The Springdale news., 1889-02-15
CHAPTER XVIII, SURPRISES

CHAPTER XVIII.
 sURPMsEs
 Tom speedily found our friend Loveiov and carried him off to thelr lodgings, where Tom slowly unraveled his story
 Are you sure, Lovejoy,n said he, "that you could not be mistaken as to where you were born and in regard to your parent agei'
 Well, that's queer question to ask me, anyway, replied the preaeher-poltician "To tell you the truth, however, 1t is ques- tion l have often put to myself, though not of late years. l have told you already Tom, the main part of my history. No, am not at all sure of my parentage. My father Ghat is, William Leveiey1 used to tell me that when very young, on account of my ill-health l went to stay with some rea- tives in Midshire, from whence he fetched me when was somewhere between seven and eight years Of age. I distinctly remem- Der parting with two girls older than my self, Mary and Lucy, whom had always known as my sisters, and also remember making the slow journey by wagon from the Midshire village to Lancashire. Prior to that time my memory does not serve me very well.n
 " Let me sec said Tom, If I can not tell you little of your early history and Tom repeated in little different form the story he had recently heard from Mrs Walker Loveioy was somewhat agitated as Tom gradually stirred his memory.
 "Yesle he exclaimed, II remember it all now. I remember father and mother and John. Poor John was shot, father was sent to prison and mother died Oh, could l be positively certain that they were my own dear nd if upx of 10 pit fArt la old man are still livingl And yet-and yet Lovejoy seems my natural name, and surely old William Lovejoy loved me as his own boyt'
 Stay added Tom. Do you remember writing your name and address in Bible just as you were leaving your Midshire homela
 Yes yes. remember tt all 7ssldly, now you speak of it. But, tell me, Tom. what does all this tend to- Where did you get your information.s
 "Lovejoy, old friend, keep calmer. have seen that Bible, with your own writing on the fy-leaf, and have seen your own sis- ter Mary. She is your sister and your real name is Beckwith. Your sister Is i'll great treuble-indeed is left widow with two or three little children and is now living in Leeds. We will go to her by the first train in the morning, and meanwhile I will tell you by what providential chance happened on this discovery
 They were sitting at their early supper talking over Toms adventure when two letters, both originally addressed to Mill Hill and there were rc-directed, brought in for Mr Loyejoy. One was i'll handwriting entirely strange to both of them This Loveloy opened first, putting the other in his pocket. Inside Was slip of paper on which was serihbled with pencil Ill very shalxy hand:
 My DEAR SON LAWRENCE. Come and see me at once. shall not i've long, and have q great deal 10 tell you Do not doubt for mo ment that lam Your affect onate father,
 MATTHEW BEGKwfTH. n
 This was folded in sheet of paper, on which was written by the same person who addressed the envelope:
 "NoRTHBoKoUGu Yorkshire.
 KEY. LAWRENCE LOvEJ0Y, Mp Dfdr Sir: The inelesed Is undoubtedly from your father who is known in this town as Matthew Eidls. We have been fast friends for over fifteen years, and he is now staying at my house. Come up here and see him US soon as possible, as he Is very iii and appears to have some thing weighing on his mind of which you may relieve hIm. Every thing said to me by your father or yourself will be Ill strlet confidence
 Yours very truly, WILLIAM DIMoNT."
 IONtIpN read these letters and then hand ed them 10 Tom 10 read. The both sat for nearly an hour in silence, which Tom did not care te break. At last Lovejoy spoke This is all strange, wondrous strange" he said; it seems to me like dream can hardly endure to stay here until morning, though l suppose l must 1 am more anx- ious now to see my father than my sister, and would prefer to go to Marlborough first
 We can manage It nicely answered Tom, who had already ascertaued the time the train would start for Northborough We shall have to change trains and wait over two hours at Leeds You can see your sister and. if she wishes to accom- pany you, take her with you to Northbor- ough"
 Before noon next day they were at Leeds, and after first looking up Mr. Barker, they soon arrived at One Tree court The meet ing between brother and sister was affect ing, and there was nc longer any doubt in LoveJoy's mind as to his identity The two little dead children were to be buried that i afternoon, so that Mrs. Walker could not 1 very well accompany her brother 10 North | borough; so, promising 10 return in a day | or two, Lawrence and Tom pursued theIr | journey. It was dark when they reached [ their destination, just one week after the | eyentful night which George Foster had E