Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-11-25

Mr. Wvcharly?" replied the man, star
ing; "why-oh, yes, l remember. Please
do wait, sir, till I call one of the Of
fcers."
Presently we observed one Of the Of
fcers coming forward. eonversing with
the steward. As he came up he bowed
gravely and said:
Il grieve to tell you gentlemen, that Mr..
Wycherly died on the passage here and
was buried al sea. II you viii accompany
me to the surgeons cabin he will supply
you with all the particulars, and he led
the way aft.
Sorrowly 1 followed the grief-stricken
parent. whose. bowed head and unsteady
step showed the violence of the blow.
Il am speaking 10 Mr. Wycherly's bro
Their. l presume. said the surgeon. after
the officer had explained our errand, turn
ing to my companion. The resemblance
is so striking that 90 not think can be-
mistaken. though I should say you were
slightly his senior
His father" replied my friend, sim
ply.
His father. Excuse me; if you will
come inside l will show you my books.
It turned out that poor stephen, my
friends son-his name also-had been TAX
en- down with dysentary on the sixth day
cut from Yokohama and had never raj
lied from the attack.
did you remark the surgeon express
sion Of incredulity when you said you
were the father Of Mr.. Wycherly who died
on the Passenger" I said to my friend
next day as he sat in my office. 1t may
turn out that you will have trouble in es-
tablshing your identity. ! can, of course,
vouch for It. but IL is not likely that my
story would gain undisputed credence,
seeing that it is unparalleled in the annals
of science"
Make yourself easy on that point" re-
turned Wyeherly, with something Of heat
in his tone As to my friends at home.
it is reasonableto suppose that they would
/ fail TO recognize me, one who is thoroughly
conversant with each detail OF our fam
lily afairs?'
Il hope it may turn out as you say"
remarked. obviously.
Just then my servant entered with
card. l started on reading it and handed
IL 10 Wycherly.
Miss Gertrude Tremaine!" he ejaculat-
ed. But nOW-nOW
THE lady has come TO inquire regard
ing Mr.. WyeheNy-Stephen Wycherly,
said the boy.
Show her in" said L and immediate
| IL a tall. handsome brunette appeared in
| the doorway. She loowed first at one
and then at the other as if undecided
how to act. and then advanced TO where
Wycherly was sitting. too bewildered to
/ speak. and took him by the hand.
| why. Stephen." she said don't you
/ know me? But didn't expect TO find you
here. thought should find papa here.
| They told me I should get news OF him
/ here at the place I used TO address all my
/ letters to-
/ "Why. Gertie." returned Wycherly. re-
| garding her with embarrassment, don't
/ you know me? Don't you know Stephen
/ father"
/ What does this mean. sir?' she said
/ drawing herself up with offended dignity
/ But do not fatter yourself It was TO see
/ YOU. sir. that 1 came. I came at the eX-
I press desire of your grandmother and
/ aunt to see that your father was being
property taken care Of Oh, stephen"
she continued in a softened tone. they
are so very anxious about him at home
But. Gertio. I am old stephen Wych-
erly you came to see" said my friend.
/ ..You" she cried with a ripple of sill
very laughter. as if now entering into
and enjoying the joke-'you. l suppose
YOU think that. having made tour of the
world. gives you the right to assume age.
/ And now l come to think Of it. perhaps
il does. for you do certainly look five
] years older than when you left us year
ago. if that is anything in your favor"
had been studying all this time how to
extricate my friend from his dilemma. So
rising and looking at my watch, l said in
a fatherly way
You young people can get along very
we'll without me. / think. l have an en-
gagement which will take me at least
half an hour; so / am sure you will eX-
cuse me.
When 1 returned they were gone, and
merely a note from Wycherly remained
on the table. saying that he would com
municate with me shortly. From t'at
! day to this I heard nothing Of him till
received this letter:
Wychwood Hail. Norfolk Sept 10. 1896
My Dear Doctor: Forgive my abrupt
departure from San Francisco. You no
doubt wonder how matters have turned
out with me- First of all, Gertie-Miss
+ Gertrude Tremaine now my w.fe-made
/ a terrible noise. after you so considerably
and will add. pusillanimously left 'she
/ is looking over my shoulder now and has
made me put in that last adverb)' because
I persisted In telling her / was old instead
of young Mr.. Wycherly. BY little ana
/ little and explaining. as well as could
| that the treatment had received after
the accident she read about in your let
ter had produced the extraordinary
! change in my appearance she subsided
! into an apparent acquiescence with what
| had told her You may call it what you
please. YOU may attribute It to the trans
/ fusion or to the arts and wiles of Gertie,
/ but certain it is that before we were half
over the Atlantic l was head over heels
/ i'm love. Nor was il a One-sided affair
either. and by the time we reached home
we were engaged.
How I dreaded going home! When We
got into the carriage at the railway sta
ton the footman. while touching his hat
hoped that I had left my father well.
The same thing was repeated at the hall
/ Ny mother wept over the return OF her
( grandson and my sister fel upon the
neck Of her nephew. When. two months
4 after our return. Gertie and l were mar
\ ried at the village church I am satisfied
/ that nine-teuths of the people present be-
Heved that the stephen Wycherly who
signed the register was son to the man
who stood before them. AM what is the
use Of setting people right upon the ques-
/ ton? l have determined TO remain Ste
! 49, NN-....h.rI.- LIZ aLnnn they will LnNn