The Lincoln County herald., 1870-05-05

sent his son away, as lie would have shut
him in closet, to keep him out Of miss
chief; and he had no mere thought of
bis writing to . young lsay, without his
leave. than he woHld have had Of his
climbing fsom q window to escape con.
inement.
But one day, being in the Office, il the
absence Of the clerk, Lucy Merry
came and dropped q lettsr 10 the box.
When she had gone, he took tup to pre-
pare it for IL destination, and saw to his
surprise, the name and address Of his
son. He turned It ever and over, and
read again and again the address.
Yes, it was to his son Aad he would
give much to know what it contained
Morton was minor, aud should be under
his contsol in everything. Perhaps this
thing had gone farther than ho had
feared. The letter looked it certainly
And he must never be allowed to entan-
gle himself with this girl, to the blight.
ing Of all his future prospects. lie ex
amincd the wafer, it was hardly dry yet,
and the self willcd man, who would as
soon thought Of committing murder as
opening any other letter, reasoned him
self into the belief that he had perfect
right to read his sons letters, and his
knife slid under the wafer, and the open
letter was before him.
lt contained. nothing to alarm, but
something to crafty him. For in it
Lucy told her friend of their proposed
removal to Illinois, and gavo him her
f1ture address, care Of James Leonard.
When Judge Whitcomb opened the
letter he intended to reclasc 1t and send
it to its address But now, if he could
suppress it-as he told himself he had q
right tc do-a point would be gained
yes, two, for he would blame her for not
writing to him before she went away, and
would lose all cleu to her address, for the
present at least. Judge Whitconb was
not bad man aud hidden ia his heart,
beneath crust of pride and self esteem,
was warm loye for his children. Nor.
ton was his darling, aud around him
gathered the choisest emotions of his
nature. And had he suspected of the
sorrow be would subject him to by the
acs he contemplated. it would uevee have
been committed. That the girl would
fret some, be did not doubt. But what
right had she to think Of him-the oSly
son of Judge Whitcomb? Hes presamp.
ton ought to be punished !! This last
thought decided him, aud with steady
hand be consigned it 70 the flames on
that bright spring morning. And Nor
ton Whitconb seeited poor lessons from,
wondering Why no lsssers came, aud Lucy
Merryman wept bitter tears iu her fal
western home for tho answer that could
not come.
AS soon as Mrs. Merryuan was gone
Judge Whitcomb wrote long letter to
his son; and 10 possscrips conveyed
tile intelligence that Mrs. Merryman had
sold her little place and gone west, for
some advantage 70 her daughter, he had
been told.
And thus the thread that had con
nec,ed sheir lives so long and so closely
was severed, and they went their separate
ways with their 6sst bitter lesson in dis
trust and suspicion.
Mrs. Merryman had nearly three thou
sand dollars to place in the hands Of her
brother and she took her place as house.
keeper OF his family, With honor to her
self and advantage to him and his two
worthless girls. Lucy, also, had q
pleasant home with thems and finally
rose from her subordinate position u
preceptress of pop~isr school.
Ms. Leonard was shsew business m an
and tho funds entrusted to him by his
widowed sister did not lie idle. BY spec
ulating in city property he soop doubled
the amount and ventusing still farther
he added IN ore. Aud at the end of foul
years with Lucye wages included. the,
had ten thousand dollars in the bank.
But, oh how idle how less than worth
lees il oil seemed to Lucy whep a violcp
disease attacked her mothers and she was
forbddsa to hope! Everything tina
money and che most agonized care cou.c
do was done. But the mandate had gon'
forth, and Lucy Morryman was alone.
The mothers dying request had bee,
to be buried BY the husband Of he
youth, 10 the shadow Of those greer
mountains near which she was born; ant
the brother and the weeping daughter
accompanied the remaIus to the village
grave. yard. And thus Lucy Merrywar
returned to the place Of her birth. The!
remained but few days, Is her uncle va
a stranger, and without seeing Morton
Whitcomb, who was trausaotiug SOM
business for his father in Boston, che re
turned with her uncle to his residence il
illinois.
Bat during her short stay she had me
judge Whitcomb, and be wds PARTICULAR,
struck with her beautiful face, quesnl,
manners, and oil that combines to max
an elegant woman. In Mr.. Leonard, hi
quick eye detected the man of business
aud even . less acute one would hav
pronounced him one of cultivation 40,
redoemeut. As for Judge Whitoomb, b
called on him at his hotel, invited him (,