The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1886-04-02

Charlie and Mrs. HalletC
amused smiles, for Miss Mary Hallett
was ore Of the fussiest OF maiden la
dies. "She sent for me that she might
introduce me to some new relations
from over the sea. You had a brother
papa, who died not long after my
grandfather?
Mr.. Hallett did not Immediately re-
plv. Yes, he had had q half-brOther,
whose restless disposition had induced
him to demand his portion and sail
away with it to America. After many
~wanderings he had settled in Canada
and married. Pride had induced him
to be silent respecting the mistakes ne
had made, the misfortuneS that had
befallen him; but just before the death
Ofthe elder Mr.. Hallett q rumOr reached
England that the Canadian farm did
not pay; and it's owner was struggling
with sickness as we'll as an unfavOrabie
season. Offers of help were sent, but
they were declined; those offers were
repeated to Tom Hallett's widow, and
again, but more gratefully refused.
Since that time, long years ago, no
intercourse had been kept up between
the families; what then, did Charlie
mean?
at was to my Uncle Toms elder
daughters Aunt Mary introduced me.
They are tall, bright, handsome girls,
merry and frank and unaffected, yet
quite as lady-like as my sisters Eva
and Emma. They have led a busy
life, working with their mother to free
the farm of it's enCumbranCes. Their
labors have been successful; they are
prospecting at last; and so they have
felt themselves Justified in takinga trip
to England, to make acquaintance with
their kindred.
"And crossed the Atlantic alone!!"
exclaimed Mrs. Hallett.
ooh, no, they came under the wing
of + friend, the elderly lady who took
them to Aunt Mary's. They havefas-
cinated her, and--"Ch Charlie turned to
his silent father "and | Think am
sure you will like your nieces, sir-they
are charminggirlS."
But Mr.. Hallett put out his hands,
crying hoa"sely: Keep them away
from me! will not have them here"
And so saying, be went quickly into
the house, whittier his startled wife
would have followed ifher son hadnot
detained her.
Mother, what does this mean?" he
asked, in his CONSERVATION. "Is my
father worse? Is it possible that he
knows what he is saying? He never
had any quarrel with Uncle Tom, did
he? Then what could have made him
speak so Strangely"
Il do not know; perhaps a sudden
spasm. must go to him"
"Ah, yes, go, and beg Of him to ex-
plain himself, for they are coming here,
these cousins OF mine. l told them in
your name and my fathers that they
would be welcome; and so / thought
they would. How can l meet them
again? how tell them"
And then, grooming in his impatience
and alarm, Charlie hurriedh his mother
indoors.
On Monday morning Mr.. Hallett
pronounced himself sufficiently restor-
ed to go to business. He had repulsed
his wife when she attempted to win his
confidence; he had given no explana-
ton to his son; both, therefore were
telling hurt and anxious, though try
ing to conceal it from each other.
They would have pitied him had
they known what a Sunday he had
spent, shutting himself away from his
family because every questioning look
they turned upon HIM seemed to pierce
his heart and lay bare that which he
hid within it.
Yes, the upright, honorable John
Hallett, had a secret that hehad buri-
ed so deep down as 20 be sometimes
forgotten, until q chance word or rec
election would bring it back to his
memory. He had q trouble of which
no one knew anything but ldLisheth.
and even she did not suspect its ma
ture.
in all honesty of purpose she had
told aim, as he stood by his mothers
coffin, that Madame's dearest wish
had been to see her absent son Tom.
81 think she had messagefor him."
Lisbeth added-"a written one; /
know that just before your good father
died. she was talking to him of Mas
ter Tom; and | heard her say she was
sure he would come BACK if he could
come to the old home"
did she wish my father to will this
house to him?" asked John Failett,
startled and incredulous.
II think So" Lisbeth replied. ~
know he gave the dear mistress a
paper that she cried over after he was
gone; but / do not know what she did
with it,"
That paper had never been found.
At first John Haliett's feelings with
regard to it had been OF angry sur
prise. He was the elder brother, and
had always resided at the Copse. With
the appreciation of his parents he had
brought his bride here, and his children
were born under the roof he had come
to look upon as his own.