The Irish standard., 1889-04-13
awav. they we're all four on European

away, they were all four Oh European
steamer .soutward-bound."
And Ernest Copeland, watching his dying
brother, wondered why no letters came
from Ferndale, chafed under the necessity
for remaining so long from his betrothed,
but was too much occupied until the last sad
hours TO do more than pen ANXIOUS letters
never answered.
He had heavy heart to carry to the
funeral q sacred trust to fulfill, and he had
no elation in the fact that half of his
brothers. fortune left him far richer man
than he had ever been. Gerard's life had
been shortened by drinking and by re-
morse.
1t was over at last, the funeral the care
of the dead mans personal property, and
then with an underlined fear of evil Ernest
Copeland went to Ferndale.
s!Gone! Gone to Europe, you say!'
He repeated this after the servant, in a
daze of bewildered pain, holding unopened
the letters given with the message. Not
for some minutes could he collect his senses
sufficiently to understand ne he'd perhaps
the clew to the mystery in his hand.
But he opened it at last Grace had had
to plead hard for permission to write those
lines, harder still to keep back 6, furious
eplstle from her father. But only her
Well-known writing greeted her lovers
ewes as he opened the letter:
"Your wife ana children he read. "are in
the little cottage opposite the church. May God
forgive your cruelty to them
There was no address or signature. Only
one low moan broke from Ernest's white
li;,s as he folded the note again aud turned
from tue house. White as DEATH shivering
in the soft summer air, he went down the
road to the cottage. There was an ecstatic
scream of "Papa! Papa!" as four c]inglng
arms encircled his legs, and Mrs. Copeland
stood trembling and crying in the doorway
He gently lifted the youngest child, and,
followed by the other, went into the cottage
Mrs. Copeland, crying Still, sobbed:
$50 you have come back!'
Gravely but not tenderly, Ernest an
swered!
"Your husband will never come back
You know best by what want OF wifely
love you drove him to drinking, to despair,
finally to deserving you. He was not guilt
less. but ask yourself If you are"
ssWho are you?'' she gasped.
81 AM Gerard's twin brother"
IL have he ard of you. Where is he''
SIN his grave!'
She dropped at his feet as it ne had shot
her. She had been a slovenly housekeeper,
shrewish wife, grating every hour upon
Gerard's sensitive. fast,dlous tastes; put,
in her way, she had loved him, scarcely re-
alizing how she drove him desperate.
It consoled her presently to know that
half of her husbands wealth would be hers
and her children's, and Ernest made no
explanation Of the reasons why the search
he had promised his brother to maize Tor
her had been so suddenly terminated. He
left her at last to find Porter, Mr.. Wilt
banks confidential clerk. Having received
no orders to the con trary, Porter readily
gave his employers Paris address, and
Ernest returned to the city, TO interview
his brothers. lawyer, and prepare Tor a sea
voyage
Over the broad Atlantic the Nlltbank
party accepted the usual tribulatlons OF
sea-sicl1ness and discomfort. Only Graee
was exempt. She waited on the others. but
made no moan over cid Neptune's caprices.
White as q snowflake, Hstless7 with her
soft blue ewes sunk in hollows, her little
white hands wasting, her pretty bright
WAYS all gone she said she was perfectly
well and seemed to be dying before her
fathers eyes.
She would not own to being sick after they
arrived in Paris.
They had been a month in Paris, and the
French doctor Mr. Wlltbank called III
talked of a "want Of tone,'' and 'sraising the
spirits" cf his patient, but Sophie wept all
thu, long, lonely nights, believing her fatal
discovery had killed her cousin.
But it was Sophie who one day in Noyem'
her, received visitor alone, visitor who
sent up little note that sent her with! Tying
feet to receive him.
He was still in the salon, when SOPHIE
came into the sitting room, their own prl-
waite salon. where Grace was sitting at Che
window.
She wanted to tell her news calmly, to
avoid exciting the inmates, but she Droka
down, sobbing:
s:aracel Gracel Will you ever forgive
me? 1T was all d mistake. She was Ger
ards wife, Ernest's twin brothers Wl1e!
ae is here!"
sHerel Ernest hereP'
And SOPHIE flew out again. She sent him
in alone, for she said:
"Iuaust watch, or uncle will murder you
before you have chance to explain"
Ernest entered the room. where pale
shadow of his bright Grace rose to receive
him, to fan into his arms weeping now as IN
all her despair she had not wept. But there
were no more tears. Grace's roses came
back in their happiness, and there was
wedding in Paris, where Sophie was BRIDES.
maid. and hosts OF American friends offered
B1t as Sophie sagely observed, shaking
her pretty head:
1T was nearly tragedy, for it uncle and
Ernest had met TOO soon, there is no saying
what might have happened. -- Anna
Shields, in N. Y. Ledger
NUTMEG CULTURE.
flow the Nuts Are Grown and Treated IN
New Guinea.
Padding into little cove, says Captain