The Opelousas courier., 1899-07-22

Madame, rather rejoice that tn,
truth was known in time no word
can express my gratitude to Heaven
that am the pOssessor of the news
am about to communicate t. you
should it have reached me the day at
ter Christmas, instead of the day be
fore, the conse quences would have been
madam, that my little Rita would llav,
married her brother, my eldest son !,
what exclaimed Mrs. Hardce II
an excited II
Yes, Howard Gordon is no otllel
than the sou | have long believed to b,
drowned at Bay ST. Louis the colore.
servant who stole Howard from mt
when be was two years old, died last
hight and revealed all to III on his death.
bed. This Mr.. Gordon who was sup
posed to be Towards father, was des-
peiately in love with my wife she loved
and married me. THIS caused him to
be iEsane!y jealous. and seeing out
names III the hotel register, afterwards
met our child playing Oh the beach.
we'll planned the kidnapping and we all
believed The child 10 be droNne1. This
man, or beast, as | should have ,7fs>.l
him, died suddenly. Of,eonr.c there
was no line for him To tell who the
cliIld'a parents were, and the colortd
man only came to New Orleans il few
days K and became very Ill he then
told the coloTed people round him that
he was in search of Mr.. Howard Cor
don and could not die IN peace before
he had seen him. Howaid's old ser
want James vent last night TO his
home and found this TRANCE man
dying there. When We left here last
night Il messenger was waiting for lis.
The miserable cOloled man related
everything concerning his masters life,
how Gordon had paid him handsomely
for abdnctlng the child ie then un-
butdened his conscience before lie died.
We remained until lite was extinct, and
Howard betrayed all the necessary ex-
penscs. The shock was too much for
my poor Wilmer lle could not sleep
at all last night, and this morning he
requested me to break the news to
Rita, poor little daughter. cannot
imagine how She will receive 1t Mrs.
could your feminine ingenuity
not suggest some means Of letting her
know and understand the great
change r.
Il will go up and tell Rita between
US we can manage the subject
Mrs. Hardee went up stairs. Gen.
Hastings walked the room trying to
his words for when Rita would
She soon came in with Mis-. Han
dee and rushed to her fathers encir-
cling arms, then turned to see Howard.
Papa, where is Mr.. GordonP
he was here"
"No, he is i'll and confined to his
room"
"Oh, take me to him is he very Ill "
VERY we'll it you wish to SET him !; |
will take you go and get your wraps"
Her father thought the ride woulddoher
good and give him time to think. Rita
up the stairs two steps at IL time.
She met Irlxie on the landing and told
Ter Howard was I'll aud she was going
% see him. After they left, Mrs. Hardee
old her there would be no wedding on
he morrow aud disclosed to them the
cause. The door was opened and Jack
walked III.
What is the matter, you all look so
blue 7" being astOnislied to see them
ook so strange and sad.
Mother, what has happened
Jack, my noble son. patience brings
is own reward. and You shall have
ours Rita and Howard will nev+rma,-
'yr
What do you mean, mother; surely
towards character is not that low
"Matters have changed since last
light, my son an old servant of the
deceased Mr.. Gordon revealed to How
nd before he died that he was Gen
hastings sou, aud const quentiy he Is
positively Rl,a's --
{I Ia ,,lr li,3...t -, ,.y ,,, t,.t
directly To his coin and locked
he door. Mrs ilaidee then tod her
daughters she really believed that Jack
lad loved Rita from the first meeting.
When father aud daughter reached
towards home, he Was astOniSlIed to
Rita, and was lying on the lounge
his Room when they c"nie N.
II thought you were Ill aud | find
.uu IN perfect healt!l.'
Howard stood up aud look ut the
.irl =; liz did not move step.
Rita, | see that you are still IN ig-
of our relationship, my
| have gained il dear
ather and a beautiful sister, but lost
ny bride. cannot marry yon, for |
III your brother"
The color faded from the girls cheeks.
he seemed Il marble statue. beauti-
ully chiseled as she stood ia the centre
t the room. At last her lIps parted.
Papa, what does he say ?"
Come to me my child, and | will en-
eavUr to make the matter clear to you"
He told her of all they had heard the
Tevious night she listened "a pale MS
yer. Howard looked sadly at the
irl, and said:
Rita. have you no words OF welcome
or me r. He Went up to her, aud put
ing his arms around her waist, he ten
erly imprinted a kiss up"n her fore
cad ; she did not return his embrace
he shock aud sudiennrss Of the whole
was too much for her delicate na
lre; bowling her head upon her fathers
nees, and tea,s the relief OF many
e%artaches, came to her snccor. How
rd left the GOm and returned after Il
lille with wine aud cake he paused
t the door aud heard Rita speaking
Papa, IT | would have known this too
lte : oh, E0u! what il blessing in dis
uise? ~
Howard opened the door softly he
id not need the presence of il servant
lst then to pry upon family affairs"
wilmer, my long lost brother, how
lad am to find you. but if | would
v known this some months ago,
luch wsliid have teen saved u.s.
"My little sister should he thankful
ven at this late hour"
There was a knock at the door. Will
Ter went, opened it ; James handed him
package with IL card attached. 1t
as from Rodney, "a present and con
r%atulatIoHs far the intended groom.
Wilmer threw the package on the table
nd the card in the fire turning to his
ewiy found parent, he said:
DO You uot think i: best to send for
ack and have the affair announced in