildings, many of them of more than or
dinary proportions and elegance, and the
popular suburbs reached out to the neigh
boring farms. swallowing up orchards and
meadows with quickening appetite.


One who descended from the Monday
evening express train from the West, af-
ter it steamed into the station and stopped
Just as the clock struck nine, seemed be-
wildered as he looked about him, like one
in an utterly unfamiliar spot. He walked
to the end of the platform, and looked
down the three or four streets centering
there, all lined with bright gas-lamps and
reaching far away. He stopped a man
who was hurrying along, and asked in a
weak tone, as If he wanted and yet did
not want his question to be answered in
the Affirmative:


"Is this Abingford ?"


The man. without looking, answered,
"Yes," and fastened on his way.


The stranger stood a moment longer
collecting his thoughts. He was a weak,
delicate person, with STOPPING shoulders.
walking with very perceptible limp, and
carving with difficulty a small satche in
in one hand. He looked like a ruin
something going fast to decay-very shah
by. A faded green overcoat. with the
buttons loose and the button-holes frayed,
hid his person from neck to ankles. An
old cap, with ragged forepiece, covered
his head his shoes had given out and
were run down at the heel, and the bot
toms of his pantaloons were torn and
frayed. A few gray locks struggled down
from his temple, and rested on his with
cred and pallid cheek. The face was
wretchedly shaven, showing here and
there clumps of hard gray bristles. left by
the inaccurate razor or the unskllfulness
of the barber. A more woebegone and
miserable object it would have been hard
to find.


For a moment this figure stood on the
end of the platform. as if, homeless and
uncertain. it was undecided In what direc.
ton to turn to find shelter for the night.
Then, moved by sudden impulse. it stepped
to the walk, and limped down the street


For some distance the uncertain, uude-
cided air and manner remained. until, at
length, as he proceeded, every once in a
uhilo a ploa aad Olance Of recoUnition and