Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-12-09
THE 0UTCgST.

Lillian Fernlie sat In her luxurious
little boudoir, one sunny afternoon,
lost In gloomy meditation.
When young girl in the zenith of
her youth and beauty, blessed with a
superabundance of all worldly ad-
Vantages, and surrounded by myriads
OF devoted relatives and friends, sits
brooding alone, the inevitable conclu-
sion is that she is secretly fretting
over the delinquencies of some man
The man in this case was well born
and well bred. wealthy and distin-
guished in his profession. For five
years he had courted her society as
siduously, showered gifts upon her,
spoken to her tenderly-done every
thing, in short, except ask her to be
his wife"
= 'Why, why, why?"
Yes, Gilbert Carlowes glance, his
touch, his voice, all told her that he
loved her, and yet he put her resolute-
ly from him. She felt this instinct
lively.
Lillian threw herself back into her
chair, and cried long and bitterly. She
was contemplating her tear disfgured
face in the mirror when her maid
tapped at the door.
"Come in" she said, huskily.
eff you please, Miss, Mr.. Carlowe is
In the drawing-room, and begs you
will favor him with a few words at
once"
81 cannot go to him like this, Leon
ard" her mistress cried, facing her in
dismay.
Dear me. miss! Are you ill.,"
''No, no." cried Lillian impatiently.
make me as presentable as you can"
The maid brought some eau de col
ogne and water to battle her flushed
face, and with a few deft touches
made her pretty white gown the per-
lection of neatness. All was done in
few minutes.
Lillian was only a little paler than
was quite natural to her, and the
great blue eyes trifle dim, when she
opened the drawing room door. But
he noticed it at once.
II fear you are not well, Miss Fern
lie." he said, as he came eagerly for
ward with outstretched hand.
She put her hand in his for one brief
moment.
''There is nothing serious the mat
ter with me-" she said, as she took a
chair and motioned him to one oppos-
lite. Il have been a little upset, that
is ALL"
II am grieved to hear it,"
THANK YOU"
Silence followed, during which they
both diligently studied the carpet.
Il wonder" he began, breaking the
awkward pause, whether what l am
about to say will cause you one-half
the pain, Miss Fernlie, that it has
caused, is causing, and ever will cause
me. You have given me no reason to
think that it will, and yet-forgive me
Il cannot help hoping So"
The beautiful pale face opposite him
flushed. The hesitating words: II
wonder whether''-"you have given
me no reason to think"-were music
to her ears.
She inclined her head for him to go
on.
Twill you listen to the story of my
life, Miss Fernlie?" he asked. May
presume upon your goodness to burden
you with sad tale? l did so want a
little sympathy and encouragement to
go on doing my duty. May look for
both from your"
Eyes, Mr.. Carlowe," she said, quiet
ly; you have both from me-"
Without a moments pause he
plunged into his narrative.
Il am not what l seem, Miss Fern
lie," he said. You believe me to be
Gilbert Carlowe, the only child Of the
late Mr.. and Mrs. Carlowe, of Carlton
Gardens, London. In reality my name
is Joseph Brown, and ] was once a
beggar boy in the streets Of London
whom Mr.. and Mrs. Carlowe-God
bless them!-picked up and reared
because / bore a resemblance to their
SON."
He paused and raised his eyes re-
1uctantly to her face. He longed to
see what effect his confession was
having upon her, and yet he could not
help shrinking from putting his
doubts to the proof.
The shock of the truth had dyed hel
face crimson, but her dilated eyes met
his as frankly and as kindly as of old.
"Mr. and Mrs. Carlowe lived in Lon.
don for some time after their mar.
riage. One winters evening (wher
their boy, Gilbert, was about ter
years old they were walking home
the child on the other side of his
mother, when /, attracted by Mrs. Car
loves benevolent face, stopped hel
and begged of her earnestly. I was II
rags and cold and hungry. My miser
able condition would have touched tha
tender heart under any circumstances
4 am sure, but doubt IL 1t would hav,
procured me more than few plying
words, and the money wherewith II
refresh and clothe myself, II 1t had no
been backed by the fact that / wal
startlingly like her little son.
THE moment l attracted their at
tention, both husband and wife start
ed and exchanged glances. Like GIL
bert!' they said simultaneously; an,
then they turned involuntarily from
contemplating the ragged, barefoot, at
tenuated little urchin, crying from coll
and hunger, and looked at their son
The contrast between US was the ke
that opened the portals of an un
dreamed of life for me.
s<Vvhav uueotfonod mo All coul