Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1893-05-27
A DREAD SECRET.

fessor Britain falling into a brown study
in the busiest part of Broadway, had nearly
got himself run over, when !, rescuing him
from policeman who was about to arrest
him for being drunk and disorderly, es-
corted him home He WAS greatly Obliged
to me and was very hospitable and shortly
told me that he must introduce me to his
daughter The lady proved to be a charm
ing woman, a young widow of about %.
She was overwhelmed with gratitude, in
sisted on Offering me tea, and 20 cut long
story short fell i'm love with her, and in a
very little while we were engaged and
about to be married with the full consent
of the professor, her father
The day Of our wedding was fixed, when,
calling one evening found the landlord in
possession of the beautiful furnished fiat iu
which the professor dwelt and received
from him the information that his tenants
had fitted in the night. though the rent
was paid in advance.
Left a note for you" he said. 'if you are
Mr.. Alfred Merrick."
l snatchcd the note and tore it open.
Within We're these words:
My DEAREST ALFRED-Nevcr did | love you
more, but I must leave you, and fear forever.
a hideous secret parts ms. Your broken hearted
LEoSoRA.
"What can this meant" ! asked myself,
aloud
Its very queer, said the landlord. Il
shouldn't have thought such respectable
old gent and such well hammered lady
could be shady. But you never know about
folks. They've thrown away lot of money
and don't owe any one anything But
plainly they are queer folks"
wanted to knock him down, but after
all it was only a natural conclusion. and
how could ! prove there could be no sin,
however much of sorrow there might b.
in Leonora's lifef / had made her acquaint-
ance rather informally, as have said, and
knew only what they had told me.
"You were keeping company with the
widow, weren't youy' asked the landlord.
Probably the first husband has turned up.
and she has To run for fear of being shot or
something"
YES" | acknowledged TO myself 1T
might be that she had fanced some brutal
husband dead and discovered that she was
still in his power But at least might
have been trusted. would have'been her
friend, her brother. The old professor could
not help her. He trembled on the borders
OF dotage. But | would find her. She could
not hide from me-
u
pare TO nothing but waiting forever on
lonely shore for a ship that never comes 1t
wore upon me terribly. Happily | was a
rich man. for / could have attended to no
occupation, followed no profession, in such
a state of mind | advertised, Travelled
here and there-you can imagine all l did
but no clew reached me until cousin in
whom had confided-an art student now
studying in Italy--wrote to me to the effect
that, though he did not wish to give me
any false hope. he fancied he might have
found the professor and his daughter in an
old gentleman and u handsome lady. whom
her father called Nelly; that a gossiping
maid had told him that the lady was living
so quietly because Of a jealous husband,
who wanted to Kill her and from whom she
had run away. aud that she cried great
deal
made sure that had found Leonora,
and instantly prepared ocross the OCEAN.
had but II few things TO buy, among them
gloves, and almost at the last moment !
bought an exceedingly warm pair 10 wear
II the weather should be cold at any time
during the voyage a small thing To men
ton, you may say. Why do ! not also tell
you of my necktes and collar buttons2
But in this life the things which seem most
unimportant may be those on which our
lives turn. So it was with these gloves,
though, the weather being delightful, did
not wear those gloves once during the voy-
age, and they lay in the blue envelope
marked with the makers advertisement
for many, many weeks.
| arrived at my cousins studio in due
time | questioned him. His answers
strengthened my hopes. Armed with shade
hats, umbrellas ard oasels, we set forth tn
sketch near the little residence.
saw the father and daughter in the gar
den. The former was n stuify, puffy man
of go odd, with red nose and white
mustache; the daughter n snowy, vulgar
sort of person OF 40, with an air and n
glance that fully accounted for her hu-
bands jealousy.
Now, the professor was IA pale, delicate old
bookworm, and my lost Leonora AS gentle
and delicate ~ the pictured ST. Cecilia, with
which we are all familiar
Ihad crossed the ocean fornothing. Well,
It was my own fault, and it would have
been absurd to go back at once. And who
knew but Leonora and her father might be
In Italy after all Aud so went about and
visited the galleries, and the old curiosity
shops, and the churches, always looking for
that one face in the world and never find
ing it.
IL was three months after my arrival In
Italy that began to put my possessions In
order for my return voyage and came upon
the blue envelope which held my thick
gloves / surely should need them some
time on this voyage, for ID was now October.
took them from the paper and tried them
ON.
Ash slipped my fingers into the left one