The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-06-24

lutely throwing them into the street. They
could not imagine the source, and at first,
were terribly amazed. l did know, but did
not tell, and laughed away their doubts
and fears, until the old lady looked upon
them as gifts from heaven, and accepted
blindly, while l wondered as much as ever.
Could Brown be in love with Miriam,
and afraid TO declare it? Absurd He
was old, ugly, queer and, | found out, par
TALLY deformed, and, stranger still, when |
offered to take him over to Mrs. Caven-
dish's, and introduce him, he peremptorily
declined. And now comes the strangest
part of all, and the end One morning
was startled by the screams of Norah, and
l rushed up to Mr.. Browns room to ind
him stretched senseless ON the floor, just
under the window, where he had doubtless
fallen while looking out.
We got him on the bed, and Norah ran
for Dr. King, who pronounced it apoplexy
and said that he might recover for awhile,
but the attack was fatal.
He did recover consciousness and speech
in few hours, and babe me send mes
sage for certain lawyer; and when the
lawyer came, he and DIR. Ring were clos
eted with Mr.. Brown for several hours,
and then l and one of my dodgers were
called in to witness a will. For three
days Mr.. Brown fingered, and must say
that Norah and did our duty by him, as
well as the doctor, and saw the poor fellow,
whom the lawyer said had neither friends
nor relations in the whole world, quietly
laid to rest. He requested us all that We
have his will read Immediately after his
funeral, and that Miss Miriam Cavendish
be present at the reading.
was not surprised at all this ; and yet,
at the same time, when, the day before, |
had whisperingly asked him if he would
like to see Miriam, that if he would l
would bring her over, he had shaken his
head in a frightened manner, and turned
his face to the wall.
Very well, the will was read, and after
enumerating his property, which footed up
to a quarter of million, everything was
left to Miriam Cavendish, with the extra
ordinary proyiso that she was never to
marry, and if she refused it upon these
terms, then search was to be made for one
Ellen Moore, of the tOWn of Chatham, in
the county of Kent, England, and the
whole given to her or her heirs. Failing
this he gave it to hospitals and various
charities, which he named. The conclud-
ing part of the will read:
aIn leaving my property to Ellen Moore,
l leave it with my forgiveness for the cruel
way that she treated me over 30 years ago,
a way that drove me from my native land
and made my life wreck, and for further
explanation, refer her, if living, to my
letter accompanying this will.
II shall refuse this request" said Mi
riam. 81 am engaged to be married, and
| would not break it for the wealth of the
world"
"And |, said old Mrs Cavendish, who
had come over with her daughter, "claim
it as Ellen Moore, of the town of Chat
ham, county of Kent, England, though |
never knew any one by the pame of Ralph
Brown"
'The will is made and signed by Walter
Gray, of the town of Chatham" said the
lawyer quietly.
"Oh r exclaimed the old lady, excitedly,
81 thought he was dead long ago.
81 forgot, mamma, that your name was
once Moore" said Miriam.
Then Mr.. Browns letter was read. II
was long, but the short of it was that he
told how, when he was lad of Is, he had
fallen ip love with Ellen Moore, and being
rejected, he had left home, changed bis
name, and had ever since been a wapderer
on the face of the earth. He had become
rich in California, and was on his way
back to his native town, when, one day,
walking through the city, he had seen
Miriam, who so startled him by her like
ness to his early love, Ellen Moore, that
he followed her, found opt Rhere she
lived, and from that moment his infatua-
ton was uncomfortable, though he felt no
disposition to approach her nearer than he
had, and, consequently, died in Ignorance
as to who she really was.
Mrs. Cavendish gave her own explana-
tion of Walter Gray's letter.
''When l knew Walter, over thirty
years ago, looked upon him as great,
oyergrown, ignornant boy of Is, while |
was %. He was shop boy, and he was
not earning enough to keep himself, let
alone wife, while my father was rich and
a high official in the Royal Dockyard. He
fell in love with me, without encourage
ment on my part, and | simply laughed at
and dismissed him and that is all. He
disappeared, and have not heard from
him until to-day. | afterwards married
Mr.. Cavendish, and when ill-fortune over
took us we came here, and, of course, poor
Gray could not recognize in Miriam any
thing more than what he thought the
chance resemblance to Ellen Moore;" and
that might have been all, but, anyhow,
Ellen Moore took Walter Gray's wealth,
and her daughter married Mcintyre, while
Norah and | each took small legacy
which Mr.. Brown had wiled US.