St. Charles Republican intelligencer. (St. Charles [Charles City], Iowa) 1856-1857, 1857-02-12

DCCll llliIlhIHS dpOul. IL lluSt Dc uOllt
at once, Mason"
g So it can. There need be nc
trouble about it. | will attend to it,
Let it be done then, tomorrow"
You are very much concerned all
at once, brother" remarked Mrs
Grant, who had regained her self-pos
session. No one has believed, fol
the last twenty-five years, that Anna
or any one belonging to her was liv
ing. AS to advertising, it is the mer
est formality that can be magined.-
| don't see what can have put it into
your head all at once"
1t is simple duty that ought to
have been done many, many years
ago" quietly replied Mr.. MarkIand.-
" There yet remains a short time in
which that duty can be performed, and
the sooner it is now done the better"
"Oh, as to that, the thing is easily
enough done. 81 will attend to it,
said Mr.. Grant.
1t is too easily DONE" returned the
old man, and that is why it has been
neglected for 50 long a time. can
see to it just as we'll as not
"You don't believe that Anna or
any of her children, if she ever had
any, are living?" As Mrs. Grant
asked her brother this question, she
looked him steadily in the face.
1t is not impossible he repl;cd.-
" Nor improbable either. Indeed,
shouldn't at all wonder if both she and
her children were alive. However, be
that as it may, l am going to do my
part towards ascertaining the fact"
Nonsense ! You are always get
ting some notion or other into your
head"
" Mary" and her brother looked at
her hali-stcrnly as he spoke, "would
you be willing to see your children I'M
justly possessed of the property will
ed to those of your sister,"
" Joseph, you don't know what You
are talking about"
You may think So"
A dead silence followed. Mr.. Grant
looked thoughtful, and his wife wor-
ricd and perplcxed, while the old gen.
tleman fell into state of deep alb
straction. In the mind of the latter
arose images of the past. His twin
sister was before him--his sister that
he had so deeply loved in early life.
and, at later day, SO shamefulIy neg
lected and wrongcd In little while
he arose and retired to his own apart
ment. Closing the door after him and
turning the key, he went to closet
and unlocking an old chest that stood
in one corner, took therefrom a small
box, and placed it upon a table. A
bunch of keys was then taken from
drawer, one of these opened the box.
a faint sigh heaved the bosom of the
old man, as he raised the lid. The
contents were various, and from their
evidently tokens of remem-
brance. There was an old fashioned
gold locket, enclosing the hair of some
friend or relative. A diamond ring
a brooch of gold--a watch and chain,
and many other things of like char
acter. These were lifted out but not
The old man sought for
else. At length his hand
brought forth a small morocco case
which he opened quickly. 1t contain
ed the miniature of young and beau
tiful woman upon which his eyes were
fastened with an earnest
gaze, while his breast heaved more
freely, and his respiration quickened.
he raised his eyes toward
the ceiling, fixed them a moment, and
then murmured,
" Strange! How like f! How very
like I"
In this attitude he remained for
many minutes, when he again referred
to the miniature he had in his hand,
and gazed upon it intently, until his
eyes grew so dim with moisture that
he could see nothing but faint out
line before him. All the past, with
its memories, had arisen. Early years
had come back. Early affections
were re-kindled. The loved and lost
were around him. But, it was all
dream. And, consciousness of this,
even in the vision, pressed upon his
spirit with most touching sadness.
1t was nearly an hour, before, with
a heavy sigh, the old man closed the
box, and returned it to the place from
whence it had been removed. But the
he retained, though he did
not look at it again.
The occurrences of the evening had
his mind good deal, for he
walked the floor rather quickly for a
long time before retiring to bed. And
it was an hour after he had done SO,
before sleep stole over his senses.
sa.az 81 FL CHAPRER III. . ..rs....r....
"Justice-simple .justice-requires
that it be done at once," said Mr..
Markland, as he he pushed his chair
back from the breakfast table, on the
next morning, rather impatiently. Mr..
Grant had left few minutes before !;
as he arose to go out, his brothcr-in-
law had called his attention to the ex-
ecutor's advertisement, about which
they had been speaking on the previ-
Gus evening. This had elected some
remarks from Mrs. Grant similar to
those already made, which Mr.. Mark