Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-11-30
Gales AND Skrtfbts.
JOHN HARLEY's MARRIAGE.
(Conrinucd from Yesterday


(Conrinuca from Yesterday
Again took his hand. "Calm yourself.
Harley: whatever may have happened,
bear It like man-like the man ] know
you to be.
..Ingram.'' he said. II came out OF the
house with you to see you of to-day.
when you left Mrs Van Dusen and if you
remember, after you bid Susette goodbye.
she went up stairs. have not seen her
since. shall never see her again-I
never can see her again.
He paused; and it flashed across me
that he had made some discovery as To his
wife's conduct or character which had at
once made him determine to leave her.
Possibly the expression Of my tell-tale,
countenance indicated something Of this,
for he looked up at me suddenly.
Poor, poor Susette how can she bear
this? She will think me q scoundrel ; and
on, that is hard ~ bear. But better
that, than that she should know what
know, that which her mother dare not.
cannot tell her. '.Ingram ~ said he, start
ing up, Il have married my sister-my
own mothers chisdr'
Good heavens Harley, do not say
that It cannot be. Some misconception
of something you have heard
There is no misconception. / made
the discovery ten minutes after you quilt
ed Mrs Van Dusens. ] am her son !;
though she knew it not till showed her
a miniature Of my father when he was
young"
Thank God for his mercy. Harley that
you were not later in making the dis
covery."
He paused for some seconds. and then
replied: THAT IL true. II was wicked
to doubt His mercy"
He seemed caimer now and gradually
/ gathered from him all the attendant
circumstances. Intimate as had been
with Harley.I merely knew from him that
he did not remember his mother. as she
had died when he was an infant, and that
he had been brought up by another LAZY
till he went TO school. On his family mat
tiers he had always been somewhat reti-
cent. II had letter from my father, or
IL must write 10 my father by this mail.
wa generally all the reference he made
to the subject Of his home belongings; so
that I was as totally unprepared for the
information he gave me now of his antece-
dents as / had been for that connected
with ths unhappy. miserable events of the
day.
CHATTER
Immediately after | had left Mrs Van
Dusen's the rest OF the company had also
departed. with the exception of one or
two bosom friends of Susette's, who in
tended remaining with her till the newly
married pair started in the evening. Har-
ley was then In the room alone with Mrs.
Van Dusen, and turning over the contents
of desk which he had forgotten in his
hurry in leaving the ship, and which |
sent on shore after him. he took out
miniature Of his father taken some twenty
five years before. This he handed to Mrs.
Van Dusen. saying. There is my father
ut the age Of twenty"
"Why, this is likeness Of Charles
Smith, not of your father? Where did
you get it ?" exclaimed Mrs. Van Dusen,
excitedly. II got il from my father him
self. lie was Charles Smith when it was
painted; but some three or four years af-
terward he unexpectedly inherited a large
estate. and with it the name of Harley.
But how strange all this is Did you know
him. that you recognize the miniature ?''
"Oh. do not ask me-" cried Mrs. Van
Dusen. with much agitation; 81 can hard
" bear the thought of it. But speak
speak truly; have you always been called
John Harley!''
mo. Till was nearly ten years old
was called Johnny Harrison"
"Fasten the door, Call nobody Water.
water" gasped Mrs. Van Dusen in a
hoarse whisper. as she dropped on to
sofa close to which she was standing. In
n fots v,,;p,,f,a obn hur into ~,
he was pressing the tumbler of water to
her lips. she clasped him ronnd the neck.
crying my boy, my boy. Nv son, my
son ~
Yes. dear mother. your son now. and
| hope to be y loving one. But why does
the fact of your having known my father
excite you so terribly" replied Harley,
gently. rs he returned her caress.
my SONNY own son, tell YOU, And
| am indeed and truly your mother. Your
fathers father wrote to me that you had
died when six months old; and some
months before that your father-my hus-
band-had died in India Of sunstroke. oh
wicked. wicked. thus to deceive me. A. he
must also have deceived your fatherr'
II was Harley now. according to the
poor fellows piteous narrative. that was
the most overcome. lie stood over his
mother in speeches. Amusement. while the
horror of his position gradually unfolded
itself to him.
At this moment Susette came TO the
door. and finding it bolted. knocked and
called him by name. Harley could not
speak. But now Mrs. Van Dusen showed
for time the stronger nerve of the two.
Controlling her feelings wonderfully. she
rose. went to the door and calmly said
John and I, dear. have some business to
arrange connected with your marriage.
Leave us an hour or two. for we have
much to do. Now. do go when ask you,
for our time Is but short"
Answered. but far from satisfied. the
young bride went reluctantly from the
door and Mrs. Van Duscn returned to the
sofa and asked Harley TO give an account
of his early youth.
He told her that his first recollection
was when, about 5 years old, he was at
the seaside with lady. Mrs. Jones,
with whom he remained till put to q
hoar,}i a. school She WAS very kind to