Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1897-12-16
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
By RoDRIGUEs 0TT0LENaU1.

erations, thought Of my sister and
sought for her, but one Of the servants
informed me that she had left the house.
I suspected at once that she had gone to
her husband, and, knowing where he re-
sided, l hurried thither. I rushed into
the house, and was Mortified to find the
apparently lifeless body Of my sister
stretched on the parlor floor. Assistance
was summoned, and, as soon as it was
safe to do so, she was removed to our
own home. 1t was not until months aft
er that learned the events which led
mp to this last catastrophe. 1tseems that
she had, as l had supposed, sought for
the villain who should have been ready
and anxious to care for her. When he
heard that her father had refused to ao-
knowledge the marriage, he coolly told
her that, in that case, it would be best
to part, that he would not separate a
girl from her father, and other things
equally heartless Then he left her.
at was not surprising that my sis
ter's little girl should have been prema-
turely hurried into the world by these
exciting scenes. Afterward the mother
improved slowly, but surely, day by
day. With my father it was different
For months he lay between life and
death. When my sister had sufficiently
recovered her own health, she divided
her time between her baby and her "a
ther, and her experience as nurse now
became invaluable. At last there came
q change, and one morning my father
awoke, apparently better.
Matilda, my sister, was at the mo.
ment having her breakfast and was out
Of the room, taking her place for the
time. Father spoke to me, asking me
to relate all that had occurred. tried
to answer evasively, but he immediate.
ly showed signs Of excitement, insisting
IN reply to his inquiries. Under the
circumstances deemed it best to tell
him the truth. He listened without
comment until told how her husband
had deserted her, at which he gritted
his teeth as he muttered, The villainP
When told him of the little stranger
in the house, his expression softened,
and he asked me to send my sister to
him. As / left the room to obey he
said:
"'Tell her to bring little Virginia
with her.
II must say here that as yet no name
had been chosen for the baby, but Vir.
ginia Is our native state, and as father
called the little one by that name Ma
tilda would never call her by any other
name in the years that came after.
1.-THE interview between my father
and Matilda was touching in the ex-
IRENE. She avowed her oontrition for
the deception which she had practiced,
while he asked forgiveness for his
harshness.
"'To think. said he, that should
have endangered the life of this dear
little blessingP And, stretching out
his arms, he took her child and kissed
it. whereupon my sister dropped upon
her knees, buried her face in the bed
clothing and wept like a child. My
father soothed her, and, deeming it
best, I slipped from the room, leaving
them alone.
after that these three were insepa-
rable and seemed as happy as could be-
70 much SO, indeed, that we were all
lulled into the belief that my father
was getting well-all except my father
himself. He said nothing, but when
the end approached declared that he had
expected it all along. When it was
clearly evident that he would soon die,
he called me to him one day and, TAX
ing ME by the hand, he said:
"'John, my son, you have always
been good boy, and l wish you long
and prosperous life Yet desire to do
something that may seem unjust to you.
I hope you may be able to see it as do
l should die happier.
"'Do not speak Of dying, father, I
cried in ohoked voice. What is it you
wish? will accede to it cheerfully.
THAT is my brave boy, said he,
with a smile, and then he paused
awhile. At last he continued: John, I
wish to make change i'll my will. As
it stands my property would be divided
equally between you and Matilda. I
wish to alter it so that each of you will
have one-third. The balance must be
invested so that the little one will have
something when she is of age. will
arrange SO that in case of her death her
share must 60 to her mother, and in the
event Of the mothers death that por-
tion must be similarly invested for the
little one. wish you to be the exec
utor Will you do this for me, my boy?'
l nodded acquiescence, and he went on:
"'This is just, John. You will soon
be man and can care for yourself.
Matilda is woman. BY mistake she
has wrecked her chance Of winning a
worthy protector, and SO must arrange
that she and her child shall not come to
want. assured him that he was only
acting as l should wish, and he seemed
to be more contented. The lawyers
were summoned, and all was arranged
as he directed. A few days later, while
he was clasped in his daughters arms,
his spirit passed away.
Il will not prolong my tale in order
to give complete narrative of all that
passed, but will simply confine myself
to those events most closely connected
with this recent tragedy.
1.-THE months rolled by, and never
was word said about the man who had
caused all our trouble. Matilda seemed
to lavish her whole wealth of love upon
her little girl, and as Virgie grew I
cherished the hope that the wound i'll
her mothers heart was healing. How
little does a man understand what a
woman means when she says that she
gives him her heart Despite all the
outward appearances was yet to find
that Matilda still thought of and long
al Pnr how h,,cbon1