Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1873-07-07
MONDAY MORNING, JULY 7. 1878.


Never see hsr-uever speak to her. I am
not one lightly to make or break promise; and
l solemnly promise that, should you repeat
your foolish avowal 10 Gertrude, and should
she be weak enough TO listen to It, instead OF
bringing you the fortune with which 1t has been
my purpose to endow her, she shall come to
You beggar.'
you do me rank injustice replied George,
whose cheek flushed by the intimation which
has just escaped you. have never thought Of
Miss Gray with an eye to any prospects she
may have in connection with your fortune.
have loved her for her own sake
Then for her sake desist from a scheme
which, If successful, must reduce har to beggary.
IL you possess q 1.-THE ofthe unsel6shness you
profess you will heed this warning and go your
way. have other and different plans for Ger
trude.'
A moments reflection convinced George that,
harsh as Mr.. Peyton's words were, In one re-
spect they were just
It would be selfshnsss to persist In seeking
happiness at the cost of her whom he pretend
ed TO love.
I shall leave this place Tomorrow he said,
and turned away.
The morning papers announced the loss of
great steamer, bound for San Francisco.-
Nearly all on board had perished and among
the names Of the lost was that of George
Hayne.
Gertrude Gray swooned when she read t,and
Mr. Peyton felt not quite at ease in his con-
science.
That evening, as be stood moodlly In his
study be was interrupted by visitor, woman
whose form, once tall, was bent with age, and
whose wrlnkled face and wild, dark eye had
something sinister in them.
Pray be seated and explain the reason of your
visit, madam said Mr.. Peyton. pointing to
chair. Taking the profiered seat she remained
for time silent, gazing intently on the face be-
fore her.
Time had craven deep lines upon 1t, and sor-
row deeper still. As she perused them, smile
of satisfaction, more like shadow than smile
fitted over her face.
You had son once, she said.
The lines grew deeper on the face she was
studying, and panied expression came over
i, too, had a son. she continued, IAN only
one, as yours was. In sudden afiray, he had
| the misfortune, in moment Of passion, to s!ay
his antagonist, who was quite as blamable as
himself. The Jury decided 1t murder, but re-
commended him to mercy. s,rhe Judge Joined Ia
petition for cemency. My boys life was in
| your hands. begged it of you on my knees
The law had intrusted you with the dispensa-
tion Of mercy,b but you had no mercy. You turn
| ed aside from nv prayers, and my son was left
|, to die feon's DEATH
Godfrey Peyton remembered now the face
that had often haunted him since the day it had
| heen turned pleadingly upon him, and yiyidly
recalled tho look of anguish it had worn when
he spoke the relentless words that crushed hope
out of mothers heart.
That day. she resumed, Il took an oath to
make you feel, il possible all that felt. stole
away your child
My chilj!' Is he alive?'
L ;ota Toto oI, l.e.,
TO mourn him as dead. took to him distance
and reared him as my own. bore no malice
| toward him. only hated you. brought him
up tenderly. educated him as my moderate
means would allow, and felt thankful that in
inhicting punishment on the father, had been
enabled to do it with so little injury TO the
i child
| is lie alives' cried the old man piteously.-
| Speak, woman!-have you no mercy?'
it. she answered. -tr nal your sud rs 1rtyt- ailye
i and thai your conscience may accuse you of
i bis DEATH is the reason am here. The Young
man you drove away because he presumed to
/ love one for whom your pride had prepared ethor
plans. VS. your own sor! Before he went, he
/ confded TO me the cause Of his going; and on
reading the announcement of his fate resolv-
ed that you should feel over again the agony of
| parents bereavement, heightened now by the
sting of remorse.'
Your story is falser he cried, springing up
"a devilish invention got up to torture me! But
will put you to the proof
sMy son bore a mark upon his person, put
there clandestinely by an old nurse In India,
when we travelled In that country, who attach
ed some superstition to 1t. Ifthe child you say
YOU reared was my son, you must have seen
and can describe that mark
"A serpent's head and some strange charac-
ters in India ink, on the left arm below the ell
bow wa the answer.
Dayt ofs md fall into ta
chair from which he had risen. He seemed
, as one stunned by terrible blow.
| The woman stood over him for moment
. peering down into his anguish stricken face with
look of triumph, and then walked quietly
4 away.
: Good news good news!' cried Gertrude
$ | bursting into the room. The evening paper
e corrects the report Of this morning. George
n Hayne Is among the saved, and has alread,
reached New York
But her words were needed not. The OLE
- man lay in his chair unconscious. He wa
Ie placed upon his bed; and on yeturning to him
e self, and on being informed of Georges safe
ty-
Send for him, he whispered eagerly ,'let ther
A. be no delay
Then he called for his will, and when it wa
N brought kept it in his hand.
~ ~ Has he come yet?' was the question he re
= peated, as often as lie had strength.
nj When at last the young man was conducte
!. to his late employers bedside, the latter wit
eager trembling hands turned back the sleev
a. ofGeorge's coat so rs to expose the left arm.
- MY Ernest!-my son" he exclaimed; an
r raising himself with sudden strength, he clasl
Ia ed the young man to his heart.
IN Bear witness, all, he said; "ths is my son.
b, These marks, poiuting to certain devices ia
ne tooed on Georges arm, 'prove it, as does tn
st testimony of the woman who stole him ava
and reared him as her own, aud whom l sa
ne and conversed with last night. 1t now only r,
h. mains to cancel this taking his will and tea
e. ing 1t into fragments.
ID Geoffrey Peyton would fain have lived (,
his sons sake, but 1t was not so to be. The r,
|, cent shock proved to much for his strength, ,an
5, not many days after he sank to rest In Ernest
ey arms.
Our story would be incomplete if we failed I
he mention that Ernest Pevton and Gertrude Ora
III in due time, were happily married.
M What became of the distant relative "
don't know, and don't suppose anybody care
ch ~ Y. Ledger.
hit