The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1878-09-05

But her pleasure that evening was not
what she had expected, and NJ she lay in
her own little bed at home that night,
and thought over her lovers bewildering
conduct, the pretty head buried itself III
tie pillows, and anyone listening might
have heard smothercd sohs.
Shortly after their arrival her escort
had left her, and devoted himself to
Ella Amer. Not that Jcanic was neg
lected-that her beauty and popularity
never allowed her to be-but she had
watched with a keen pain her lovers
manner toward Miss Almer.
From their first meeting the reserve
which he generally held toward strangers
had been wanting, and he seemed TO
become more and more engrossed in her
society.
The long walk home that evening had
been taken almost in silence, and Jeanie's
heart, all unused to trouble, sank very
low, AS she thought she had been I'M
maidenly in giving her love so freely
and now her punishment had come. Yet
heart once out of ones keeping cannot
be called back suddenly without pain.
And this was only the commencement
of her sorrow. Day after day DR.. Lowell
was guest at "Waban Hall, and Jeanie
often saw him and Ella Almer riding or
walking together. Farmer Moore never
noticed how grave the wearisome face
was growing, for with the pride of wo-
manhood Jeanie kept her grief to herself.
She had made up her mind bitterly, that
while she had been loving with all the
fervor of a warm, impulsive heart, he,
whom she had thought so noble, had
been only tIifling with her-testng his
powers of pleasing.
She avoided meeting him as much as
possible, and so the time passed, until
one morning as she rose from the break
fast table, DR.. Lowell said:
Can you speak with me little while,
Jeanie' 1t is almost impossible for me
to see you alone lately"
Never had his voice pronounced her
name more tenderly. Was he about to
make her a contidante of his new-found
love? Jeanne raised her eyes quietly to
his face, then answering, "Certainly,"
led the way to the library.
She seated herself, and he, standing
before her, after a slight pause, began:
"Jeanie, the time has come for this
mystery to be explained, and can tell
you who | am
The girls large dark eyes opened
widely.
"Who you arel"
Yes he said, laughingly, 81 know
| am Dr. Howard Lowell, practcing
| physician, of Groveland; but that is not
all. Listen, and will tell you the whole
story.
My father died when | was ten years
old, leaving my mother a widow with
three children. Between the eldest of
the two girls and myself there was the
most passionate attachment-indeed, we
were all an unusually united family;
! but in three years my mother married
again. Then my misery commenced.
cannot describe the prosecutions my
steptather inflicted upon me, whom alone
of all the children he seemed to hate.
Perhaps 1t was because OF my then head
strong, impulsive nature. | was a pas
slonate boy, and at last, driven desperate,
| ran away from home and from my
dearly loved mother and sisters.
Then for years | was driven where
fate wiled, working here and there at
anything, no matter how mental, until
At last fortune in the shape of kind old
physician interposed.
DR.. Lowell saw and became interested
in me, and when he died left me, his
adopted son, his we0th, on condition |
took his name, and never returned to the
influence of my stepfathcr. And now
Jeanie, comes the most wonderful part of
my story.
Il have found my mother and sisters
at last, free from the one who made my
boyhood SO wretched. Shortly after |
left home my steptather had taken his
family abroad, and from then until now
We had never met.
How have longed to speak and de-
clare myself But, Jeanie, feared that
the prodigai who seltishly left all he held
dear could never be forgiven; until last
night my sister Ella spoke so teuderly
and regretfully of the brother she had
lost, / could keep silence no longer.
shall keep my dear adopted fathers
name, but Mrs. y inner, whom you already
ike so much, is my mother, and Ella and
Ruth ERE my sisters
Then, with an abrupt change in his
voice, DR.. Lowell stopped, and raising the
soft, little hand which lay lstlessly in
the girls lap, clasped it firmly in his own
rs he said:
Can my darling wonder that my man
ner has been strange and unlike my
SELF
The expression in his loving eyes made
Jeanie flush and tremble, and as she was
gathered to his manly heart she knew
that she had come to the end of her great
sorrow.
II wac a hanry a,a,;r,, .ho. rollo,,,o,