Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1885-12-05

He assured them that land was not far off.
His only reason, he informed me, for taking
this course was that he hated the labor of
rowing. Any hope Of their lives being
saved he secuted.
However, before nightfall they did reach
land-a bare rock, Tut land.
BY this tins one of the women was lying
in the bottom of the boat. moaning, like
one in agony. Her companions of the same
sex we're exchanging frightened glancss
The poor thing was carried ashore, aud the
true state OF affairs communicated to tbs
men. A tent Or screen was, by the aid Of
the sail and the oars, hastily rugged up, and
IN an hours time there were ten human
beings, instead OF nine, on that barren rock.
But not for long. Before the morning
the number was the same as when they
landed, only that the place Of ono Of tao
women wa' taken by q crying, plematarely-
born infant.
The rough men and women did what they
could for the poor little wretch. The
woman with the nursing baby gave it a
portion of what was %righttully h,r W
chi!d's.
THIS, in Julian Loraine's opinion, was the
most rash and misplaced expression of false
sentiment no had evor met with.
Toward the evening Of that day they
scrared a grave for the mother. They did
not fill it up at ice, thinking that by and
bye the child must be Land in her arms.
At one tine 1t seemed chat it must be 20.
The sailors and the women, no DOUBT, think
ing That a gentleman IS nearer hoaven than
themselves, brought the poor little wailing
a.om TO Lorraine, ami asked him to christen
it
With death SO closs at hand to all it was
not worth while making any demur; but 1
can fancy the mans cynical smile Us he
sprinkled water from a large shell on the
child's heal. He, Julian Lorraine, dom, q
priests duty, AMI doing it for the pleasure
Of other peoplel
However, so far as he knew how he bap-
tizsd the child. and thinking that a name
was indispensable with a kind Of grim
hu nor christenel him, for 1t was a boy,
Julian.
After all no one elss died. not even the
strangely-born baby. The next day a sail
hove in sight. Such signas as the ship
wrecked party could make were s.en, anil
men, women and babies were Soon in safety
on board a hom,ward-bo unl shin.
Not one, not even her fellow passengers.
knew the name or anything about the wo-
mar who had died. Her clothes. such as
she wore, bore no mark. Her husband, II
on board, had gone down in the Black Swan.
What was to become of the chilu4
Lorraine setJlod this. Perhaps he thought
the child had a certain ridiculous claim
upon him. He was no niggard with Ills
money. He told some one-he would not
have taken the trouble to see about 1t him.
self-to find a comfortable home for the
child, and to apply to him when money was
wanted. Then he went his way, and lived
for years as he chose.
Every now and then, when her paymas-
ter was in town, the woman who had charge
Of the child ventured to bring him to see
his benefactor. Sometimes the benefactor
~scowled, sometimes smiled his cynical
smile and took notice of the little boy. who
was called by his baptismal name, Master
Julian. When tho hoy was 2 years Of age.
Julian Lorraine sent instructions that he WINS
to be forwarded to Herstal Abbey, Sooner.
setshire. Having been told by the goo1
neople about him that the grand gentlenar
he now and again saw was his f,ther, be
addressed him by that endeariuc term
Julian Lorraine. no doubt, stared aat
laughed, but lie said nothing forbidding the
appellation being used So to himself anl
the world the boy was Master Julian, only
son Of Julian Lorraine, OF Herstal Abbey.
What strange freak induced the maj tt
present a namelsss child, Of humble and I'M.
known parents, to the world as his son I
shall never know. Ihave tried to think it
was from affection toward the child-from
the need even his own nature felt of some
thing he could love and call his own; but I
cannot think so. 1t may have been pure
cvnlcism. He may ON dav have wanted
TO turn round and says: what is birtha
G,o 7 t,1,o kLt, Touchdown, Irok l.:.- -
up as a gentleman, and every one thinks
him born to the station!" 1t may have Iaon
a baser motive, that of revenge. l shall
never know.
The boy grew up. He passed. from the
stage Of Master Julian to that of Mr.
Julian, or young Mr.. Lorraine; yet his re.
puted father kept the Sccret-kept 1t until
the boy was IS, and, like many other BOYS
of that age who are only som of rich
fathers, began to give himself airs. Then
one summers evening, when the man anl
the hoy We're sitting over their clar,t.
Julian Lorraine thought fit to relate, even
more fully than l have given it above. the
story OF the wreck and the history of the
child born on that rock.
And for Twas tho boy to whom he told
it-tnrned dnadly pale and gasrad for breath,
! believe I had never really loved the man
whom | supposed to be my father; his was
not a lovablc nature. Often aul .ft.n |
had reproached my self for my lack OF flisl
affection. But now, as turned my dazad
eyes to his face, and saw the s~atirical smile
with which he regarded me, l all but hatel
him. rose u~nsteadily.
II must go anl think all this over" I
stammerei out.
Certainly. 60 aud think 1T over"
claret, while l rushed wildly from the
room