The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1874-03-05
ion, I only hated vou.

coward him. | only hated you.
brought him up tenderly, educated
him as we'll as my moderate means
would allow. and felt thankful that
in inAicting punishment on the
father, I hadbeen enabled to do il
with SO little injury to the child"
"Is he alive 7" cried the old man
piteously. "Speak, woman have
you no mercy T.
"You had none when I sought to
appeal to it, she answered. "That
your son is not alive, and that your
conscience may accuse you OF his
death. is the reason | am hero. The
young man you drove away because
he presumed to love one for whom
your pride had prepared other plans,
was your own son Before he went
he conGdei TO me the cause OF his
going and on reading the eannounce-
ment Of his fate, l resolved that you
should feel over again the agony OF a
parent Bereavement, heightened now
by the fierce sting OF remorse."
Your story is false I" he cried,
springing up--"a fiendish invention
gotten up to torture me! But will
put you to the proof. My son bore
n mark upon his person, put there
clandestinely by an old nurse in India,
when we travelled in that country,
who attached some superstition 70 it.
If the child you say you reared was
my SOP, you must have seen, and can
describe that mark
a. serpent head aud some strange
characters, in India ink, on the left
arm below tho elbow" was tho an
swor.
Geoffrcy Pcyton staggered, and
fell into the chair from which he had
risen. lie seemed as one stunned
by terrible blow. The woman stood
over him for o moment, pcoring down
into his anguish stricken face with q
look of triumph, and then walked
quietly away.
Good news good news !" cried
Gertrude, bursting into the room.
The evening paper corrects the re.
port of this morning George
Haynes is among the saved, and has
already reached New York.
Bnt her words were needed not.
The old man lay in his chair uncon.
scious. He was placed upon his bed ;
and on returning TO himself, and be-
ing informed of Georges safety,
"Seud for him." hAwhisperod eagerly
-"let there be nUdelay.
Then no called Cor his will. and
when it was brought, kept it in his
hand
HAS he come yet ?" was the ques
ton ho repeated as often as he had
strength.
When at last tho young man came,
and was conducted TO his late em-
ployers bedside, the latter, with ca
ger trembling hands, turned back
the sleeve Of George's coat 30 as to
expose the arm.
MY Ernest my son !" he ex.
claimed and raising himself with
sudden strength, he clasped the
young man to his breast.
"Bear witness, all, he said: this is
my son. These marks" pointing TO
certain devices tattooed on Georges s
arm. "prove it, rs does the testimony
of the woman who stole him away
and reared him as her own, and whom
saw and conversed with last night.
II now only remains to cancel this. ="
Taking his will, aud tearing IL in
fragments.
Geoffrey Peyton would fain have
lived for his sons sake, but it was
not SO to be The recent shock
proved too much for his strength /;
and not many days after he sank to
rest in his sons arms.
Our story would be incomplete if
we failed to mention that Ernest Pey
ton and Gertrude Gray, in due time,
were happily married. What bo-
came of the distant relative, we don't
know, and don't suppose anybody
roc