Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-09-22

'Ns'O 10 on hAHD 10 W DiOitt1y
and. seating himself near his visitor,
Carleton prepared himself to listen.
Mr.. Carleton, the story Of sin and
sorrow which / am about 10 relate toyou
IL more painful for me 10 tell than for
you 10 listen To- beg, therefore, that
you will not interrupt me until the end
Carleton bowed silently as the elder
man continued:
"Somc years sgo there lived in Scot
land an English gentleman by the name
Of Ashburton. lie had married Scotch
lassie on the one condition from her
father that he Was to make Scotland his
home. To this he faithfully adhered,
and soon he came 10 love the Highlands
almost as much as did his wife. When
thoy had been married some time, and
their only son Was about four years old,
MrA Ashburton died suddenly. Her
husband WAS utterly heartbroken, and
was never the same man afteywmd. You
can imagine, then, the surprise and al
most CONSERVATION Of the old Scotch
grandfather when his son-in-law re-
turned from a lengthy business trip 10
/ Edinburgh accompanied by n second
wife. She Was pretty, young thing, but
with no mind OF her Own, though amlable
enough. She had been poor governess,
and my grandfather always thought ho
married hcrou IF pity. She died sudden
" when her only child, q boy, was shout
three years old. The elder boy, Charles,
was pnssionately attached to his baby
half brother, and his step-Dother twho
had always been most kind 10 the little
fellow, seeing tho great affection which
was given bY the elder 20 the younger
boy. encouraged il in every way. When
on her death bed sac asked Charles ID
stand by bis brother always and take
her place as much as possible. Tho
little fellow willingly gave her, the
promise, which, God knows, he faith
fully kept.
"Charles Ashburton was very studious,
ana lis father and grandfather dying
about the same tame, no settled quietly
down, with bis beloved library. INTO q
country gentleman. Hugh Asbburton.
who had always been wild and wayward,
bought commission in the English
army. His brother Charles saw nothing
at him for several years, but he heard
frequently enough, paying debt after
debt for him and getting hun out Of
scrape after scrape until even his long
suffering patience began to wear out.
But the climax Of disgrace seemed to
have been reached when letter came
frorn Hugh saying that be had com
mitted forgery, which had been found
out. and that unless FIVE hundred pounds
reached hun III given time no would
be dealt with according to law. The
name forged Was that Of his colonel,
who Ind been IN old college chum Of
Charles Ashburton, and for his sake
alone Colonel Thorn allowed him to re
sign and flushed the story up rs much
as possible. After paying the $500
Charles wrote his half brother, enclosing
a hundred pounds, at the same time adj
yising hIm 30 go 10 work. as he (Charles)
would ncvor willingly look upon his face
again or AID him peouniarily. The next
that Charles Ashburton heard Of Hugh
was that he hal obtained the position Of
private secretary to SIR Charles Grandi-
son. About this time Charles. whose
health was really impaired by grief over
his half-broihcrs conduct. was ordered
"a change. He went TO Brighton, where
he met and fell IN love with lovely girl,
the only daughter of a wealthy merchant
Of London. They were soon married,
Ashburton going into partnership with
his fathcr-in-law. They were very
happy, for Charles was passonately
attached to his beautiful young wife, so
Il Was not tiOught strange when he
found that 1t Was necessary for HIM to
20 TO Melbourne TO attend to their wool
interests she should declare her deter
mnation TO accompany BIN. Mrs. Ash
burton was IN a delicate situation at tho
time. but she declared # would do her
less harm 70 go than to be separated
from her husband that they had an ex-
cellent surgeon on board, and that, IN
iact. go she would. They had a safe
and pleasant voyage until ten days ont
from Melbourne. when q violent storm
arose which so frightened Mrs Ashbur-
ton that she became iii. A llttlo girl
was born to her only to close her own
eyes forever.
al illS DDIIOu Vi Ills hhlAuAiNN tiiD
speaker could with difficulty master the
emotions which those scenes recalled.
SO deeply interested was Carleton that
me remained motionless until his visitor
resumed
"You may perhaps think it strange.
hut Ashburton, who was almost crazod
bv the death of his wife, took a most
unreasoning dislike to the innocent
cause of It's mothers death. lie had
her we'll taken care of but never petted
her in the least, 30 that three years after,
W hen he was recalled to England by the
death OF his father-in law, nc placed the
little girl with her attendant with the
good sisters at the convent OF the
Sacred Heart "
"Then You orc not, interrupted Erie
exoitcdly. but his visitor motioned him
TO be silent.
II will answer any and every question
directly, only do not speak until l get
through