News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-01-26

partly open, and we went IN Wlti,Ou
making any noise. There was q dee
bay window at one side of the room
looking into the garden; it was partl
screened off by heavy curtains and COZ
tanned writing table and couple {
basket chairs. We did not at first pei
ceiye that this recess was tenanted, bu
presently we saw, by means of the re
Election in an opposite mirror, tina
Freda Morton was standing by the tabl
arranging the contents of her little writ
ing desk. Presently sh took up a sma1
case, evidently containing photograph
and looked long and earnestly at il
Then she raised it suddenly to her lip
and Missed it passionateiy many times
7 Hilda and I waited breathlessly for
few moments, then [ moved across th
room and greeted Winifred as though
we had just come in. She came fol
wardito meet us, her radiant smiling self
although could see there were tears il
her eyes. After few minutes she wen
upstairs to put on her bonnet and t.
look for Mabel, and then Hilda and
stole over to the table on which we coult
still see the little case lying where Fred
had put In down. Our first feeling wa
surprise at seeing the photograph of
young man, having always supposed
Mr.. Morton to have been middle-aged
if not elderly. Indeed, we had inferred
us much from various little speeche
made by the girls.
We were so absorbed in the contem
plation of the photograph, that we die
not perceive Mabel's entrance until sh,
stood beside us.
''Oh, " she said, $50 Freda has show1
you that. Is he not handsome man 2
every handsome, Il said. "What {
terrible grief his death must have beer
to Freda."
An odd sort of look came over Mabel't
face.
People get over such things" sh,
said, after pause.
twas he fond of Freda2"
Exceedingly fond of her, and she o1
him. But here she is, rs her step was
heard on the stairs. "Put down thai
picture, Rosa
And Freda came in, dressed for walk
ing, in her coquettish little widows bon
net.
''How cool and comfortable you girls
look in your hats !" she said. 81 think
| must get one, too, and leave off this
horrid bonnet. Tn sure, dear, Mr..
Morton would not like me to get sun
burnt. Would he, Nab? ?"
"You know BEST" said Mabel, short
ly. 81 certainly think you ought to get
the hat, she added, after a moment.
During the walk Freda was the gayest
of the gay, laughing and talking inces-
sanity. As we parted from her at her
own door, she said:
$50, Mabel tells me that you have
seen my husbands picture. What dc
you think of him 2"
! / muttered some commonplace about
the portrait, i'll the midst of which Freda
suddenly snatched away her hand, which
she had left in mine, and ran into the
: house.
One day my mother and / were sitting
at work III the drawing raom, Edmund
being seated, book in hand, in low
chair, which was partly concealed by a
couple of tall palms. Suddenly Hilda
burst into the room in a state of the
widest excitement.
''Mother, Rose-whom do you think
[ have seen just now at the postofice
Dear Mr.. Morton.
'Do you mean his ghost?"
81 mean himself In the fesh-asking
where Miss Heath lived. He has a
pleasant voice"
''But, my DEAR" said my mother,
'fdidn't he die? Die of an illness, I
mean? Was he lost at sea or anything
of that sort29
II never heard particulars of his
death, said Hilda, considering; ~ be-
lieve he was a sailor, 50 probably he was
lost at sea. Anyway he is in Longmede
at the present moment"
"How do you know it is he?'
Crosse and [ once saw his photograph.
[ could not mistake him, he is such o
striking looking man."
''Could this be his brother"
"Don't you remember Freda's once
telling us that she had no people in
law? Besides, this man has slight
scar across his forehead, which [ also
noticed in the photograph. No, no, it
is dear Mr.. Morton. | wonder if Freda
will be glad to see him" she added, sig
nificantly.
Then I suddenly remembered Ed
mund, and glanced in his direction. He
was very pale, and the hand that held
his book trembled.
When my mother and Hilda had left
the room, he said:
"Rose, [ shall go up to London to-
night and try if the berth that was of
fered to me on board the Venetia is still
to be had. I wrote a refusal yesterday,
but by going up tonight [ may still Sc
cure it.
"Must you go, Edmund!'
81 cannot stay here, " he said, "and /
think life would be more endurable at
sea than on shore. Come and help me
with my packing, Rosie, there's a good
girl. +"
Edmund went to town that night, in
spite of his mothers remonstrances, and
Hilda and | remained, devoured by curl
osity concerning Mr.. Morton. We de-
bated as to whether it would be right to
call, but disliked intruding. However,
on the third day, we heard nothing,
either of Mrs. Morton or her newly
found husband, and we decided that it
would be only kind to call, and were
Just setting out, when ring came to
the door, and in walked the two sisters,
accompanied by the original of the pho
tograph, the latter displaying a goodly
length of limb in addition to the hand
some bearded head with which we were
already familiar. Mrs. Morton was still
in mourning, but she had discarded the
widows bonnet, and wore a small straw
hat, similar to Mabel's. My mother
went over to Freda and kissed her ahec-
tionately, speaking some words of con-
graduation, and then, turning to the
stranger, greeted him also, addressing
him as Mr.. Morton
'My name is Heath" he said, in n
quiet, well bred voice; and then Mabel,
seeing the look of blank astonishment
in my mothers face, struck in
"Our brother, Mrs. Leslie Just come
home from Australia
''Your brother2 Winifred my dear.
L beg your pardon. [ am sorry for hav-
ing distressed you, for Freda was sob
blng Historically, with, it seemed to me,
more laughter than tears in her eyes.
''She is distressed, because she is
ashamed, Mrs. Leslie" said Mr.. Heath.
~ have come here to-day to insist upon
Doth my sisters making full acknowledge
ment of the deception they have proc-
uced upon your family, and beg that you
will kindly make it known to anyone
Whom 1t may concern.
"Deception?"
,Wlnltred's passing herself as a
widow. She is not married"
Not married then Mr. Morton --''
;. lis myth. The girls fancied, I be
lleVed, that living alone they would have
more freedom if one of them were II
widow, and Winifred being already in
mourning for my grandfather, whose re
cent death had left them homeless,
bought widows cap, and called herself
Mrs Morton Tho foICa ,,ocitio,, ouna