CHAPTER III.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVII, Issue 52, 28 December 1899, Page 23

CHAPTER 111.

One day about eight months after the conversation recorded abeve the Rev. Mother was met by Sister Angela, who handed her a newspaper, which Bhe said Mrs Griffith had sent over as it contained 1 something that reminded her of Rosie.' 'I wonder what it can be about, 1 said the elder nun. 'Poor Roue I I am bo glad she is to have an opening at last. It was uphill work all along, but Here Scheren is indomitable, and now she is to sing to a real London audience There is no doubt but that she will be a succesi — if she is not too nervous. We must pray that she may have courage to-night, Sister.' 'We need not feat for her, Mother. She has been so good and brave under disappointments that surely she won't break down at the first bid for fame. In her letter this morning she seems quite courageous over it. See, she has markedjthe paragraph. I shall read it aloud.' The following is what Bhe read : 'Our readers are already acquainted with the pathetic and romantic story of Major Denison— how seventeen years Bince he was one of an expedition sent to subdue a rebellious tribe in Central Africa — how his party had a disastrous engagement with a large number of the Maghidi — how he was left for dead on the field by his comrades — how he was not dead but only severely wounded, and, being found by the Maghidi, was by them nursed back to health, only to be kept in chains till two months ago, when he was discovered and liberated by some English soldiers who had penetrated into that distant territory. The public press has been full of the affair, yet the saddest part of it yet remains to be told. ■ ' Seventeen years ago, Major Denison, though heir to his uncle's large estate in Wales — of which, by the way, he has now entered into possession — had nothing but his pay to live on Yet two years previously he had married the beautiful but penniless daughter of a brother officer, Captain Langton — a proceeding which very much incensed his uncle against him. ' However, the young couple managed to live on their Blender inoome. After a year a daughter was born to them. She was called Rose Agatha. Soon after this event Mrs. Denison's father died, and besides him she had no blood relations. A year later her husband's regiment was ordered to Africa. He wrote her encouraging letters during the two months before he fell into the hands of the Maghidi. We can imagine her state of mind on reading her husband's name in the liet of the killed. What became of her afterwards? No one knows. Since his return to England Major Denison has instituted all possible inquiries as to the whereabouts of his wife and child, but no trace of them can be discovered. The owner of the house in which Mrs. Denison lodged up to the time of the official announcement of his death is still alive, but she has no idea where the lady went. She remembers well her passionate sorrow on receiving the sad news. Bhe left the house about a week later, and has never since been heard of 'As Mrs. Denison was quite young at the time and perfectly healthy, it was but natural for her husband to expect that she would be still alive, and that their daughter, who would be now about nineteen, should also still be living. Yet advertising and extensive inquiries have failed in bringing anything to light. He had more than once heard her say in jest that if anything happened to him ehe would try to make a living on the stage, for she possessed a charming and carefully trained contralto voice. It is his conviction that she bad put that project into execution, and he is interviewing theatrical managers and others with the idea of getting some clue of her whereabouts. All in vain, however, up to the present ; yet he does not despair of ultimate success, for probably Mrs Denison would have taken an assumed name. 'If ehe lives it is strange that she has not lighted on some account of her husband's almost miraculous return, for the newspapers have been full of the wonderful event. Certainly we think Major Deniaon may be assured of the sympathy of the public. After many years of bondage and suffering he has returned to his native land, only to find those whom he yearned for gone, perhaps dead. His family estates, which for several years have been in the possession of a more) distant heir, are now surrendered to him, but wife and daughter are not there to phar#them with him. We sincerely hope his efforts will be eventually crownel with success — a hope in which we are confident all true men and women will join.' ' Mother,' cried Sister Agatha, pale with excitement, ' could it be that this Major Denison is Rome's father ? But he is ! Don't you remember the mark on her clothes, " Ilosie D." ?' ' Yes,' answered the Rev. Mother with conviction. 'It certainly looks quite probable ; but we must not be too hasty. There is one strong proof, however — the miniature in Rosie's locket, which can only be that of her father. If the paper had only published a portrait of him.' ' Yes, but you forget how changed he musfe-be after such a lapse of time. It does not give his Christian name, Mother ? " From Harry to Isabel " was engraved on the locket, you know.' ' No, what a pity. But that's another of our proofs, Sister, and another still in the event of his wife's name being Isabel. And Mrs. Griffith would be able to confirm or otherwise his description of her appearance.'

.' What do you intend doing, Mother? Will you write to him and send him to Roaie ?'

' I don't think that would be wise, for Rosie's sake at least. It might upset her now, at the beginning of what promises to be a

brilliant career. But I shall write to say T may be able to tell him something of his wife and child if he gives me his own and his wife's Christian oames and inquiring: if he had ever given her a locket containing a portrait of himself. If he answers satisfactorily I shall give him Bosie's address.'