New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-03-31


ofthe elder Mr. Hallett a rumor reached
England that the Canadian farm did
not pay; and its owner was struggling
with sickness as well as an unfavorable
season. Offers Of help were sent, but
they were declined; those offers were
repeated to Tom Hallett' 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?
1T 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 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 taking a 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 a friend, the elderly lady who took
them to Aunt Mary's. They havefas-
cinated her, and" Charlie turned to
his silent father "and l think am
sure you willlikeyour nieces, sir-they
are charming girls
But Mr.. Hallett put out his hands,
crying hoarsely: "Keep them away
from me! Twill not have them here!!'
And so saying he 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
speak so strangely"
II do not know; perhaps sudden
spasm. must 60 to him."
"Ah, yes, go, and beg OF him to ex-
plain himself, for they are coming here,
these cousins OF mine. | 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 hurried his mother
indoors.
On Monday morning Mr.. Hallett
pronounced himself sufficiently restor-
ed to go to business. Hehad 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 he had buri-
ed SO deep down as to be sometimes
forgotten, until a chance word or rec
election would bring it back to his
memory. He had trouble OF which
no one knew anything but old Lisbeth,
and even she did not suspect it's ma
ture.
In all honesty Of purpose she had
told him, as he stood by his mothers
coffin, that Madame's dearest wish
had been to see her absent son Tom.
II think she had message for him."
Lisbeth added-''a written one: l
know that just before your good father
died. she was talking to him of Mas
ter Tom; and I 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 Hallett,
startled and incredulous.
II think So" Lisbeth replied. II
know he gave the dear mistress a
paper that she cried over after he was
gone; but I do not know what she did
with it,
That paper had never been found.
At first John Hallett'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 hehad
brought his bride here, and his children
were DOfn unuer Cne ROOF ne had come
to look upon as his own
He did not deliberately scheme to
wrong his brother; but he never made
any search for the paper of which Lis
beth had spoken.
And so years had rolled on without
anyone disputing with John Hallett
his possession of the home so dear to
him. Lisbeth made no further allu-
sions to the paper. She knew that
Master Tom was dead, and was not
aware that it might have been Of i'm
portance to his widow and offspring.
And now, after all this lapse OF time,
the children of John Hallett's dead
brother had come to England. For
what could it be, he asked agitatedly,
but to claim their own?
John Hallett started for town OBJ
pressed with q new fear. Lisbeth
might have found the paper, and. sus-
pecting him of foul play, posted it to
Canada.
How he got through the day no one
knew, for Charlie pleaded headache
and STAYED at home