Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-12-28
"a nasty bit of weatherr' said Low,


der. And q bad skyl"e aa.EaeL B
Eyes, but I've seen as bad" returned
Tressilian. "We shall make port all
right, never fear. We must be well on
toward the Cape di Gallo. And It's
onl j. seven miles from the Cape TO, Pa
iI|But the seven miles in this storm are
worse than seventy In good weather.
These coasts are, dangerous, Tressilian."
toyder shuddered as be surveyed sea
and sky. ttJ
fBut about your father, Jasper2" said
Tressilian, who had become deeply in.
terested in his companion story. What
did he do after your mothers deathY'
WY remained at the old lodgings with
our single old servant a month or more,
my father visiting me several times, and
expressing anxiety as TO what he should
do with me. A week after my mother s
4 death, he told me that his brother was
dead. A month later, his father was
killed by being thrown from his horse.
Ny father came into riches and honors
by these deaths. At last, deciding to rid
himself of me, he took me down to
Brighton, to my old grandmother Her
sons were dead; she had given up keep
| ing dodgers, and was grown miserly. He
| promised her FIVE hundred pounds year
to keep me, and to keep also the secret
of my paternity, solemnly promising 60
acknowledge me some day as his son and
heir, The old woman agreed to carry
out his wishes. She would have done
anything for money. l never saw my
father again. i went to school, grew up,
and at the age of twenty-one came into
my grandmother's money, the frnits of
years Of saving, she dying at that time,
My father had deliberately abandoned
me. | did not know where to seek him,
if had wished to. Il took my money
and came abroad. ~ had been two years
on the Continent, and had spent my little
fortune when l met you. The rest you
know" 20 iHa lqaH nna "tHR 4a1lT'H
An odd, romantic storyl But why
did your father abandon youYG t-.l "a
That he might be freed of eneum-
brance TO make grand marriage. From
what my grandmother said at different
times, / conclude that my father was in
love with titled lady before my
mothers death. No doubt he married
this lady. If he lives, this lady's son
may be his acknowledged heir My
father has utterly disowned the son Of
his first hasty, iill-starred marriage, i
have fancy that / shall meet him some
day, and Jaspes's brow darkened to
deeper blackness. 3" However stand
no chance of ever receiving justice at
his hands" .tsa5aas hsbi
What is your father s name, JAS
peri asked Tressilian. bbsq gajgiasgtg
Lowders s face darkened. He bit his
lip sayagely, gaigg ~ ael3g u Boo
,,'. What l have told you about myself
] learned from my own observation, or
from chance words of my parents and
grandmother My, mothers maiden
name was Jeanette Lowder. At our
London lodgings, my father bore the
name of Lowder,a i don't know his real
name, but / should know his face any
where, although l have not seen him in
thirteen years. My mother was actually
married, Tressilian, but Inever heard
my fathers name. The clergyman who
married my mother was dead; the Wit
nessess also. When my grandmother
was dying she tried to tell me the story.
She had put it of too long, All that l
could understand Of her mumblings was
the name of Devereux i shall never
forget that name DEyEREUxl' Prob
ably that was my fathers name7-my
own rightful name. But as | should
never find him IL l sought him, and as
he would repulse me if i did find him, i
stand no chance of inheriting his prop
erty. He may be dead. He may have
other sons who have succeeded him. 1t
is all a mystery, but the prominent truth
is that am an outcast, poor, disowned
and friendless, ..,-
He leaned over the bulwark; the spray
dashing over his face violently. 20 M.
Tressilians. 4. heart warmed to him. ..sss.,a
"My poor friendr he. said. 81 Must /
say again you are not friendiess while |
live. My father has influence enough to
obtain for you "a government appoint
ment This tangle may straighten itself
out some day. But if it don'tr you are
resolute enough to make your own hap
piness"
He grasped Lowder's hand, and looked
with warm bright eyes, full Of sympathy,
into Lowder's lowering face.
b There had been a temporary lullin the
storm. But as the two stood there, the
tempest revived and swept over the wild
sea in maddened rage. r,faa nisHellA"'
There was no time for talking now
The wind rose so high that words would
scarcely have been distinguished. The
storm that had gone before had been but |
play to this awful outburst. The vessel !
drove on, creaking and groaning, mere
cookie she'll on the billows. '.'
Mother of Merciesr' walled the cap
tain. It's allup with US, signores. i |
can't make out the Cape IN this dark
ness. We shall go on the rocks. st. |
Anthony save usl'.a D. ~ iafh H.
The seamen echoed his cries.
The two young Englishmen, compre-
bending their peril, clasped hands in
silence.
For the next few minutes il seemed |
that Pandemonium reigned.
Then a noise like the report of can
non suddenly doomed through the storm
and the darkness. The little vessel shiv-
cred, staggered, and eareened upon her /
side. le11lt lnea I ~
She had struck upon rock,
A moment later crew and passengers
we're struggling in the waters. g fTg9I
A few moments Of bufetings and toss
ings, of vain struggles and agnniEed in
prayer. and then Jasper Low
der felt his senses slip from him, and
became unconscious. ~. 49, -, ~
When he came TO himself he was lying
upon a rocky beach Of the Sicilian
shore, sore, bruised, and as weak as q
child.
BE opened his eyes. The wind had
spent its fury, and now moaned along
ne coast with desolate, despaifing
vail. The ssyes ssssat against the rocks.
Iovder struggled 10 his elbow io -
Wrecked be muttered. II am
,ast ashore, while The Others are drowned n
Oh, this is sernhlel / have lost my best
iriend tonight lsli 81 ~.
NJ moaned and Srune his hands II