Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1870-07-14
stranger would be glad if he wo
Come up and speak to him for

= The landlady left the room to carry
Out the request, more and more puz
ziei by all this mystery.
In minute or two there was tap
at the door, and rather stout man in
undress livery entered.
Please take a seat, Mr.. Merrion.
Excuse the liberty l have taken in
asking you to come up, but when you
hear what have TO say, am sure you
will do So
Excuse me, sir the butler said !;
Mrs. Malin has just told me about
you. and | don't know what you want
TO ask me; that is, don't know
whether you are lawyer. or what you
want; and can only say anything |
can tell you will, but not fits going
TO 10 harm-no, nor worry sir John.
Not AZ all, Mr.. Mcrrion. and YOU are
quite right. You have. hear, been n
long time in the family. and are. see,
attached to Your master. lie is, be-
lievc, proud man
Well, yes; he's right TO be that |
expect. the butler said. cautiously.
Quite 80. quite so. Mr.. Merrion; but
1t Is sad TO think he has no child 10
come after him
NV, ay, The butler said. II il all
that
His only son. as have heard his
interrogation said. made match be-
meath him. and hi- father never fot 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 Ill never got To him for week ;
and then he went oil post-haste 10
France. know. for he took me with
him; and when we got down To Mar>cl,
we found he was dead and his wife too :;
and that the child, who was only a
month old, wa, gouc-no one knew
where. He'd give half his money 10
know.
Thank God. thank Cod the other
said; .thi- j. good news indeed. Poor
little Kitty: Thank God! and he cover
ed his face with his hands aud cried
For some time the butler could only
gaze AT him in astoni-hmcnt; ~ last he
said:
And who NAV yoJ; be, sir: and what
do YOU know OF the child
4 am her grandfather too. the man
said. And the child j. asleep in the
next room
4 am glad the butler said cxciicdly.
'av, n 1lad ~ ii il was my own. But
wiz did YOU never come before:
know master advertised i'll every paper.
j never saw them. only knew that
he had been written for on the same day
had. lie never came, and supposed
would not. buried my child aud her
husband. and took the baby. and have
kept II ever since. And | love her A. |
loved her mother before her. But she
j. over five wear, old now; and |
thought that ii wa, time To TRY il hen
grandiather-wh believed had never
forgiven his son. even when he knew
he wa- diving would now take hi,
-on, child Thank God that. from
what Won say. lie Will do SOL
DO so'' the butler said; proud "A,
Sir John i--and he is proud-thcrc j.,
nothing in the world lc would not have
done to find her out
The conversation lasted some time
longer. and then Mr.. Mcrrion took hi,
Leave, and went straight home. without,
~ Mr.. Malin's great di>appoin tmcmt,
revealing one word Of what had taken
place at the long and my>tcriou, inter-
view.
The next evening Sir John Barton
wa- sitting alone after hi dinner 4
tall. stately man, but with marks OF
deep sorrow upon his face. \ proud,
reserved mau. the world said. and in
hi youth no doubt truly: reserved
man still. but scarcely prou one. At
tie present moment Sir John was won
dering over The behavior OF his Dutler,
John Merrion, at dinner John wa.
ordinarily one OF the most staid aud
re- pcctiul of dome>tics, but John had
behaved throughout dinner in "A man
ncr quite unlike himself Ii such thing
had not been out of the question. he
should have said that John Merrion was
drunk. He had broken two glasses,
he had spilled the wine in filling up his
glasses, and the mans eyes were GER
tainly full of tears. His master had
asked him what was the matter, and he
had replied, Nothing. Sir John: but of
course something was the matter;
although, as the iootman was in the
room, Sir John had passed the matter
over. Sir John now turned it over in
his mind. John Merrion had been a
widowcr for years. and hi, only son
was now head-groom. Perhaps one of
hi, children was i'll. Sir John had heard
nothing OF it, but he thought he would
ring and ask. At this moment the door
opened "A little, and the sound of a man
CRYING was distinctly heard through it,
and then the baronet thought he was
dreaming, when child with long,
golden hair, with a blue ribbon round
her head. came up towards him, with
an air half timid, yet frank and con
fidcnt, and putting her hand in his,
said:
'Pleasc, grandpa, my name is Kitty
Barton, and am come to stay with you
and love you. Please, this is papa's
likeness, and letter."
And she held out a gold locket, and
letter directed in the well remember
ed handwriting Of his dead son.
For a moment the baronet sat speech
less. Then, with a cry of, THANK God, l.,
thank God for his mercy!" he caught
the child up and held her to his heart,
while his tears rained down upon her
sunny head.
DON'T cry. grandpa don't cry, she
said, presently beginning to sob her
self at the sight of his emotion. ''If
grandpa sorry, Kitty go away again.
mo, no, my child am not sorry ;
| am only glad, only very thankful you
have come"
Kitty looked up little doubtfully.
kitty never cries when she is glad" /"
she said ''she cry when she huIt her
self"
For sometime the baronet held her
closely in his arms kissing her; then,
when he became calmer, he put her
down on the rug before the fire, placed
the letter and portrait.by to be exam