Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1871-01-04

fs tto(l. Asi 1854
might have been expected, he fell in love wit
his landladys daughter. He then offered th
young girl marriage, on condition that th
union should be kept secret until bis affair
frightened and he chose to divulge it. Th
young girl loved him. Her mother was am
bltlous and penurlous. The result was tn
lover had his way, and married the daughte
OF his landlady quietly, almost secretly. Thel
he took his bride to London, to cheap and OBJ
scure lodgings, where, year later, I was born.
The wind for moment drowned his voice
AS it presently lulled, he resumed recklessI,
and with passionate bitterness:
'For years my mother and lived in thos,
stuffy, obscure lodgings until her bloom had
faded, and she had grown thin and wan ant
nervous. My father visited us at stated sea-
sons, once or twice week, but he never
brought any of his family to call upon U.S.
doubt if his aristocratic 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 mother and
lived obscurely. He was a proflipate and .
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, say
ing that he was not ready. Worn out and
despairlng, my mother died when was ten
years old"
Again the wind shrieked past, again the lit
tie vessel lurched, the sea sweeping her deck.
The captain screamed his orders to his men,
and for few minutes disorder reigned
IA nasty bit of weather !" said Lowder. "And
a bad sky |" -9
eyes, but I've seen as bad" returned Tres
silian. ''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"
'But the seven miles in this storm are worse
than seventy in good weather. ''These coasts
are dangerous, Iressilian."
Lowder shuddered as he surveyed sea and
sky;
But about your father, Jasper ?" said Tres
silian, who had become deeply interested in his
companions story. t'What did he do after
your mothers death?''
| remained at the old lodgings with our
single old servant a month or more, my faith
Ell visiting me several timcs and expressing
anxiety as to what he should do with me. <
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
ors be 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, and was
grown miserly. He promised her five hundred
pounds year to keep me, and to keep also
the secret of my paternity, solemnly promis-
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. I never saw my father again. /
went to school, grew up, and at the age of
tWenty-one came into my grandmothers mon
ey the fruits of years of saving, she diving at
that time. Ny father had deliberately aban-
doned me. / did not know where to seek him,
Of l had wished to. took my money and
lame abroad 1 have 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 your
father abandon you2"
''Then he might be freed of encumbrance to
make grand marriage. From what my grand
mother said at different times, conclude that
my father was in love with 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. l have fancy that I shall meet him
some day" and Jasper's brow darkened to
deeper blackness. However, I stand no chance
of ever receiving justice at his hands"
''What is your fathers name, Jasper?" asked
Tressilian.
Lowders face darkened. He bit his lip saw
agely.
''What have told you about myself learn
ed from my own observation, or from chance
words of my parents and grandmother. My
mothers maiden name was Jeanette Lowder
At our London lodgings, my father bore the
name of Lowder. don't know his real name,
but should know his face anywhere, although
have not seen him in thirteen years. NY
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. ALI that could under
stand of her mumblings was the name of Dew
ereux. shall never forget that name-sDEv-
EREUXs Probably that was my fathers name
my own rightful name. But as I should
never find him if I sought him, and he would
repulse me if I did find him, stand no chance
Of inheriting his property. He may. be dead
He may have other sonsswho have succeeded
him. 1t is all a mystery, but the prominent
truth is that am an oHtcast, poor, disowned
and friendless.'
He leaned over the bulwark, the spray dash
ing over his face violently
Tressilian's heart warmed to him.
''My poor friend!" he said. ssMust say
again you are not friendless while i've NV
father has influence enough to obtain for you
government appointment. This tangle may
straighten itself out some day. But if it DON'T
you are resoiute enough to make your own
happiness"
He grasped Lowder's hand, and looked with
warm bright eyes, full of sympathy, into Low
ders lowering face.
There had been temporary lull in the storm
But as the two stood there. the tempest re-
vived and swept over the wild sea in maddened
rage t ~
There was no time for talking now The
wind rose so 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
groaning, mere cookie shell on the pillows.
Mother of Mercies!" walled the captain.
sits 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 q
Pandemonium laigned.
Then a noise like the report of 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.
A 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
a rocky beach of the Sicilian shore, sore,
bruised, and weak as child.
He opened his eyes. The wind had spent
it's 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 " / am cast
ashore, while the others are drowned! Oh,
this is terrible I have lost my best friend
tonight |"
He emoaned and wrung his hands.
"He is dead, who would have done so much
for me, and 1, so worthless, am saved! All my
hopes of an easy AID luxurious life must be
resigned now!"
At that moment he beheld dark object at
little distance in the water. The waves
hurled this object against the projecting head
of 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