Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-04-08
use and seemed to be expecting some

sorblng Patrice and tying to make her
feel sorry that size had lost him. But at
lrrgth, a toddler OF staggering under
the weight Of q plate Of bread and but
ter, which it was offered him, arrested
and claimed his alteration.
No. thanks, little man. Who are
you? What's your name?" he asked.
Lover Of the day. 5
The child was pretty, fair boy. but
he did not look robust enough to an
swer TO Patrice's description of her
children.
Who are you?' he repeated, and the
little boy lifted a pair of lovely, clear
eyes to his face and answered:
"Sholto."
"Ah! So you've paid me the compli-
ment of calling one of your boys after
me- he said, affably, to Patrice, but
she shook her head and merely said:
Hes not our boy
He's a young Vereker, | suppose? -
Sholto Graham remarked, with a smile,
as he advanced with cup of tea to
Mrs. Guy Vereker; hes a smart little
shap; I am quite proud of my name
sake"
L am glad you are" Patrice said,
almost inaudibly, and at the same mo-
ment the discussion caught sight of a
lady who was coming to them from the
house.
'Herese mamma the little fellow
shouted, running to meet the lady, who
stopped to receive him with open
arms, When she stood up and he saw
her face Sholto saw that he had found
the woman he had to see. 1t was Lena
Cumberland whom the child had greet
ed as mamma"
She came into the circle, leading the
boy by the hand, and a sort of semi
silence set in among the group round
the teatable that savored of awkward
ness in the way in which Lena met
him.
Il am glad to see you again, Sholto.
We have been expecting every day for
five years to hear from you"
Il did not know where you had
gone he said, with an injured air.
DlQ you ever inquire :!
LAS you made no sign I did not pre-
sumo to do so. Besides, conclude you
have changed your name; this little
chap called you mamma
Il Ravens changed my name; l am
Lena Cumberland still and always
shall be. Sholto, he is not my child"
A sudden lea that struck him as be
ing mOnstrously impossible even as
he entertained it struck him as he
asked, constrainedly:
Whose is he them"
Your own" Lena said, and her face
cleaned with joy an pride as she took
the pretty child closer to herself.
'And what darlingp' Patrice put in
quickly coming to the rescue OF the
man whise mixed sensations robbed
him of all readiness of speech. owe
are all so fond of him; he is quite one
| of us. Patrice,' addressing her OWL
5-year-old daughter, "Sholto is quite
like your own little brother, isn't he"
Patrice the second was very young
but already she knew the difference
! between her own little brother an(
another boy.
"Sholto isn'e my little brother, bu
he's nice, and you horrid man shan
take him away" Miss Thorburn stat
with a mixture of fearful terror an(
defiant protection. Then immense :!
to the relief Of his father, who did MOI
exactly know how to arrange the new
! set Of sensations which were besettinG
him, history repeated itself and little
Patrice drew an anything but unwilling
Sholto away with her.
When the children were asleep tina
night and the rest of the party were or
the river, with the exception of Capt
and Mrs. Kelly, Mrs. Cumberland anC
Sholto Graham sat out on the lawn
together again
Tell me how it all happened,' he
asked, abruptly Il was told he would
be blind anu deformed-"
so he would have been for all you
cared for or troubled about him. she
interrupted, sharply. For two years
l lived the life of an ascetic, worked
and hoped against hope in order that
every penny l could secure might be
spent in securing the best specialists
OCulists and spine dCctors-for him.
During all that time you never took
the trouble to inquire whether he had
lived or died-not even of Maggie.
Maggie would have shared the expenses
or taken them all on herself for that
matter, but 1 wouldn't let her l felt
[ could never share Sholto with any
human being after his fathers rejec-
ton of him. He is mine-mine alto
gether. Good heavens, Sholto, you
won't try and taken him from me-"
Indeed 1 won't he said, magnani-
mously. But I want you to come to
me with him. Being what he is I shall
be proud of such a wife and SON"
"The boy is everything, everything
in the world to me now, Sholto. You
would have quite the second place in
my heart and interests now. Be gener-
Gus; don't ask me either to sacrifice the
boy or to marry you for his sake Let
me keep him as my own. See him when
you like, teach him to love you if you
can. but leave him to me-"
"This is mere impractical nonsense"
he said, sauvely. "You loved me warm
ly enough some few years ago; surely l
can't be repugnant to you now. l am
quite willing that the boy should have
the first place with you. You shall do
as you please about his education and
career, and pay the piper for him as
you have done all along-if you marry
nae, that is. If you will not both nat
ural feeling and the law will be ON nv