Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 5, 1889)
WKST SHORE. less than a year ago, I found my child in Australia ; but as she was but two years old at the time of the disaster, can tell me nothing of hir mother's fate When I learned that you hud a friend on the vessel I thought you would lie the one most likely able to tell me if the Itody of my wife a fair, goldcn-hain-'d woman was seen washed ashore. " Mildred was trembling violently, but striving fur self-control asked : " Was your wife very beautiful and delicate in npoarance ?" " Shu was. " The Professor's tones were husky and tremulous now. and he Wit forward, his tine face full of eager, earnest inquiry. " You heard of her iorhs saw her ? Oh tell me, dear madum. " " 1'rof. (iettwood. I will tell you all I know of the matter. The Storm Hinl had been due for two days, but there had Urn squally weather ending in a terri ble storm on the particular day of which I ss'ak. I was standing on the shore, toward evening, when faint ly came the sound of a signal gun. Others followed, coming nearer ; and the men got out the boats, only to swamp rcMatcdly. Literally there could nothing lie done. When daylight came again the vessel had gone to pieces. A great many liodies washed ashore, among them that of a woman such as you decrilc. My late husband we were not married thencalled my attention to her also to the little child hound to her Uisoiii." "(ireatdod!" The 1'rof. sprang to his f.vt in supreme excitement, ami liogan to pace the lloor. " Hut go on I entreat you ; wen1 Uith dead ?" " The mother was the child" She paused a mo ment as a tiny figure in white with loose golden curls apearcd in the door-way" the child you see there." The man turned his face in thedin-etion indicated, and then stopta-d as if suddenly transfixed, his dark eyes staring as if they Wield an apparition rather than a being of llesh and IiI.smI " (Srace, (iracel Heavens, what d.ss it mean? yu told me my wife was dead ami her. hut 1 am dream ing. Tell me, is this the child found on the dead moth ers breast ? " " She is. " Si surprised had I'et Urn at the uherted tab leau, that she had remained svhless in the il.nr ay , hut now springing forwurd she cri.il out joyously : " IW. (lettw.sHl, I am delighted I low came ..i here, and what an- yon and Auntie socvitedsl-ut In an instant the Professor recognized the little violinist. " Miss Mason I is it possible?" Kxplanations followed, and "I.e., I'1"" 1 later, declining to d with lW". I"""""" call in the afWrn, no dmibt M-maimd m the ! of the three that father and daughter were at Inst ! united. j " Imogene, " he said, "has never seemed like my I own ; my heart has never U-en drawn toward her. I sinned always to feel that she w as not i race's child, I she is so wholly unlike her; but this little girl's face ' gave me a terrible slun k when I met her In New York, ' so strikingly dues she resemble my lost one, and her manners and motions are the same. Imogene Is a fine girl and I am fond of her; but the heart know Its own, aside fhnu tlje indisputable evidence of circum stances, " ' I'et ami Mildred knew not whether to laugh or cry, ! and accordingly did both, alternately and together " I am so glad that you are my father," whispeml i the former in a little ecstasy of delight, as lie held her i in his arms calling her "tJracie" ami drinking In the ! U-aiity of the face, so like the one that had mod his ' love in youth "My darling, my baby I " he answered, fondly ca ressing the golden bend " Yes, ' Pet' we used to call ! you ofttimes. Thank (iod for his gn at mercies toward me and mine." i Itestlmsly Imogene had paced the lloor of her nsiin ' all that, to her, long forenoon, starting at every step ! outside her door, wildly pre.sing her liRlliU to her throbbing temples or clim-hiiig them brsnle her until ; the nails marred the white llesh. Hers was an Intense, I passionate nature when once roused, and her will was I stiibUirn and unyielding All these weeks she had ! planned and schemed t withhold the fad of Mai : drowning' death from Tom Veedcr until the Utter i should have committed himself to her. At first she had I "-en much taken with Prof. tieltwisid, but regard ! ing him in the light of a parent, she had allowed her i nhVti.'ii' to go out to the more companionable umn, Vcedi-r The former Seelned to belong to mine other rld than her ow n, and his grat eful dignity awed her. 1'erhap there was mini thing In the romantic coif rtaii. v f the latter that find her fancy, and made her, more than anything else, determined to bind him to hrelf, Ixwidei he was wealthy, ami would strew hi r path with f- As for the Prof, after this visit to I'ortlaud, he might decide to marry again; it was not in the nature of man, she framned, to mourn fr ever, after once uncertainty was set at rest. Kwy art and wile of whlrli she was mistress had Ueu brought to U r mi h r lover to bring him to an under standing Ufore he should find Mildred ; and now (hit in. .ruing one lne aloiir n inaim-d They might hae to . n h and wail a long while before they found lief 1. oiitlr b"p"l" Tom was out minewhere tinwt of the lime during the Profi .mr's lel'r ; but filially i sine in and muglil the balcony with his rlgar Kf'lu