Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1904-08-26

he broke the spell with these strange
words: Hf s..r
| "Since God In his great goodness has
thus established my innocence, am no
longer afraid TO own, and claim my son,
| and he need never be ashamed to call me
| father!'
"Have you, indeed, son, my dear
| friend? This, then, will be to him also
| joy. 1 did not understand that you
| had been married"
Il had been secretly married, and my
| wife, Clara Mowbrey, who was the or
| phan daughter of the late Presbyterian
| minister in a small village, came with me
to America, unknown to any one, for she
had no near relatives. She embarked,
1 say, with me, bringing our little boy,
aged two years. A fever broke out on
the ship, during our long passage, and
my darling wife died, just two days be-
fore we arrived in port. 1t was after
she had been lain away to rest in Green
wood, that my sickness came upon me,
caused by great grief and trouble, and
Mr.. Eifenstein came to my relief. 1t
was to him 1 solemnly gave my only
child, my little Earle. 1 then assumed
the name Of Rappelye, not even his wife
knowing of the change"
"Sir, what can you mean? Did 1 hear
aright%' exclaimed Elfenstein, starting
forward, pale with surprise, as this sin
gular assertion fell upon his ears.
"You did! My dear son. you did! You
are my own child and heir, Earle Elfen-
stein Glendenning, and to you will fall
at my death my title and my estates.
Come to my arms, my dear boy, for it is
twenty-five years since l have held you
therev'
Clasped then in a close, fond embrace,
father and son shed tears together-tears
of thankfulness and joy.
Thus, while Earle Glendenning still
mourned for the only mother he had ever
known, his mother by adoption, the
wound, SO suddenly inflicted, was par
TALLY healed by the gift of a fond faith
er, over whose feeble health and de-
clining days he now had a perfect and
tender right to watch and guard.
By the time they reached Glenden-
ming Hall Sir Fitzroy was able to walk
around with a cane, and really seemed
to have taken a new lease upon health
and life.
With joy Earle marked this change,
and when he saw how intensely happy
he was thus to be restored to his own
home and rightful place, and how proud
to boast an honorable name and right
eous life, he thanked heaven and prayed
that he might be spared long to its en-
joyment, for his heightened days he
knew would add to his own pleasure, as
it was so sweet to own a fathers love, a
fathers blessing.
But in his heart he felt that no hope
of permanent change for the better could
be possible, as his maladies were in
numerable; therefore. he redoubled his
watchfulnss over his beloved form,
standing ready to aid by skill and ad-
vice, as far as Providence would per-
NIT, to check the great weakness he
felt sure would ensue as soon as a reac-
ton, after all this excitement, should
take place.
1 need not describe the intense delight
of the lovers when they were again unit
ed, or the surprise Ethel felt on being
told that Earle had found a father since
he left her, and a new, but rightful,
name and inheritance. This news he had
not written. preferring to tell it in per-
son.
Sir Fitzroy was delighted with his fu-
ture daughter-in-law. for Earle could not
rest until he had taken Ethel to the hall,
in order to make them acquainted.
His feeble health made this visit per-
fectly proper, and certainly gave great
pleasure to the old gentleman. From that
time he, as well as Earle, looked for
ward to the wedding day, which was
finally decided to take place by the twen-
tieth of October. with profound pleas
ure.
A few days after their arrival at the
hall, Sir Fitzroy told his son that he felt
sufficiently recruited from his fatigue,
to visit the ruins, and see the room SO
long the prison of his unfortunate broth
er, and, leaning on Earle's arm, he pro-
ceeded to the mournful place.
1t was we'll a skilled physician attend
ed him on this sad visit, as he was great
ly overcome by all he saw, that so vivid
ly told of the cruel sufferings one he had
loved had endured for twenty-five long
years.
The tears he shed over each symbol of
that long captivity were almost unnerv-
ing, and Earle led him away from the
spot, resolving that all these narrowing
remembrances should, if possible, be re-
moved from the place. If not in his faith
er's lifetime, at least as soon as he had
passed away. But to his great surprise,
after he had rested and become calm,
Sir Fitzroy said voluntarily:
81 never, never wish to go there again!
1 have seen it all once, let that suffice.
Now I wish the old ruined part with the
concealed room torn down as soon as it
can be done"
Earle waited for no further orders,
but that very day engaged workmen to
at once demolish all evidences of that
sin-dyed spot, and soon an elegant gal
lery, for pictures and statuary, stood
where had been hitherto but neglect and
decay.
CHAPTER XIV.
The time for opening the package left
in Ethel's charge by Mrs. Nevergail was
now fast snnrnaohjnp II heiDv the first