Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1881-07-23
THE TWIN BRAcELETs.

81 will not threaten you, Hilton
Years ago made my will, and you
will be my heir. / shall not alter
one line of that document, because
| will not brihe you to do my will
or even to be an honorable man
You may marry whom you will
you may defy my wishes in every.
way, and lose my love and respect
but this meney will be yours.
"Do you mean, Uncle George
that / shall lose your love and re-
spect if / marry Ada Willet 2"
"Or any other woman who is alb
solutely nobody. What do you
know of her? ?"
"Only what she has told me her
self, that her mother died of power
ty, after struggling to support her
self by her needle. They were mis-
erably poor for a long time and
then Mrs. Willet began giving
work to Ada's mother.
"When she died Mrs. Willet took
Ada to her own home, and after
giving her every advantage her
own child could have enjoyed,
adopted her."
"What was her name"
"Smith."
"Bah ~ said Mr.. Hilton, with
every expression of disgust. swell,
marry her if you will. Your
present allowance shall be
doubled, but you need not bring
her here )" and with a sudden
fierceness, he added: 81 want no
woman here to remind me of the
past L had hoped forgotten.
Never in all his recollection of
his grave, quiet uncle, had Hilton
seen him so moved. His voice was
sharp with the pang of some sud-
den memory, his eyes flashed, and
his whole frame trembled with
emotion.
"You are a. man .noW,n he. said,
with one of those strange impulses
to confidence that often seize the
most reserved men; "a man seek
ing a wife. | will tell you what
never, before passed my lips to an
other being. l have Il wife some
where. and a child, it may be.
Utter astonishment kept Hilton
silent.
ITS all my own fault,'' contin-
ucd Mr.. Hilton, tthat am a lone
ly, miserable man, instead of a hap
py husband and father. Twenty
years ago, when i was past forty
years old, 1 fell in love. Fell in
love, for j was nearly. insane over
Myrl Delaho when l had seen her
only three times. | courted her
with eager attention, rich presents,
fascination ] could
command l. was not an sunattract-
i've man at.fOrty years of age. |
had Travelled extensively, been
close student, was emphatically a
society man, a successful lawyer,
and commanding large wealth.
Myra was twenty-five, superbly
accomplished and grace
full. / thought she loved me.
thought there was only love and
in the love light Of her
large blue eyes, the varying color
on her cheek. We were married,
travelled two years on the continent
and then returned here to this
house and opened its doors to socie-
ty. Our child was nearly year
old when we came home, and what
love l could spare from Myra l
gave to baby Anna. We were very
being hOspitable and gen.
er0us, gathering around US refined
people and both exerting ourselves
to the utmost for the pleasure of
guests. But while we were travel
ing, all in all to each other, there
was sleeping in my heart demon
who stirred tu life when we return
ed. Strong as my love | found my
jealousy. / was an idiot-a mad,
Jealous idiot-for / Stung a proud,
sensitive woman to contempt of
my opinion, defiant of my un-
suspicious. Now 1 see that
Myra was but filling her proper
place in society as a hostess or
guest; but, then, blinded by my
jealousy, l grudged any man a
pleasant smile or CHEEKY word. /
can not tell you now of every scene
that turned her love for me to fear
and dislike. She became pale and
often sullen and def
ant. Finally she left me-"
LEFT you?"
l.
after conducting an intricate crimi-
nal case, ami found a note on the
table telling me that Myra could
no longer endure the life of constant
quarreling and reproach. She had
taken her child and would never
return TO me.'.
Ibid she go to her Felatives?"
"She had but few. Her father
died while we were. abroad, and,
having been considered a rich man,
was found to have left less than his
expenses. She had an aunt |
and some cousins, to all of whom 7
went, but who denied all knowl-
edge of her! After searching with |
the eagerness of penitence deep and |
and love profound, ! final
~ advertised, and even employed
private police investigation. 1t
was all in vain; | never found my
wife or child"
"Do you think they still hve?"
''I can not tell. l remained here
for five years and then, as you
know, went to see my only sister
dying of consumption"
"And to become my second
father. But Uncle George, can
be done now 90
"We have been in London three