The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-12-28

vessel had righted. "He is The noblest
nsania theworld. He will welcome nv
friends as his own. You will love
him, Jasper, as / do, when you know
him."
He doesn't seem very affeetionate,
remarked Lowder "You have been
away from your home for 1--WE yeaIs,
and he has but just recalled you ]"
Young Tressilians cheeks flushed, as
Lowder saw in the lurid glow that mo-
mentarily lighted up the tempestuous
scene.
You know, or can guess, the reason,
Jasper" he said, with something of an
effort MY father has a ward, the
daughter OF an old friend. All ! hear
that wind shrek The gale Is increas-
ing !"
Yes" assented Lowder. And the
ward is Miss Irby-the gol6en-haired
Blanche Of whom you have talked so
much, and with whom You have ex-
changed lettersY'
Yes. Ny father formed a project
10 have me marry Blanche. He did
not wish us to grow up together least
We should learn to regard each other
as brother and sister. When Blanche
came to live at the Court my father
sent me to Germany. The night be-
lore / left home, he called me into his
library and told me all his hopes and
plans for my future, and entreatei rue
TO continue worthy OF his innocent
ward, and to keep nv heart pure for
her. have done so, Jasper | have
never vet loved any woman. And yes
terday received my fathers summons
to come home He has recalled me
after five years OF absence. ! know the
wish that lies nearest his heart He
wants me to return and marry Blanche
| shrink from the proposed marriage.
| dread going home And l dread Of
tending my dear father, whom love bet
ter than any woman. 1t is hard, Jasper,
to revolt against the hopes and plans of
kind and generous father, whose very
love for me causes him to urge on thi.
marriage"
is it?' said Lowder dryIy, and with
a strange smile full of sneering bitter
ness. MY experience has been wide
ly different to yours, Tressillian. Did l
ever tell you OF my father
NO. took it for granted that he
is dead
Perhaps lie is. | don't know, said
Lowder, with reckless laugh. But
if he is living, he is a scoundrel. Don't
start, Tressillian, at my unfllial speech.
Wait till you hear my story. lam in
a desperate mood tonight This storm
stirs up all the bad within me. As
nearly as. | can discover, my father
was the younger son Of a proud old
country family
You do not know, then % asked
Tressillian, pressing MS companions
hand.
l have no proof it. All positively
know is this Ny mother was OF hum
bic station, pretty, with blue eyes and
an apple-b!osSom face, and tender, APP
pealing ways She was the daughter
Of widow, residing at Brighton. The
widow, my grandmother, kept lodg
ing-house, and my father, a gay, dash.
ing young fellow, came to lodge with
ner As might have been expected.
he fell in love with his landladys
daughter He Offered tho young girl
marriage, on condition that the union
should be kept secret until his affairs
frightened and he chose TO divulge it
The young girl loved him. Her moth
er was ambitious and penurious The
result was the lover had his way, and
married the daughter OF shis landlady
quietly, almost secretly. Then he took
his bride to LONDON, 10 cheap and ob.
scure lodgings, where, year later, !
was born. ="
The wind for moment drowned his !
voice. As it presently lulled, he re-
sumed reckless'y, and with passionate
bitterness:
For wears my mother and lived in
those stuffy, obscure lodgings until her
bloom had faded and she had grown |
thin and wan and nervous Ny father
visited Us at stated seasons, once or
twice week, but he never brought any
OF his family to call upon us doubt /.
ifhis aristocratic relatives even suspect |.
cd the existence of the faded wife and /.
son of whom he was secretly ashamed |
| have good reasons TO believe that he
had fine lodgings al the Yves E ID, where /
he was supposed to be bachelor, and |
that he went into fashionable society, |
while nv poor mother and | lived OBJ |
securely. He was profiigate and |
roue, but he had an air of fashion that |
awakened my boyish admiration, and
aroused my mothers atfectionate pride
in him. She was always pleading to |
be introduced TO his relatives. and to
have her son publicly acknowledge. /
But my father always put her of, say
ing that he was not yet ready Worn
out and despairing, my mother died |
when was ten years old.
Again the wind shrieked past and |
again the little vessel lurched, the sea |
sweeping her deck
The captain screamed his orders 10 |
his men, and for few minutes disorder |
reigned.
a nasty bit Of weather said Low
der. And bad sky
Yes, but I've seen as had, returned
Tressilian. I'VE shall make port all !
right, never fear We must be well on
toward the Cape di Gallo. And it's
only seven miles from the Cape TO Pa
lermo.'
But the seven miles IN this storm
are worse than seventy in good weather.
These coasts are dangerous, Trcssllian.
Lowder shuddered as he surveyed sea
and sky.
But about your father, Jasper said
Tressilian, who had become deeply in
interested in his companion story.
What did he do after your mothers
death2
81 remained at the old lodgings with
our single old servant month or more,
my father VISITING me several times I