The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1874-04-17

with which it has been my promise
to endow her, she shall come to you
a beggar like yourself"
"You do me rank injustice" an
swered George, whose cheek flushed,
"by the intimation which has just
escaped you. have never thought
of Miss Gray with an eye to any pros
poets she may have in connection
with your fortune. l have loved hel
for her own sake"
"Then for her sake desist from O
scheme which, if successful, must re-
duce her to beggary. Ii you possess
a 1.-THE of the unselfshness you pro-
fess, you will heed this warning and
go your way. l have other plans fol
Gertrude"
A moments reflection convinced
George that, harsh as Mr.. Peytons
words were, in one respect they were
just.
1t would be selfish to persist in
seeking happiness at the cost Of he1
whom he pretended to love.
81 shall leave this place to-mor-
row." he said, and turned away.
4 4
The morning papers announced
the loss Of a great steamer, bound
for San Francisco.
Nearly all on board had perishedi
and among the names OF the lost was
that Of George Hayne.
Gertrude Gray swooned when she
read it, and Mr.. Peyton felt not quite
easy in his conscience,
That evening, as he sat moodily in
his study, he was interrupted by a
visitor, woman, whose form, once
tall, was bent with age, and whose
wrinkled face and wild eye had some
thing sinister in them.
"Pray be seated, and explain the
reason of your visit, madame" said
Mr.. Peyton, pointing to chair.
Taking the profered seat, she re-
manned for time silent, gazing in
tently on the face before her.
Time had craven deep lines upon
it, and sorrow deeper still.
AS she pursued them, smile Of
satisfaction, more like shadow than
smile, fitted over her countenance.
"You had a son once" she said.
The lines grew deeper on the face
she was studying, and panied ex-
preston came over it.
81, too, had son." she contin-
ued, "an only one, as yours was. In
a sudden affair he had the misfortune,
in moment of passion, to slay his
antagonist, who was quite as blam-
able as himself. The jury decided
it murder, but recommended him tc
mercy. Others joined in petition
for clemency. My boys life was in
your hands. 1 begged it of you on
my knees. The law had intrusted
you with the dispensation of mercy,
but you had no mercy. You turned
aside from my prayers, and my son
was left to die a felon's death.
Geoffrey Peyton now remembered
the face that had often haunted him
since the day it had been turned
pleadingly upon him, and vividly re-
called the look Of anguish it had worn
when he spoke the relentless words
that crushed hope out of a mothers
heart
"That day." she resumed, "I took
an oath to make you feel, if possible,
all I then felt. I stole away youl
child"
"My childl--is he alive?"
"Listen. l stole away your child,
and left you to mourn him as dead.
I took him to a distance and reared
him as my own. 1 bore no malice
towards him. l only hated you.
brought him up tenderly, educated
him as my moderate means would al
low, and felt thankful that in in
ficting punishment on the father,
had been enabled to do it with so lit
tie injury to the child"
sis he alive?" cried the old man
piteously. "Speak, woman!-have
you no mercy?"
"You had none when I sought tc
appeal to it," she answered. THAT
your sonis not alive, and that youl
conscience may accuse you Of his
death, is the reason I am here. The
young man you drove away because
he presumed to love one for whom
your pride had prepared other plans
was your own sonl Before he went
he confded to me the cause of hii
going; and on reading the announce
ment of his fate, l resolved that yol
should feel over again the agony of {
parents bereavement, heightened
now by the sting Of remorse.
Your story is false" he cried
springing up-"a devlish invention
gotten up to torture mel But l viii
put you to the proof. My son bore
mark upon his person, put therr
clandesinely by an old nurse in In
dia, when we travelled in that coun
try, who attached some superstition
to it. If the child you say you reared
was my son, you must have seen anC
can describe that mark.
ga serpents head, and SOM
strange characters, in Indian ink, OF
the left arm below the elbow" wa
the answer.
Geoffrey Peyton staggered, ant
fell into the chair from which he haC
risen.
He seemed as one stunned by
terrible blow.
The woman stood over him for I
moment, peering down into his an
guish-sticken face with look 0
triumph, and walked quietly away.
"Good news! good newsP criet
Gertrude, bursting into the ROOM
"The evening paper corrects tn,
report of this morning. Georg,
Hayne is among the saved"