Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-12

blue eyes. she was pretty, fresh COL
ored, and fair, and was dressed much in
the same fashion az the other young
women in the village, though perhaps q
shade more trinity. Father Hayward
glanced at her as he passed them, and
then looked at her companion, and as he
did so he slightly started.
The young man was hunchbaek
Not one second did the father doubt as
his acute gaze fell on the handsome
smiling face before him whose son this
was. Father Hayward had known the
second Lord Gilmore and remembered
well the laughing, careless, somewhat
reckless glance of his hazel
eyes, and the full lips shaded
by the thick brown mustache. and
the bright brown hair. He might have
been looking now on the dead man s
face, so remarkable was the likeness be-
tween sire and son. But Lord Gilmore s
tall, straight, and powerful frame was
lacking. This young man, though not
little, was but of moderate height, and
was round-shouldered and hump backed.
But he looked strong and we'll, and his
complexion was clear and n-burned, ,
and he had the expression of man on
fairly good terms with himself, and his
dress-that of young farmer-displayed
q certain amount of foppishness and
care.
''Can you kindly tell me if Mrs.
Brewster lives in that house?' asked
Father Hayward addressing him, as they
passed each other, and the young man at
once stopped, and touched his cap.
why, that's my mother, sir, - he
said, pleasantly; "do you wish to see
her?'
az have a message for her, - answered
the priest; 'shall / find her at homer
"Quite sure, sir; she rarely goes out.
If you will excuse me minute I'll turn
and go with you to the house..
The father gravely bowed his head in
acceptance of this proposition, and the
young man ran on a step or two to over
take the girl who had walked on when
the priest had addressed him. They ex-
changed a few whispered words and
then the young farmer returned.
"And so you are Mrs. Brewster's
son?' said Father Hayward looking at
him intently.
eyes, Sir, 1 am Gerard Brewster, "he
answered smiling, cher only son.
"And you have always lived here?'
eyes, except when l was at school,
house, but in the village"
"And that young woman?'
'Oh, she 5 an old friend, - said Ger
ard, with laugh; 81 have known her
since she was little girl
"And you farm this place?'
eyes, I'm farmer; we took the
farm, mother and l, four years ago
now"
GGno vou like the Iife2,,
1t IS not bad one as things go-not
a money-making one, thought" And
again young Gerard laughed.
By this time thev had reached the gar
den gate in front of the farmhouse, which
Gerard opened for the father to pass, and
together they walked down the neatly
kept graveled pathway between the
flower borders, which were bright with
the spring blossoms.
The house itself was most substantial
one. Square, with long sloping tiled
roof, heavy stone portico and thick
walls. And from without you saw the
comfortable-l looking dark red damask
curtains within, and the neat white
blinds. Everything, indeed, gave you
the impression that q well-to-do family
lived in this quiet spot, standing amid
the green fields with the distant sound of
the murmuring sea breaking on rock and
shore.
1t passed through Father Hayward 3
though full mind as he looked around
and then glanced at his companion, that
the life here was perhaps happier and
more contented one for this young man
than the life which lay before him amid
luxury and rank.
"But it is his birthright. his duty, -
the next moment the good father re-
flected, remembering the interests of his
church. He therefore followed Gerard
into the house, who led the way into
well-furnished room, where the table
was prepared for the early dinner.
"1'n go and seek mother,'' said
Gerard, with that pleasant smile of his.
"His manner is better than 1 ex-
pected, p" thought Father Hayward, as
he disappeared. ''No doubt he will
worthily fill his new position. -
But what would the reverend father
have thought if he could, unseen, have
followed Gerard IS footsteps? The young
man went first into the kitchen to seek
his supposed mother, but was told she
had gone up stairs to wash her hands in
preparation for the midday meal.
Thither he followed her, and wrapped at
Mrs. Brewster's bedroom door, and,
having been told to enter, went quickly
IN.
"I say, mother" he began, "thers
is one of those blackcoated gentlemen
down stairs, and, OF course, he's come
to get something or other out of US; it is
q perfect nuisance.
"Do you mean priest? Gerard?' an
swered Mrs. Brewster.
She was a gray-halred woman of some
sixty-five or perhaps sixty-seven years
old; dressed well and respectfully, and
her features were good, and her express
sion determined.
eyes, priest, of COURSE replied
Gerard, with a shrug of his round
shoulders. "What between the vicar
here and our people, they never let us
alone; please tell the reverend father
that bankruptcy is staring us in the
face, - and he laughed.
FYou should not speak SO, Gerard, of
the good fathers; of course it is absurd
of the vicar coming to us,
''They are all the same, (" answered
the graoeless Gerard. with a merry
glance of his bright hazel eyes.
Mrs. Brewster looked at him, ana
smiled too, and then patted his shoulders