The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-02-25


"Can 1 have private room, landla'
dy?' he asked. 'sI shall be stopping
here with my little granddaughter fol
two days."
Yes, sir, we have a priv ate room.
Have you any luggage ?"
81 left it at Loughborough," he said
Greatly was Kitty surprised at the
unusual grandeur of their apartments.
Only to think of one room to sit i'm and
another to sleep in! Fortunately fol
the estimation in which the landlady
held them, she was too much surprised
and awed to express her sentiments
until she was alone with the grand
father.
1t was late in the afternoon when
they arrived, and when tea was over
Kitty went to bed, more sleepy than
usual after her unwonted excitement
Her grandfather sat by her bedside
until she was asleep, and then returned
to the sitting-room and rang the bell
"Will you ask the landlady to ster
up?"
The landlady came up gladly, for she
had been not ttlemystified and puz-
zled as to whom the gentleman with
the little girl could be, or what conld
be their motive in coming to spend two
days in Laverton. E4
"Pray sit down." her guest said when
she entered. ~ dare say you arr
somewhat surprised at my coming
here; but at the presenG moment can
not explain matters, although, no doubt
you will know shortly. Will you be
kind enough to answer one or two
questions, even if you do not under.
stand my motive in asking them@
The landlady expressed her willingness
to do so.
"Sir John Barton's place is close
here, is it not?'i
"Quite close, sir; his gate is just al
the entrance of the village" ,tA
Has he any .servants-his butter
for instance-who have been in the
family many years ?"
LOr', yes, sir! He is not a gentle.
man to change his servants. Mr.. Mer-
rion his butler, has been with him, man
and boy, nigh thirty years"
"Do you think / could get to speak
to Mr.. Merrion ?'' fslI
"Nothing easier, sir! he is down
stairs now. He steps over sometimes
of an evening to smoke pipe with my
husband in the bar-parlor."
"Wonld you kindly tell him that a
stranger would be glad if he would come
up and speak to him for a few minutes
upon a matter of importance 2"
The landlady left the room to carry
out the request, more and more puz-
zled by all this mystery.
In a minute or two there was a tap
at the door, and a rather stout man in
undress livery entered.
"Please take seat, Mr.. Merrion.-
Excuse the liberty have taken in ask
ing you to come up, but when you hear
what have to say, / am sure you will
do So"
"Mrs. Malin has just told me about
you, and l don't know what you want
to ask me; that is, don't know wheth-
er you are lawyer, or what you want
and / can only say anything 1 can tell
you I will, but not if it's going to dc
harm-no nor worry Sir john"
Not at all, Mr.. Merrion, and you
are quite right. You have, l hear been
a long time in the family, and are, ]
see, attached to your master. He is, ]
believe, proud man."
"WeII, yes; he's right to be that,
I expect" the butler said cautiously.
"Quite so, quite so, Mr.. Merrion
but it is sad thing to think he has no
child to come after him."
"Ay, ay," the butler said, " it is all
that"
ellis only son, as have heard" his
interrogation said, "made match be-
meath him, and his father never for
gave him, never saw him again."
"Ay," said the butler, "but that
wasn't masters fault. He was away,
and the letter telling as how Master
Charles were i'll never got to him for a
week; and then he went off Ost-haste
for France. / know, for he took me
with him; and when We got down to
Marsel, we found he was dead and bur.
led, and his wife too; and that the
child, who was only month old, was
gone-no one knew where. He'd give
half his money to know"
"Thank God, thank God! J" the other
said; "this is good news indeed. POOl
little Kitty! Thank God ~ and he COW
cred his face with his hands and cried.
For some time the butler could only
gaze at him i'm establishment; at last
he said:
"And who may you be, sir, and
what do you know of the child ?"
"Iam h sr grandfather, toO," the man
said. "And the child is asleep in the
next room.n
Il am glad" the butler said excited
ly: gay, as glad as if it was my own
But why did you never come before?
know master advertised in every pa
per-" fii =
at never saw them. l only knew
that he had been written for ON the
same day that had. He never came
and 1 supposed would not. l buriee
my child and her husband, and took
the baby, and 1 have kept her eve
since. And l love her as 1 loved he
mother before her. But she is over five
years old now; and 1 thought it wa!
| time to try if her grandfather-who
believed had never forgiven his son
even when he knew he was dying
would now take his sons child. Thanh
God that, from what you say, he viii
do So"
"Do so," the butler said; "proud a.
Sir John is-and he is proud-there il
nothing in the world he would not hav'
done to find her out"
The conversation lasted some TIM
longer, and then Mr.. Merrion took his
leave, and went straight home, with
out, to Mrs. Malin's great disappOint
ment, revealing one word Of What ha.
taken place at the long and mysteriOu
interview.
The next evening Sir John Bartol
was sitting alone after his dinner. Z
tall, stately man, but with marks O
deep sorrow on his face. "A proud, re
served man, the world said, and in hi
youth no doubt truly; a reserved maj
still, but scarcely proud one. AT tn
present moment Sir John was wonder
ing over the behavior of his butler, JOhl
! Merton, at dinner. John was ordina
rily one of the most stOlid and respect
full of domestics, but John had behaved
throughout dinner in a manner quit
unlike himself. If such thing ha,
not been out of the question, he shoul'
have said that John Merrion was drunk
He had broken two glasses, he ha'
spilled the wine in filling his glass, ant
the mans ewes were certainly full @
tears. His master had asked him wha
was the matter, and lie replied, Moth
ing, Sir John; - but of course some
thing was the matter; although, as til
footman was in the room, Sir John ha
passed the matter over. Sir John nov
turned it over i'm his mind. John Mer
rion had been a widower for years, an
his only son was now head-grOom.-
Perbaps one of his children was ill. Si
Jobn had heard nothing of il, but Ii
thought he would ring and ask: A
this moment the door opened little
and the sound of man crying was dis