Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-08-25
EPILOGTE.
AFTER LONG YEARS.

EPILOGUE.
AFTER LONG YEARS.
"Grandpapa! Yes, surely 7 see a
carriage approaching now between the
clumps OF lealess trees marking the
meeting of the crossroads. think it
is a carriage, butch. take the glass
yourself, grandpapa, and see wlather
-
The speaker. n slender graceful maid
en-, half-girl ELECTROMAGNETIC all siren
surely, If symmetry Of form and per-
lection OF feature may still be supposed
in this degenerate age TO exercise their
world-old influence over the sons of
men-turned a flushed and glowing face
towards the grey-beard standing close
beside her. holding out in a hand which
trembled somewhat. the costly mother
os-pearl opera-glass through which
standing on tiptoe on the broad win
dow seat-she had for some long min
utes past been a~nXiOusly scanning the
horizon, in order to obtain the earliest
possible glimpse of "a certain convey
ance which was expected TO make its
way about this time through the snow
covered country surrounding Burn
ham. For. reader, once again it 10
,illSlilido I've dlbtll HNt lOllS ltdiS
have rolled away since the events mar
rated in the last chapter. London and
the adjacent hamletS are once more
covered with a spotless frozen pail Of
snow: the service of trains between the
metropolis and the nearest station"
is still girt with many inconvenience
for the inhabitants Of the Burnham
district, so that travellers in many in
stances yet avail themselves Of the
h~ackney-coach mode of progression,
despite of obvious drawbacks, Drawing
the perils of the road III preference 10
being deposited by trains ha~lf-a-dOzen
miles right or left of their immediate
destination, IN a land where cabs ''are
not" and the friendly omnibus is UNI
known.
mo, child" returned the baronet-
for he who stands beside the girl is
none other than Sir Jasper, marvellous
IL mellowed, softened, chastened by the
years which have sped since We saw
him last-as with a tender smile he
pushed back the proffered glass.
Your eyes are younger than mine
besides. tits you, not l, who should be
privileged to obtain the first glimpse of
the coming guest"
Space forbids We should do more than
glance at those incidents. strewn thick
as ~blackberries along LIES high road,
which had marked the intervening
years; il will be sufficient for u pur-
pose briefly here. and now, to state that
the fullest Investigation, instituted 10y
the baronet through properly-qualiied
agencies. had but served to confirm and
substantiate beyond all manner OF
doubt his original and. in the first in
stance. almost unaccountable snspic-
ion that the girl Greta-incidentally
mentioned by DR.. HOllingshead in his
painful account Of the death Of the
pauper at st. Georges Iiospital-was
none other than the sole surviving child
of Sir Jasper Earle's own Inflated
daughter, that fair frail Greta who had
so tragically expiated, not only all hlial
delinquencies, but likewise the follles
OF her misspent life.
The chain of evidence extending over
some half-dozen years, was easily
traced back to the poor young mothers
death. Greta's memory proved remark
ably reliable. her s~hrewdnesS and pre-
cocity, Of which ample proof has al
ready appeared in this narrative, far
beyond her years; and thus aided, the
astute head Of that private enquiry Of
flee to whose hands the conduct of the
case was at oice confded, experienced
but little difficulty in piecing out salts
factorily the whole of Greta RelnhartS
brief tragic history.
The child, moreover, was found TO
have in her possession, when first she
was taken prisoner by Dick CarliSle's
strong arm on that henceforth ever me-
morable 18th of December. her unfor-
tunate mothers ~wedding-ring, as well
as the plain gold engagement keeper"
engraved with name and date. which,
in accordance with the primitive Gus
tom of that part Of SaXony. Sir Jasper
Earle four-and-twenty years before had
placed on the finger of that happier
"Greta." whom he had loved and won
beneath her native iindens, and made a
proud English baronet's wife. These
sacred symbols of the days which were
no more, the dying and deserted wife OF
the Polish musician had sewn into q
scrap of w~ash-leather, with some dim
provision, 1t may be, Of what was veto
come, and suspended by a piece of tape
about her child's neck. enjoining her
with her last breath To guard at the
risk, If needs were, OF her W life this
solitary bequest.
Gretais right to a place in the old
mans affections thus irrefutably es-
t~ablished, the reader will readily con-
ceive the course of events which fol-
lowed. The girl was forthwith confid-
ed TO proper guardianship to undergo
preliminary training preparatory To be-
inc placed i'm n OF title first seminaries
in the land. and at the close of each
term, when Greta Reinhart came home
for a few weeks to brighten the atmos-
phere at Bleak House, and gladden. her
grandfather's heart, the baronet him
self. not less than all who were privil-
eyed TO approach her, were charmed
and delighted by the young girls anna
bility, talent, and beauty, her native
grace, and essential goodness of heart.
Among others, Dick Carlisle, who
was even o frequent visitor TO
Bleak House In these days than hereto
fore, and whose interest in the young
profegee who had from the very first so
unaccountably attracted him, naturally
rather increased than waned, as will
readily be concluded.
But there came one day. three years
anterior to the date Of which this chap
ter treats. when the baronet proposed
that his godson-such proposition being
couched in terms synonymous with
commsnd-should undertake the grand
tour Of Europe, avowedly to improve
his mind by travel and experience Of
foreign countries, men, and manners.
Whether Sir Jasper cherjshed reasons
other and less impcrsonal than those
stated FOR prescribing the young mans
adoption OF this course, 1t Is beyondour
immediate province to enquire; suffice
II to state that Diok proved Now, -
ever, ~acQuieseent, followed out fhe bar
onet's suggestions to the very lsttsr.
and when, In due course, . m&aeivo
| from Bleak House reached HIM 1T W.
ROMA In the hfaf week Of DA0emhGr az