Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1901-04-26

chance let It Tan INTO tie 4 hands 81 8
third person. &c was. lhe said. q com.
municatlon intended Tor his son only,
I and IL. the event or syonrs death sIs was Is
/ return Il to hin, &c lie were alive; &c not,
4 myself w ~ tto destroy IL Int tact. ~
need scarcely say, Z ingston. that
your father e reposed the utmost conf
dencein me,
.z.' Not without good reason, u am
sure. " said my uncle graciously. n.
Mr.. Martin bowed. L u. 5.s5i
We make a point OF setting our eli
ents interest before aught else 3 said
be. !. Unhappily I am III the unfortu-
nate position Of having to hand this
verso soon. However. I have done
my duty, and 4 sincerely trust the
packet may contain nothing but what
will prove eminently agreeab BILE" u I T.
Thanking him again. we took our
leave. 1 bearing the mysterious pack
age under my arm. At the door we
hailed q hanson and after making q
couple Of business calls turned west
ward 81 s,.$ f. :. . .% 5yt .
"Now," said my uncle, "we shall see
what the old man has got to- say
i held the parcel before me and look
ed again and again at the superscrip-
ton, To my son, Dayie Kingston
Here probably was the explanation l
had sought; for two long weary, years.
This was the key which would open
the lock Of the mystery OF his life. No
wonder regarded it with some appre-
hension. though even the worst he had
| to tell could not exceed many OF my
vivid aimaginings. II 5;s - !. h ss z=s
When our cab pulled up. at the house
IN Dover street. y sprang quickly from
it, opened the door and was half way
up the stairs before heard my uncle
close the door behind him However,
be was no less eager than L, and he
came up after me in double quick time.
But first we took, the precaution of
locking the door, then Of examining our
sleeping rooms beyond. The .investiga-
ton proving satisfactory, he. returned
to me and taking up the parcel from
the table on which l had thrown it sub
jected it to close scrutiny. ~: .~;...
"It's manuscript Davie."' Z: he said.
THE old man. has story to tell, q
strange one. / have no doubt. terrible
one perhaps. But we may as we'll know
it. And remember--he's dead He
handed it to me. then turned to the
mantelpiece and began to I'LL his pipe
from a stone jar. y: rsz''.: .s5z- IS.
For some time | surveyed the pack
age. reluctant to break the seal. for l
had my doubts as to the wisdom of ac-
curing the knowledge here contained.
!: had; seen enough Of my father to gain
an inkling of his past. l. had never
been too proud of him. Would this
lessen that pride? l almost wished
that he had not left me this heritage.
If he had nothing good to tell, why
break the. silence? And yet even
against himself for my benefit he
might be about to; speak. Looking over
the package. I saw my uncle comforta.
bly, seated in an armchair, apparently
waiting for me to begin, SO without
more ado 1 broke the seals. ~ ~.
The outer covering of brown paper
BEING removed disclosed another wrap.
ping which bore the, same superscrip.
ton in the same shaky hand and was
likewise .sealed in an exactly similar
manner. This also opened, now keen
~ eager to unravel the mystery, and q
roll of paper disclosed to the view.
Opening it rather excitedly, I saw at
once that it comprised the sheets Of an
autobiography. '...< ;....=. <. :, 81
''Well?' said my uncle. :'.,.' -
1T is what we thought, clearing up
Of the mystery" ~ = ~
l handed it to him, and be began
slowly to turn the pages. :qs u .-s /.
"What an execrable handy' he ex-
claimed. ''Can you read it?" ,,s4 e. 81:
- Easily ,y:s s..1...s u s.z sz
He handed it back. to me and with q
shake of his head relit his pipe.
''Then fire away. Perhaps we shall
|>get something to work upon. at last.yl
Il sat myself Just opposite him and
after "a preliminary clearing of the
throat began. X .Sf5 i 5zss> H. :ss"sy> III