Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-02-11
THE DELAWARE TRIBUNE. WILMINGTON. DEL.

fate that must come to us all, and he was
very dbl ought not to have expected
much from him at any rate-if my mistress
told me rightly, he was hard man to deal
with. Not that she knew much of him,
poor thing; 1t was only from what her
father SAID that she knew anything about
him."
''Was the mistress you speak of Mr..
Falconer's grand daughter, Mrs. Brent, tina;
she wished her child left at the Vale?
Gomez don't like half condolences, and the
service have already performed for you
entities me to know the whole story about
this child. Who is she ? and why is she to
be placed among strangers for safe keep
ing?'
not to tell you. l brought her to this out
of-the way place as much to keep others
from prying about her as to keep the half
promise l made to her mother when she
knew she must die-she only said to me,
II my little one ever wants a shelter, Judy,
you must take her to a place called the Vale,
situated among the mountains in Virginia.
l have some cluims on the old man that owns
the farm, though l never saw him. But he
must not know who she is, for in that case
he might refuse to receive her. My child
has no claim that will be considered on any
one else, but he may take pity on her and
provide for her.
THAT was the day before she died. and
she did not know that her own father had
repcnted of his unkindness to her, and lief,
that will that is the cause of all the present
trouble. 1t is dreadful story, Mr. Whit
ney, and if tell II to you no name must be
mentioned. You must swear to me that
you will not try to find out who this child is,
though if you insist on it, must tell you
why am putting her away from myself, to
keep others from tracing her through me-.
do insist on it. 1t is my right TO know
that much at least; and | pledge you my
sacred word that will do nothing to com
promise yourself or the child. Ii that does
not satisfy you, | am willing to take an
oath to that effect. But if am TO be sort
Of guardian to this little waif, mus, know
something more about her."
Mrs Brent walked to and fro in an excited
manner, apparently making up her mind how
much to tell, and what it was necessary to
withhold, She finally sat down, and look
ing Mr.. Whitney clearly IN the fare, said:
What am going to tell you, sir, is so
strange and unnatural, that YOU may find il,
hard to believe but every word will be AS
true as if was making my confession on
my death bed. | hope you will place con
fidence in me, Mr.. Whitney,
. see no reason 10 doubt you can
Judge OF people pretty well, and believe
you to be an honest woman, Mrs Brent
" Yes, sir, | am an honest woman.
have never been anything better than II ser
want, but have done my duty in the conai-
ton OF life appointed me, rs far as | under
stood it,"
Mrs. Brent then proceeded to narraie a
series OF events OF ihe most startling charac-
ter, which the reader will perceive have an
important bearing on the fortunes of the he
roine OF this strange history.
II appeared from Mrs. Brent's story that
she had lived with the mother of little Vio
let, and took care of her and her sister. (Vio-
let's aunt,) from the time they were children.
That the mother of Violet died when the
child was n mere babe, and left her TO the
care OF her aunt. That the grandfather OF
Violet, who was rich, had left his property
so that Violet would inherit II ALL in case
her aunt should die without children of her
own. That the aunts husband, who was IA
heartless gamester, and whose wife had no
children, wanted TO have Violet poisoned. so
that her fortune could come into Ills clutches.
but finally compromised with his wife, over
whom lie held secret power, and agreed
that man named Hggs, who was going to
oregon, should carry the child off and rear
her as his own. But the aunt had plotted
with Mrs Brent to defeat her husbands
scheme, and hence the flight of the nurse
with Violet, and her appearance with her at
MIR. Whitneys. She had come TO have Vic.
let left in charge of old MIR. Falconer to
whom she was related through her grand
mother, aud mad been assisted on her way
by priest in New York named Father
Boyle, who had sent her to another priest
living near the Vale, called Father John. and
he had sent her TO Mr.. Wbitney's.
Having told her stery, and refused to give
the name of Violet's aunt or uncle, Mrs.
Brent was taken to the turnpike gate where
the stage coach passed, put into il, and sent
on her way home, leaving word with Mr..
Whitney that he could at any time commu-
nicate with her by sending letter to the
care OF Father jerome Boyle, in New York.
The next day Mr.. Falconer's funeral took
place; after which the will was read. and
| Mrs. Ashford learned that she had been
made the old man $ heircss. The avaricious
Ashford was greatly displcased when he
found that the property had been settled on
Mr.. Whitney and Mr.. Mclrose MS trustees
for his wife, but he did his best to hide his
chagrln under an air Of observation-disclosures
Ashford had fully resolved to abandon his
wife and child at an early day, but accident
ally discovering that Fantasia had great dra-
matte talent, and might be developed into an
actress OF unusual merit, he resolved to train
her for the stage, and so delayed his plans
OF desertion. In the meantime he resolved
to find out the parentagc of Violet,as he felt
assured, as he said, that he "could make
money on her, if he only knew who she
| was
With view To feeling his way in the mat
ter he one day, on seeing his wife looking
over some articles Of children's clothing
which she had purchased. carelessly asked
" Did not Violet need anything? These
few articles are tor Fantasia. | suppose
found II sufficient supply Of clothing
for Violet, replied Mrs. Ashford, sin Inc
bottom of the basket in which she wa.
placed. They are Of fine quality, and beau
tiiully made"
''lnIeed aud is there no name TO be fount
on any of them? Have you examined then
carefully 2"
YES, very carefully for have had I,
mend nearly every garment where the nam,
had been removed by using an acid whicl
destroyed the fabric
''Umph! was there no tr,,cc Of et,e
left on one of them p
After momcntary hcsitation Mrs Ash
ford replied
violet could he distinguished on some @
them, but ON only one piece was there
trace of the last name. | could not Quit
make out whether that was an r or an !.
You will discover nothing from such
source as that y
'Ah well, that is something; and pui
ting fragment after fragment together, ma