Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1884-02-02
WHOLE NO. 643.


maiden too discreet, and of a mind too
elevated and improved, to need the
guardianship even Of father"
"Cora!"
"Ay-Cora we are talking of your
pretensions to Miss Munro, are we not,
sirP'
"I-1-I was not conscious of hav-
ing mentioned her name," said Dun
can, stammering.
"And to marry whom, then, did you
wish my consent, Major Hayward :"
demanded the old soldier.
"You have another and not less
lovely child"
"Alice!" exclaimed the father, in an
astonishment equal to that with which
Duncan had just repeated the name of
her sister.
''Such was the direction of my wish
es, sir"
The young man waited in silence the
result of the extraordinary effect pro-
duced by communication which, as
it now appeared, was so unexpected.
For several minutes Munro paced the
chamber with long and rapid strides.
At length, he paused directly in front
of Hayward he said with lip that
quivered violently:
Duncan Hayward, have loved
you for the sake of him whose blood is
in your veins; l have loved you for
your own good qualities and l have
loved you, because I thought you
would contribute to the happiness of
my child. But all this love would turn
to hatred, were assured that what 1
so much apprehend is true"
"God forbid that any act or thought
Of mine should lead to such change :"
exclaimed the young man.
"You would be my son, Duncan, and
you're ignorant of the history of the
man you wish to call your father. Sit
We down, young man, and l will open
to you the wounds of scared heart,
in as few words as may be suitable"
BY this time, the message of Mont
calm was as much forgotten by him
who bore it as by the man for whose
ears it was intended. Each drew a
chair, and the former spoke
''You know, already, Major Hey
rarJ tbot ,o1, ,,,il,- ,,-oc b,%b o,ninnt
and honorable" commenced the Scots
man; though it might not altogether
be endowed with that amount of wealth
that should correspond with its degree.
was, maybe, such an one as your
self when pllghted my faith to Alice
Graham, the only child of neighbor-
ing laird of some estate. But the con-
nection was disagreeable to her father,
on more accounts than my poverty. l
did, therefore, what an honest man
should-restored the maiden her troth,
and departed the country in the service
of my king. had seen many regions,
and had shed much blood in different
lands, before. duty called me to the is
lands of the West Indies. There it
was my lot to form connection with
one who in time became my wife, and
the mother of Cora. She was the
daughter of gentleman of those isles.
by lady whose misfortune it was,
if you will, said the old man, proudly,
''to be descended, remotely, from that
unfortunate class who are so basely en-
slaved to administer to the wants of
luxurious people. Ay, sir, that is
curse entailed on Scotland by her un-
natural union with a foreign and trad
ing people. But could l find a man
among them who would dare to retiec;
on my child, he should feel the weight
of a fathers anger! Ha! Major Hey
ward, you are yourself born at the
south, where these unfortunate beings
are considered u race inferior to yom
own"
"'Tis most unfortunately true, sir"
said Duncan.
and you cast it on my child as a
reproach You scorn to mingle the
blood of the Heywards with one so de
graded-lovely and virtuous though
she be ?" fercely demanded the jealous
parent.
"Heaven protect me from any pre-
judice so unworthy of my reasonw
returned Duncan. 1.-THE sweetness,
the beauty, the witchery of your
younger daughter, Colonel Munro,
might explain my motives, without
inputing to me this injustice"
aye are right, SIR" returned the old
man "the girl is the image of what
her mother was at her years, and be-
fore she had become acquainted with
grief. When death deprived me of
my wife | returned to Scotland, en-
riched by the marriage; and would
you think it, Duncan, the suffering
angel had remained in the heartless
state of celibacy twenty long years,
and that for the sake of IL man who
could forget her. She did more, sir
she overlooked my want of faith, and
| all difficulties being now removed she