The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1886-04-01
JOHN HALLETT'S SECRET.
From the Culver.

The air was clear and dry on the hill,
although the mists of an autumn
twilight were settling down on the busy
little town In the valley below, and as
Mrs. Hallett, from the terrace walk in
her garden, watched a puff OF white
steam in the distant landscape come
nearer and nearer, she said confident
ly, "Charlie will be in that tram; we
shall have him at home with us this
evening""
Mr.. Hallett had been an invalid for
the last week or two; not ill enough to
cause any alarm, yet not well enough
to 60 to the city as usual; and thank
full that he had shrewd, sensible son,
both able and willing to take his
place.
As is frequently the case, business
was at its briskest just as Mr.. Hallett
became unequal to it, but Charlie
threw himself into the breach manful-
ly, and had even slept in town for sew
eral nights, that he might sit later at
his books and begin earlier.
The mother would have preferred to
stay and watch for her boys coming;
but Mr.. Hallett was calling, and she
went to him.
He was surveying doomed honey
suckle. 1t was but one of the many
climbing plants trained over the walls,
covering them with beauty, from the
yellow jasmine OF early spring, till the
sweet white clematis and late roses
were nipped by the autumn frosts.
eve planted it the year Charlie
was born" he reminded his wife. II
suppose you think that would be a
reason for letting it stand?"
Mrs. Hallet smiled as she replied.
"Nay, John; it is not I who give way
to sentiment
The words were no sooner spoken
than she wished she had not uttered
them, for a frown contracted her hus-
bands brow, and he raised his eyes
involuntarily to where couple OF
windows were nearly hidden by the
passion flower that was allowed to
throw it's tendrils across them.
In the room those windows should
have lighted John Hallet's father had
spent the closing years OF his life. An
accident rendered him incapable Of
leaving it, and when, after terrible SUI
terinQ, he expired, his wife, worn out
with fatigue and sorrow, soon followed
him to the grave.
Was it an affectionate sons tender
him to shut up the apartment they
had occupied?
No one could say, but SO it was.
From the day of the funeral not a
creature was allowed to enter this
room but old Lisbeth, the trusty Ger
man who had drifted into the house
hold of the Halletts in her youth.
Lisbeth saw nothing strange in the
command she obeyed so literally, 60
ing into the closed chamber once q
week on tip-toe, to sweep and dust as
noiselessly as if some one still lay
there whom her movements could dis
turb; but Mrs. Hallett could not en-
ter into the feelings that induced her
husband to keep one OF the best rooms
in the house shut up.
A shout from the children pro-
claimed that Charlie had come.
His first look was for his mother.
After she had satisfied herself that he
did not appear to be any the worse
Tor the confinement and hard work of
the week, she was content to stand
quietly by while business matters
were discussed. She could have fam
cied that Charlie was rather restless
under the questioning to which he
was subjected.
But at last Mr.. Hallett appeared
satisfied, and he would have led the
way indoors, but now, in eager haste,
the young man poured forth the IT,
dings he had been burning to tell.
Such news for you, father! Mother
dear, what do you think has happen
ed? Aunt Mary sent for me the other
evening-you will say that that is not
q very uncommon occurrence" and
Charlie and Mrs. Hallett interchanged
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 brother
papa, who died not long after my
grandfather?
Mr.. Hallett did not immediately re-
ply. Yes. he had had 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 he
had made, the misfortunes that had
befallen him; but just before the death
of the elder Mr.. Hallett rumor reached
England that the Canadian farm did
not pay; and it's owner was struggling
with sickness as we'll as an unfavorable
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
tu0 A4mAileSS WuSt Iucu, uIu OAeSIue
mean?
ut 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 q busy
life, working with their mother to free
the farm of its 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.
"Oh, no, they came under the wing
Of q friend, the elderly lady who took
them to Aunt Mary's. They havefas-