Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1891-03-06
The Evil Genius.
: DOMESTIC STORY.
CHATTER LIV.

CHATTER LIN.
When the Sgrvan; 1T the lodgings an
nounced a visitor and mentioned his name.
Sydncy's memory tm-tr.d Of dwelling OF
the recollection uf The capt TINS kil}duess)
r,c~is tie letter that she had
ADDRESSED 10 INN. and reminded her that
she stood in need Of indulgence, which even
so good man might hesitate to grant. Ben
nydeck's first words told the iriend!ess g!r:
that her fears had wronced him.
"My dear. how like Your father you arel
You have his eyes and his smile; can't tell
you how pleasantly You remind me OF my
dear old friend" He took her hand and
kissed her as he might have kissed dau-ll-
ter of his own. ''DD You remember me III
home. Sydney, when You were child? No;
you must have been too yonng Tor that
She was deeply touched. In faint, trcrn-
bling tones she sud: II remember your
name; my poor father often spoke OF you.
A man of true sympathy is never i'll dam
ger of mistakns his way to a wOman's heart,
when that woman has suffered. Bennydeck
consoled, interested. charmed Sydney, by
still speaking of the byg"ne days at home.
81 well remember how fond your father
was Of you, and what a Ii sht little girl You
WERE" the captain wen. on. You have
forgotten. dare say. the ,ld-fashioned sca-
songs that he used TO be fond of teaching
you. IL was the stranges, and prettiest con
trast to hear your small piping childs voice
singing of storms and shipwreckS, ana
thunder and lig',tni:;- a;ii recfing sails in
cold and d.,inI>sS, without the.least idea of
what it all meant Your mother was strict
In those days; you never amused her AZ you
used to amuse your father and me. When
she caught you searching my pockets for
sweetmcats, she accused me of destroying
your digestion before you were 5 years old.
went on spelling it. for al that. TIE last
time ] saw jou, nay child. your father was
s.no.Is The Mariners of England and you
were on his knee trying to sing with him.
YOu must have often wondered why you
never saw anything more of me. Did you
think had forgotten yOu?'
Il am quite sure l never thought that!'
"You see l was in the navy yard at the
time" the captain resumed; land we were
ordered away to a foreign station. When l
got back to England miserable news was
waiting for Inc. l heard of your fathers
death and of that shameful trial. Poor fell
low! Il" WIS innocent Sydney, as you
are of lhe uiIcase witch he was accused of
committing. The first thing did was to set
inquiries on foot after your mother and her
children. 1t was some consolation to Inc to
feel that was rich enough to make your
life easy and agreeable to you. l thought
money could do anything. A serious mis-
take my dear-money couldn't find the
widow and her children. We supposed YOU
were somewhere in London: and there, to
my great grief, 1t ended. From time to time
long afterward. when We thought we had
got the clew in our own hands, continued
my inquiries, still without success. A poor
woman and her little family are so easily
ing,,'srd in the big city! Years passed (mOre
of tn'm tilLn like to reckon up) before l
heard VI you at least by name. The person
from whom l got my information told mo
how you were employed and where"
'Oh. Capt Bennydeck, who could the per
son have been?'
"A poor old broken-down actor, Sydney.
You were his favOrite pupil Do you re-
member him."
Il should be ungrateful, indeed, il could
forget him. lie was the only person in the
school who was kind to me. Is the good
old man still livingT'
mo; he rests at last am glad to say ]
was able to make his last days on earth the
happiest days OF his life"
II wonder" Sydney confessed, ''how you
met with him."
There was nothing at all romantic i'm my
first discovery of him. l was reading the
police reports in newspaper. The poor
wretch was brought before a magistrate,
charged with breaking window. His one
last chance of escaping starvation In the
streets was to get sent to prison. The magis-
trate questioned him and brought to light a
really heart-breaking account of misfortune,
emblttered BY neglect OH the part of people
In authority who were bound to help him.
lie was remanded, so that inquiries might
be made. l attended the court on the day
when he appeared there again and heard his
statement confirmed. l paid his fine and
cOntrived to put him in way of earning a
little money. He was very grateful and
came now and then to thank me- In that
way heard how his troubles had begun.
He had asked for small advance on the
wretched wages that he received. Can you
guess how the schOolmistress answered
him?'
II know but too well how she answered
him." Sydney said; II was turned out of the
house, too"
"And heard Of it," the captain replied,
"from the woman herself. Everything that
could distress me she was ready to mention.
She told me Of your mothers second mar
rage, of her miserable death, of the poor
boy, your brother, missing, and never heard
of since. But when asked where you had
gone she had nothing more to say. She
knew nothing, and cared nothing, about
you. II had not become acquainted with
Mr.. Randall Linley might never have heard
OF you again. We will say no more of that,
and no more Of anything that has happened
In the past time. From to-day, my DEAR we
begin new life. and please Cody happier
life. Have you any plans of your own for
the future?'
Perhaps, IL could find help" Sydney
said, resignedly. II might emigrate. Pride
wouldn't stand In my way; no honest EN-
ployment would be beneath my notice. Be
SIDES, II 1 went to America, might meet
with my brother"
my dear child, after the time that has
passed, there Is no imaginable chance of
your meeting with your brother-and you
wouldn't know each other again IL you did
meet Give up that vain hope and stay here
with me. Be useful and be happy in your
own country"
"Useful?' Sydney repeated. sadly. "Your
own kind heart, Capt Dennydeck, is deceiv-
Ing you. To be useful means, suppose, to
help others. Who will accept help from
me?'
y will, for one" the captain answered.
your"
"Ycs You can be of the greatest use to
you shall hear now"
He tolc her Of the founding Of his home
and Of the good it had done. "You are the
very person." he resumed, ITO be the good
sister-friend that want for my poor girls;
you can say for them what they cannot al
ways say to me for themselves"
The tears rose in Sydney's eyes. 1T Is
hard to see such prospect as that" she
said. land to give 1t up as soon as It is seen I"
why give 1t up?'
because am not fit for IL You are as
good as father to those lost daughters Of
yours. II you give them q sister-friend, she
ought to have set them q good example.
Have done that? Will they listen to girl
who Is no better than themselves?'
'Gladlyl Your sympathy will find its way
to their hearts, because it is animated by
something that they can all feel in common
something nearer and dearer to them than
q sense Of duty. You won't consent sgd
ney, for their sakes? Will you do what
ask Of You, for my sakcY'
She looked at him, hardly able to under
stand-or, as it might have been, perhaps,
afraid to understand him. He spoke to her
more plainly.
Il have kept 1t concealed from you," he
continued, ''for why should lay my load of
suffering on friend SO young as you are, so
cruelty tried already? Let me only say
that / am in great distress. II you were
with me, my child, might be better able to
bear it."