The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1888-04-28
HERBERT AND LEDA.

SoAos y AhVAO 40 a WANC OANSh ne eiiO
back that must have been there for
years.
Herbert Payne looked ruefully at
his table of paper, his large book
cases, his pictures, busts and gim-
cracks that made his handsome Ii
brary the one room in the large
house that seemed truly like home
to him.
Very well,n he said, only be sure
you put it up this time 50 thatthere
will be no further annoyance.
Then Herbert Payne fed from the
confusion to come, and took a trip
of two weeks, absolutely without end
or aim, excepting the escape from
his disordered library.
Mrs. Beach, his housekeeper, took
care that none of his treasures were
injured, and when he returned there
was no-trace of the invaders, save
that the falling mantelpiece was
carefully reset
But upon his table lay a sealed
envelope, yellow with age and di-
rected in a pretty, lady-like hand to
"Mr. Herbert Payne"
Every shade of color left the bach
elor's face as he saw the epistle. His
hand stretched out to grasp it,
trembled so violently he drew it
back. Mrs. Beach was within call,
and he controlled his emotion to
ask:
"How came this letter here ?"
"The men found it behind the
mantelpiece, sir; it must have slip
ped down the big crack"
He shut the door then and bolted
it.
No careless, curious eyes should
watch him when he read the letter
~fhe-letter that had been hidden
thirteen years behind the mantel-
| piece.
Before he touched it he unlocked
writing desk, evidently seldom u.s.
ed, and took from il miniature Of
a lovely girl of Is or 10, with large
brown eyes and waving golden hair.
A face full of sweetness looked
out from the cold ivory, and the
eyes of the strong man grew dim
with tears as he gazed upon it.
For he had loved her.
Not with the wild, unstable love
of youth, but when he was a man
past thirty, who had faced trouble
and temptation and conquered both.
He had met her first when she
was comfort to an invalid father,
and he had been won first to love
her by watching her sweet patience
with the irritable old man, who kept
her busy in his service.
Later, when they were friends,
Herbert learned that Mr.. Morrison,
the fretful sufferer, was a very
wealthy man, and that Leda was
his only child.
Being himself man of fortune,
Herbert Payne needed but little the
fact that Leda was probably an
heiress, but he found his whole
heart going out to her as they grew
better friends.
Every day lie loved her better
till he was assured of her love in re-
turn, when he sought her fathers
consent to his taking her to his
heart and home, his loved, honored
wife.
And Mr.. Morrison's plea was this:
81 cannot spare her yet. When /
tell you her story you may not care
to marry her, but if you still love
her spare her to me few months
longer. | may not-cannot live
over another spring, even in this soft
climate, but when / die Leda will
inherit all my fortune, though she
is not my child. 1 told you she had
history.
"When my wife had been married
but two years our first child was
born and died in an hour.
"Leda--my wife, Leda-was de-
lirious, calling constantly for her
babe, and the doctor said it was life
or death with her to have a child.
So we took the babe who has grown
up to be the comfort of my life from
foundling asylum. l have no
idea who she is or what was her
parentage, but from that hour she
lay in my wife's arms, and the pres
sure of her tiny fingers calmed the
wild excitement of the brain, she
was to us our child.
We never were blessed with one of
our own again, and all the love that
was in our hearts for children was
lavished upon Leda. She was 10
years old when her adopted mother
died, but she knew nothing then,
and knows nothing now of the secret