Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1890-08-04
ward the grave outside the porch, and
bending TO read the words upon il:

shaped itself to him but he knew that
Q greet and overpowering gratitude filed
hia heart to Overlooking.
He leaned against the church porch,
weak and trembling. TWAS not because
the old mans eyes were upon him that
he did not hide his face there, sobbing
like O child. II was only that the truth
had not yet entered his heart, was only
surging wildly in his pulses, giving him
q joy and hope that were confused like
madness.
"Would ZEE like the key of the
church, sir?"
Slowly the words made themselves
clear to Gerard.
eyes, "he answered. unsteadily. evil
you 60 and"
But here his voice faltered again, for
~ he looked up he caught sight of the
old sun-dial with its moss-grown pedes-
tel.
"I'n fetch ZEE the key, SIR"
"But," said Gerard looking into the
old mans inquisihve face, while his eyes
fer the first time lost their PARKWAY en-
crossed expression "but ! want more
than that. want TO sec the register.
Can IT
"Why not, sirP Parsonu have to
come himself, that's all. I'll go and
fetch I'M"
So he went, while Gerard sat in the
porch alone, trying to make the wonder
full familiarity Of this place distinct to
his bewildered, grateful thoughts, and
trying, too-poor Gerard Ito prepare
himself for another disappointment, per-
haps TO be the last, as 1t would be the
greatest, of all.
More than an hour had passed for him
so, when the old man returned with the
clergyman of the village. Before he
and Gerard had reached the vestry TO-
gether-after talking few minutes IN
Che poroh-the clergyman had, as no
fancied, read whole story in the young
mans dark, thoughtful face, and hand
some, shabbily-attired figure; and he
not only acknowledged him a gentleman,
but even one whose knowledge had, by
some means, sounded unusual depths,
"The marriage register of twenty.
nine years ago" he repeated, taking the
Enusty old books from q safe which he
had unlocked. "That would be the year
All here it is Before my time, q
good bit. What is it, Dare? I will
come out into the aisle to you. Will
Gerard, who tried to smile his thanks
for the thoughtful act.
May-June-July. Yes, that was the
month his mother left the old farm near
the coast. There was only one marriage
registered through the whole month.
Ali
Down upon him, as he sat alone in the
dusty vestry, had come flood of radi-
ant, dazzling light. Ali what pitiful
Heaven had sent it around him in his
doubt and fear and shame Here was
the marriage register of Sir Gerard
Adhesion, Baronet, of High Ath-
elston, IN the county of Highshire,
with Magdalen, only daughter of Hiram
Dymocke, of Tresear Farm, in the county
Of Cornwall; and the signatures were
there, and the date, and-and- Down
upon his knees upon tho stones,
fell Gerard his head bowed upon the
paper, and all his heart poured out in
gratitude to his God for this.
"I am very glad to have been of SER
vice to you, said the rector, when Ger
ard and he stood in the church-porch to-
aotly what It is, when I am called upon
to show the register to otherr,'
Gerard thanked him with a clasp Of
the hand which was strong and firm and
gentle, like himself, and the old sexton,
too, had his hand-shake before the crown
was slipped into his palm; then both
the clergyman and grave-digger stood
Watching the young man, with rather .
novel kind Of interest.
From the gate, Gerard gave another
glance (such lingering one back al
the church porch and the low grave;
then he walked away rapidly toward the
station, his eyes dim with gladness, his
lips whispering again and again his
mothers name, and Lina's and his own,
which had been his fathers.
Magdalen Athelston--Magdal
Lady Adhesion; Gerard Athelston-Sir
Gerard Adhesion"
Gerard never entertained the POSSIBLE
lily Of there being no other train which
would take him to Penzance that day;
he only felt now that he must hasten on
TO Trsaean and tell his grandfather the
good, happy news-how he had found at
last what he had sought so long. He
had no thought to-day to give to the in
justice which had caused the old home
to be closed against him and Lima, as it
had years before been closed against
their mother. He had no thought to
give to his grandfather's hardness and
cruelty; he only felt that, first of all, he
must go and gladden. him by telling
SAAAA INV tTu0 HoI0 01b QAuRnCoTH OY1nH
words. He must make bright again
every remembrance of her. He must
bring back to the old mans heart the
love that had once been so tender. How
happy 1t would make himI
There was another train for Penzance
that evening, and Gerard took his seat
in II, his heart still beating quickly in
his great excitement. Tresean lay eight
or nine miles from PenEance, and there
was no regular conveyance going at that
hour but nothing could delay or dis
courage Gerard now. He set out to
walk along the coast, every step of which
vas familiar to him. a. quickly as if
most Of the previous hours Of that day
had been spent in resting instead Of
walking, and hardly had his step once
slackened when the old farm itself, the
chill unloving home of his youth and
boyhood, came In sight.
Quickly and more quickly his pulses 4
beat; The WEAKNESS Though it might
cruelty tell upon him by-and-byl was
net even thought of now. But there
was one spot he must see before he went