Middletown transcript., 1875-10-02

4 : 4 q
ing, whstnH De 'had1a relapse He raj
lied from that, and took cold. over
fatigued himself, bringing on.s second
relapse that proved fatal: Durisgep
his illness Isheard only twice Of Fred
die; once that he had been killed 10
the street. l came home only two days
ago, and they would tell me nothing Of
whero my boy was buried-nothing, but
| the bare fact of his death. I-I-oh,
do not blame me! I was on my way
to the river to end it all. when l met
Freddie!
Mother looked at me, and whispered:
The sraddnothef whosbest Freddie
has driven her mad. Let her stay with
me, while you try to find out some
thing about her
But have 10 rightto force myself
into her private affairs, I said.
She is Freddie's mother That gives
you right. ,,;....,,.,,., gu - .'..., ,.,,,,
1t would be tedious to tell ID detail
all tho long conversation that followed.
but, authorized by Mrs. West, ! called
upon her husbands lawyer and there
heard her story.
1 think, the lawyer said. confidently.
that the Vests are the proudest people
ever knew. Proud of their family,
their money and their beauty. Carroll
West was the only son, Lucy the only
daughter, when the old man died. ~He
left considerable fortune, but Carroll
has increased his share of it to immense
wealth. his mother was very desirous
Of having. him, make great match! and
proportionately furious when be mar
ried little dark-eyed seamstress, Of no
family in particular, and sewing for
living.
thought OF the exquisite face. the
low tender voice Of Freddie's mamma.
and mentally applauded Carrolrs choice
Carroll. continued the lawyer. had
sufficient good sense to keep up bis own
establishment until be went into .
heavy cotton speculation that called him
to New Orleans in the heat of summer.
Then, he left his wife and child under
His mothers care, and before be went
made his will. Now, doctor. said the
lawyer, speaking very slowly, and with
marked emphasis. thatSwill leaves half
his fortune to bis wife, half to bis child.
bat in case Of the death Of the child.
the half that is his goes to Mrs. West
and her daughter Lucy. fthe mother
dies. all goes to the child, to revert
again to the Vests If be dies without
direct heirs. Do you see :?
Il did see! saw again the hard de-
termined face leaning over the sleeping
child, denying him ;the weaker woman
sanctioning the deceit. but falling sense
less in the room. understood now
the disappointment that had greeted
the tidings that the child was neither
dead nor dying, but recovering. It
was all clear now, but / shuddered as
/ recalled the mothers face when, she
confessed that she had, contemplated |
suicide rather than bear her widowed,
childless lot. rs
We could never tell whether the IN
natural grandmother and aunt would
have risked a legal investigation. The
recognition between mother and child
was complete, and the clothing We had
carefully preserved was fully identified.
Mrs. Westdid not return to her mother
in-law. For some weeks she was my |
mothers guest, and my patient. being |
prostrated with low, nervous fever, and
then she rented the house next to our
own, her own claim and Freddie's to |
Carroll Vests property being undis-
puted. ,-..
We were wsrm friendsfo two years, |
and Mrs. West, senior, with the beau
tiful blonde. were occasional visitors At |
the widows house. but when the violet |
and white took the place of Grape and
bombazine. I ventured to ask Adelaide |
West if second love could comfort her
for the one she had lost, and my mother
became Freddie's grandmother in truth.
when bis '.pretty mamma" became my
wife. US L is..i.a.il.sJ dl.4 1ai 20
Mrs. Wess1 is dead, aud Lucy mar
ried to titled Italian, who admired
the blonde beauty. but unlike many Of
his ,oompatriots, finds the lovely lady
fully able to take care Of her own inter-
ests, and guard her money against his
too profuse expenditures. s7
Other children call me papa, and
Adelaide mamma, but l do not think 1
give any of thema warmetl or trusr love
than I feel for browp-eyed Freddie,
wha was lost aRd foupd.
-. II ~, ~. .tt,E .-f 4 u TsI
LIMIT YoUR WANTs.-From the ma
tufe Of things, the income Of nost;of
the inhabitants Of the earth must be
limited and indeed within verys sar-
row bounds. 9. The product of labor
throughout the world. II equally divid-
Il -.,,1I 81 l.. ,Ln.. .e >..l |