Newbern weekly progress., 1862-05-10

and 1t had the effect to revive him,
and restore his voice so that he could
be understood plainly. b
| After tho usual forms had been
gone through with, the testator dicta.
ted, and the Judge wrote:
Il, Ralph Russell, being Of sound
mind, do'givc and bequeath to my on
ly child, Ralph Russell, Jr., common
ly known as Ralph Thornton, and sup
posed by some to be the child Of
Judge Henry Thornton Of Read
Vile"
The pen dropped from the hand Of
the lawyer at these words, and Ralph
sprang to his feet and stood by the
bedside, as he asked: ..a5
'Great Heavens are you the father
of the infant that was left at the door
Of Judge Thornton, twenty-one years
ago last Novemberl Speak, in Gods
nameW i,ai .m
Fer a moment tho sick man was in.
capable Of utterance; then he man
aged to articulate, as he bent his
glazed eyes upon Ralph / am.'
MY father!-oh, my father!' ex
claimed Ralph, bending down and i'm,
printing kiss upon the cold, wasted
cheek. Have | indeed found youl'
Unaided, the dying man raised him
self upon his arm and gazed intently
into the face Of Ralph; then he ex
claimed, taking one Of lis hands in
his.
"ltis true; you are indeed my sons
for You have your sainted mother
eyes, which have been closed in deatl
since thy birtl!'
This young man is the child left a
Judge Thorntnn's said the lawyer
i was knowing 10 the circumstance
at the time
/ 81 know it now, said the father
But hasten with the will, for my
sands are running fest, and | know
that l have but few moments of lif'
before me.
The Judge resumed his pen, and il
a few moments the will was concluded
1t gave to Ralph the snug little for
tune Of one hundred thousand dollars
With an almost nerveless grasp tn,
dying man gave his signature to til,
document. which was duly witnesse,
by two servants ofthe household.
"a package-in desk-Ralph, for
give and lie sank back; the dealt
rattle sounded in throat-and in
moment all was over. The soul ha'
gone to the one who gave it.
Five days later, Ralph was seate'
again in the Office. He was gazing Of
the picture Of his mother, that he hs'
found in the package referred to b.
, his father in his last moWents. AS
gazed upon the resemblance of tn
; mother who bore him, he seemed t
think that the face smiled upon hin
The package alsocontained a histor
= of his parsnts, .wriftan out at length b
! his father in his last days. We tell
1 to tho reader in o few words.
: His father was the oldest of tw
sons, and their sire was stern an
naughty, and proud Of his wealth,
D When the SONS had reached manhood
Ralph fell in love with Susan Graham
I the daughter of poor blacksmith
=, the neighborhood.
G When the tale Of their love W
y brought to his fathers ears, his ang
IS knew no bounds. He at once SUI
J, !, moned Ralph before him, and forba'
i his ever seeing the low blacksmith
- - beggarly daughter again. ;.
u Without making any promise, Rail
r withdrew from the home, which won
'I s be no louger his home if he d'sobey
II, his father, and the next day was p
5! yate!y married to Susan. The nj
SC riage was kept secret from the tai
o. ". and his wife died in less than
a a year, at the birth Of son.
&c AS he was now !r,e from any trou
with his father, 50 long as his ch
10. 10 was kept from sight, he determined
la5 place it where it would be well ca
hu ~: for, and at the same time be out
h's danger of his father discovering tina
'0' existed.
When the child was about a mo
'gc old, he took it, and with its NJ
OF iourncyed into the country. Cha
} a led them to Readville, and learning
!. Judge Thornton, he left the infant
ick the door that November night,
irs' saw it taken in by old William.
ing and the nursc disappeared that nj
ON brit -, .. .,-eAt,a 4;.nA hA rnt,,rnead- a,a
pea guised, and found that the chl1o
lose Been adopted by the Judge. Hei
lors l ried again but no children came OF
ped union, and now he had made res
most ton to his cast Oft son on ms de
aiu .u, bed.
teiy CHAPTER v.
he'I A, the House on the Hilltop.
,M nry Come back with us, dear reade
twas the village of Readville, and 60
t""o w. .z.o 10 tba ManciD