The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-10-06

by liza Dufus Hardy
rured in her bOsom-hint? Was II by -ac-
cident. or by some hasty act Of unbrldled
| passion, an impulse Of destruction. follow
| ed and regretted afterwards, that they
had come 10 this condition. The letter
| might give some explanation. He turned
! 10 it,. IL was only torn twice across, and
he had no difficulty in fitting the pieces
/ together. Il was written on thick vellum
| paper. without date or address: it had
! been apparently dashed on IN haste, In a
! large, bold scrawl that had something
/ characteristic about IT, The vicar read:
/ My dear Emma
said in our last interview. / can only re-
] greet that yOu received IL in such spirit
! trust you viii think better OF IL, and at
/ least Tor the boy sake, consent to the
! plan i proposed. If you persist in re-
| fusing this arrangement the best for all
I parties, there can be no necessity for any
| further communication between Us.
( Yours, J. Z. D."
! There was no date nor address.
| Poor soul!' said Mr.. Hilton, laying the
letter down. Whatever the story may
! be- il is a tragedy that has been played
out 70 the bitter endr -
What is TO be done with that poor little
boy? Lydia Hilton asked the next day,
languidly sympathetic albeit rather bored
with the whole business.
There's only one thing to do with him."
replied the vicar, keep him until we can
ma out II he has any relations, anybody
peionging to him who can take charge of
But that may take long time to find
out, demurred Lydia, "and then there
may not be anybody
IN that case / must look out for an
opportunity OF placing him in some good
orphan school"
And until then we can keep him."
said Lucy, appealingly.
II VIII be dreadful trouble and re-
sponsibiity," observed lydia
1 viii look after him, and take all the
such a dear little fellow; such an affec-
Tomato, tender-hearted child"
wish he wouldn't cry so; II always
makes me quite miserable to hear a child
cry" said Lydia, who, indeed. felt il so
distressing that she kept carefully out of
the way, and left to her sister the sad
was perhaps the best thing she could do
for, as she observed somewhat COM
plalningly, Lucy was the only person
but then Lucy went on quite ridicuIous-
~ only a little beggar boyi and there
was Lucy washing and dressing him, and
ieedlng MN with jelly, singing hymns to
him, and saying his prayers with him;
not but what that was all very proper of
course, the wears fairest daughter adj
Lydia Hilton was the fairest of the sis
ters; she was indeed the family beauty
ner ehiselled features and blooming COM
into the shade-though Lucy had the
sweetest smile and the softest eyes. and
there We're those who even preferred her
ter.
The vicar made inquiries with view to
tracing the family connections-if there
We're any-of these waits and strays the
living and the dead-poor storm-tossed
fragments, weeds of the worlds wreck
age-whom the tide Of fate or chance had
mus washed up at his doors. He could
near OF no village In the neighborhood
caled Rose vale; II must be the name
OF some house or farm. he name of
,Dorlmer at nrst suggested no associa-
ton to him; but later an idea came into
ms mlnd that somewhere or somehow he
had heard It before.
whom he consulted on the question
Why to be sure, Dorimer is the Gran
ss,t sos1t family name; | fancy it is Lord
US look IN the peerage. and see IL there is
7 haven't got a peerage." said the
vicar, whose interests were unworldly'
I have rejoined the doctor, whose in
terests were more mundane. The peer
age age was consulted. and under the heading
.Cranstowne they found John Edward
Dorimer fifth baron" His age cores
ponded to that mentioned on the certif-
cate of marriage; but the date of his sue
eesslon 70 the peerage on the death of HIS
elder brother, was some three years la
ter There was no mention of his mar
riage; the heir-presumptive was stated
TO be his cousin, Herbert Dorimer
II must be relative or namesake"
said Mr. Hilton, doubtfully.
.,e n n! .demurred the doctor, musingly.
stranger things have happened than a
young fellows making a fool Of himself
by a secret marriage with a low-born
g,ri; But" ne added. suddenly. after a
remember now quite well. He died of
typhoid fever a few months. ago. This
peerage is last years. Herbert Dori-
mer,'" referring to the important volume,
rs Lord Cranstowne now"
They sat long discussing the matter 1t
was strange that the deceased woman, If
she had any claim at all upon the Gran
stowne family, should have been reduced
20 sue , a pass; SO stranse that they ended
pondence of name and age must be mere
coincidence. Still they agreed that the
trst thing to be done was to write to the
present Lord Cranstowne, explaining the
circumstances, not emitting to mention
that, pending the receipt of any instruc-
lions from him, arrangements would be
| made for the ipterment to take place in
simple and modest form.
At the Vicarage there was much more
interest felt and expressed in this new
sure from the beginning that little Jackie
was of gentle birth; he was so nice-man-
nered and well-taught for his years, ana
| was very unlikely that a man of Grams
| toWne's rank would get entangled with "a
poor girl OF that sort and suggested that
| perhaps some imposter had taken his
| name; Meanwhile, as no letter was re-
| ceiVed from Lord Cranstuwne, the unhap-
py woman, whose sorrowful life had drift
/ ed in darkness and mystery to its close
was laid to rest in the little churchyard
under the only name they could put upon
| one afternoon the Vicar and his family
were sitting at tea, when they heard the
| sound of light wheels rolling swiftly ur
| the carriage-drive, and peal at the hall
/ door bell.
''Visitorsr' said Lydia. hastily putting
up her hand to her head and cranfng her
| neck TO steal a glance at the mirror and
assure her that her hair was in order
| Lucy, with an accent of slight irritation
| why do you have that child in to tea
why not replied Lucy, with a re.
assuring smile at little Jackie. who was
seated on her lap with large piece OF
| cake in his hand.
Your dress will be all over crumbs and
| l believe it is Lady Manville" said Lydia
! warningly, lowering her voice, as Saraf
was by this time heard opening the hal
door.
Il don't drop crumbs" averred Jackie
| stoutly, lifting his cake to his mouth
and taking a resolute but careful bite
| The voice now heard in the hall in mar.
| ley with Sarah was not Lady Manyilie's
| however, and Sarah threw open the mar.
Tor door with somewhat more of a flour.
sh that usual, as she announced:
Lord Cranstowne."
young man entered, tail good-loolr
ing, with a 1.-THE, well-knit figure and
what Lydia Immediately tabulated as )
thoroughbred air." The vicar rose anS
went forward to meet the visitor