The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-06-15
MADGE DARRELL'S SECRET.


unsas1ed by the pleasant acquaintance and the rea-
tons OF shore and river, just took possession OF tho
land for halt mile inland, and twohrds OF tho year
tho South Meadows deep under wator.
A little salt hay gathered thcrc between hoods
and the meadows otherwise abandoned utterly
useless
Ifany had told Hartford man. nfty years ago,
that the time would come when that marsh would no
little city of .ts own, no would have ridiculcd the
idea, and secuted diotic prophecy.
But tho time and the man came, and the hour of de-
liverance Tor the submerged meadows
Samuel Colt inventor and manufacturer or tho Colt
revolver startled the slow citizens by purchasing this
island for almost nothing, and announcing his ntcn
lion 10 build dyke round about his property, aud
upon tho dcspsed meadows erect his monster manu-
factory
Colt was spoken OF as an unhappy victim OF wild
dclusion GRIM old castiron settlers OF the CITY, who
had forgotten TO laugh. sat down with continuous
smiles TO watch operations. Colt made some arrange
men,s with the Connecticut River BY which he WIS
given q three months start OF Its invading waters.
During that time thousands OF strong lr;shmcn and
whcc lbarrows worked actively and constantly. Der
r:cks and rocks made their first layers the freshmen
and their camc next; gradually the wall rose,
with Is the spring floods. Tho cheerful citizens took
daily walks TO SEQ the winter wash away Colts dyke,
but Colts dyke stood.
For the noxt year the work spread, and hcmmed in
tho great South Meadows forever setting them apart
from aquatic sports Upon tho high, grnded slopes Of
this dyke millions OF cuttings Of imported willows
planted, whose tough, dbrous roots wovo closo'
and speedily network. more valuable than any do
vised mcnns obstructing the inroads OF tho water
Then the dismal old pumps who had smiled and said
.'couldn't shook their hends myssrousiy. aud said
..mght," but accomp panied the admission with pious
sllusion 10 DR.. Faustus. t#N#
The dyke prospcrcd, the industry and enterprise OF
Colt prevailed. Warehouses, factories. houses for
ploy es. stores, public hall, schools and church
like magic within the enclosure.
Tho willows mounted high aud thick along It's banks
and building went up With them. whore they were
turned into market baskets and cradles and the old
inhabtant who had snccrcd brought his shad from
market in baskets and rocked his offspring cradles
manufactured on the prescribed meadows.
The great factories employed in each department
army OF men, colony OF women.
Tho steam whistles thot ront tho dir for miles
around, the CLASH and clang Of splendid machinery
heard far away, shaking the very Garth with their in
dustry attcslcd the humanity has Tor the means
Of death. .ttf .st
Samuel Colt brought from every part OF the country
skilled machinists and competent business to run
this vast place, and among his nearest friends and
most trusted assistants DR. Cyrus Hlard and
his two sons, Maurice and Archibald.
Maurice the offspring OF tho DOCTORS FIRST vito,
and losing hcr when he gained a sou the doctor
mourned sincerely for thirteen years, when fair
daughter OF Georgia comforted his widowed condition
and bore HIM the first year Of marriage son also.
But fatality attended tho Mrs Hillinrds, and when
Archibald was a httle infant, with big name Ba T.
t,rson's stone cutters carving "Juliet wife OF
Cyrus billiard" a marble monument to 60 up in the
family lot and keep ''Maria, wiie OF Cyrus Hilard,"
from bcing lonely.
Doctor billiard occupied handsome mansion In the
city OF Hartford managed by his maiden sister Pcne-
lon, and frightened by the lovely face Of his ward
Laura Gage.
To-day, then, when story begins, Maurice IL
thirty .6vc and Archie twenty-five. The sallow,
lean, carrying the craft and cunning, his peculiar
tre.eht we'll under the ha,chs. Tho other larger,
hcayier hcarticr, blessed with better health, faircr
face and fncr form than hts brother. =
Maurice had been premature old man; Archie still
wore the heart aud face Of boy, for while 1t had
always been Mr. Maurice with the elder son. all tho
world 'callcd the other by the loving dimnutve be.
slowed ON him III infancy.
For this ARCHIE, Maurice had always entertained a
Jealous ioar-a lcar OF envions admiration, Kept in
check through boyhood, but bursting all control whom
his fathers partner diod bequcathing his daughter
Laura and hor immense property to the caro- of DR..
Hillinrd.
With the entrance Of Laura Gage into tho home cir
clio st .Thc Sycamores" had begun u hatred Tor tho
better ado attractive brother in the heart OF tho
willy Maurice He brought long catalogues OF offences
10 the ears OF his father; with marvellous art he
larscd and distorted boysh escapades. tail that which
moro than indiscrect dissipation, became
For several months now the younger son had beou
away the city Of New York, carousing with Wild
compa q ions, and hard stores were rite In Hartford
concerning the recent performances OF the reckless
Archie billiard.
Maurice cold, prompt and vgilant, the invalu.
able confidential agent OF Colonel Colt
Vast contracts made with foreign governments had
twice Maurice Abroad ana hts last trap he bad
brought home, among many marvcs, Russian girl,
lair and fond.
she had been for year installed oversecr in one
OF the departments where women and girls made The
cartridges anu FURNISHED such portions OF the orna
mental was plated So quietly, indeed, had
Maurice managed his affairs that their names werc
connected. aud no one dreamed an acquaintance
had existed before they met IN this vast anulactory,
where all classes, conditions and countries were
gathered together
Maurice Hliard had dincd In Hartford at his iathers
house. ..tnc Sycamorcs he had purscd his lips into
nm expression of coincidence AS the family had dis
cuss.i his latest intelligence OF Archibald.
The mans shifting, steel blue eyes wandered from
the silver head bowed by recital golden
avcrtcd since he commenced speaking OF tho absent
brother.
Aunt Penelope smoothed her black silk apron and
COuGheu lnCIcluHusly ochlnu hct hu, sim n"uu W
WITH boln the adics tho rccrcant Arcnc was rarc
favorItc.
The old gentleman had heard hts loved first born
through, and he had raised eretnarkcd face TO the
salow countenancc Of Maurice as he said-
..You must 20 directly TO New York ana endeavor
10 bring Archie home. He's your only brother. my
son, the baby bcqucathcd as much TO you as me-"
Maurice WINGED, but II was not BY illusions to that
day. when his iather's dying wife, his tender step
mother, laid his boysh hand on the baby Is head and
besought him 10 shield "thc little brother through
Lille, that hard heart MAS 10 DO touched. No, 10!
al troth cro mi nil
Was he not brighter bigger. handsomcr than he the
elder SOM HAD his sraccs OF person supplantcd
him in the affection OF the household? his glance Toll
upon the avertcd OF Laura Gage and his ire
Would TO God, he thought, .nc might DO killed in
some OF his Drawing sprccs, What loss-and what .
gam - he added to himself.
"rhcrc's been n strange man here twice to-day for
Archie Aunt Penelope bcrau timdly as II fearing TO
furnish her to the disgrace accommodating her
iuyoritc ncplicw head. And there much
ccment aoou. the old NAM am drcadins lest there's
some trouble nearer homeo