Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-11-26

city had grown up around it.
This is stranger said the old gentleman.
"Do you remember our conversation on that
evening when I first had the unlooked-for
pleasure of receiving you as a guest into my
house? At that time l spoke to you of
strange family story, OF which there was no
denolrnlezt, such as a novel-Writer would de-
sire, and which had remained in that unhn-
ished posture for more than 200 yearsl Well,
perhaps it will crafty you to know that there
seems prospect of that wanting termination
being suppliedp
"Indeedp' said Middleton.
"Yes," replied the master. "a gentleman
has Just parted with me who was indeed the
representative of the family concerned in
the story. He is descendant OF a younger
son of that family, to whom the estate de-
volved about q century ago, although at
that time there was search for the heirs OF
the elder SOD, who had disappeared after the
bloody incident which 1 related to you.
Now, singular as it may appear, at this late
day a person claiming to be the descendant
and heir of that eldest son has appeared,
and, if l may credit nv friends account, is
disposed not only to claim the estate, but
the dormant title which Eldredge himself
has been so long preparing 10 claim for him
self. Singularly enough, too, the heir is an
American. 1t seems that the younger
brother was elected from the house on ac-
count of q love affair; the elder hav-
ing married a young woman with
it is said, the wife disappeared on the
bridal night, aud was never heard of more.
The older brother remained single during the
rest of his life, and dying childless and there
being still no news of the second brother the
inheritance and representation of the family
devoived upon the third brother and his pos
teriiy. THIS branch of the family has ever
since remained in possession, and laterly the
representation has become of more impor-
lance, on account of a claim to an old title,
which, by the failure of another branch of
this ancient family, has devolved upon the
branch here settled. Now, just at this juno
ture, comes another heir from America, pre-
tending that he is the descendant of a mar
riage between the second son, supposed TO
have been murdered on the threshold of the
manner house, and the missing bridel Is it
not singular story?
sit would seem to require very strong evil
d snce to prove it," said Middleton. "And
methinks a republican should care little for
the title, however ne might value the estate"
"Both-both," said the master, smiling,
would be equally attractive 10 your coun-
tryman. But there are further curious psr-
ticulars in connection with this claim. You
must know they are a family of singular
humorists, sometimes devel-
insanity; though oftener, must say, spend
ing stupid hereditary lives here on their
estates, rHsting out and dying without leav-
ing any biography whatever about them.
And yet there has always been one very queer
thing about TIL 8 generally very com monplace
family. 1t is that each father, on his DEATH
bed, has had an interview with his son, at
which he has impaired some secret that has
evidently had an influence on the character
and sfter-life of the son, making him ever
a disseminated man, aspiring for something
he has never been able to find. Now the
American, / am told, pretends that he has
the clew which has always been needed to
make the secret available; the key whereby
the lock may be opened; the something that
the lost son of the family carried away with
him, and bv which, through these centuries,
he has impeded the progress of the race.
And, wild as the story seems, he does GER
tainly seem to bring something that looks
very like tine proof OF what he says"
"And what are those proofs?" inquired
Middleton, wonder-stricken at the strange
duplication of his own position and pur-
suits.
He questioned with himself whether it was
not better to leave all ss il was; to withdraw
himself into the secrecy from which he had
but half emerged, and leave the family TO
keep on, to the end Oh time, perhaps in its
rusty innocence, rather than to interfere
with his wild American character TO disturb
it. The smell of that dark crime-tbat
brotherly hatred and attempted murder
seemed TO breathe out of the ground as be
dug II up. Was il not settled that il should
remain forever buried. for what to him
was this old English title-what this estate,
so far from his own native land, located
amidst feelings and manners which
would never be his own? 1t was
late, TO be sure-yet not too late for him
to turn back; the vibration, the fear which
his footsteps had caused, would subside
into peacel Meditating in this way, he took
a hasty leave of the kind old master, prom
ising TO see him again at an early opportu-
nifty. BY chance, or however it was, his
footsteps turned 20 the woods of - Chace,
aud there he wandered through its glades
deep in thought, yet always with a strange
sense that he was treading on the soil where
his ancestors had trodden, and where he
himself had best right of all men to be. 1t
was just in this state of feeling that he found
his course arrested by a hand upon his
shoulder "What business have you here?"
wss the question sounded in his ear; and,
starting, he found himself in the grasp, as
his blood tingled TO know, of gentleman in
a shooting dress, who looked at him with a
wrathful brow. @Are you poacher, or
whalW
Be the case what it might, Mlddleton's
blood boiled at the grasp of that hand as it
never before had done in the course of his
impulsive life. He shook himself free, and
stood fercely before his Antagonist, con-
fronting him with his. uplifted stick, while
the other likewise appeared to be shaken by
a strange wrath. "Fellow," muttered he,
Yankee acknowledgements your
self off these grounds. Quick, or it will be
the worse for youp Middleton restrained
himself. "Mr. Eldredge," said he, "for
believe / speak 10 the man who calls himself
the owner of this land on which we stand
Mr.. Eldredge, you are acting under strange
Misrepresentation of my character. l have
come hither with no sinister purpose. and
am entitled, az the hands of gentleman, to
the consideration of an honorable antagonist,
even if you deem me one at all. And per-
hsps, if you think upon the blue chamber,
and the ebony cabinet, and the secret con-
nected with it"
@Villaip, no morel" said EIdredge; and
utterly mad with rage, he presented his
gun st Middleton; but even at the moment
Of doing so he partly restrained himself. 60
far as, instead of shooting him, to raise the
butt OF his gun and strike blow at him. 1t
came down heavily on Middleton's shoulder,
though aimed at his head, and the blow was
terribly avenged, even by itself, for the jar
caused the hammer to come down; the gun
went off, sending the bullet downward
through the heart of the unfortunate man,
who fell dead upon the ground. Middleton
stood stupefed looking at the catastrophe
which had SO suddenly occurred.
They middleton and Allen) entered the
door Of the old mansion, now a farmhouse,
and there were its old hall, lis old chambers,
all before them. They aEcended the stair
case and stood on the landipg-place above;
while Middleton had sgain that feeling that
had so often made him dizzy-that sense of
being in one dream and recognizing the
scenery and events of a former dream. So
was this feeling that he laid
his hand on the slender arm of Alice 10
steady himself; and she comprehended the
emotion that sgitsled him, and looked into
his eyes with tender sympathy, which she
had never before permitted to be visible
perhaps never before felt. He steadied him
self and followed her till they had entered an
with all the comfortable luxury customary
10 be seen in English homes.
"Whiiher have you led me nowp inquired
Middleton. "Look round" said Alice. as
there nothing here that you ought to recog-
nizs-noihing that you kept the memory
of long ago." He looked round the room
again aud again and again, and at last, in
somewhat Swallowed corner he espied an old
cabinet made of ebony and inlaid with pearl;
one of those tall, stately and elaborate pieces
of furniture that are rather articles Ct ar
chiiecture than upholstery; and on which
higher skill, feeling and geHius than now is
ever employed on such things was expended.
Alice drew near the stately cabinet and