Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1889-05-11
After Thirteen Tears.

see u mas Deen loose Tor years There
IS wide crack at the back that must
nave been there long time
Herbert Payne looked rueiuiIy at his
table OF papers. his large bookcase.
his pictures, busts, and gimcracks. that
made his handsome library the one
room in the large house that seemed
truly like home to him
Very we'll, he said. only be sure you
put Il up this time so that there viii be
no further annoyance.
Then Herbert Payne fed from the
oonfIsion to come, and took trip Of
two weeks, absolutely without end or
ann, excepting the escape from his
disordered library.
hrs. Beach, his honsekecpcr. took
~crre that none of his treasures were
injured, and when he returned there
was no trace of the invaders, save that
the falling mantelpieee was carefully
and firmly reset.
But upon the table lay a scaled
envelope, yellow with age, and direct
ed in pretty, lady-like hand to mir.
Herbert Payne
Every shade of color left the middle
aged bachelor, as he saw this epistlc.
His hand, stretched out to grasp it.
trembled SO violently that he drew it
back Mrs. Beach was within cali. and
ne controlled his emotion to ask:
How came this letter here?'
The men found il in behind the
snanfeIpiece, SIR. 1t must have slipped
down the big crack"
die shut the door then, and bolted it.
No careless, curious e.<e should
watch him when ne read the letter
thai had been hidden thirteen years
behind the mantelpiece-
Before he touched il he unlocked a
writing-desk. evidently seldom used,
and took from it a miniature picture
OF a lovely girl of eighteen or nineteen,
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 looked upon it.
For he had loved her.
Not with the wild. unsteady love Of
youth, but when he was man OF past
thirty, who had faced trouble and
temptation, and conquered both.
He had met her first when she was
the comfort of an invalid father, and he |
mad been won first TO love her by |
watching her sweet patience with the |
irritable old man, who kept her con- |
sfaDtly busy in his service.
Later, when they were friends. Her /
bert learned that Mr.. Morrison, the |
fretful sufferer, was very wealthy |
man, and that Leda was his only child. |
Every day he loved her better, till
he was assured of his love in return. 1
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:
II cannot spare her yet When I /
Tell you her story you may not care 10
marry her, but If you stiIl love her,
spare her to me few months longer. 1
may not, cannot live over next spring.
even Ia this soft climate, but when /
die Leda will inherit all my fortune,
though she is not my child told you
she had a history.
s'Leda-my wife-was deIirious. cali
ing constantly for her babe, and the
doctor said it was life or death with her
10 have child So we took the babe
who has grown to be the comfort OF nv
life from a founding asylum. | have
no idea who she is nor what was her
Darentage, but from the hour she Law
IN my wife's arms, and the pressure Of
her tiny fingers Gained the wild ex-
element OF the brain, she was us our
child.
I'VE never were blessed with one OF
our own again, and all the love that !
was in our hearts for children was Law
isbed upon Leda. She was ten years
Did when her adopted mother died. but |
she knew nothing then, and knows
nothing now, of the secret OF her birth. |
Only two other persons beside myself /,
xnow Of it, my brother and my nephew, ,
who will be my heirs il leave no win. /,
but promise you to make a win
before die, and leave Leda independ- /
nat You-you do not look us il the
story had shaken your love-
Nor has it. Leda viii ever be the r
me woman love. and care nothing i
Or her obscure origin, nothing for her I
ortune. Rich or poor, she win ever
Ne the same TO me-" {
but your love win not urge her to 5
cave me yet-not until syringe 'Tis D
nut few months, bus it is all my
lie. 8
Il will not ask her TO leave your i
Herbert said, deeply moved BY the E
'athos OF those last words, but let me ,
peak to her, and have the right 10 re-
urn here and comfort her at the time I
on fear you must leave her ia sorrow
md lOnliness.n {
Eyes, yes; but must Jon gos" 0
II must. l am here only on bust s
Tess, and must return to my home ut
nee. But II you wish If, | will return
Iext March" Il
II do wish 1t. a
Little doubling his success for h
Fhile Leda was never uBnaidenly, she '
lad never quite concealed her shy,
,ure love Herbert Woocd and won y
he lnaiden he had sought for his wife. b
They were TO correspond regularly, n
nd ia March, Herbert was 10 return u
nd remain with the BorTisOns. h
lie was filed with new. deep happi- o