The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1871-01-14

For years my mother and lived in those
stuffy, obscure lodgings until 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.
doubt II his arlstocratic relatives even sus-
pected the existence of the faded wife and
son OF whom he was secretly ashamed
have good reason to believe that he had fine
lodgings at the West End, where he was sup
posed to be bachelor, and that he went into
fashionable society, while my poor mother and
l lived obscurey He was a profiigate and a
rogue, but he had an air of fashion that awak-
ened my boyish admiration, and aroused my
mothers affectionate pride in him. She was
always pleading to be introduced to his rela-
tlves, and to have her son publicly acknowl-
edged. But my father always put her off,
saying that he was not yet ready. Worn out
and despalrlng, my mother died when was
ten years old"
tie vessel lurched, the sea sweeping her deck
The captain screamed his orders to his men,
and for few minutes disorder reigned
"a nasty bit of weather 7" said Lowder ''And
a bad skyi"
'Yes, but I've seen as bad" returned Tres
sllian. I'VE shall make port all right, never
fear. We must be well on toward the Cape di
Gallo. And its 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 dangerous, Tressilian."
! Lowder shuddered as he SURVEYED sea ard
| sky.
'But about your father Jasper ?" said Tres
silian, who had become deeply Interested in his
companions story. what did he DO after
your mothers death?"
| Il remained at the old lodgings with our
| single old servant a month or more, my faith
or visiting me several times, and expressing
anxiety az 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. My father came into riches and hon
CTs DC 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 dodgers, AID was
grown misery. He promised her five hundred
pounds year to keep me, and to keep also
the secret of my paternity, soemnly proms-
| 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 money. never saw my father again.
went to school, grew up, and at the age of
| twenty-one came into my grandmother's mon
ey; the fruits of years of saving, she dying at
| that time. My father had deliberately aban-
| doned me- [ did not know where to seek him.
| Of L had wished to. l took my money and
lame abroad. l have been two years on the
Continent, and had spent my little fortune
Gan odd romantic story! But why did your
| father abandon you?'
"Then he might be freed of encUmbrance to
| make grand marriage. From what nv grand
| mother said at different times, / conclude that
| my father was in love with a titled lady before
my mothers death. No doubt he married this
| lady. If he lives this lady's son may be his
| acknowledged heir. My father has utterly dis
owned the son of his first hasty, ill-starred mar
| rage have fancy that 1 shall meet him
| some day" and Jasper's brow darkened to
deeper blackness. However Il stand no chance
of ever receiving justice at his hands,
What Is your fathers name, Jasper" asked
| Tressilian.
| Lowder's face darkened. He bit his lip say
agely.
| What have told you about myself learn
| ed from my OWE observation, or from chance
words of my parents and grandmother Ny
| mothers maiden name was Jeanette Lowder
At our London lodgings, my father bore the
| name of Lowder. l don't know his real name
but should know his face anywhere, although
[ have not seen him in thirteen years Nv
| mother was actually married, Tressilian but
never heard my fathers name. The clergy
man who married my mother was dead: the
| witnesses also. When my grandmother was
dying she tried to tell me the story. She had
put it off too long. All that could under
| stand of her mumblings was the name of Dew
ereux. l shall never forget that name-DEv-
EREUx' Probably that was my fathers name
my own rghtful name But as / should
never find him if I sought him, and he would
repulse me if did find him. 7 stand no chance
de may have other sons who have succeeded
him. 1t is all a mystery, but the prominent
truth Is that am an outcast, poor, disowned
| and friendless"
| He leaned over the bulwark the spray DASH
| ing over his face violently.
| 1resslllans heart warmed to him.
| my poor friend" he said .'Must | saw
again you are not friendless while live. Nv
| father has influence enough to obtain for YOU
a government appointment. This tangle may
straighten itself out some day But if it don't.
| you are resolute enough to make YOUR own
| happiness"
He grasped Lowders hand. and looked with
warm bright eyes, full of sympathy. into Low
| ders lowering face
There had been temporary lul in the storm
But as the two stood there. the tempest re-
vived and swept over the wild sea IN maddened
rage.
There was no time for talking now The
wind rose 80 high that words would scarcely
| have been distinguished. The storm that had
| gone before had been but play to this awful
| outburst The vessel drove on creaking and
| grooming, mere cookie shell on the pillows
Mother of Mercies!" walled the captain.
Its all up with us. signores. | can't make
out the Cape in this darkness. We shall go on
| the rocks. St Anthony save us!'
The seamen echoed his cries.
| The two young Englishmen, comprehending
their peril clasped hands in silence.
For the next few minutes it seemed that a
Pandemonium reigned.
Then noise like the report of a cannon
| suddenly doomed through the storm and the
darkness. The little vessel shivered, stagger-
ed, and careened upon her side.
She had struck upon rock.
few moments of buffetings and tossings
OF vain struggles and agonized, involuntary
prayer, and then Jasper Lowder felt his senses
slip from him, and became unconscious.
When he came to himself, he was lying upon
rocky beach of the Sicilian shore, sore,
bruised, and weak as child
He opened his eyes. The wind had spent
its fury, and now moaned along the coast with
desolate, despairing wall The waves beat
against the rocks.
Lowder struggled to his elbow.
Wrecked =" he muttered 81 am cast
ashore, while the others are drowned Oh,
this is terrible / have lost my best friend
tonight ~
He moaned and wrung his hands
He is dead, who would have done so much
for me- and l, SO worthless, am saved All my
hopes of an easy AID luxurious life must be
resigned nowi"
At that moment he beheld dark object at
a little distance in the water The waves
hurled this object against the projecting head
of a sunken rock At the same instant Low
der recognized it as the body of a man.
He crept toward it, and the waters dashed
the body on the shore at his feet. He put his |
hands ON the face How cold and wet it was |!
1t felt like the face of a dead man! Lowder's |
fingers came In contact with the soft, silken |
mustache, and he knew that the body was that |
of Guy Tressilianl
c.