The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-12-11

| memory. To do so VIII relate the cir
cumstances of our first meeting
Eighteen years ago last August, /
brought to you, in q most mysterious
and melo-dramatic manner, an infant;
which for a pecuniary consideration, you
consented to adopt, and care for as your
own daughter. L"
The woman interrupted him.
" You are Mr.. Sydney ?" she ex-
claimed.
"Sydney was the name l gave you
when you asked me for one. 1t Is
very good name, and answered very
well under the circumstances but at
the same time allow me to state that
you are not as shrewd as 1 believed you
to he, If you thought it my own. 1t is an
excellent cognomen, but, with your
kind permission, dearilady, ] will, in
the future, be known to you as Major
Heith.n
" l had given up all idea of ever seeing
you again." said the woman.
" No doubt-no doubt,' said the ma
jor " but here l am again, after all these
years"
" recognize your voice" said Mrs.
Van Dyke; but your face is wonder
fully changed"
believe you," the major replied,
with satisfaction "and l am glad
of it. But to business. When | left
this girl with you / was convinced that
you was woman who knew enough to
hold her tongue when there was money
to be made by so doing. l had heard of
you before, and knew that you were
very smart woman an INSCRIPTIONS
and daring woman; in short, just the
person / was in search of, so l brought
the child to you, telling you her name
was Mora Sydney, and that she was my
daughter, from whom / was obliged to
part on account of family troubles,
which l was not at liberty to make
known. You believed as much, or as
little of this story as you pleased you
asked no questions, but took the girl.
instructed you to educate her to the be-
lief that she was an orphan, and your
niece, and agreed to pay you a reasona-
bic sum per annum for your trouble"
"And you have kept your promise,
have you not ?" sneered the woman.
For several years paid you regular
ly and promptly, as you know, but for
the past few years the state for my
finances has been such as to make it i'm
possible for me to remit the cash. It's
n-appearance must have greatly an
noyed you, my dear madame; but here
l am again, ready to make everything
all right. What did you think had be-
come of me ?"
6 l could not imagine; L thought per-
haps you were dead"
9 You were mistaken in that coniec-
ture,I assure you; but did you not make
any inquiries regarding my where
abouts ="
Now, of whom could l have in
quired ? 1 did not know where you
lived; L did not know your name - for
l never believed it to be Sydney In
fact, l knew almost nothing about you:
and the nature of our transactions pre-
vented my making any very public
inquiries"
"That is all right" chucl1led the ma
jor; and now, most important ques-
ton of all-what became of the girl ?"
She was useful to me around the
house, and so L kept her. Two years
ago she learned the dress making bust
ness, and now she is working by the
day for Messrs. Marston & Miller, one of
the largest houses in the city, and first
class wages she gets, too.'
And the girl still believes that you
are her aunt, and that her parents are
dead ?"
Yes.n
"Goodl ~ exclaimed the major, this
is as it should be. And now, my dear
Mrs. Van Dyke, although 1 have no
doubt you have made the girl pay her
board half dozen times over, in work,
during her stay with you, still want to
do the correct thing by you; so please
mention what sum you will accept, and
consider yourself amply remunerated for
all your trouble"
The major smiled benignly on his
companion while she considered how
much she had better demand.
E." One thousand dollars" she finally
said.
"A preposterous sum, my dear mad
anne ~ exclaimed the major, still smil-
| ino 60 reallv q ridiouIousI,, 1o.o.o ..