Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-26

4 y
| but does not take after his father a
much as you do, my lord; in fact, il,
| just wonderful. - sE4SS
So Gerard went to bedtex cfted7 &fft
| gratifed, and for long tius couIl 3
sleep amid his unfamiliar sspEvuudin&
And when he awoke in tiae #ornIrf &'
could not at first tell where 10 wasE# 81
sat up, rubbed his eyes, and thepH 81
| came back to him. He was LohM Gil
more; all this splendor was his, 90 III
buffer had said he was like his harfdsem
father, and Gerard's vain heart loved u
think this.
He got up and looked out of the win,
| dow; looked on the wide spreading parl
with its green slopes and groups o
stately trees, below which the deg
browsed in the sheltered glades. H3
could see too what q great house it wa
with its marble terraces and fountains
and in the far vista a CLEAN of the shin
ing waters of the lake. Wrothsley wa;
looking beautiful in the sweet springtims
with its fresh-opened leaves and ,bloss
SONS, beneath blue white-tiecked SKY,
and bright shining morning sun. Blu
its splendors half-frightened GeraNt,
He had never been in such a placss3e-
fore, and it filled him with vague sense
of his own infeiority somehow. He turned
away from the window with half sigh
and then began to dress himself in his
very best
Poor Gerard The brown, country
made velveteen coat, the white waist
coat, and bright red necktie, might seem
very attractive in the eyes of rustic
maidens like May Summers, but they
looked sadly out of place beneath these
decorated ceilings. And so Graham the
butler thought, when he beheld mis-
young lordship in this gay attire.
HE AIM fit for it,, reflected this
sagacious man, "but my lady has no one
but herself to thank for his countrified
appearance, and good valet will soon
polish him up bit. -
But we may be sure he gave no hint of
his private thoughts to Gerard. Father
Hayward started for town Immediately
after breakfast for the purpose of seeing
the family lawyer (who had been pres
ent when the little empty coffin was
opened in the vault), to take his advice
regarding Gerard assuming the title,
aud to consult counsel on the point, and
also on the best mode of communicating
his mothers confession and deposition to
Hugh Clifford, now called Lord Gilmore.
Father Haywood carried with him also
the whole correspondence which had
taken place during the twenty-four
years of Gerard's life, between Lady
Gilmore and Mrs. Brewster, regarding
his health and rearing, and the money
which had been expended on his behalf.
Both Lady Gilmore and Mrs. Brewster
had, strange to say, preserved all these
letters, and Lady Gilmore held the re-
ceipt for the large sum OF money she had
advanced for Gerard to stock and take
his farm, and which had also passed
through Mrs. Brewster's hands. The
lawyers naturally deemed these papers
to be of the greatest Importance in the
case, supposing It went TO trial, as they
considered that without doubt they fully
established Gerard s claim to be the late
Lord Gilmore's eldest son, and con-
firmed the dispositions by Lady Gilmore
and Mrs. Brewster regarding the decep-
ton they had practiced on the late lord.
Thus, after Father Hayward left
Wrothsley, Gerard found it so lonely he
was glad to have the butler to talk to,
and Graham showed him over the great
house, opening with no small pride the
doors of the state apartments, pointing
out in the large drawing the walls
hung with light blue satin damask,
worked with silver gray figures, the
frleze above being white and gold. There
was everything here that wealth could
purchase, the floors of all the principal
rooms being of oak, with wide parquet-
RE borders, ana one room was paunsl
with richly carved frames filled with
splendid specimens of Aubuseen tapes
try.
But the great boast and PRIDE of the
house were the pictures, and Graham
acted as Snowman of these too.
'That 'ead of an old woman is Rem
brandt, my lord, ~ he went on pouring
out picture after picture to Gerard's as
tonished gaze, 'and yon landscape with
'orses is a Gerard Dow. We have Ru-
bens too-very fine, that his late lord
ship, your lordship's father, set great
store on. And we have Holbeins, and
Teniers, and in fact all the best of 'em.
When the family is away crowds of peo-
pie come here to see the pictures, and 1
believe there is no better collection in
England. May 1 ask If your lordship is
fond of h 'art?'
"Dont't know much about it, an
swered Gerard with blush, at the idea
Of his own ignorance.
'It's taste that grows, continued
the butler retiectlvely, "and as his late
Iordship was great b art connoiseur, L
have no doubt your lordship Will inherit
it, the same as you have done the feat
ures of his face. This is q portrait of
his late lordship, and you'll excuse me
saying so, but it might pass as your lord
ship 'spicture, except being older. -
So Gerard stood and looked at his
pictured face, and told himself
that he was indeed his son. They had
the same features, the same bright smil-
ing reckless eyes, and crisp brown curl
ng hair. Only that hapless birthright
which had marred Gerard's life made
the difference, and frown passed over
MS face as this thought crossed his mind.
81 think am tired of looking at the
pictures, he said turning away a little
and the polite butler in
'tantly took the hint.
"Perbaps your lordship would like a
little refreshment? he said. &c IT'S
very fatiguing standing about. -
81 think I'd like drink" replied
Gerard, and having expressed his prefer
snce for champagne, SO as to impress the
0utler with the idea that it was q bev-
,rage he partook Of every day, Graham
made haste to put before him some of
he very finest wine the cellars con-
aimed.
"That's not bad, - said Gerard, who
vas quite incapable of approaching its
excellence; and as the butler removed
ha auDrv hnrtls q Gould mt anpprara