The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-07-04
A Secret
By DONALD ClIAMBERLlN

hau NV AhOViVo8O VA bhC ui"n V'Aess
ever
"If you will call on me at my Office
you will hear something which you
may or may not consider to your ad-
vantage. But I warn you to say moth
ing about this meeting until you have
heard what have to say"
Handing me a card with his name,
Francis Doyle, and his address on 1t.
he turned away and was soon lost In
the crowd.
I was naturally much disconnected.
I walked about aimlessIy for an hour,
then went to the address given me.
To-day you come into an Inheritance
Of 100000" he said to me.
"WhatY'
He repeated.
"YOu don't mean IT,"
But have something else to tell you
that you may not wish to hear"
paled and waited.
"YOu are not the son Of either OF
your parents nor the brother Of your
supposed brothers and sisters"
This was indeed blow. I dearly
loved all Of those he had mentioned
I had no heart to ask him to proceed.
but he did
when your supposed father and
mother were first married no children
were born to them. This was a great
disappointment to your father especial
ly. Friction came between them, and
they separated In time your suppOs.
ed mother, believing that the birth OF
a child would bring back her husband.
took you from your mother when you
were born and wrote him that child
had been born to her and him. He re-
turned to her, and reconciliation was
established.
Those whom you have considered
your brothers and sisters came on, the
real children Of Mr.. and Mrs Stirling
Only Mrs Stirling knows that you are
not her son. Your own mother was Of
good family who made a runaway
match with your father. He was un.
able to take care Of her and died, the
cause Of his death being his poverty
You were born shortly after bis death.
duU NJ IuuL tiluo ~ VCCukICu " uAtn
stirring TO Offer an adopted son 10 ner
husband instead Of real one.
"Y0ur own mother placed with q
law arm q record Of your birth and
the persons who had adopted you.
That was twenty one years ago. I was
then clerk In the employ Of the arm
and am now the Arm myself. Cousins Of
yours who would have inherited GER
tain property have died, and you are
the heir. Il has become my duty to
notify you Of your Inheritance This
has Involved giving you the other In
formation concerning your birth. IL
you accept the fortune the secret must
come out. for your supposed father
must necessarily know whence came
your fortune. What change this may
make In the present relations between
husband and wife II IL impossible to
tell"
He had given me the situation In a
nutshell. | was like weather vane In
a changing wind-tw0 air currents dis
putting for the mastery. On the one
side there was the possession of $780,
0O0 on the other the revelation Of a
secret that would give my dear mother
paln--I could not Mt once consider her
AZ not my mother-make trouble be
tween her and father and make known
to my brothers and sisters that | was
| Of a different family.
But all this was not In complete pos
session Of my mind. The shock I had
received on learning that did not
really belong to those loved was up
permost. / dreaded the first meeting
will, them all after the Information
had received. should certainly give
away the fact that there was some
thing on my mind. and doubtless moth
or would suspect what It was What
life she must have led. dreading al
ways that her secret would come out!
"Well." said the attorney, 81 pre-
sumo you will take time to recover
from the information have given you
and devise some means OF s0ftening
the blow to Mr., Stirling?"
IL will think over what IL hest to he
done In the premises" replied, and
let you know"
I left him n different man from what
| had been when I entered his Office,
Going to telephone. I called up my
home and Informed the household that
was going somewhere with friend
and could not tell Just when would
be at home. How | wished could 20
to father or mother for advice! This
being obliged to settle so important u
matter without any one to consult
with was. to say the least. trying.
The next day went home. For the
others 1t was the same home It always
had been. but an invisible gulf had
come between them and me- Father
welcomed me; mother kissed me with
her wonted affection.
The same afternoon gave In my
decision to the attorney. My fortune
went into hospital, the name OF ths
donor being kept secret. signed d
lot OF papers and departed somewha,
relieved The evening I spent at home
| trying TO analyxe the madness ! felt
/ kl..< l.<.... 80 >.A, l..