Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-10-20

"My dear little GIRL" said DIR. Hunt,
when EVo was at length able to ride out,
will you tell me your name ?"
knew it."
Eyes, know your name is Eva, but
fathers name.'
Eva Durant. Mr.. Durant is my papa"
Yes now l want you 10 tell me all you
can remember about your father and moth
er."
Eva's eyes filled with tears ooh, sir,
my mama. died and went to live with
the angels. And 1 do not know where
father is. He said if I never saw him
| sgaln L must know he had gone to mama" "
! Where were you when he told you
this ?"
''On The ship; and oh, the fire burned
ne SO; and papa held me in his arms until
a strange man took me and tied something
under my arms, and threw me into the
water, and have not seen papa since. 0,
| sir, can you tell me where he is %
mo dear child; but perhaps we may yet
| find him."
And this was all thai Eva's new friend
could discover. 1t was plain that she had
come from the ship which had been burn
| ed few weeks before; that she had been
cast upon the sea and had doated upon the
shore; but where was her father? Had he
been saved; and was he searching for his
child ? Every possible effort was now
made to find him. The circumstances of
the case, with the statement of the child,
were published fully in the newspapers of
the neighboring cities; but the grief-strick-
en- father, believing his child to be lost,
had sailed week before for Europe, and
it soon became evident in the minds of
Eva's protectors, that he had perished.-
But the little one still prattled about her
''papa," and said he would come by-and-
by, and those who believed differently
would not pain her by contradiction.
The square and compass that had been
found upon her clothing was regarded as
powerful appeal from Mason to his
brethren to care for his child. So it came
to pass that Eva became as il were, the
special charge of Hiram Lodge, No. 90.
Mr.. Turner would gladly have taken the
entire care Of the little waif, and the
lowed to adopt her as his daughter, but
the Brethren IN Lodge assembled, declared
by vote that Eva should be reared, edu-
Gated and protected by the Lodge, and
that as Providence had placed her in
Brother Turner's house that should be her
home.
And go the years went by, and Eva be-
came healthy, joyous child, fitting here
and there, and everywhere meeting the
was but few rods from Mr.. Turner's
residence, and Eva often went with him |
as far as the door, and then returned |
alone, always bidding the Tiler "take good
care of Pa Turner and send him home |
early"
CHAPTER III.
The six years that followed the death OF |
his wife and the loss of his child, passed |
wearily to James Durant. He visited nearly |
NJ
among scenes of beauty and grandeur as
we'll AS historic interest for the mental rest !
that could never be found. Once more |
he turned his steps towards America and |
sought his Masonic friend, Mr.. Wads- |
worth. Finding that gentleman about
setting ont with his family on a journey
to the Atlantic coast, Mr.. Durant accepted
the invitation to accompany them to Sara
toga, and Niagara, then to New York, |
and MIR. Durant wandered from town to !
town along the coast, enjoying the beauty |!
Of the scenery and the quiet hospitality |
that greeted them, more than the crowded |
hotels anu the fashionable styles of the |
popular watering places Fancy and the
kind hand of Providence at length led
them to the little town of B, and the |
second evening after their arrival they
visited the Masonic Lodge. A warm well
such distant homes, and both were invited |
to address the Lodge. Mr.. Durant said i
Brethren have travelled much and |
long. I have found Masonic sympathy in
every part Of the globe, and everywhere is |
masonry substantially the same. I can |
hardly tell where I reside. The world |
seems to be my home. as I remain but |
short time in any town or country, but my
name is recorded in an English Lodge
r L IScI e. Al q
brought me from darkness to light" and |
love English soil, for within it sleeps the
wife of my youth. But I love American
soil also. for here have found the warm
est welcomes, the kindest of brethren. -
And, 300, my own child is sleeping in
American water, even beneath the very
waves that wash the shores OF your beauti-
full village"
"Six years have PASSED since this dear
friend and brother robbed himself of his
life-preserver that my little Eva might
perhaps escape, and we hoped the ele-
ments might be kind, and that Heaven
would send her relief but she was never
heard of more"
The voice of Mr.. Durant was quivering
with emotion, and unable to speak further,
he seated himself.
Chances of surprise and pleasure were
cast from one to another among the breth-
Iou OA hhhW IOuBo' NO Ou0 spoke, now
ever, but all eyes turned upon the Master
Mr.. Turner. For a moment he seemed
rejecting; then taking a slip of paper from
the Secretary, he wrote
"Mrs. Turner-Do not ALLOW Eva to re-
| tire until I return home. L am going to
bring a strange gentleman who wishes to
see her." And calling the Junior Deacon
gave him the note. saying in a low voice.
| ''Take this TO Mrs. Turner, Immediately"
"Why, Eva" said Ms. Turner, when
she had read the message, "you are to
have company. A gentleman at the lodge
room wishes to see you"
"Who can il be 2"
Eva looked perplexed and thoughtful;
suddenly her cheeks flushed, her eyes
Frightened and clapping her little hand,
she sprang to- her feet and exclaimed: "Oh,
it must be papa no one else would wish
| to see me; no one in the world" and be
fore Mrs. Turner comprehended the
child's Interpretation, she had passed the
threshold, and was fitting through the
moonlight toward the lodge room. The
Tiler looked amazed when Eva burst into