Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1897-10-14

scientiously when remind you, Mr..
Lewis, that you have given US no proof
of your identity. OF course your word
alone was sufficient this morning when
we were coming here. We expected to
find Mr.. Lewis alive, and it would have
been his privilege to satisfy any doubt.
But now, under the peculiar circum-
stances. hope you don't miscontrue
my motives'-
"Not in the least" replied Lewis.
"You are investigating murder and
are right to demand u thorough expla-
nation Of my movements and proof OF
my identity. l am stranger to you,
and you have but my unsupported word.
l am more glad than sorry that l am
disinhcrited by my fathers will. / did
not deserve any consideration at his
hands anyway, and under the distress
ing circumstances, and considering my
appearance just after his violent death.
were his heir it might seem-you IN
derstand? might be implicated!
Nonsense! Nonsense" exclaimed
the squire. "No one would think such
thing" The squirrels 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:
''As to my identity, fortunately l
foresaw that the time might some day
come when l should wish to prove to
my father that am indeed his son.
Therefore have carefully preserved the
last three letters which | received from
him, determined, should 1t 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 nttainable
assumes, it seems, an increased value. l
have preserved the letters in my pocket
hook through all these years, and from
frequent reading they are not i'll very
perfect condition, though l hope suf-
fcicntly decipherable for you ut least,
squire, to recognize their genuineness. "
So saying, he produced dilapidated
wallet and took from it three letters,
apparently quite old. They were III ell
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
lows looked through them, and the for
mer unhesitatingly declared that he rec
ognized the handwriting as that OF
John Lewis. The contents were not es-
pecially interesting, being simply such
as a father would send to son absent
at school. A detective is naturally sus-
picious. He is apt to doubt and ques-
ton to the last, and though Burrows
was comparatively new he nevertheless
possessed this trait to strong degree.
He therefore examined the date Of the
postmark, which was 1879. 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 on the envelopes,
which was:
John Lewis, Jr. Care T. Jamison,
Esq, Washington Heights New York
City, N. Y"
"Mr. Lewis" said the squire, II am
satisfied that you are my friends son,
and am sorry that this will leaves you
nothing by its provisions. I am sure, as
I told you just now, that Virgie will
do what is right. Twill see her at
once"
He tapped gently on the door Of Vir-
ginia's room and was admitted. While
he was absent Burrows took the oppor-
tunity to ask Lewis few more ques-
tions.
"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 it:"
"Oh, no. / have had enough Of it.
The beautiful ease and comfort Of the
messroom, described in the books of
adventure written for boys, are very
much overdrawn, 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 TO-
nance dimmed considerably before the
stern reality. was sorry enough that l
had left home"
why, then, did you not return
sooner2''
"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. I chose the latter, the
consequence being that it was five years
before we reached the States again, and
then it was on the Pacific coast AS
there was little chance Of finding my
father anyway, since knew he had
contemplated a trip to Europe, scarce
ly felt like crossing the whole breadth
of tho country on the errand. SO l
shipped again, and so it was from one
ship to another, and the years rolled
BY"
"Still, you have come home at last
and found out where your father was
located too?"
Eyes My ship touched at Ports
mouth. AS we were so near to where
my father last was and as was pretty
we'll sick of the sea, I concluded to give
it up and come to Lee, with the faint
hope that I could hear something of
my fathers whereabouts. The result
you know"
Eyes, and I sympathize with you
very much. hope you will pardon my
having appearCd to doubt your identity.