The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1870-12-30

"Yes," assented Lowder. "And
she ward is Miss Irby-the golden
haired Blanche of whom you have
talked so much, and with whom you
have exchanged letters.
"Yes. My father formed project
to have me marry Blanche. He did
not wish us to grow up together, lest
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-
fore 1 left home, he called me into
his library and told me all his hopes
and plans for my future, and entreat-
ed me to continue worthy of his in
nocent ward, and to keep my heart
pure for her. I have done so, Jas
per. 1 have never yet loved woman.
And yesterday I Ireceived my fathers
summons to come home. He has
recalled me after five years ofabsence.
I know the wish that lies nearest his
heart. He wants me to return and
marry Blanche. shrink from the
proposed marriage. I dread going
home. And 1 dread offending my
dear father, whom / love better than
any woman. 1t is hard, Jasper, to
revolt against the hopes and plans Of
8 kind and generous father, whose
very love for me causes him to urge
on this marriage r'-e- - - ~
"Is itf" said Lowder dryly, and
with a strange smile full of sneering
bitterness, "My experience has been
widely different from yours, Tressil-
lian. Did I ever tell you of my
fatherT'
"No. Itook it for granted that he
is dead"
"Perhaps he is. 1 don't know"
said Lowder, with a reckless laugh.
"But if be is living, he is a scoundrel.
Don't start, Tressillian, at my unflial
speech. Wait till you hear my story.
/ am in desperate mood tonight.
This storm stirs up all the bad with
in me. AS nearly as can discover,
my father was the youngest son Of a
proud old county family"
You do not know, then?" asked
Tressilisn, pressing his companions
hand.
81 have no proofs of it. All 1
positively know is this. My mother
was Of humble station, pretty, with
blue eyes and an apple blossom face,
and tender, appealing ways. She was
the daughter of a widow, residing at
Brighton. The widow, my grand
mother, kept a lodging house, and my
father, a gay, dashing young fellow,
came to lodge with her. As might
have been expected, he fell in love
with his landlady's daughter. He
offered the young girl marriage, on
condition that the union should be
kept secret until his affairs brighten
ed and he chose to divulge it. The
young girl loved him. Her mother
was ambitious and penurious. The
result was the lover had his way,
and married the daughter of his land
lady quietly, almost secretly. Then
he took his bride to London, to cheap
and obscure lodgings, where, year
later, l was born"
The wind for moment drowned
his voice. As it presently lulled, he
resumed recklessly, and with pas
sionate bitterness:
''For years my mother and l lived
in those stuffy, obscure lodgings un-
til her bloom had faded, and she had
grown thin and wan and nervous.
My father visited US at stated sea-
sons, once or twice a week, but he
never brought any of his family to
call upon us. l doubt if his aristo-
cratic relatives even suspected the
existence of the faded wife and son
of whom he was secretly ashamed
l have good reason to believe that
he had fine lodgings at the West
End, where he was supposed to be a
bachelor, and that he went into fash
ionsble society, while my poor mo-
ther and l lived obscurely. He was
a profigate and a roue, but he had |
an air of fashion that awakened, my
boyish admiration, and aroused my |
mothers afectionate pride in him
Shewas always pleading to be intro,
duced to his elatives, and to have
her son publicly acknowledged. But
my father always put her of, saying
that he was not yet ready. Worn
out and despairing, my mother died
when / was ten years old.'
Again the wind shrieked past,
again the little vessel lurched, tle
sea sweeping her deck.
The captain screamed his orders
to his men, and for few minutes dis
order reigned.
"a nasty bit of weatherT said
Lowdtr. "And bad skyr'
"Yes, but I've seen as bad" re-
turned Tresilian. ave 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 Palermo"
"But the seven miles in this storm
are worse Than seventy in good |
weather. These coasts are danger
GUS, Tressilian."
Lowder shuddered as he surveyed
sea and sky.
"But aOout your father JasperY"
said Tressilian, who had become
deeply interested in his companions
story. "What did he do after vour
mothers deathg'
81 remained at the old lodgings
with our single old servant a month
or more, my father visiting me sew.
eral times, and expressing anxiety
as to what he should do with me.
A week after my mothers 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 grand
mother. Her sons were dead; she
had given up keeping 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 promising
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
money. IneVer saw my father again.