Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-09-27
The Recovered Treasure.

Helen Tracy's wistful blue eyes were lifted
to her husbands face as he came into the
sitting-room with his overcoat on. lie was
a tall, stately looking man, with high fore
head and clear brown eyes, aud the pleasant
est of smiling mouths but llelen's face had
a somewhat sad expression in its blonde,
oval beauty, that reminded you Of the hunted
fawn or the wild bird stricken down by the
sportsman's shot. She was fair as a lily,
with hair of bright, rippled gold, and large,
violet-dark eyes-such one as you might
fancy Saxon Rowena TO have been, in short.
Yes, but shall soon be home, Nell, so
don't worry yourself about me. Harry is
asleep see"
As he spoke, he glanced towards a velvet
cushioned sofa, where a beautiful child Of
scarcely three summers lay nesting in the
flushed, lovely sleep of infancy, with his
dark curls thrown back from the dimpled
cheeks and one hand underneath the head.
" Yes; he has been in the garden all the
afternoon, and fell asleep almost the minute
his nurse brought him in
DR.. Tracy stood moment looking down
upon the child
How pretty he grows. All, Nelly, we
have the most precious treasure heaven ever
gave TO its children in this boy"
Mrs. Tracys lips quiyered-the dewy
shadow crept into her eyes.
"Oh, Henry, if | only had my little Ber-
tina, too !"
Still brooding on your lost one, Helen
My dearest had hoped that time was heal
ing up that wound in your breast. Is it
wise, is it discreet, thus to forget the boun-
ties heaven has given you in the one gift
it has withdrawn ?"
If could only be certain that she was
indeed lost, Henry" sobbed the fair-haired
woman. "If | could have planted daisies
above her grave, and counted her growing
years in heaven-but cannot. She may be
in want she may be i'll or suffering, and |
so powerless TO aid her"
"There can be no doubt that she is dead,
Helen" soothed the husband "Were it
otherwise, your brother-in-law would long
since have communicated with YOU"
"If | could only believe tiff | could
only ease this aching heart, reiterated Helen.
Z" Do not think me ungrateful, Henry, but
indeed cannot forget my little lost Bertha.
At this moment Harry sat up on the sofa,
loudly claiming his mothers attention and
DR.. Tracy went away with the pleasant rec
olection that Helen was smiling back to her
boys smiles. All where was there ever
magnetism like the touch of child's hand
The flaming crimson belt of the late sun
set glowed suddenly above the leailess Octo-
Der woods the tall trees that skirted the
lonely road on either side seemed to stand
like gaunt sentinels DR.. Tracy buttoned
his overcoat one or two buttons higher as he
drove along the solitary highway, and felt
the raw, piercing chill of the evening air
and all the time he was thinking of Helen s
words.
She was a widow when he married her,
this fair Saxon beauty--a widow whom the
death OF her handsome foreign swindler of a
husband had set free from a bondage almost
worse than slavery. Francesca Petroni died
but Paolo Petroni. his brother, lived, dark,
designing man. Bertha. their infant child,
had been consigned, by Francesco's desire, Ia
his brothers care, during the illness that
proved fatal to him. All the widows sub
sequent efforts TO regain possession of heI
little one were futile
any dear sster-in-aw," said the Italian
TO her one day, when her appeals and entrea
ties had been most persistent, there is one
way, and but one way, for you TO receive
back Bertha"
And that is -
To receive me also-as your husband y
Paolo Petroni never forgot nor forgave tn,
recoling movement, the look of horror will
which the English widow received his un
welcome proposal.
"You will compel him TO give my littl'
one to me, Henry" the poor young mothe
had said, on the day that made her for tn,
second time a wife. But when Henry Tracy
! armed with all the force of the law, went Il
Milan to demand possession of his little step
! daughter, lol Paolo Petroni had utterly dis
annaarad and Rartha with him
, Search, inquiry, investigation, prove'
2 equally vain and from that day to this
, period of full six years--neither DIR. Trac,
) nor his wife had ever heard one word of tn
r little Italian infant whose smile had beel
9 the first CLEAN of light that had fallen acros
T the troubled tide of poor Helen Petroni'
g foreign life.
) 1t was one of those strange inexplicabl
e romances of real life that we sometimes en-
r counter amid the most prosac aud common
} place surroundings, and supplied DIR. Trac
1 with ample materials for thought as h
; drove through the wild aud desolate part o
: the country.
= "Not particularly pleasant spot this, a
: twilight" soliloquized the doctor, leanin
! forward TO catch glimpse of sir
! gle ray of yellow light that streamed fror
the window of cottage few rods furthe
e on. "They've lighted their candles, | see
r and it's high time they did, too"
5 Ile sprung from his phaeton and en- ere
the COTTAGE without knocking.
IL presented no yery inviting scene.
rpinons aoor treacbero1s and Uncertain 4
+. tbe nnwarv footsten. walls where masses q
: master had fallen away. leaving the roupl
! Iatbs exposed and a fireplace Where few
damn lors sputtered and smoked. and di,
everything but blaze mn cheerfully. A bar,