St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1879-02-08

ANTI met yoU; but / have deter
mined now to end 1t, to enter upon
new arena, to force the hour when
you shall listen 10 my words, not
with encouragement, perhaps, but
without that curling lip or uplifted
brow. But here are Your parents. =
/ And for tae next hour, save that
his face WAS very pale, and his eyes
shone with an unnatural lustre, one
would have supposed that his sole
thought was his guidance of tie
boat, although, had Mr.. and Mrs.
Aifor,t he nd MS last words they
would have imagined themselves
under the care OF a madman
Only, is they stepped ashore, he
held out his hand, shapeiy, thou3 Ii
brown and rough, and for a mo-
meat the delicate fingers We're com
PEELED to rest within it, looking
Ike sGowdakes by the contrast,
while his eyes looked directly into
hers rs he sud:
Good bye, Miss Afford, until we
meet again"
"Good-bye, Mr.. Winston, for
evor! was her answer, and thew
parted, to see which of the two
farewells would be realized.
i can't stand it any longer,
father, this life OF mine. 1 Unjust go
ont into the weird, to make or mar
my fortunc.' broke in young Vim
ston, suddenly raising his head,
which for the past hour he had
held buried il lis hands. 4 am
sorry to leave you-itis ungrateful,
perhaps; but if [ did not 60 |
should die..''
4 expected this" said the old
man, shaking his head sadly. 1t 5
natural enough. And now, my boy,
before YOU leave me, l must tell YOU
the secret have kept locked in my
heart for twenty-three long years.
1t has troubled me great deal OF
late, and I'm not sorry Tn forced
into telling it; but you won't blame
did it because ! loved you as
my own!''
Your own What do you mean,
father?:'
Only that / have no right to that
name from your lips. You have
often hear me tell Of the fearful
storm which ravaged our coast
when | was Young and strong as You
are to-day-how for days the beach |
was strewn with fragments of wreck !
and the CHASTITY dead. 1t was Oh
the second morning that, going
down to see of what service [ could |
De, heard, in the little cove round
ne the beach, sroan of mortal
anguish. fastening to the point, l
discovered gentleman wounded
lnto death by the sharp, jagged
'ocks, and holding in his arms a
little boy of some two years. He
could only point to the child and
% lis breast pocket, where | found
certain papers which / have care
ully preserved, together with his
vatcn, and ring which I took
rom his finger ALLAN was the
'nly word he said, and SO l called
'ou. / brought you home. We 1
lad no children of our own, and
he neigLbors, such as we had, soon
orgot You We're not ours; but ali,
II these years it has lain stone ut
ny heart
"Father, dc not reproach your
elf. Am [ not bound to you by
loser ties of gratitude, in that [
ad no claim upon your love, your
are? These papers-let me see
lem" !
1t was late into the night when .
Han at length rcfolded the precious !
riting which had revealed to him, |
it'll bewildering force. the fact that ]
cross the ssa, IN f;.ir England, his {
irthright was awaiting him the
'rthright he had been deprived of S
! these years: but 10 shadow OF v
anle rested on Lis brow, only a
range exuliatipn written there, as
: at last muttercl aloud these A
ords:
"'Good-Aye, until we meet again. S
h. Miss Afford next firan Il viii