The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1881-04-15
CLEVELAND, TENN, APRIL Is, 1881.

earnestly when permission was accorded.
That was all, but it was enough to
change all the world for this tender,
lonely heart,
'How good he is to think of me who
have nothing, when so many younger
and richer ladies would gladly have had
his preference"
"There is little boy waiting to see
you, man," the servant said when she
entered the cottage. "He has a letter
for you"
"Who is he?" Mrs. Beaufort asked.
"He is stranger, madam, and pref
ty lad. / think he is a sailor like, but a
gentleman's son."
"You can send him to me-" Mrs.
Beaufort said.
She entered the parlor, and in a few
moments the messengers stood before
her She merely glanced at him,
scarcely moving, as he gave her the note,
and stood, cap in hand, before her as
she read.
1t was written coarsely by an ignorant
person, and the name signed was that of
a man-servant who had lived at the man
or when she had been ousted retainer
of her husbands relatives. 1t was dated
Calcutta, and marked 'Important."
"MADAM; 1 think you would do well
to adopt this boy as your son. Perhaps
you will like him almost as well. He Is
a smart little fellow, and has no bad
habits, and he has no father. L have
known him since he was two years old
If you want any more information, ask
it of yours to command, JOHN SLADE.
A strange enough note, presumingand
inexplicable. She dropped it and looked
at the messenger, straight, well-formed
boy, with slender hands and feet. His
hair was light, and .curled loosely like
other hair she had seen. His large yio-
let eyes were like other eyes she had
seen before, his mouth, the dimple in
the chin, the turn of the head
She gazed on him moment, like one
in trance, then started.
Heavens, boy! what is your name?"
she cried. "Who are you?"
"NIy name is Phil Phillips" he an
swered, with a smile that went to the
heart, with voice that set her trem-
bling. 81 don't know who | am. l
was picked up at sea when / was three
years old"
"But this man, this John Slade, says
he knew you at that time, she exclaimed
starting, up. And he has been away
only year"
"Yes," said the boy, looking with
wonder to see the lady so agitated; che
came to see me in America and took me
to Calcutta with him, and he has been
good to me, He told me that my father
was dead, but my mother was alive, and
that my name was Philip, but would not
tell me what else. He said that you
knew who my mother is want to find
my mother" the boy added, tremulous-
ly. 81 don't like going about the world
so.
What explanation could be made she
knew not But with mothers intuition
she knew her long lost child. She
clasped him in her arms. She kissed
and questioned him; she listened to a
recital of all his recollections, and with
every word her assurances grew strong
er. His faint recollections of the great
house, the pony carriage, of many a lit
tie incident which she herself recalled
all we're confirmation strong as proofs OF
Holy Writ.
The next morning Mr.. Vernon called
to see Mrs. Beaufort, and before he had
been with her fifteen minutes they were
engaged.
ooh, my dearest, my most true and
disinterested friend" she suddenly
broke forth, "'I have such news to tell
you; I can keep it no longer. Say once
again that you love and choose me, poor
and alone"
She leaned on his arm, and looked
with beautiful, fearful eyes into his
face.
81 choose you so, my love-" he said
81 want nothing with you"
She leaned moment on his shoulder
then gently disengaged herself from
his embrace, and going to the door O
an inner room, opened it, and beckonet
to some one there.
A boy seven or eight years of age raj
t to catch and kiss her hand. She led hin
to the vicar
I '1t is my little Philip come back from
= the dead" she said, "and l ask you tt
t leave the vicarage for the manor"
o "No matter about proofs They wer'
i not wanting, and they were convincing
4 The Beauforts would own to nothing
o they only gave up and went out of tn
$ usurped inheritance. But the servant
John Sladc, charged the proprietor witt
h having withheld from Mrs. Beaufort tn
|. advertisement which described the chill,
G that had been picked up at sea.
= 1--WE did not believe that it was tn
child" they said, "and we thought
II would only agitate Alice unnecessarily.
II It was q lame excuse, but the bos
d they had.
n 60 Mrn Rnnnfn1t wont hnnk To th