Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-01-21


my parents and little sister, of whom
have such dim recollection :"
Wakefield laid claim, in smal
way, to being summer resort. The
townwas situated between two noun.
tains, and the air was delightfully
COL in summer.
ohe summer evening, a gentleman,
with his wife and daughter arrived
at Wakefield and stopped with a
family who took summer boarders.
The morning after their arrival.
this gentleman called at DR.. Browns
with the request that the Doctor
should go over to his boarding place
to see his wife, who was i'll.
Gladys opened the door when the
gentleman rang, and when his eyes
fell on her face they seemed riveted
there rs if by some strange fascina-
ton.
DIR. Brown, in speaking of these
people to his wife and Gladys, after
his call to see the sick woman, said :
" l was very much pleased with Mr..
AshwOrth. He is true Southern
gentleman. His wife is q perfect
lady, and his daughter, whom they
call Glenna, bears such striking re-
sembance to our Gladys that could
hardly believe they were not ldent-
ical. 1 promised to take you both
to see them. Mrs. Ashworth is in
delicate health, and they came to
this quiet, healthful place to see if
she would recuperate.
A few days after this DR.. Brown
took his wife and Gladys to see his
patient.
Mrs. Ashworth was a charming
woman. She had about her that
special grace Of woman who had
been of the world, but had acquired
only its graces.
She was tall and stately, and her
head reminded one of the head of
Juno, in the perfection of its outline.
When DR.. Brown introduced
Gladys, the eyes of the three stran-
gers were riveted upon her.
DIR. Brown and Mr.. Ashworth took
their pipes and seated themselves on
the piazza to smoke and talk.
Mr.. Ashworth spoke Of the re-
semhance of the two girls to each
other, and added, with tremor in
his voice: "I had q little daughter
named Gladys, once, but she was
stolen when about five years of age,
and we have never been able to find
her, though we have searched for
years. She was out with her nurse,
who left the child a few minutes,
and when she came back it was gone.
This has caused us the deepest sor-
row, and thrown a shadow over our
lives which will never be removed.
When MIR. Ashworth had finished
speaking DR.. Brown drew his chair a
little nearer and told him about
Gladys. When he was through with
the story, Mr.. Ashworth had arisen
and was deathly pale.
"Let us tell my wife," he said,
and both men hastily entered the
room.
When the story was told much ex-
element was created.
81 remember distinctly what my
Gladys wore that evening. She had
on a pink dress trimmed with white
silk lace; a white hat trimmed with
pink ribbon, and tiny gold brace
let with her name on it," said Mr..
Ashworth.
The clothing proved identical, and
when Mr.. Ashworth saw the brace
let, he caught it up eagerly. "Wife,"
he exclaimed, "we have at last
found our lost darling, for here is
the very bracelet l bought for her."
Such joy as Mr.. and Mrs. Ash
worth experienced can better be imag-
ined than described.
Gladys was none the less joyful
that she had found her parents, and
the dear sister of whom she had so
often spoken.
| hn
and when the time came for Gladys
to go with her parents to their city
home, many miles from Wakefield,
there were three sad hearts.
DIR. Brown and his wife loved her
too dearly not to mourn over the
separation, and Gladys s0bbed as if
heart would break.
Her new home was indeed a Pal
ace Beautiful, and she soon grew ac-
customed to its luxury.
The Browns felt that the light OF
their home had gone out.
Two years after her departure, DR..
Brown purchased property In the
city where Mr.. Ashworth resided,
and moved there.
Gladys spent large portion of
her time with them, and the fami-
lies were lovingly united.
Lo,oeU, W. Va.
AN instance Of refined cruelty on
the part of young man comes from
Wisconsin. Members of a club of