The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-08-06
Copyright. 1897. by G. P. Putnam's sOnsl

Copyright, 1877, by u. T. Putnam $ Sonsl
Chapter Fifteen wears before the opening
OF the story John Lewis w,nt TO live in place
called Lee, i'm New Hampshire. with little
girl six years old, Virginia, the daughter of
his deceased sister. lie had son who had
been left at school. but ran away and shipped
for China Five years after Lewis went 20
Lee "A family named Marvel also settled there
Young Walter Marvel met and Loved Virgin
la Lewis Alice Marvel, Walt RS sister, and
Harry Lucas also met aud were reported 20 be
Ia love with each other. AT the opening OF
he story person purporting TO be the miss
ing son of John Lewis arrives az Lee. Walter
Marvel proposes for Nirginia's hand TO her
uncle telling him that his uncle, whose name
he bears, was a villain and cJnVIe.
CONTINUED
'Nonsensel Nonsensep' exclaimed
the squire. No one would think such a
thing" The squire's positive assertion
made Burrows feel little uncomfort-
able, for he was inwardly conscious that
he was entertaining the very idea at
that moment. Lewis continued:
LAS to my identity, fortunately |
foresaw that the time might some day
come when l should wish 10 prove to
my father that | am indeed his son.
Therefore l have carefully preserved the
last three letters which l received from
him, determined, should il ever be
necessary, TO produce them as proof of
my identity. in the event of his failing
to recall my changed face. Now he is
dead but the evidence thus attainable
assumes, it seems, an increased value. [
have preserved the letters in my pocket
book through all these years, and from
frequent reading they are not Ia = very
perfect condition, though | hope suf-
ficiently deCiphcratle for you at least,
squire, 10 recognize ,heir genuineness.
So saying, d. produced a dilapidated
wallet and took from il three letters,
apparently quite old. They were in en-
velopes that scarcely held together. and
the edges of the folds of the letters were
almost worn through in places. Never
theless the writing was sufficiently dis
tinct to be legible. The squire and Bur
rows looked through them, and the for
mer unhesitatingly declared that he rec
ognized the handwriting as that OF
John Lewis. The contents We're not es-
pecially interesting, being simply such
as father would send 10 son absent
at school. A detective is naturally sus-
picious. He is apt 10 doubt and ques-
ton to the last, and though Burrows
was comparatively new he nevertheless
possessed this trait to a strong degree.
He therefore examined the date of the
postmark, which was 1872. Although
he could not but accept this as unim-
peachable evidence that the young
mans story was correct, still, without
knowing exactly why he did so, he cop
led down the address Oh the envelopes,
which was:
John Lewis, Jr. Care 7. Jamison,
Esq, Washington Heights, New York
City, y. Y"
Mr.. Lewis" said the squire, IT am
satisfied that you are my friends son,
and | am sorry that this will leaves you
nothing by its provisions. am sure, as
| told you just now, that Virgie will
do what is right. | will see her at
once. "
He tapped gently on the door of Vir
ginia's room and was admitted. While |
be was absent Burrows took the oppor-
tunity to ask Lewis few more ques-
tons.
Mr.. Lewis, said he, chow long is
it since you were at sea, and why did
you give up the life? Though perhaps
you mean TO return to iti'
"Oh, no. l have had enough of it. |
The beautiful ease and comfort of the
described in the books of \
adventure written for boys, are very
much overdrawn, l assure you. 1t was
this kind of literature which first made |
me long for the sea. After / became a
sailor in earnest the charm of the ro-
nance dimmed considerably before the |
stern reality. was sorry enough that |
had left home.
why, then, did you not return
"Ah, that is easier said than done! I |
shipped for voyage to China. There l |
was forced to leave my ship and find |
another homeward bound, which was |
not easy, or else TO follow the fortunes |
Of my messmates. l chose the latter, the /
being that it was five years
before We reached the States again, and |
then u was on the Pacific coast. AS |
there vas little chance of finding my |
father anyway, since 1 knew he had |
trip to Europe, scarce
~ felt like crossing the whole breadth |
Of the country on the eTrand. So | |
shipped again, and so it was from one |
ship to another, and the years rolled |
by. J." J
'Still, you have come home at last |
and found out where your father was
located too:'
Yes My ship touched at Ports
mouth. AS we were so near to where |
my father last was and as | was pretty |
well s.C'. Of the sea, concluded TO give |
t up an3 come TO Lee, with the faint |
nope u:at L could hear something of |
my fathers whereabouts. The result |
you know.
Eyes, and ! sympathize with You
very much. hope you will pardon my |
having arppargn n Houbt N-orr idcntttt,