Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1870-12-29
CONTINUED from first page.)

eyes and apple-blossom face, and ten
der appealing ways. She was the daugh.
ter of widow, residing at Brighton
The widow, my grandmother, kept 6
clearinghouse, and my father, gay,
dashing young fellow, came to lodge
with her. AS might have been expect.
ed, be fell in love with his landlady's
daughter. lie offered the 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
or was ambitious and penurious. The
result was the lover had his way, and
married the daughter, of his landlady
quietly, almost secretly. Then he took
his bride to London, to cheap and OBJ,
scure lodgings, where year later, /
! was born"
The wind for moment drowned his
voice. AS it presently lulled, he re-
sumed recklessly, and with passionate
bitterness
''tor years my mother and l lived
in those stutfy, obscure lodgings until
her bloom had faded, and she had
grown thin and wan and nervous. My
father visited US at stated seasons, once
or twice week, but he never brought
any of his family to call upon US. l
doubt if his aristocra;ic relatives even
suspected the existence of the faded
wife and son of whom he was secretly
ashamed. I have good re,,son to be-
leve that be had fine '.o"ging at the
West End, where ne was supposed to
be bachelor. and that he went into
lashlonaoIo society, while my poor
mo'le. and l lived in obscurity. He
las a prohigate and srogue, but he had
an air of fashion that awakened my
boyish admiration, and aroused my
mothers attectionate pride in him. She
was always pleading to be introduced
to his relatives, and to have her son
acknowledged. But my father always
put her off, saying thst he was not yet
ready. Worn out and despairing, my
mother died when was ten years
DID,"
Again the wind shrieked past, again
the little vessel lurthe2, the sea sweep
ing her deck.
The captain screamed his orders to
his men, and for few minutes disor-
der reigned.
"a nasty bit of weather." said Low
der. "And bad sky!"
Eyes, but I've seen as bad," re-
turned Tressilian. "We shall make
port all right never fear. We must be
we'll on toward the Cape di Gallo.
And it is only seven miles from the
Cape to Palermo"
but the seven miles in this storm
are worse than seventy in good wealth
er. These coasts are dangerous, Tres
silian." Lowder shuddered as he survey
Cd sea and sky. "But about your faith
er, Jasper?' said Tressilisn, who had
become deeply interested in his COM
panion's story. "What did he do af-
ter your mothers's death?
81 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
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
rons were dead; she had given up keep.
ing dodgers, and was grown misery.
He promised her five hundred pounds a
year to keep me, and to keep also the
secret Of my paternity, solemnly promis-
ing to acknowledge me some day as his
son and heir. The old woman agreed
to carry out his wishes. She would
have done anything for me. l never
saw my father again. l went to school,
grew up, and at the age of twenty-oue
came into my grandmother's money, the
fruits of years of saving, she dying al
that time. My father had deliberately
abandoned me. / did not know where
to seek him, if | he'd wished to. | took
my money and came abroad. ] hat
been two years on the Continent and
had spent my little fortune when I met
you. The rest you know"
San odd, romantic story! But why
did your father abandon you?'
''That he might be freed of encum
brance to make grand marriage. From
wha, my grandmother said at differen
times, l conclude that my father was it
love with titled lady before my
mothers death. No doubt he married
this lady If he lives, this lady's sol
may be his acknowledged heir. N.Y.
father has utterly disowued the son o
his first hasty, il-starred marriage.
have fancy that shall meet him SOM
day." and Jasper's brow darkened t.
deeper blackuess. However, | stant
no chance of ever receiving justice at hi
hands
"What is your fathers name, Jas
PERI" asked Tressiiau.
TovJor'a Foca dorkenad Ho b;t n;