Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1897-10-28

tkItt Nndt 1Vhl htiA'f ~
vet I cannot let YOU go. To cease to
| love YOU. to cease to take pride in you,
to cease to look forward with ambi-
| ton to your professional career, would
be to cease to have a future OF my
own! To cast you of would be death!
Therefore, dear boy. take what name
you will. but rest in my house, my
only son. and pest beloved
Lady, dearest lady
Mother, Welby-l am still your
mother"
Mother. then-angel mother, your
magnanimity overpowers me! Moth
ing-no. nothing-not my whole lifes
devotion can ever repay YOU said the
young man, in a voice choked with
emotion.
do you not know that the delight
take liz you repays me? 1t Is some
thing. my dear, 70 have u son like
you"
Mother, dear mother. there is an
other, however, who has a sons claim
upon you. / must not supplant him.
You allude to Colonel Fulke Gre
Vile? For the future / al only re-
gard that gentleman as the son of my
J late husband. Upon Fie, or my prop
erty, he has no legal claim whatever:
his father left no property. 1t is r
that | promised him. on his death-bed,
TO provide for Fulke as If he were my
own son.. And | should have kept my
promise: but since he withdrew him
self from my protection, and threw
himself upon that of his uncle: and
since he has remained silent for such
n great number of years, there q be
but little regard for me on his part.
Nevertheless. when he marries and set
ties, / will offer him that portion of
| property which my affection for his
father first prompted me to set aside
to accumulate for him. But | have
much mistaken the naughty spirit of
J Fulke Greville. if he accepts it,"
! Here Welby felt inclined TO relate
the story of Colonel Greyille's mar
riage. with all its singular circum-
stances: but rightly judging that the
lady had heard exciting news enough
! for one day, he resolved to defer thar
second communication to another oc,
casion.
And now" said Mrs. Greville, ''there
Is another who must be informed OF
this change of n~ame-Lois!'
At the mention of her, the blood
rushed in torrents to his face. and then
receding. left them pale as marble,
while his whole frame shook with
emotion.
Why are you so agitated, my dear?
Believe me. Lois will not be so much
shocked as l was. The young receive
new Impressions with much more ease
than the ~middle-aged."
Lois! Lois. oh, madam! how will
this revelation affect my relations with
Lois?"
Not Mt all. / imagine. for, though
not Fulke Greville, you are still my
son. And, what is more, you are still
yourself. And that, my Welby, is.
after all. the best praise | can bestow
upon you! And If you have not inner
tied the old-time-hOnored name of
Fulke Greville, yet you will do better
than that-you will make your own il
l%ustrious. Yes, my dear Welby, / am
not young; yet | hope to live to see
you an eminent lawyer and statesman
YETI said the lady. cheerfully.
"Ohi heaven grant that l may full
fill your expectations. mother! But
Lois. how shall | tell Lois. that for SO
many years l have borne Il false name
and held q false pOsition!'
"YOu need not tell her yourself! You
have had pain enough, extreme pain,
indeed, in making the communication
to me. Leave me to inform Lois! l
expect her In every moment. So now
retire TO your hotel. my son, and order
your baggage sent here Immediately.
| will have your room prepared for
your reception. Come home i'm time to
dine with us at 3, and then you will
see at a glance, by the reception that
Lois will give you, what effect my
communication has had upon her, for,
In the interim. il will have to be
made.'
Welby arose aad took the lady's kind
hand, and pressed 1t fervently to his
lips; but she drew him to her bosom
In a warm embrace and kissed him
fondly.
And so Weiby entered the house he
had entered two hours before with so
many dreadful misgivings-left it hap
pier than he had ever been In the
whole course Of his life.--for, as the
reader knows, before he had ever seen
Mrs. Greville, bis boyhood had been
mace miserable by poverty; and since
ne ndu Detu tdheu ny tudI iduy, HIS
youth had been darkened by a sense of
his false position, and burdened with
the secret that he knew must be told.
yet dreaded to tell. Thus Welby had
never known true happiness unit. now!
now the terrible secret was off his
breast! now the dreaded revelation
had been made, and had not ruined
him. had, on the contrary. only con-
firlned his position, which was no lon
ger a false one,
He walked to his hotel as though he
trod on air. When he reached it, he
sent his luggage ut onc to Madison
Square. Then he wrote a letter to
Madame de Glacie. telling her of the
steps he had already taken toward the
discovery of Astrea.
When he had despatched this letter,
It was full time for him to keep ms
appointment at Madison Square. He
went thither Immediately. He was
shown into the drawing room, where
Mrs. Greville and Miss Howard wait
ed to receive him.
Lois looked beautiful in her evening
dress of rose-colored glace silk, trim
med with fine lace, and her blooming
face shaded with her sunny, auburn
riuCletS.