The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-10-06

my mothers writing! Daughter, !
must read this alone
| Millicent reverently opened and
read the letter her mother had tried
to speak of with her last breath. When
she finished tears were in her eyes.
but she murmured fervent-
Thank God, this knowledge comes
now, not sooner, not later" And yes
she was appalled, by the drift OF sands
that came to her from a long buried
past.
Mamma, mamma" cried a voice at
the door.
Yes, dear"
Charles has come and the dinner
bell is ringing" said Eva.
After dining the young people walk
ed into the garden together. Watching
them from a window the mother muir
INJURED:
Eyes, the truth must be told, es-
pecially for Eva's sake" Calling the
young man she entered the library.
Some tiresome business again, and
1 wished you to practice that new song
with me-" demurred Eva. ..
Meeting him inside the door Mrs.
Willard stood looking up at the tall
figure by her side. Presently she
spoke in a voice not quite as steady
as usual.
my son, have failed in aught that
has ever made you wish your very
own mother had lived?"
my dear little mother! You nave
been all that any son could wish. /
doubt if I could love an own mother
more than l do you. But why these
questions?"
"One more, Charles. What has come
between you and Edith Prescott?'
He flushed, then said:
Mother, Edith and were never real
ly engaged"
But you love her and you have rea-
son to believe your love is mutual!
persisted Mrs. Willard.
Should not duty-a promise to the
dead-be held sacred?"
Enough; l understand; call Eva"
Mother, not word to Eva!" cried
the young man, eXcitedly.
Trust me to guard the happiness OF
my own" answered the lady, as her
mind reverted to the promise made by
Charles to his foster father.
Promise to guard the happiness of
Eva at whatever cost to yourself"
''Well, am l becoming so important
Il
matters?" laughingly inquired the girl
as she entered.
my children, 1 have story to tell
you. There was once girl somewhat
younger than you, Eva, the only child
of well-to-do parents. Every wish had
been gratified since infancy, until that
great event, the first true love of girls
life, came to her. The man she loved
was good and nobly deserved the love
she gave him, but it was his misfortune
to be poor. She met him while visiting
a friend. When the consent of her pa
rents was asked their wrath was terri
BILE. She eluded them, eloped, and mar
ried the man of her choice. Some months
of happiness followed, then one day the
husband was carried home a corpse
wife that for time reason fed. When
The shock was so great to the young
she awoke to consciousness she found
herself in sanitarium. To all her in
quiries there was one answer-her
friends would come for her when she
was able to travel.
zone day her father came. When she
spoke of her husband he said:
"My daughter, you have no husband;
the thought is but a chimera of your dis
turbed brain, caused by long illness.
Your mother will take you to Europe for
a few months. The doctors say you will
grow entirely well now But never speak
CT the past, for you cannot know the
true from the false in your magma
tions.''
"She bowed to the imperious will OF
her parent, and in. time, with renewed
health, came the natural interest of the
young in the pleasures of life. She loved
and married man whom her parents
delighted to honor. Their life was
happy, except to the woman there came
times of anxious thought upon that
dark spot in her past. Her father died
soon after her marriage.
Three years having passed and no
children coming to their home it was
decided to adopt one. At an asylum they
found boy from whose eyes evanes-
cent echoes, as Of a dream, came to
the foster mother"
Here Charles looked up with awakened
interest. She continued:
ut at length became known to this
woman, through letter left when her
mother died, but which was years in
coming to her hands that the boy whom
she and her good husband had rescued
from perhaps life of trouble and sin.
was her own son, born through the dark
ness that had once enveloped her.
Charles, here is my marriage certificate
to your father"
My very own-my darling mother!
this is joyous news to me-" His arms
were around her.
"My precious son" were the words
that fell DULY on the ears of Eva as
she quietly stole from the room.-N. q.
Times-Democrat.
G-~l