Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1899-10-06

I
with your unele's life Of which you
know nothing. The only two who are
now living, perhaps, who do know it
are President Dole aud myself. We
wero boon companions of your uncle
in younger days, and understand the
full circumstances of the case. say
perhaps we are the only ones living.
There were others, butwe have lost all
trace of hem. Now, that you may
fully understand what is before you,
/ YOU will please read this communica-
tion which your uncle placed in my
keeping the very day that you were
brought home i'll, and, Of course, as
You have learned. the day upon which
he died. You had better read this be-
| fore any Of the others, as it stands
largely in the light Of will and exaets
certain conditions coincident with
those existing in the will. The will,
however, was made out a short time
after your sister disappeared. And
this document was written on the day
your uncle gave it to me. I need say
nothing further. The document makes
everything clear.
81 would request, Mr.. Berkton,r I
replied, tthat if the document is q
long one, you will be kind enough 10
allow Gordon to read it aloud. As
my nearest friend, / would naturally
turn to him for advice, if any were
needed, and there seems no necessity
for double reading, I am not equal
quite to reading at length aloud; so,
il YOU and Mr.. Dole agree, Gordon
will read it. .
1T makes no difference, said Berk-
ton, handing the paper to Gordon.
Gordon cleared his throat, and,
spreading the paper on table before
him, read as follows:
CAT THE CoRALs, Ok THE ISLAND OF OAHU.
(Date,)
''To my executor or my nephew, Thomas
| Warrlngford, II no should recover from
| his alarming Illness, and j, In the mean
| time, should die;
ut is with tho failing vision and the
trembling Of an Old man who feels his end
| approaching that write this last letter. in
| which | make disclosure to my nephew,
| shoJld he survive, aud In which / leave di-
rections for the reparation insome manner,
| IL not too late, Of n wrong which has been
| done child, iirst by direct abduction by
| others and since by neglect by myself.
Assuming that my dear nephew shall
| recover, shall write this as direct com
munieation to him, as in case survive him,
! shall be able to replace this with docu-
ments better lifting tho needs Of the case.
ITO begin. then, dear Tom, although l
have been known as a bachelor to you and
/ ia to 7 iaI arft
| years ago.
In the town OF Wailuku, on the island
OF Maui, there resided, twenty years ago.
n family OF French settlers, composed Of
jean Chicot, his wlfe Marie and their
daughter Annette. Annette was about
twenty-five years Of age, very fascinating
and OF wildly romantic nature. This was
no doubt due to her fathers disposition,
which was fanclful and given to yagaries
Of most striking nature.
At this time held possessions in Maui
near Wailuku, and spent considerable
portion OF my time on a plantation called,
Sugar Head Jean Chieot worked for me
| and assisted me In the clerical work, act
lng as an loverseer and sort of paymaster;
for with all his vagaries and whims he was,
atthat time, q most trustworthy man. ]
did not like his wife. There was some
thing about her that rapeiled me-some-
thing of serpent-lilte element in her ma.
ture. But met Annette and fell In love
with her. OF course, tho Chicots were
mora sthan willing that their daughter
should marry q wealthy planter, and An
nette became my wife. We lived at Sugar
Head and at first the promise Of happiness
was very great. But after few months,
Jean Chicot began to assert an evil influence
over his daughter (my wife), and the ifrst
estrangement took placs.
.This sort Of thing kept up continually,
-t..aN. 1T
daughter. When the child was but one
month old, my wife left me under pressure
OF her fathers iniluenee-ieft me. She dis
appeared from Sugar Head ono day while
| was out among my men and took the
child with her. have not seen my wife
nor child since. haye reason to believe
that my wife died some three or four years
ago.
"When Annette left me so cruelty. with
out shadow of provocation, shut my
heart ugainst her, and did not in any way
attempt to find her, or win her back. For
years | slnarted under the wrongs that old
Jean Ghicot had done me. | sold Sugar
Head, and have never been on the island
OF Maui since. As for the child, do not
know what they did with her. They were
mysterious lot, and wcra capable Of any
thing in the line OF oddity. do not think
shc was harmed, even though the parents
OF my wife hated me most heartily. Ihaye
since had cause to believe that this hatred
and their action was the result Of machin-
ations OF natives. Whatever was the cause,
the effect was to break up my home and
cause mo many heartburnings. / have
never forgiven my wife. We're she to be
found to-day, wish 1t to be distinctly un-
derstood that nothing in this document
tends to undo the decree OF the court which
freed me from the tie. l obtained divorce
soon after she left me.
''But now to the purpose Of this letter.
My little child was entirely innocent-n
babe --as much sinned against as myself.
While could never bring myself to trace
her and look upon the daughter OF thu
false woman who wrecked my happiness,
get feel that there is something duo the
child In the way Of reparation. As she was
In no wise to plane for the action of her
mother, there is no cause to carry the
hatred and punishment of neglect further
than my death. Therefore, leave 1t in
eumbent upon you Tom, my nephew and
heir, 10 fnd my child IL she be now living,
and settle upon her, II she be proven
worthy Of the endowment, one-third OF my
estate. II she be proven unfit to handle u
fortune or disinelined to leave her present
associations, if they be bad, then she is to
be provided only With an income sufficient
to keep her from want.
''The child name was Helene.
II knew ofno mark to assist in the iden-
tlheatlon Of Helene save a small red mark,
heart-shaped, which appeared on her left
shoulder. OF course this may have disap-
peared in later years.
81 feel no love for the daughter whose
destiny leave to your care. All love was
destroyed when her mother deserted me for
reasons known only to herself. But sense
OF justice bids me- in my last days, to pro-
vide for my flesh and blood, as BELTS her
present capablity for an intelligent use and
appreciation Of tho inheritance.
"rhis is all, except, that, as n help in
this work that / leave to you, it may be
we'll for you to know that Annette toos
with her when she disappeared, onr mar
riage certificate, and that this certificate
had her portrait anu mine In tho two upper
corners, a fashion of those days in Hawaii.
81 sign myself, dear Tom.
''Your affeetionate uncle.
'frHoNAs WARnfNdFoRp."
..rv,..o.o.. isASFoRp b. DoLE, fso,tl
"'suess' II. BKRKroS." l