Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-03-02
A Recovered Treasure.

tall, stately-looking man, with a high lore
head and clear brown eyes, and the pleas
ATTEST of smiling mouths, but Helen's face
had somewhat in its blonde, oval beauty
that reminded you Of the hunted fawn, or
the wild bird stricken down by the sports
mans shot. She was fair as lily, with hair
Of bright, rippled gold, and large violet dark
eyes-such an one as you might fancy Saxon
Rowena to have been, in short.
ayes, but shall soon be home, Nell, 80
don't worry yourself about me. Harry is
asleep, see."
AS he spoke he glanced toward velvet
cushioned sofa, where beautiful child OF
scarcely three summers old lay nesting in
the flushed, lovely sleep Of infancy, with his
dark curls thrown back from the dimpled
cheeks, and one hand underneath the head.
eyes he has been in the garden all the
afternoon, and fell asleep almost the minute
his nurse brought him in"
DR.. Tracy stood moment looking down
upon the child.
How pretty he grows. Ah, Nelly, we
have the most precious treasure heaven ever
gave to his children in this boy"
Mrs. Tracy's lip quivered-the dewy
shadow crept into her eyes.
"Oh, Henry, if I only had my little
Bertha, tool"
"Still ,brooding on your lost one, Helen2
My dearest, had hoped that time was heal
ing up that wound in your heart. Is it wise,
is it discreet, thus to forget the bounties
heaven has given you in the one gift he has
withdrawn"
"If / could only be certain that she was
indeed lost, Henry" sobbed the fair-haired
woman. "If l could have planted daisies
above her grave, and counted her growing
years in heaven-but | cannot. She may
be in want--she may be i'll or suffering, and
| so powerless to aid her."
"There can be no doubt that she is Dead
Helen" soothed the husband. "Were it
otherwise your brother-in-law would long
since have communicated with you"
"If / could only believe tiff l could
only ease this aching of my heart" reiter-
ated Helen. ado not think me ungrateful,
Henry, but indeed l cannot forget my little
lost Bertha"
At this moment Harry sat upon the sofa,
loudly claiming his mothers attention, and
Dr. Tracy went away with the pleasing
recollection that Helen was smiling back to
her boys smiles. All where was there
ever such magnetism like the touch of a
child's hand to soothe the ache of heart
or head
The flaming crimson belt of the late sun
set glowed sullenly above the leafess Octo-
ber woods; the tall trees that skirted the
lonely road on either side seemed to stand
like gaunt sentinels. DR.. Tracy buttoned
his overcoat one or two buttons higher as he
drove along the solitary highway, and felt
the raw, piercing chill Of the evening air
and all the time he was thinking of Hell
ems words.
She was q widow when he married her,
this fair Saxon beauty-a widow whom the
death of her handsome foreign swindler of
a husband had set free from bondage al.
most worse than slavery. Francisco Pet
roni died, but Paola Patroni his brother,
lived. dark. dosisning man Rartha, thair
infant child, had been consigned, by Fran
cisco's desire, to his brothers care, during
the illness that proved fatal to him. All
the widows subsequent efforts to regain pos.
session Of her little ones were futile.
"My dear sister-in-law," said the Italian
to her one day, when her appeals and en-.
treaties had been most persistent, there is
one way, and but one way, for you to re-
ceive back Bertha"
"And that is"
"To receive me also-as your husband !
Paolo Petroni never forgot nor forgave the
recoiling movement, the look of horror with
which the English widow received his un
welcome proposal
"You will compel him to give my little
one to me, Henry" the poor young mother
had said, ON the day that made her for the
second time wife. But when Henry Tracy
armed with all the force of the law, went to
Milan to demand possession of his little step
daughter, 10 Paola Petroni had utterly dis
appeared, and Bertha with him.
Search, inquiry, investigation proved
equally vain, and from that day to this
period of full six years-neither DR.. Trac,
nor his wife had ever heard one word of thu
little Italian infant whose smile had beer
the first CLEAN of light that had fallen acros
the troubled tide Of poor Helen Petroni'
foreign life.
1t was one of those strange, inexplicabl,
romances of real life that we sometimes en-
counter amid the most prosaic and common
place surroundings, and supplied DR.. Trac!
with ample materials for thought as h
drove through the wild and desolate part o
the country.
"Not a particularly. pleasant spot at thi
twilight" soliloquized the doctor, leaninl
forward to catch glimpse of single ra
of yellow light that streamed from win
dow of cottage few rods further on
"They've lighted their candles, see, and it
high time they did, too"
He sprang from his phaeton, and entere'
the cottage without knocking.
1t presented no very inviting scene. 4
ruinous floor, treacherous and uncertain +
the unwary footstep; walls where masses o
plaster had fallen away, leaving the roug
laths exposed and a fireplace where fey
damp logs sputtered and smoked, and di
everything but blaze up cheerfully. A hare
featured old crone, who was dozing on
stool by the hearth, started up and began t
curtsey as the doctor entered.
"Well, Mrs. Hopper, and how is the pa
tient2"
"Quiet, sir-quiet, quiet"
"And the child2"
GAS peaceful as lamb, bless its littl
heart |"
DIR. Tracy took up the candle and strod
across the room 10 low bedstead, in Tn
most distant corner, where human fgur
was dimly outlined beneath torn and tai
tered counterpane. Close beside it, with
shower of heecy, fiaxen ringlets minglin
with the black, disheveled locks Of the pros
trate woman, nestled child, who looked u
into the doctors eyes as he approached, wit
innocent, wondering looks.
al give her the drops at four o'clock.
said the old woman, "and she hain't mad
no fuss since. wouldn't disturb he
cause there amt nothin' so refreshin' fc
sick folks as sleep"
"Sleep" echoed DIR. Tracy, bending
examine the averted face my good sou
she's dead |"
) Dead" shrieked the old woman, rusl
ing across the floor" dead Come ava,
child, quick"
The little creature slid to the ground wit
composure strangely at variance with he
age, and stood alternately eyeing her tw
companions.
81 hope, doctor, you'll see | don't los
nothin' by the expense I've been to,
/ whined Mrs. Hopper. "Pm lone widds
woman, and"
"And the biggest harpy in the country
added DIR. Tracy. al knew that when
/, had this poor creature brought here when
} found her dying by the roadside night b.
fore last but couldn't very well help m,
self. Don't be alarmed, Mrs. Hopper; 70
shall not be a sufferer. But about the litt
girl; really don't know what to do"
/ He hesitated an an instant, mechanical
, smoothing the heecy, yellow curls of the Ii
tie girl
81 suppose" he said, nodding toward tn
} bed, she left no money or valuables of an
| kind 7"
"Not bit Of it, sir, for"
But the child stepped forward, a fragil