Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-12-13

Ross Neville, captain of the good ship " Snow
Squall," wondered little now and then, as
he walked towards his hotel, if ever in his
life he should meet the young girl he befriend
ed, sgain
The home under the shelter of whose roof
these first dreams of Ssrah Percival were
dreamed, was a humble one enough. II was
a small wooden tenement, on a marrow and
dirty street. owned and inhabited by cleanly
old Scotch woman, who had been a servant in
the house of Mr. Richard Percival's father, in
her younger days. She was greatly rejoiced
at the young girls unexpected advent, and
and hustled around to make her guest CON-
Portable talking all the while of Mr.. Rich ard
and Mr.. Frank, in a way that brought tears to
her listeners's eyes. 1t seemed so strange to
hear this woman, tottering on the verge Of
the grave, relating little anecdotes of the
boyish days of the two brothers who had gone
before her; and Sarah's heart warmed tow.
ards her as she told how brave, and gener
Gus, and impulsive her own father was in his
youth.
"Mr Rich ard was more quiet and cautious,
and Mr.. Frank forever in disgrace," said the
old lady, warmly; " but for all that, he had
a smile that would do your heart good, and
way with him that would charm bird from a
tree"
"Mrs Bryce, do look like my father p
asked Sarah, suddenly.
The good woman turned and looked at her
quietly with her clear, gray eyes.
Ma, na," she said, shaking her head and
havOring her speech with strong reminis-
cense of her native dialect, "ye have blink
of your ee, like him, but your fase is like
your mither's, my BARN"
Did you know my mother? asked Sarah,
eagerly.
Mrs Bryce's face grew serious.
eyes, knew her. She was grand lady -
"English, was she not ga
"Ou the mothers side she was, but by the
father she came Of as good ScOth blood as
ever crossed the border"
UMrs. Bryce" said Sarah, thoughtfully,
"do you think my mother ever loved my
| father? Mrs Percival told mo she did not;
! but then she never saw her. You knew her
well; now tell me what you think about it "
The face Of the Scotch woman flushed viv-
idly.
she exclaimed, angrily. And yet, what
this world than you have ever dreamed of.
Little that woman would have dreamed OF
sending you to me, if she had known what l
| know"
"Tell me-"
"Promise mo first that you will not speak
of it TO her till the time comes l Will tell
you then
eyes Ipromise, said Sarah, impatiently;
90 and l am never going to her again, 80 1t can
made little difference
"WeIl, nv BARN, that woman loved your
father once. He never knew it-no one knew
il but 4 confidential servant Of hers, who was
priyy to the plot But Mr.. Frank never cared
| for her And when he went to Europe she
| married Mr. Richard out of pure veEatiOn.
When the news came of Mr.. Frank S marriage,
she was in dreadful way Your mother, my
l. -
one. They were all angry when she married
your father; but when she left him all was
forgiven The matter was hushed up, and
after his death she married again
GO She did not love him then :" said Sarah
sadly She had been accustomed to invest
| this unseen mother with every pOsSibleper
ton. Aud to be told that she was cold, and
| false, and heartless, was bitter sting
Love- said tho ScOtchwOman with Bit
| ter emphasis "My BARN it was more than
| love-it was idolatry, and sinful L suppose.
| He was ten yeafe younger than she, bat no
one would have dreamed il to have seen them
| together. 1 saw them three or four times In
Paris and once in London. 1t was before you
| were born, you know
Yes but if she loved him SO, how could
she leave him. If she loved him, how could
| she give me up? L was bat little child-sO
| little as only to have a faint memory Of her
when she went away"
my BARN, there are some wrongs that
will make proud woman turn against the in
nocent child she has borne" said the old wo-
man, sOlemnly. l wondered greatly at it
| myself, but L cannot now. Mr.. Richards g
| wife, or rather Janet, her confidential SER
| want, played her part well. She was tall,
| lady-liko girl, we'll furnished with money and
| fine clothes She began by sending anony-
nous letters to Mrs. Frank, who would not
| show them to her husband. If she had done
| that, all might have been well. But she only
| brooded over them and when Janet came TO
| see her with little babe in her arms, and
told her it was his BARN, it was enough All
| the love she had felt for him seemed changed
to hate. She left you both with bitter VOW
that she would never see you again. And so
she has kept, and Mrs. Richards plan has
succeeded"
| Sarah listened in silence to this strange
story.
"But how did you know all this, Mrs.
| Bryce 9' she asked, after a moments pause.
a was on the continent with lady, and
saw your father and mother; and more than
all that, knew Janet. She died in my arms
year ago, and told me all
"Y You were friend of hers. then ?"
| The features Of the Scotchwoman worked
cOnvulsiyely, and she answered, with burst
| Of honest grief
| "She was my ain bairn-my ain dear BARN!
and woe be to them that led the puir lassio
astray !"
The young girl was shocked at the effect of
her careless question
| Don't weep so, Mrs. Bryce" she said,
soothingly; 81 am very sorry to have panied
you So"
"There-I am better now, said the woman,
wiping her eyes, and smiling steadily. 1t Is
better for her that she has gone. There is no
one in that other country to lead her into
wrong-pur lammie! But will Fever Cor.
get or forgive those who did this wrong
she added with vehemence that sparkled IN
her usually placid eyes like FIRE.
~ must lind my mother" murmured Sarah
laying her head down on the pillow, from
which she had lifted it in the heat Of the con-
versation. ''She will love me when she
knows all, and need some one to care for
me. Mrs. Bryce, tell me her maiden name .
Margaret Clanmoran, my BARN.
" "Margaret-Margaret-it is beautiful
name. l wish they had called me SO "
81 am sure your own name Is bonny
enough" said Mrs Bryce, kindly. "NOv
shut your eyes my bairn, and go to sleep. !