The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1876-06-01

Used her daughter, till evening shadows fell.
They were sitting together in the parlor,
waiting fer some trifing message to be de-
I, livered before going to their room, when
Mr.. Raynor came in with m ex ouisite bas>
ket of flowers
"Permit me- he said Ito make trifing
gift in honor OF the day.
II wonder how he knew" Ellie thought,
sure that she had not mentioned the fact,
that it was her mothers birthday, to any
one. She drew hack little, watching the
stately old man as he made deep bow, and
placed the basket upon the table. And she
wondered at the flush upon her mothers
face, the trembling ofthe hand that lowered
1 over the beautiful blossoms. With strange
feeling Of weight upon her own heart, she
recalled the facts connected with Mr.. Ray
nors coming to the house two years before.
Since that time his delicate attention to her
mother had been unceasing; he had shown
her ever the most delicate Difference, had
paid her alberal price for her best suit OF
rooms, and made her many little presents Of
flo wers &nd books.
81 am sure he loves her, and she likes
him. Ellie thought, greatly puzzled, land
yet he does not ask her to be his wife, aad
she looks ready to faint if speak of such
a thing
While she still watched these two, her
own lover yonng lawyer, came in, and
the four gathered around small table and
entered into general conversation. But
Louis Salon was pale, too, this evening,
and had on distracted air. Suddenly he
said:
MRS. Morton. will yeu think me imper-
tinent if ask you few questions. will
explain afterwards %
Certainly not" was the gentle answer,
though Ellie saw startled look in her
mothers eyes.
"Did you ever know Lawrence Nor
TONI"
| II knew him we'll
Her very lips were white rs the words
passed them.
do you know where be can be foundt"
at Is sixteen years since he left this
city,
True He may be dead 1t is curious
case, Mrs. Morton; but since it will soon
be public, will tell you now why am
anxious to find Lawrence Morton. Twas
called upon to-day to draw up the will of the
millionaire Preston Pratt"
Here Mr.. Raynor turned his face from
the light and took up newspaper. But
Ellie, watching him, saw that he listened
intently, with face rigid and white, and
eager eyes.
.Mr. Pratt" said Louis, ''male very
curious confession, which drew up in the
presence of two witnesses. 1t appears that
| some sixteen years ago he was the Junior
partner Of large wholesale business IN this
city-one Of. the firm Of Marvin B Co."
Mrs Morton shivered moment as if
chilled, and locked towards Mr.. Raynor,
but the newspaper screen d bis white face.
Ellie waited with fast beating heart till her
lover spoke again.
"Mr. Pratt confesses, now that be is
dying man, that be gambled heavily, and
finding himself unable to meet his liabili>
ties, fearing detection, he forged check Of
the firm for ten thousand dollars He gave
the check to the head clerk, Lawrence Nor
ton, to take to the bank, selecting time
when they were alone in the counting house.
The check was detected as forgery the next
day, and Lawrence Morton was arrested.
lie gave true account Of the manner 10
| which the check came into his possession and
Preston Pratt denied it, 1t was absurd,
people said, to suppose partner in the firm
would rob the firm, and Lawrence Morton
was locked up for trials
Again Mrs Morton stole timid look at
the old gentleman opposite her, and again as
once before the paper batfied her. But Ellie
could see the old gentleman's teeth hard set
and his breath coming in pauting gasps.
..But the case was never tried" continued
Louis, ''for the prisoner escaped. II was
ascertsined afterwards that Mrs. Morton
procured the money to bride the warden.
selling her jewelry, and the suspected forger
escaped. But Preston Pratt lived here,
frightened from his gambling propensties.
| working steadily tilt the retirement Of the
senior partners gave him the entire control
Of business. He has made o mammoth for
tune. and having never married leaves the
greater portion to public charities. Bu, he
wishes this confession published, to remove
the stain from Lawrence Morton's name or
memory And he leaves ten thousand dol
lars, with compound interest for sixteen
years, to Lawrence Morton, If he can be
found, OF his heirs if he is dead
AS ii that could atone' cried Mrs Nor
ton, with her eyes blazing ''will his mon
ey give back to Lawrence Morton the years
he has spent in exile under the shadow OF
unmerited disgrace Win it givv &c his
wife the tender love, the sweet conpanion>
ship she has missed fer sixteen years. Viii
il lift from her the burden of pain, sorrow
aud toll she has borne in loneliness ant
tears! Will il bring TO Lawrence Morsons
child the fathers love, that should have been
the most precious memory of her childhsod.
her girlhood, her maidenhocd. Out npon
such piiiful compen.A sionl With the terror Of
death, Preston Pratt has done justice to tsy
husband'e namel His money may &c whose
il will want none Gift IL
s.Your husband
my father p
my husband aud yoar father said Mrs
Morton, putting her arms around her daagh
ter "My husband, who remained in exile,
till he Was 50 aged BY sorrow and suffering
thai even his best friends have failed to re-
coguise him. Your father Ellie. who, stsry-
ing as last for the love from which he was
thrust GU. By such cruel fraud, stole hack
under false name. thai be might see the
wife he loved, the child who had forgosse en-
him. thought he might never reveal to them
II