Devils Lake weekly world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1911-1914, 1913-06-27

4Ou uOu uCuu III
"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 a blow. l 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 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
q 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 a 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 runaway
match with your father He was IN
able to take care of her and died, the
cause of his death being his poverty
You were born shortly after his death.
and at that time it occurred to Mrs.
Stirling to offer an adopted son to her
husband instead of a real one.
"Your own mother placed with a
law firm a record of your birth and
the persons who had adopted you.
That was twenty -one years ago. was
then clerk in the employ of the firm
and ana now the firm myself. Cousins of
yours who would have inherited GER
taAn property have died, and you are
the heir. It has become my duty to
notify you Of your Inheritance. This
has involved giving you the other in
formation concerning your birth. II
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 it is impossible to
tell"
He had given me the situation in
nutshell was like weather vane in
q changing wind-two air currents dis
putting for the mastery. On the one
side there was the possession Of $780,
600, on the other the revelation Of
secret that would give my dear mother
pain-I could not at once consider Der
a. not my mother-make trouble be-
tween her and father and make known
to my brothers and sisters that was
Of different family.
But all this was not in complete pos
session Of my mind. The shock had
received on learning that did not
really belong to those loved was up
permost I dreaded the first meeting
with them all after the Information I
had received. I should certainly give
away the fact that there was some
thing on my mind, and doubtless moth.
OF would suspect what it was. What
q kfe she must have led, dreading al
ways that her secret would come ont!
| GU 0UkN L4V oLtVAACyS PAV
sumo you will take time to recover
from the information have given You
and devise some means Of softening
the blow to Mr.. Stirling?"
II will think over what is best to be
done in the premises" replied, "and
let you know"
left him different man from what
had been when I entered his Office.
Going to telephone. I called up my
home and informed the household that
I was going somewhere with friend
md could not tell just when I would
be at home How wished could go
10 father or mother for advice! This
being obliged to settle SO important a
matter without any one to consult
With was, to say the least, trying.
The next Gay went home. For the
others It was the same home 1t 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. Ny fortune
went into hospital. the name Of the
6onor being kept secret. signed q
lot Of papers and departed somewhat
relieved. The evening spent at home
Tying to analyze the madness felt
It was not for the loss Of q fortune.
but for the knowledge that had come
b me.
The secret has been kept. Mother
does not know that am aware Of It.
ind she shall never know. We are
he same happy family. butt wish
that lawyer could have got rid Of my
patrimo1y without ny knowledge.