The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1874-05-14
FOILEO REVENGE.

A proud stern man was GeOffre
Peyton, and rich withal in wealt
and honors.
He had won distinction at the bs
and on the bench.
How deeply his proud heart ha
suffered, those familiar only with hi
cold and naughty bearing woul
ba, been surprised to know.
Not very early in lite he had ma
ried one whom he had long love
with an ardent devotion, often char
acteristic of men like him, and {
which weaker natures are incapable
In his early struggle with povert
he had kept his love a secret.
He would have suffered his hear
to break sooner than have had
whispered he was seeking advar
tage through an alliance with ric
Ronald Mason's daughter.
But when he could hold up hi
head with the highest in the land
he no longer hesitated to speak i
the words he had been so long wal,
ing to utter, and which Alice Maso
had been SO long waiting to hear.
A few years of unalloyed felicity
followed their marriage.
Though proud and stern as eve
to the outside world, not the SANE
man was Geoffrey Peyton at home
his wife by his side and his bright
eyed boy prattling on his knee.
There he forgot his pride, excep
the pride he felt in those he loved
forgot the fame and ambition an
greatness, and remembered onl,
that he was happy.
Then came a blow which fell non
tn e lighter on the proud mans hea
because he gave no sign of yielding
Death crossed his threshold an
took from him his wife and then b
child.
The last of these bereavement;
was peculiarly distressing.
The child had gone for wal
with his nurse by the river side, an
in moment of inattention on Ii
part of the nurse, had strayed out ,
sight.
Soon after his hat was found fos
ing on the water.
Alarm was given, search wa
made, the river was dragged ; b.
in vain. The child was nowhere
be found. The body, no doubt, ha
been borne out by the tide.
Geoffrey Peyton bore his loss
silence.
What his grief was no one kne,
f,r no one was allowed to look upc
it, and sympathy he would have r
sented as an impertinence.
Years sped by, and Geoffrey Pc
ton had crown to be an old man.
his death, his large fortune woul
descend by law to distant relativ
q young man whose avarice kept hi
from all costly vices, and who, a
vices being costly, enjoyed, in co
sequence, an excellent reputation.
But Mr.. Peyton had opinions
his own as to the disposition of b
property.
Like many men Of his cast. |
he an aversion to the division
estates /; and while not inclined
disinherit his kinsman, of whom
knew nothing but his reputatio
which, we have already said vi
good, there was one other who's
claims he felt it to be unjust to owe
look.
He had brought up In his hous
, and in some sort adopted, Gertru(
Gray the orphan daughter of'a frier
to whom he had been beholden
J his days of struggle, and had die
, leaving his only child destitdte.
Mr.. Peyton's plans duly set for
J in his will, was to settle his proper
! in equal proportions on Gertru'
! and his kinsman, provided they ma
ried each other in given period.
If either declined the match, Il
!. share of the one who declined W
to go to the other and il both d
clined, the whole was to be given
trust for certain charities.
Two months after the occurrenc
of which we speak, George Hay
had sought and obtained emplo
ment of Mr.. Peyton as his secretar
The young man proved faithi
and diligent, manifesting, moreove
qualities of intellect, which indu"'
his employer to encourage the dev
ton of his leisure time to course
legal study.
. George made SO good use of /
opportunities, that at the end of t,
years he was prepared for admissi
to the bar.
He had learned other things b
sides law in the meantime.
He had learned, for instance, he
pretty Gertrude Gray was, and he
devotedly he loved her; though
. was too straightforward to tell b
) so without first asking permission
{ Mr.. Peyton, with whom at last
: sought an interview for that purpol
Modestly, but unreservedly, t
young man explained the state
his feelings, and was about to G
press hope that he might be allow
: to speak to Gertrude herself on t
subject, when Mr.. Peyton cut
short.
els this the return you make 1
my confidence" he exclaimed, "y
whom Ihave trusted and taken
: much interest in ?"
81 am unconscious, sir, of havi
abused your trust, or ill-requit
J. your Kindness" replied the you
with q touch of the others pride
his manner "nor can ! percei
aught that is reprehensible In {
J. honest attachment have this d
declared for Gertrude Gray"
3 g "Would you do her q service p