Year: 1875

porting to be Mrs. Wallingford's message
to her son.


The sheet first taken was full Of glaring
inaccuracies when the attorney had finish.
ed, and he destroyed it and patiently be-
gan on u new sheet, prepared like the
trst.


This is what he wrote:


New YORK, Sept. Is, 49,.


MY DEAR RoLAND:-I must hand to you.
in writing that which have not the cour-
age to tell you. am not your mother.
Don't hate me for the, deception I have
aided in practicing upon you, my dear boy.
have loved you as tondly as though you
had been all you seemed to be, and would
now give oil that is left Of my shattered
life to shield you from this terrible blow.
But that is impossible. When you know
the facts Of the case perhaps you will think
more kindly of my memory, tor fully re-
alize that am even now as ona,,dead. IL
know that cannot -liyesa week att best.
On the nigh tEmy child was born, in Mr..
Wallingford' g house, at Fayetteville, now
nearly twenty three years ago, the wife Of
a;milLhand who bore his masters name,
gave birth to a male child. My marriage
with the mill-owner's brother had never
been made public, and it was desired by
Mr.. Wallingford that it never should be,
for, forgetful Of my claims upon him, my
husband married in Franco soon after he
deserted me, and his wife still lives. I'm.
mediately after contracting this marriage
he died, and it was the one great aim of his
brothers life to shield his memory from
dishonor. For this purpose he even com.
promised himself with the villagers. The
children were changed, and consented on
the condition that my child should become
Mr.. Wallingford's heir. As that was Mr..
Walingford's only object in making the
exchange, matters were soon adjusted. He
did not wish to recognize child in his will
OF whose existence his brothhr's second wife
was entirely Ignorant, for that would lead
to litigation as to the child's being born in
wedlock. He also wished to have the child
near him, and my child-my darling babe
-was taken away and placed under the
care Of the mill-hand's wife. I could not
reconcile myself to the change at first, and
prayed to be allowed to remain in the vii
lage where my boy was, but Mr.. Walling-
ford declared that to be impossible, and
sent me here with you. have allowed
you to consider yourself as Mr.. Walling-
ford heir because could not allow you to
think Of me in any but just light, and
had not the heart to undeceive you. For
give me, Roland, and believe me when I
tell you that this blow can cause you no
deeper grief than it gives me to write it.
My child will become MIR. Wallingford's
heir simply us the mill hands boy, and not
as the mill-owners only living relative.
You have only your own efforts to depend
upon in the future, and l hope and pray
that you will succeed as fully as though
you were the heir you have always believed
yourself to be.


l am, in grief and shame, your friend.


MARGARET WALL1NaFoRD.


It was nearly morning when the attorney
finished this letter to his satisfaction. As
will be surlnised, he had drawn entirely
upon his fancy for the facts it contained.


"rhere,'' he exclaimed, leaning back in
his chair, "when Ames has done his work
am ready to begin mine. Of course the
people will want to know why my client
made young Wallingford his heir, and
am prepared for them if anything serious
comes up, although it is more than proba-
BILE that this ancient bit of paper will never
be used. Still there is no knowing how
many friends he may have ready to hunt
the matter up and must be safe.'


The artful attorneys chain Of deception
md villainy seemed perfect indeed, and
link after link it was closing around its
victim.