Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-09

born in San Diego; he is IA years of age; in
features he bears q strong resemblance to
John, he has that same frank, open, manly
bearing, that strong love of the ocean, he
must be a sailors son, Zach. Oh, Zach, he
is Johns son, he is mine. The world thinks
that the dark waters of the bay of San Diego
swallowed up that dear little baby; but no,
oh, no, no, he was not drowned, God knows
he was not-someone rescued him, some low
ing hands reached out for him as he went
waters-they didn't know whose child he
was, how could they? They didn't know
what mother was stretching out her plead
ing hands to heaven, but I was there all
the time, my poor mind darkened and
clouded. with not faint glimmer of hope
to save me from insanity. Oh, Zach, my
friend, my dear friend, tell you this is my
child, this is my little Walter, my son.
God has had mercy on me at last. He has
given him back to me-"
Molly's voice died away. She could not
utter another word. Her transports choked
her, pressed the very life out of her. She
could only hold out her hands toward the
honest seaman, her stanch and loyal friend,
as if imploring him to speak, to agree with
her, to admit that it must be SO, that the
DrOO1 was Overwhelming.
Zach stood fora moment in perfect silence,
his lips closed. His eyes took on hard
and unsympathetic look, his whole face and
being underwent a sudden and complete
change He stood there like man resolved
to be honest at all hazards, to speak the
truth no matter how it might stab mother s
tender heart. He had listened in silence to
all she had to say. Possibly he should not
have done SO, possibly he should have
stopped Molly at the outset A little
cruelty at first might have prevented all
this. However, it was too late to speculate
now as to what he should have done. What
he should do now was the question, and like
a man who shrinks backward when duty
bids him go ahead, he spoke out firmly,
plainly, almost cruelty.
'Mrs Allaire, you are deceiving your
self 1 cannot, must not permit you to
believe what is not 50. This resemblance
between this sailor lad and Captain John is
life. Your little Walt is dead, yes, dead
He persisted in the harbor that dreadful day.
1 saw him go down foreverl Godfrey is not
your son"
"You say Walter Is deadf'' cried Mrs
Allaire, starting forward with q wild, de-
fant look in her eyes. "How do you know
it? Who can say it of his own knowledge9"
'T, madam.
"You?"
eyes, madam. Listen. Eight days after
that terrible accident the body of an infant
was washed up on the beach at Point Iona
I-I-found it and hastened to inform Mr..
Hollister. He recognized little Walt,
whom he caused to be secretly buried in
the cemetery of San Diego. We were the
only mourners, the only ones to strew Aow-
ers upon that little grave"
"Walt, my little Walt, buried in the
cemetery, sobbed Molly piteously, land no
one ever told me of it. -
mo, madam" said Zach. solemnly, 'for
the time being you were out of your mind.
When, four years after, you recovered your
reason we dared not. Mr.. Hollister dared
not tell you oft; he was afraid to tear open
your wounded heart, and DR.. Bromley
agreed with him that it might be dangerous,
that once you had knelt by that little grave
you would hover over it day by day and
your mind would gradually give way until
a settled and incurable melancholy had fast
ened itself upon you. We did what we thought
was the best, dear lady. God help you, but
be strong, make up your mind that your
child is dead, that this sailor lad has only
the right which hundreds of other children
have to call you mother
MoAg sdnk Win lonS, oeep, pltllul
groan upon the sofa. She hid her face in
dashed tear off his rough cheek and stood
waiting for her to speak. With sudden
ness that startled him Molly sprang up.
"Whati Can it be, she moaned, that
you, that Andrew Hollister were hard, were
cruel enough to lay that little loved body
away in the cold, damp earth without taking
rom it any bit of ribbon, any shred of his
dress, one of his tiny shoes-to hand to me
some day when should be strong and well
again2"
"Yes, dear lady, did even better than
that" exclaimed Zach, almost joyfully, Il
cut from his little head cluster of his
silken curls."
"And you have them, Zach?" almost
shrieked Molly, springing forward
eyes, yes, madam, here on my heart,
Zach unbuttoned his jacket and drew
forth large envelope of strong paper,
soiled and blackened by its long and rough
passage on this honest breast, and, placing
it in Molly's hand, turned and hurried out
of the stateroom. When the door closed
Molly threw herself on her knees in front
OF the sofa with this priceless packet clesped
against her bosom. Her hand seized the
stout twine, when mysterious prompting
caused her to hesitate. She bowed her
head until it rested full upon the packet
and there she remained motionless for nearly
an hour in deep and comforting prayer.
When she arose the tears had dried, She
walked steadily across the stateroom, opened
one of her trunks and hid the package deep
In the bottom.
"No," she said, In a calm and resolute
voice, 81 will not open it now. Let me
fnr q whl1a fhQf ha
found my boy again.