Year: 1870




should soon be back"


"Would you not. like to have
your supper at once?" said Laura.
''Your papa is taking longer
walk than be intended, and he
will be very sorry that you should
be so hungry. Shall | not ask
that gentleman pointing to the
landlord, who had come up to the
table--"to bring you something
to eat at once?"


''No, | thank you; I must wait
for my papa"


Entreaties and coaxing were
| all IN vain; and Laura, fearful of
distressing him still more, left him
alone and resumed her seat by
me.


Nearly another hour passed
away. Laura insisted on remain
ing in he. room, and we listIessly
studied the LivreS des Etrangers.


BY and by the silence of the
dark corner was broken. The
courage of the gallant little mite
had given way ; and he was sob
bing as if his heart would break.
Laura had him in her arms in a
moment.


ooh, papa! papa" he cried in
his bitter agony; oh, papa papal
how could you leave me SO long
alone Oh, papa! come back,
come back


Above his low sad wall we
heard the sound of persons enter
ing the hotel, and then there was
a busy hum of voices; and in a
minute or two afterwards the
landlord, with a strange express
sion in his face beckoned to me-
| hastily left the room. There, at f,
the entrance of the hotel, | found
the walters and other people gath
erred. Three peasants had just
come in bringing with item some
thing they had found = something
which lay in disi9ured heap Oh
the ground.


They had found the body of
man, | was quickly told. at the
bottom of a low cliff, about a
quarter of a mile from the hotel. !
Then they uncovered the face
and | at once recogpiz d the man
Laura and | had passed on the
ascent. Then, as cold shiver
crept over me, | heard a cry with
in the room | had left.


"My papa has come back, |
know he has!' and before any OF |
us could interfere, the door of the
sale munger WAS thrown open.
and the pailid weeping child tot
tered out, followed hastily by
Laura. /


Where is papa2 l know he is
there!'' And, checking his vio-
lent sobs, he looked eagerly at the
solemn faces around bin.


"Why don't you tell me where
papa is oh, what's that upon
the floor?'' Then before any one
could stop him he cast himself
down and. laid his cheek by the
cold white lips, that could never
more kiss him, or breathe a word
of love into his ear.


Gentle hands raised him softly
and bore him away TO the room
the dead man bad prepared, and
laid him down upon the bed.
He seemed to know his utter des-
olation, and Laura remained with
him all night; and when the first
red lights of the rising sun had /
bathed with deep splendur the
silent glaciers, and the Snowy
peaks, the young heart had bro
ken beneath its burden, and the
weary spirit fed away.


Shortly afterwards--at Milan,
| think it was-I saw @ copy of
the Times, and in the second
column / saw an advertisement
for man with red mark under
his left eye; and when | returned
to England learned the whole.


This man, who had ever borne
the highest character, had got ip-
to deep distress owing princi-
pally to the shameful conduct of
friend for whom he had become
surety, and in an evil moment he
had fallen ard had forged check
for a considerable amount intend
ing, as such unhappy men always
intend. to- replace the money. =
He failed in doing this, and con-
scious that his fraud must inevita-
bly, be discovered, he fed from
England taking with him his
motherless child. Whether in a
fit ef despair he had thrown him
self from the cliff or whether he
had simply missed his footing it is
impossible TO say. Father and
son rest in one grave in church
yard on that mountain height
ond oY, o,,or, oo,;,,or,orr, % tbot