Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-06-29

lNlYEXE i I h'1, his father father had s11 to his son. Before and after that sad event the young man hnd travelled over most of the known world, but at last, weary of wandering, he had come back to his native land, and once more trod the domain that had been in the family for generations back. On three sides could be seen the broad stretch of rich upland that called him master; over the avenue of elms on the fourth one might get glimpse of the ivy-mantled walls of Richmond Terrace. How we'll Roger remembered spending half his boyhood days in the strange | manor-house, which had been, indeed, | second home to him. His father and | Lawrence Richmond had been bosom l Fri nds, and this intimacy had continued until Roger was over 12 years of age. Then some trifling dispute about bound ary line arose. and, both being mon of passionate tempers, 1t had waxed warmer until it assumed the proportions of a l family feud.
 The families were separated, and never | to this day had Roger Darrel set foot upon Richmond property. When his father lay dying, he would have bridged over the chasm of hate, but Law renee Richmond was either away, or else refused to grant the request, Roger never | knew which.
 Some years before, the young man had keard that the whole of Richmonds family had been swept away by pesti- lcEce while in tho south. and that the bereaved old man had shut himself up l in his manor, refusing to see any one but the servants.
 l This he had heard while abroad. l He had now been homo several weeks and explored every nook of the we'll re- membered estate. The high wall that had been erected between the two man. sions had never been looked after, and now lay in desolate ruins.
 1 Evidently, in his terrible aflliction, Lawrence Richmond had forgotten his enmity, though Roger doubted not the flame still slumbered in his breast, for ho was man of powerful mind; hence, he had wisely refrained from making his return home known to the inmates of Richmond Terrace.
 Indeed, there were few who knew Roger Darrel had returned to the house of his ancestors; they believed him still to be travelling in foreign lands. and the young heir made no attempt to un- deceive them. He had no desire for company, but had come homo for rest.
 Darrel Chace was in itself a grand old pile of masonry, and the architect must have been d deop disciple of the Cor inthian and Doric orders, for there was an abundance of beautifully ornamented pillars to be seen fashioned after these styles. towers at tho corners, and even in Eng land one might search a long time with on the Potomac.
 Inside, everything was as magnificent as the eye would wish to see, and a palace could not be more regally deco rated.
 As to the estate, 1t was by far the finest in seven counties, and the heir oi all this grandeur would have been the lion of the season at any watering place had he cared to show himself.
 The day was bright and lovely. , Wandering through the brave old for est that stretched out for miles back O. the two plantations, the young master o Darrel Chace came upon the pretties scene of lifetime spent among wha have been termed the beauty spots O the world.
 Upon the bank of 8 picturesque nttl, brook that sang noisily as it wended 1t. way through the forest, a young girl sa with book in her lap that had a Tenny son look about it, but with her eye fastened upon little Skyo terrier, whicl was performing all manner of antic upon the opposite side of the stream.
 Indeed, the first intimation he had o her presence was the girlish laugh, s' clear and silvery, like the notes of a tru bell, with which she had greeted som escapade of the little animal
 Afterward, when hc looked back to thi time, Roger Darrell realized that hi
 heart had gone out to this girl then an there, even before he had exchanged ) word with her.
 3 He had seen much of life, but whateve strange may have befallcn him, Roge 3 Darrcl had never loved before. It wa long time before he would acknow 3 edge the truth, even to himself, but seemed that from the very minute h Q gaxed upon that face, the void in h 3 heart was filled, and the misanthrop
 ideas engendered by q lonely life val
 ished as if touched by magician
 wand. and all the earth appeared beav
 tiful
 They soon became friends. ~s.
 There was something intensely a
 tl1, tive about Roger Darrel. He W,
 st,ikinily handsome, talented, and, b
 sides, had an air of sincerity about hi
 that must have caused respect fro
 everyone who was not deadly foe.
 l. made him wincc little when
 lrarn.'.t just before they separated tn
 ior homo was at Richmond Terrace b. "a hc understood that she was nicce n. tue old gentleman. for had he not To
 hta whole family when in the south2