Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-07-23

to any OF your kin; and us for him that's
dead an gone, | can only be sorry that il
wasn't my own sweet Agatha that had fall
len asleep forever instead Of him. don't
curse him, your lordship; though when
see my poor child layin' there, with the
curse upon her that she tan never shake off,
l think ought TO curse him. And then he
ma one thing that Was mcaner than NIL the
rest. lie cheered poor Agatha up by pre-
tending that he would marry her. When
she knew that her child would soon lie born,
| she threatened To come to you, your lord
| ship and thereupon Master Albert tells her
| That he'll marry her; and he goes and hires
| u good -iOl-nothing rascal to act the priest,
and they had the marriage ceremony per-
formed"
Where ?" asked the marquis,
" In the church. Albert got the keys easy
enough, and carried them back when he had
done with them. And my poor girl didn't
know Of the trick that had been put upon
her, until il was too late to help herself.
The marquis asked further questions, and
the fisherman answered readily and frankly.
Atlcngth Sir John arose, and paced up and
down the library awhile and, when lie re.
simed his scat, he was calm and collected.
Mr.. Callington,' he said, 81 have no
doubt that Albert was the father of your
daughters child. A boy, you said p
res, your lordship. And if you could
but see 1t, yOu--"
Never mind" intcrposcd the marquis
with an admonitory wave of the hand. %
believe you have told me the truth, and now
l will make you my proposition On your
part, for yourself and for your daughter, you
promise that this thing shall be kept us quiet
as possible. My wife does moi suspect such
a thing, and my son, Eusiace, knows moth
nfh IL. a al.
remain Ignorant. On my part | will bind
myself to pay to your daughter, while this
child lives and she lives, the sum of two
hundred and fifty pounds year, payable ut
my bankers, in quarterly installmenis; and
should the child ou,live his mother, will
see that SAID amount is paid to him during
his lifetime. My death " Il make no differ
cnce You will call the child
we have named lin Albert, your lord
ship. The man saw a frown upon the face
OF the marquis, and he explained; Poor
girl! she loved the lad, Sir John--sIe loved
him truly and well-and she couldn't forego
That blt OF comfort. She named him
herself"
" But the other name, Owen z"
= IL shall be our own name your lnrtlshit,. |
lie shall be called Albert Callington.
$50 be it them" pursued the marquis. |
+" And now mark you: will put it down in |
my will that this sum shall be paid to Albert
Callington while he lives viii that be sat
isiactory!"
1t was far, very far, more than the poor
man had even dared to hope; and lie went |
away feeling that his daughter would he
rich; and before he went he gave solemn |
pledge that, so far as his influence could 70,
y knowledge Of what had that evening tran
spired should never he gained by any one |
outside his own family; and he would, if |
possible, hold the child forever In ignorance |
of his true paren!nyc.
And when Owen Callington reached his
humble cot he told TO his wife and to his |
child what the marquis had asked him to
promise; and they both agreed with him
that they would Keep their secret within
their own bosoms and Agatha said that she
hoped her child might never know
who its father was.
Poor Agatha! She had been tempted
once. She little thought how soon she
might he tempted again
Late on that Autumn night, Lord Percy
kneelcd at his bedside, and earnestly prayed
10 God that the crime of his dead son might
not be visited upon the heads Of the living