Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-09-05
HERBERT AND LEDA.

is a wide crack at the back that must
have been there long time.
Herbert Payne looked ruefully at his
table of papers, his large bookcases, his
pictures, busts, and gimcracks that made
his handsome library the one room in
the large house that seemed truly like
home to him.
Every WE'LL" he said. "only be sure
YOU put it up this time SO that there will
be no further annoyance"
Then Herbert Payne fled from the
confusion to come, and took a trip of
two weeks, absolutely without end or
aim, excepting the escape from his dis
ordered library
Mrs. Beach, his housekeeper, took
care that none of his treasures were in
jured, and when he returned there was
no trace of the invaders, save that the
falling mantel-piece was carefully and
firmly reset.
But upon his table lay sealed envel-
ope, yellow with age, and directed in a
pretty lady-like hand to Mr.. Herbert
Payne"
Every shade Of color left the face of
the middle-aged bachelor, as he saw
this epistle His hand, stretched out
to grasp it, trembled so violently he
drew it back Mrs. Beach was within
call, and he controlled his emotion to
ask
How came this letter here?''
"The men found it behind the man
te-piece, sir. 1t must have slipped down
the big crack
He Shut the door then, and bolted it.
No careless, curious eyes should watch
him when he read the letter, the letter
that must have been hidden thirteen
years behind the mantle-piece.
Before he touched it he unlocked a
writing desk evidently seldom used, and
took from it a miniature picture of a
lovely girl of eighteen or nineteen, with
large brown eyes and waving golden
hair
A face full of sweetness looked out
from the cold ivory, and the eyes of the
strong man grew dim with tears as he
gazed upon it.
For he had loved her.
Not with the wild unstable love OF
youth, but when he was a man past
thirty, who had faced trouble and tempt
alton, and conquered both.
He had met her first when she was
the comfort of an invalid father, and be
had been won first to love her by watch
ing her sweet patience with the irritable
old man, who kept her constantly busy
in his service.
Later, when they were friends, Her
bert learned that Mr.. Morrison, the fret
full sufferer, was very wealthy man,
and that Leda was his only child.
Being himself man of large for
tune. Herbert Payne needed but little
the fact that Leda was probably an
heiress, but he found his whole heart
going out to her as they grew better
friends.
Every day he loved her better, till he
was assured of her love In return, when
he sought her fathers consent to his
taking her to his heart and home, his
loved, honored wife
And Mr. Morrison's plea was:
: I cannot spare her yet. When | tell
you her story you may not come to
marry her, but if you still love her
spare her to me a few months longer
[ may not, cannot live over another
spring, even in this soft climate, but
when [ die Leda will inherit all my for
tune, though she is not my child [ told
you she had history
When my wife had been married
but two years our first child was born
and died within an hour
Leda-my wife, Leda-was delirious
calling constantly for her babe, and the
doctor said it was life or death with he1
to have a child. So we took the babe
who has grown to be the comfort of my
life from a founding asylum. [ have
no idea who she is or what was he1
parentage, but from the hour she lay
in my wife's arms, the pressure of he
tiny fingers Gained the wild excite
ment of the brain, she was to us oul
child
1--WE never were blessed with one o
our own again, and all the love that wa
in orr hearts for children was lavishe(
upon Leda. She was ten years ole
when her adopted mother died, but she
knew nothing them and knows nothing
now, of the secret of her birth Only
two other persons besides myself knew
of it, my brother and my nephew, who
will be my heirs if | leave no will.
But | promise you to make vii
before | die, and leave Leda indepen
dent. You-you do not look as if Thu
story had shaken your love-"
1NOI LIDS ICO6l Will CN CI NC 10 LII
the one woman | love, and I care moth
:. ing for her obscure origin, nothing fo
her fortune. Rich or poor, she will eve
be the same to me"
But you will not urge her to leav,
me yet-not until spring? IT'S but few
months, but it is all my life"
Il will not ask her to leave you,
Herbert said, deeply moved by tn
pathos of those last words, " but let M
speak to her, win her consent to be NJ.
wife if [ can, and have the right to re
turn here at the time you fear you mus
leave her in sorrow and loneliness
Yes, yes !; but must you go%
q must I am here only on bust
ness, and [ must return to my home a
once. But if you wish it, | will return
IN March,
[ do wish ii"