Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-05-06
tone and manner changed upder the in

tone and manner changed upder the in
fiuence of a good hot supper.
No evil results followed from hi!
perilous swim, and in the morning h,
seemed quite recovered. During break
fast I noticed that Mrs. Hamilton
stared at him more than politenes:
warranted, but suddenly she startled
Us all by asking
Pardon me, young man. but vol
have not yet told us your name
well, ma'am, to tell you the truth
I am not quite sure what my name is
The old woman who brought me up
and who 1 always thought was my
mother until just before she died. al.
ways called be Patsy brennan. he1
being Biddy brennan, but every time ]
| have heard another name have
tancied that it was mine once, when ]
was little
And that name was Bertier' said
Mrs. Hamilton, greatly excited, and
tsarting to her feet.
You are right, ma'am; but how dc
you know? Biddy brennan told me be-
! fore she died that she stole me from q
good home, not far from Ardrishaig
my parents
4 felt sure you were our long-lost
BERTHE. But you are not our own son.
although We loved you as such, and will
gladly take you again to our hearts,
perhaps he viii tell Us something
about himself during the last few years.
What has been your occupation?" said
Mr. Hamilton.
L have been going t. sea since I was
fCunteen, and was first mate of a
steamer sailing between Glasgow and
Philadelphia before old Biddy took III
while I was home, She told about me
being stolen when l was q little boy up
set me altogether and for five weeks
have been making inquiries in every
direction for my parents"
1T is quite possible we may yet find
them for you, but, if not, you shall
alN avs have a home with US. You need
not go to sea any more" said Mr..
Hamilton, whose feaIs that the young
fellow might have been contaminated
by his bringing UP had vanished.
1t was possible that either Mr.. or
Mrs Hamilton could feel for him as
much affection as would have been the
case had he been with them during the
previous twenty years; but when the
time arrived for my return to Glasgow,
with commission to communicate
with the firm of solicitors who had
acted for the mother before. I knew
knew that the Ham;' 0rs had no real
wish for my success in the endeavour
to find her. 1t was the young mans
own wish, and he had a right to a
voice IN the matter.
The day after my arrival at home |
called upon the solicitors and learned
that the mother Of the Poorhouse waif
was still living, and I requested them
to inform her that her son had been
discovered. But before, as a prelim-
mary to any information, insisted on
an interview with the mother. This
was evidently granted, her agents Civ
ing me the lady's 1ess-Mrs. Arbut-
not, Blythswood Villa, Renfrew. I
proceeded thither, and, after some
natural hesitation, Mrs Arbutnot told
me the story of her marriage. It had
been a secret one, her husband being
dependent on the whim of an uncle,
who would have disinherited and cast
0JJ+ h l. h.
Of his marriage to a young lady who,
though Of good birth, was without for
tune. Her child had been borr at the
house Of a faithful old servant in Glas-
gov, and sent next day to the Poor
house. When the uncle died, and there
was no longer any cause for conceal
ment, the parents wished to regain
possession Of their child, but, as we
have seen, their efforts were rendered
futile by BERTHE being stolen. The
ATbuthnOt5 never had another child,
and, what was most singular, they also
had adopted one, but Mr. Arbuthnot
had chosen a girl infant from an Or
phanage, in the belief that if he took
home a baby boy MS wife would only
fret all the more for her own lost one.
Mrs. Arbuthnot had grown to love
her adopted daughter, and it was this
consideration that now troubled her.
The intense longing to find her child
she had experienced in the carly years
Of her married life had faded away, and
now she felt no more sorrow than does
g mother VINO has buried a child in it's
infancy. But her adopted daughter
Helen was very dear to her.
Suppose the Hamiltons invite you
to visit them, your son being kept in
ignc rance Of your relationship to him,
you could see whether you would wish
to claim him." suggested.
Mrs. Arbuthnot eagerly assented, and
a fortnight afterwards, taking Helen
with her, she went to Jura. The result
was satisfactory in every way, for two
young people most interested fell in
love with each other at first sight, and
were married a few months after.