Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-02-18
Fred Brecse ought to have known It; but

differed in this respect from men. lie
could keep silent, and he saw no reason
to suppose that any other person could ind
it difficult to do so.
One day in August, 1874. Mrs. Hep
worth, who for the first time was passing
the summer months as well as those oil
winter in the South, walked more rapidly
than usual from the village post-oflce.
and upon entering the house went straigne I
to her room in apparent agitation. Han
an hour later she joined Miss Middleton
on the piazza, and presently said, "Ruth,
| want TO tell you story"
PRAY do. answered the young gentle
woman, II haven't had story all to my
sell since 1 was a child"
but mine is sad story, and there are
other reasons why you may not like it, or
me for telling it. We shall see. however"
There was young man once, as
grand man as God ever made. He loved
a woman who was worthy OF him, ana
who loved him in return; but in a ut OF
unreasonable anger, one day, she sent
him away discarded The young woman
was very poor, although she had been
rich, and.her necessities were sore. The
man knew her needs and took great pains
to provide for her in such way that she
should never know or suspect from
whence help came.
He threw in her way the only profitable
/ work she knew how TO do. But this was
not all, nor half When he parted with
the woman he loved, he forever surren-
dered all idea of renewing the engage
ment. He was unfit TO make such a wo-
man happy. and. like the hero he was.
sacrificed his own life to hers. There was
a way in which he could restore the wo-
mans fortune; but it involved long years
of toll and suffering. To accomplish it
he must give his time and his means.
and risk his life itself in a climate which
at certain seasons is dangerously unwhole-
some"
Mrs Hepworth was looking over. not
at Miss Middleton as she told the story,
but she felt that the black eyes full oftears
were gazing steadily at her.
Nevertheless. the great soul Of the man
bravely breasted the difficulties and the
dangers OF his task. 1t was his plan TO
work out the terrible problem under an
assumed name, and then without her
knowledge, to convey the redeemed es-
tate to the woman. record the deed and
disappear forever from her world, poor,
iriendess and wanderer.
Year after year he toilcd and suffered.
He lived meagrely and worked unceasing-
ly. He was sick many times and alone
always, with neither man nor woman to
give him greeting, and no companions but
The negro laborers he employed.
FINALLY his work was done. The es-
tate was restored to its former fruitfuness.
The rice fields were repaired and leased
for tern ofyears at a rental which would
place the woman he loved not only be-
yond want. but we'll nigh affiuent circum-
stances. The deed to her was made and
recorded. The agent was instructed to
give copy of it to woman, but to con-
ceal the giyer's real name always, and the
man sailed to-day for China. The agent
was woman-the sister of the hero-and
after the manner of a woman she failed
to keep the secret of his heroism"
Mrs Hepworth left the piazza and re-
tired to her room. Ruth sat still for half
an hour. and then went to her friend.
"Wil the agent help the unworthy wo-
man to pursue purpose as relentlessly |
as the man has pursued his?" she asked.
'What is the purpose ?:
ITO spend every cent of the income
from the estate in search for the hero; to
bring him back, and show him that he
has tanned the wild beast
"It would be useless. file has hidden |
his sister goodbye, and, upon sailing.
changed his name again, that search might |
be vain, and the gilt effective"
The next day came another letter for
Mrs. Hepworth. This time it was from a
physician and said:
Your brother is very i'll with country
fever, from which he cannot recover.
The fever came on two days ago, as he
was upon the point of leaving Middleton
Hall, and his strength is so reduced by
overwork that the best remedies l can
apply have no effect. If you wish 10 see
him alive come to Middleton Hall at
once"
A fortnight later Fred Beese. pale and
thin, but free from fever, sat with two
gentlewomen, in the piazza at Middleton
Hall. For some reason which the doctor
never could guess, his remedies had be-
gun to do their proper work on the very
day on which the younger of the two wo-
men, the black-eyed one, had suggested
that the sick man should get we'll IN sea
son to keep Thanksgiving with her on the
last Thursday in November.
This year Ruth says she has something
to be thankful ior and as she says it she
broods over the quaint old carven cradle,
where Master Frederick Middleton Breese
is learning, by experiment, that the bend
OF his elbow is an effective barrier to the
swallowing of his fist.