Litchfield enquirer., 1871-01-05
Young Tressilian's cheeks flushed, as lowder saw in the lurid glow that momen-

4Oun8 1feSSliiAHS ChocnS AuSneu. HS Lowder saw in the lurid glow that momen- tarily lighted up the tempestuons scene. "You know, or can guess the reason, Jasper" he said, with something of an effort. My father has . ward the daugh, ter of an old friend. Ah hear that wind shriek ]! Tae gale is increasing ' is Miss Irby--the goldep-haired Blanche of whom you have talked 50 much and with whom you have exchanged letters?
 "Yes. Nv father formed project to have me marry Blanche. He did not wish us to grow up together, lest we should l learn to regard each other as brother and sister. When Blanche came to live at the l Court my fa.her sent me to Germany. The night before left home, he called me in, to his library and told me all his hopes and plans for my future, and entreated me to continue worthy of his innocent ward, and 1 to keep my heart pure for her. | have done so, Jasper. have never yet loved any woman. And yesterday received my fathers summons to come home. He
 has recalled me after five years of absence. 1 know the wish that lies nearest his heart. 1 He wants me to return and marry Blanche. shrink from the proposed marriage. l dread going home. And dread offending my dear father. whom love better than any woman. It is hard, Jasper to revolt against the hope and plans of kind and generous father, whose very love for me caused him to urge on this marriage! '.Is it ?" said Lowder dryly, and with a strange smile full of sneering bitterness. My experience has been widely different from yours, Tressiiian. Did 1 ever tell you of my father?"
 "No. I took It for granted that he is dead"
 'Perhaps he is. I don't know" said Lowder, with reckless laugh. ''But if he is living, he is scoundrel. Don't start, Tressilian, at my unfiIial speech. Wait till you hear my story. am in desperate mood tonight This storn, stirs up all the bad within me- As nearly IS I can discov- CT, my father was the younger son of a proud old country family
 s.You do not know then?" asked Tressil. ian, pressing his companions hand.
 q have no proofs of it. All positive ly know is this. My mother was of hum- ble station, pretty, with blue eyes and an apple blossom face, and tender, appealing ways. She was the daughter of widow residing at Brighton. The widow. my grandmother, kept 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 land lady's daughter. He 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 mother 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 Lon- don, to cheap and obscure lougings, where, a year later, was born."
 Tke wind for Q moment drowned his voice. As it presently lulled, he resumed recklessly, and with passionate bitterness:
 s'For years my mother and lived in 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. I doubt if his aristocratic relatives even suspected the existence of the faded wife and son of whom he was se- cretly ashamed. have good reason to be- Geve that he had fine lodgings at the West End, where he was supposed to be bach elor, and that he went into fashionable so- ciety, while my poor mother and lived obscurely. He was prohlgate and roue, but he had an air of fashion that awaken cd my boyish admiration, and aroused my mothers afectionate pride in him. She was always pleading to be introduced to his relatives, 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, the sea sweeping her deck.
 The captain screamed his orders to his men, and for few minutes disorder reign ed.
 "A nasty bit of weather" said Lowder. ''And bad sky!"
 ..Yes, but I've seen as bad" returned Tressilian. "We shall make port all right. Never fear. We must be we'll on toward the Cape di Gallo. And it's only seven miles from the Cape to Palermo"
 ''Bnt the seven miles in this storm are worse than seventy in good weather. These coasts are dangerous, Ire slii n.
 Lowder shuddered as he surveyed the sea and sky.
 ''But about your father, Jasper?'' said Tressilian. who had become deeply interest ed in his companions story. "What did he do after your mothers death?"
 II remained at the old lodgings with 8 single old servant, month or more, my father visiting me several times. and ex- pressing 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 bis horse. My 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 sons were dead; she had given up keeping lodgers, and was grown miserly. He promised her five hundred pounds year too keep me, and to keep also the secret of my paternity, solemnly promised 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. I never saw my father again. I went to school, grew up, and at the age of twenty one came into the possession of my grand mothers money, the fruits of years of sav- ing, she dying at that time.. My father had deliberately abandoned me. did not know where to seek him, if had wished to. took my money and came abroad. had been two years on the Continent, and had spent my little fortune when met you, The rest you know"
 "An odd, romantic story! But why did