Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-01-06

the sentence.
you wrong my father" said Tres
silian, his blue eyes kindling, when the
vessel had righted. "He is the noblest
man in the world. lie will welcome my
friends as his own. You Will love him.
Jasper, as do. when you know him."
"He doesn't seem very atfectionaie,
remarked Lowder. You have been
away from your home for five years, and
he has but just recalled you"
Young Tressllian's check flushed, ms
Lowder saw in the luril glow that mo-
mentarily lighted up the tempes'uous
scene.
you know, or can guess, the reason.
Jasper he said, with something OF an
effort. "My father has a ward, the
daughter of an old friend. All! hear
that wind shrek The gale is increasing'
Yes" assented Lowder. "And the
ward is Miss Irby-the golden-haired
Blanche of whom you have talked so
much. and whom you have exchanged
lcttcrS?H
Yes. My father formed project to
have me marry Blanche. He did not
wish US to grow up together, lest we
should learn TO regard each other rs
brother and sister. When Blanche came
to live at the Court my father sent me TO
Germany. The night before | lett home,
he called me into his library and told me
all his hopes and plans for my future, and
cntreatcd me to continue worthy of his
innocent ward, and to keep my heart pure
for her. have done So, Jasper. | have
never yet loved any woman. And yes.
lcrday received my fathers summons to
come home. lie has recalled mo alter
liyeNears OF absence. know the wish
that lies nearest his heart. He wants me
to return and marry Blanche. shrink
from the proposed marriage. | dread
going home. And dread offending my
dear father, whom love better than any
woman. 1t is hard. Jasper. to revolt
against the hopes and plans Of Kind and
generous father, whose very love Tor me
causes him to urge on this marriage"
is it?" said Lowler dryly, and with a
strange smile full of sneering bitterness.
My experience has been widely different
from yours, Tressilian. Did | ever tell
You of my father2"
NO. took il rog granted that he is
dead"
Perhaps he is. don't know" said
Iowdcr, with 4 reckless laugh. But it
lie is living, he is scoundrel. Don't
start. Tressilian, at my untiial speech
Wait till you hear my story. | am in a
desperate mood tonight. This storm
stirs up all the bad within me. As near
IL rs | can discover, my father was the
younger son OF proud old county
family
You do not know, ihen?" asked Tres.
silian. pressing his companions hand
II have no proof of it All positive
" know is this. Ny mother was of hum
bic station, pretty, with blue eyes and an
apple. blossom face, and tender, appeal
ing ways. She was The daughter of a
willow, residing ut 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 landlady's daughter. He
offered the young girl marriage. on con.
di,iun that the union should be kept Sc
crct until his affairs frightened and he
chose TO divulge ii. The young girl
loved him. Her mother was ambitious
and penurious. The result was, the lover
had his way. and married the daughter
Of the landlady quietly, almost secretly.
Then he took his bride 10 London, 10
cheap and obscure lodgings. where, a
year later, WAS born"
The wind for moment drowned his
voice. As it presently lulled. he resum-
ed recklessly, and with passionate bitter
ness:
For years my mother and lived in
those stulfy, obscure lodgings until her
bloom had faded, and she had grown thin
and wan and nervous. My father visited
us at stated seasons, once or twice 4 week
but he never brought any of his family 10
call upon us. ] doubt if his aristocratic
relatives even suspected the existence of
the faded wife and son of whom he was
secretly ashamed. | have good reasons
to believe that he had fine lodgings at
the West End, where he was supposed to
he a bachelor, and that he went into
fashionable society, while my poor moth
or and | lived obscurely. He was n
prohigate and Ioue, but be had an air
OF fashion that awakened my boyish ad-
miration, and aroused my mothers al
tcctionate pride in him. She was always
pleading to be introduced to his relatives.
and to have her son publicly acknowledge
ed. But my father always pat her off,
saying that be was not re dy. Worn out
and despairing, my mother died when |
was ten years old"
Again the wind shrieked past. again
little vessel lurched the sea sweeping hel
deck.
The captain screamed his orders to his