Middletown transcript., 1881-05-06


brary, and I boldly told him who was,
how l had met his daughter, and asked
for her hand.
Ellis brow grew black as spoke, and
noticed that he trembled, but he said
in low stern tones
"'Young man, your father has doubt
less hidden from You what he is, or has
been, OF you would never come here to
ask for my child to be your wife.
I stood in amazement and then
asked:
What do you mean, sir ?
''First, years ago I knew your father;
we both loved the same maiden, and he
turned her against me, and she became
his wife to die soon after
''That I never forgave him, for l
knew that he won her from Inc by false
hood, and then broke her heart
"'After that he left England, and
until 1 met him here, some months ago,
I knew not what had become of him;
but now know that he bought yonder
house, and lives there in luxury upon
the gold he gained by piracy.
II will not attempt to describe what
passed, Colonel, for I gave him the lie
direct, and he and his servants drove
me from his house; but I sought my
father, and from his stern lips learned
that he had gained his money us a cap
tain in the slave-trade that he had
won Colonel Clare's intended bride from
him, and that she had died of a broken
heart when she knew he was a SLAYER :;
but he had again married, and my
mothers life also had been made
wretched by what she discovered of her
husbands past
$50 indignant was l toward him that
he drove me from his house, and swore
that not dollar should l ever have Of
his, and he kept his word for, at his
death, with the exception of his man
sion, it went to charity as an atonement
for his sins.
''When l next came home, after his
death, both homesteads were deserted,
for Colonel Claire and Fidele had gone,
the servants knew not where, and l
then became wretched indeed but alas!
two years after [ received, when my
vessel was in the Mediterranean, a let
ter from lawyer, telling me that the
Colonel had died and left his vast prop
erty to his daughter, and she, too, dy-
ing, had made me her heir.
II was astounded, l can assure you
but with the lawyers letter came one
inclosed from Fidele, saying that she
had always loved me, and, dying, had
left me her wealth that | might be
happy with the wife that had chosen,
and, if l loved her memory, to accept
the inheritance.
II resigned from the navy, Colonel,
sought the lawyers, and found that my
inheritance was very large one also
sought the spot where poor Fidele was
buried. and erected above her monu-
ment, and now after long years Of wan
derings, l have gotten up courage to
come here, and i'll yonder homestead,
left me by the one woman l ever loved,
will live until l, too, die. But come
let US go across to Haunted Island,
and [ will show you the very spot where
| first met her. "
1t was just sunset as we landed at
the Haunted Island, and, making our
way among the bushes. we suddenly
came to dead stand-still, for there not
fifteen PAGES away, stood a woman clad
i'll snow-white.
Her auburn hair hung i'll WaYy mass
es down her back, her face. was darkly
bronzed, but beautiful, and her glorious
dark eyes were turned upon us with a
look 1 shall never forget, while her
slender, graceful form was swayiEg as
though she were about to fall.
.'Oh Heaven have mercy 1t is
Fidele's spirit r
The CRY came i'll mortal agony from
the lips of Dale Drummond. and his
face was as pallid as the dead, for he
was skeptic in all superstitious dogmas,
and yet before him, as 1 did also, he
beheld the one he deemed dead.
'.No, Dale, l am not a spirit, but
Fidele Claire in flesh and blood" and
speaking i'll low, musical tones, she
came toward us, evidently deeply
moved.
mot dead Thank God p And he
tottered forward and held forth his
arms.
But she drew back, saying, sadly
''No, Dale, that is not my place, but
hers. y
IsFidele, what do you mean ?' And,
seemingly forgetting my presence, he
continued "None but your image has
ever been in my heart. -
''And your wife p
II have no wife, Fidele; nor ever
did have.
''Do you mean this, Dale Drum
mond.
''Upon my honor, yes"
"Ahl how l have been deceived My
father told me he was married, and,
loving him still, 1 gave up all for him,
and came here to this lonely place to
live, letting the world believe me
dead. p"
She spoke more to herself than to
him. and. with her hands clasped, her
eyes downcast but at her words he
sprung toward her, and l turned away
and went on an exploration of the ISL
and, leaving the two together.
Darkness came on, and at last | re-
traced my way, but, hearing my name
called, went in the direction OF the
trail, and found the two seated before
the snug little cottage that had been
the self-sacrifcing and beautiful eXile's
home, and which was most comfortable.
Only one, then 1 heard, was in her
secret, and that one was the faithful
servant who had charge of her old
I,o,,, oe4ood ay1 ooon xr-nnlr no bTOUOht