The bee., 1877-07-26

secret to his own bosom. Night cane, and MT. Foster did not return Morn ing came. md hour after boar inc inya. lld and his sweet nurse watched for his eomlng, but il was nol nnil sunset ap proached and Lncy was setting out In search Of her father, ibai he approached But even his presence brought not hap. plness, for his pile, hnggard countenanee was sufficient to announce that all was not We'll He uttered not word for more than an hour. notwithstanding all hls daughters efforts to arouse him. Al length he arose, and taking her band led her into the room where Moorhnd was seated
 You shall know all, 1" snid he. "f nm ruined l am T bcggar. In few days l must leave this house, this farm which have 80 highly improved and thought my own"
 He proceeded to state that few days before, Squire Davis, in moment of un. goyernable malice, taunted him with be. ing bcggar and told him that he was in his power, and that he would crush him under his feet. When Mir. Foster smiled at what he regarded only as an impoleut threat, Davis, to convince him. stated that the patent of his farm was aforged one, and that he knew the real owner of the land--had written to purchase it. and expected the deeds in few days. MT. Foster during his long absence had visited the land office, and found to his consternation that the patent beyond q doubt was forgery, and his claim to his farm not worth d cent
 It may be proper to observe that coun. terteiiing soldiers patents was a regular business few years ago, hundreds had been duped, ay, and many are still duped.
 l" It is not for myself" said the old man, that grieve at this misfortune. l am advanced ill life, and it matters not | how or where pass the few remaining days of my existence. have home beyond the stars, where your mother has | gone before me and where l would have lorg since joined her had not lived to protect her child, my own, my affection ale Lucy"
 The weeping girl threw her arms around the neck of her parent, and her fears mingled with those which coursed down the old mans furrowed cheeks.
 !" We can be happy still" said she, for lam young, and can easily support both of us"
 All night long Charles Moorland thought of the forged patent. There were few words dropped by MT Eos ter which he could not dismiss from his mind-that Squire Davs-had written 10 | the real owner of the land, and obtained the promise of q deed. Now as he him self was owner of nearly all the military tract and as he had never given any such promise, it was no wonder that his as tonishment Nas great His father was q merchant of Boston, who had acquired an immense fortune Many soldiers who had served in the last war, on receiving their bounty of one hundred and sixty l [ acres of land, not wishing to remove to Illinois, felt aesirous of disposing of them, and many of these patents were offered to NIT. Moorland, and in this way no small part of the military tract came into his possession. On the day Charles became of age he gave him deed of a principal part of his land in Illinois, and insisted that he should go out and see it, and if he liked the country settle .here. 1 Wishing him to become identified with the people, he recommended his son on his arrival in the state, to dress like a backwo0dsman. On the morning of his departure Mir. Moorand received letter rom man named Dayis, wishing to purchase certain quarter section at gov ernment price, which Mr. Wilson prom. lsed he should have on these terms, pro. vided he forwarded certificate from the Judge of the Circuit Court that the land was worth no more. The letter just re ceived enclosed the certificate in ques tion--Mr. Moorland had given this tracl to Charles--and putting the letter and certificate into his hands, enjoined him tc deed it to the writer agreeably to prom ise. The remarks of Mir. Foster forcibly reminded young Moorland of this incl dent, and the next morning he examined the papers and found them to be the ones