The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-02-04
The WIDOWS Son.
BY NJ. G. WALSH.

''Father, have favor to ask of you,
observed Amy Archdale, beautiful girl of
twenty, as her father came home from bust
ness one summer evening
"Well, Amy dear, what is it you wish?'
asked Everett Archdale, who was accus-
toned to grant every reasonable request his
fair daughter made.
''Have you a vacancy in your Office for
Robert Alger?" she asked, timidly, looking
up into his calm face, anxiously.
Robert Alger," repeated Mr.. Archdale,
refectvely, chow happens it that you take
so much interest in the young man?'
Amy blushed and said earnestly, "Oh,
papa, if you knew what hard struggle his
poor widowed mother has to get along, you
would not need to ask that question:; and
now Robert has returned from the West and
is anxious to support, or even assist her,
but cannot get position"
"Well, my dear child, that is really too
bad, but it is no affair of ours; still 1 am
disposed to what l can to alleviate dis
tress; so if You will have Mrs. Alger send
Robert to the Office tomorrow, l will see
what can do for him."
"Oh, thank you! thank you, papa" And
the young lady's face became radiant with
flush of pleasure.
Amy >Archdale was the only child of
Everett Archdale, Esq, and heiress to his
fine fortune and extensive estate at Elm
wood.
Mr. Archdale was a wealthy merchant,
who owned quite number of ships en-
gagged in foreign trade.
After dinner Amy dispatched servant
with note to her friend, the Widow AL
ger, notifying her to send her son to the
merchants Office on Weybosset street the
following day.
Accordingly the young man presented
himself, and, after brief examination
MIR. Archdale being very well satisfied with
his penmanship and general business quail
fications, as well as his neat appearance and
gentlemanly department, at once engaged
him mt salary of ten dollars "A week, which
the Young applicant was very glad to accept
He applied himself eagerly to his duties.
and at the end of six months was promoted
to the full charge of the books with a large
ly increased salary.
At length Mr.. Archdale was so we'll
pleased with Alger that, noticing his health
was being impaired by too close apple ltion
to business, he determiped to send Robert
away on one of his ships as supercargo,
hoping that change of air and scene
would prove beneficial.
Both Robert and his mother esteemed
Miss Archdale highly for her kindly assist
ance and sweet disposition; and the former
had learned to love her, though on account
of the disparity in their social standing he
felt obliged to suppress all tender feelings
other than those of sincere friendship
Still when at length he babe her adieu
and sailed on the Eta Fairfax, it was with
the fondly cherished hope that he might by
"a ludicious investment of the funds saved
from his salary be able to lay the founda-
sion of a comfortable competence, and in
The future reach that station which he felt
ut was essentially requisite to attain in or
der TO aspire to her hand.
He was, however, mistaken in his inter-
pretation of her character.
Shortly after his departure Amy invited
AIRS. Alger, n bright, clever little woman,
educated and refined, to take up her abode
In the Archdale mansion and be her COM
panion, to which the widow gracefully as
Bented
Amy had many eligible admirers, and one
among their number, Gilbert Ashwood, was
her favorite sutton.
This gentleman, an aristocratic young at
torney, was engaged to be married 70 the
vivacious little beauty.
Time elapsed, and the ship upon which
Robert Alger had sailed was reported losti
1t was now nearly year since that de-
plorabe event, and the Widow Alger was
still dwelling at the Grange, her associa-
tons with Amy Archdale being in meas
ure compensation for the loss of her son.
She still, however, maintained her belief
in his escape; refused to abandon hope, and
the conviction that Robert was yet alive
was her greatest consolation.
One day sad calamity befell Everett
Archdalel
His business suddenly collapsed, and he
found himself bankrupt and almost pen
nilessi
The fine mansion went with the rest, and
the Archdales were obliged to take up their
abode in humble cottage, where Amy and
Mrs. Alger opened private school.
Before their departure from the Grange,
however, Gilbert Ashwood had an interview
with Amy, during which he coolly stated
that in view of her recent change from affiu-
encc TO poverty he could not reasonably be
expected TO marry her. Without waiting
for the conclusion of her recreant lovers
speech, Amy released him from the engage
ment.
She had loved him with all the tender af-
lection of her young heart, and thought him
sincere on his part; but now that he had
shown himself to have been actuated By the
most mercenary motives in seeking her
hand, she began to realize that after all it
was a blessing that her father had lost his
property, rs she was thereby saved from n
life of misery with one who did not love her.
The day appointed for the sale of the
Archdale mansion at public auction at
length arrived. large crowd was assem-
bled, bids ran high, and the property was
finally, after deliberate proceedings,
aknocked down" to tall young man with
dark complexion and foreign appearance,
evidently stranger Mt Elmwood.
He paid the necessary deposit to the auc-
iionecr, promising to call ut the latters
Office in the afternoon with the balance, and
requesting him TO have the deeds ready to