Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-02-22

had not a relative in the world, she said, of whose existence she had any knowledge"
 ''She was a widow, was she not, for many years?"
 ''She was. Dr. Dunl1irlz was lost at sea on his way to Europe, a few years after their marriage Of course, though, Mir. North, you know all this," she add. ed, checking herself with a weary little smile.
 North also smiled.
 'Wen," he said, ''my one question has grown to several l beg your par. don for this long interruption. Will you please proceed, Mrs. Maynard?"
 "Where was I? Indeed, I have for gotten."
 "You spoke last" observed North, re ferring by glance to his notes, "o1 Hamilton Dupont's reckless course, which resulted in his being disinherited, and my first question elicited the fact that within comparatively short time after this event his father died"
 "Oh, to be sure! Now don't expect a detailed history, Mir. North, for my in. formation is extremely fragmentary: but it is certain that there had always existed between Mrs. Dun1irk and her young brother barrier of cold reserve, which time and his wayward conduct only increased. Mir. Dunkirk was not a woman possessed of warm affections. Her regard for people was purely mat ter of intellectual esteem. If her stern judgment approved them, that was suf- ticient; if not, there was no tender voice in her heart to plead their cause. Frbarn ;,)I life of which she could approve; hence her total arrangement from him. ! After the death of their father, how ever, she seemed to feel the loneliness of her position, and for the first time she turned to her brother Hamilton for sympathy and companionship. He was ill trouble of every sort, drifting about in tho world without aim or purpose, friends or prospects. She offered him cvcrything-a homo, wealth, social ad- vantages, asking only that he renounce his youthful follies and strive for the future to devote his talents and ener- gieS to some useful and honorable pur- suit. She finally induced him to accept this offer; and, having established him beneath her roof, sho mado every effort, faithfully, if not always wisely, to re claim him from the error of his ways His education was fair, although he had never completed any regular course of study, having been threc times OK pelled from college. Mrs. Dunkirlz urged him to enter ono of the learned professions, and, though he had no in clnaion for such career, he finally yielded to her importunities, choosing the study of medicine; and while he was pursuing tho course at tho university, she settled upon him handsome all lowance for his own personal expenses.
 ''TIe was not long in attracting a largo and brilliant circle of acquain- tances, for his dashing manner and reckless style of expenditure made him universally popular. All this, however, interfered with moro important mat ters; he could not respond to the con- stant demands of society and at the same time attend faithfully to his du- ties at the university, and the conse- quence was that his studies were neglected, his absence from lectures and clinics became the occasion of frequent rcproofs from the faculty, and in time the report of his delinquencics reached Mrs. Danl1irlz's ears.
 ''Of course she remonstrated with Hamilton, and he generally answered her reproaches with angry defiance. Thesc scenes, however, always ended in a reconciliation, with promises of f,l- ture good behavior on his part, and a resolution on hers to give him one more trial. Thus affairs ran on until at last, without any warning, tho catastrophe came
 ''Mrs. Dunllirlz had Ut the very be- ginning of her compact with Hamilton eXacted from him n solemn promise that ho would not marry until hc had obtained his diploma and established himself in practice. Unfortunately for this promise, chance threw him into the society of 0 young lady who was neither wealthy nor highly connected, but whose wonderful beauty, combined with her sweetness and intelligence, took his heart by storm.
 "We. shall be obliged to imagine all the details of this little romance, since only the merest outlines of 1t arc on record. His wooing prospered, and within flow months tho lady became bis bride He contrived to conceal the fact of his marriage from his sister for several weeks, continuing to reside under her roof and devoting himself to the university with zeal that he had never before exhibited; and Mrs. Dun kirk, delighted at what she considered tho first real evidence of reformation, looked on with kind approval and en- couragement It was in the full tide ot her satisfaction with his oourse that some ono brought her the astounding intelligence of his marriage.
 "You can perhaps imagine the se- quel. think she might in timc have pardoned him if ho had not deceived her so unscrupulouslyi but that was an offense beyond all forgiveness After a stormy scene, with biting reproaches on her part and scornfuI defiance on his, they parted forever. He took his wife away from Now York within a week; and Mrs. Dunkirk never looked upon his face again."
 "A sad story" commented North, as Mrs. Maynard paused hero. Ut seems strange that he should have passed So entirely from the knowledge of all his friends. How long did he live after he left Now Yorl1?''