Middletown transcript., 1903-08-22

WILL WtS SiSAO0s 0he
will, in which everything was be-
oueathed to his eldest son, came
into force. I will not dwell on
that miserable time, Paul-those
dreadful days when ! watched
yoursfather growing weaker ana
weaker, and the hour OF separa-
ton coming nearer day by day.
| have often wondered how l
lived through the terrible weeks
that followed his death. | was
never a religious woman, and the
words Of consolation which kind
friends poured into my ears
seemed utterly empty and pur-
noseless to me. Everything
seemed against me, and ] grew
hard, bitter, and reckless.
Then quite unexpectedly my
brother returned from Australia.
He had made small fortune,
and he asked me to live with him.
We we're almost strangers 20
each other, for he was mucn
older than was, and b a d
led a wandering life for many
wears. So little did | know OF
him that I had never heard that
he had married before he lett
England. 1t had been an un-
happy marriage, and when ne
went abroad his wife had refus-
ed to accompany him. She had
a small income and had prefer
red to remain in England.
I believe she thinks | am dead,
he said, in his careless way.
Once when | was up country, l
and my partner were attacked Dy
convicts. My partner was Kill
ed, and I got a bullet through
my shoulder. I know that an
account Of the affair got into the
Australian papers, and thatthere
was a little mistake made IN the
names-I was reported dead and
buried instead Of poor Phen.
Some friends in Sydney sent the
news Of my death to my wife, l
believe. I never cared to con-
tradict the mistake or to write
to nv wife. We were mutually
tired Of each other, and | knew
she would be anything but de-
lighted to know that was living,
SO left her in peace.
But suppose she marries again.
I suggested.
He laughed. She is welcome;
I shall never interfere, he an
swered. She is sure to marry
again. Women like her always
do, but SO long as am free she
is at perfect liberty to please her
self.
Three months after that con-
yersation he came to me with a
newspaper and showed me an
announcement of the marriage
of Julia, widow of Mark Car
thorne, to Sir John Sullivan, OF
Dunford Hall.
She has not been very long IN
exchanging her widows weeds
for bridal veil, he said, with a
grim laugh.
Then, as / held the paper in
my hand, it seemed to be that
the revenge for which l had
prayed more earnestly than l
ever prayed for any blessing,
was mine at last. Everything
comes if man will only wait,
says the proverb, and who could
wait SO we'll as I? / told my bro
ther all-the story Of my wrongs
the hatred which I bore to John
Sullivan-the revenge which |
meditated. Do you understand,
Paul? Sir Johns marriage is il
legel-you are the next heir
Durnford Hall, all the entailed
land, and the title must be yours.
Sir John is an old man; you
will not have to wait very long
before you inherit the estate OF
which he is SO proud, and which
he has improved and beautified;
he has pinched himself to free il
from encumbrances. My one
prayer--my one hope in life--is
that I may live to see that day.
All these years I have waited pa
tiently.
I came here after my brothers
death-which you will see by the
certificate occurred two years af
ter his wife's second marriage
just before BERTHE Sullivan was
born-to watch over your inter
ests. Year by year have seer
the land which will one day be
yours improved more and more
Il have watched the timber
planted, the farmhouses rebuilt
and the seas approach checked
People may talk as they like, bu
revenge is sweet!