The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-11-05

eSens. fhliils gradually took In some of the
new ideas about her, and was thought compe-
tent BY the committee Of local charity to sign
the sale Of some land which they wanted for
enlarging their building. Mrs. Spoken had
been very benevolent about this land. She
thoroughly believed that her wishes on the sub.
lect were all for the school, and was quite Just
ified to herself in making the best of PhiIiis's
ability to sell the land, by the convenience it
would be to the charity. She was eager to pro-
mote the sale by assurances that Philis under.
stood what was wanted, and that she could
tuiiy enter into the scheme and, when the
trustees came to talk with the strange heiress.
reJoiced aloud, for the sake of the Harkstone
school, that they understood Phills's peculiar.
itles to De only the result of previous circum.
stances, and the change in them. Mr.. Spoker
said to his wife:
/" If she can do this, she can also make a
Will. wish Captain Graburn would look after
her." -
am sure, my dear, wish he would, poor
young man." said his wife.
This young man, mean time, was going bis
own way, with ss little reference To- Castle
harkstone as possible. He had put it out of
bis head at once, and the raillery of the MANY
aud sympathy OF the few were alike distas,eful
10 him. He lad done what was both right and
very unpleasant, and he wished to hare done
with 1t altogether. 1t was an odd page in life
turned over, and, as far Is depended on him,
forgotten Like other young soldiers, when
me evenlful 1854 came, he was entirely of
opinion that we ought to 60 to war, because it
would give the army the opportunity of active
service, and was highly graIi6ed to find his
opinion adopted by the Kings and Queens of
the earth, and hosilities declared against Rus.
sia. de belonged to cavalry regiment, which
was not one of those ordered out upon service ::
and the moment this was ascertained, he posted
OF TO the Horse Guards TO get upon active ser
vice, which he could only do by exchanging
into regiment OF infantry already under or
ders for the Crimea. In acting thus, he did
what was not only pleasant to himself, but
what he had quite right to do; for, except
one hrst cousin by his mothers side, he had
not relation whose wishes to detain him need
have any weight with him. This first cousin
was Dragging, prating fool, whom Charles
draburn never thought OF, except as an object
to turn into ridicule. When be made his will,
therefore, previously to leaving England, he
was very much puzzled to know who should be
his heir. at is but little" said he to himself:
but little or much, Nicholas Shipswood shall
not have it. ASST" He reflected for q long
time, and at last determined.
He had on his table little book, containing
" Directions for making Will" otherwise, if
ne had been obliged to consult lawyer, he
never would have had courage to do as he did.
There was young lady with whom he had
danced all his last leave in London; whenever
he could, he had ridden beside her in the Park;
and at last he had observed that, when she
caught sight of him in the doorway, the color
FLUSHED over her pretty face, and that in the
open air In the Park her eyes welcomed him
hQf hcr fof bor ha. L. L
approach. Then the straightforward and hon.
est Charles Graburn had gone away !; for. said
he to himself GIVE nothing, and she has moth.
ing. If had-O, if had, would 20 to Lady
Thames ball tonight, and ask that pretty,
sweet simple, high-bred girl to be my wife.
As it is-as it is-heigh.hol"
he went away, and put her, like Harkstone
Castle, out of bis head as much as he could.
de was all for being happy, and he could not
sss9 fsRPE # e Hss Let aa C ad I %hen
ne was leaving England.
u would have given her ALL" said he to
himself; land she shall have it now, if die
she can't have it otherwise" Accordingly. he
drew up his will in her favor, securing 10 her
all of which he, Charles Graburn, stood in DOS.
session on that - day of -, 1854. The will
was witnessed by his servant, and left in the
hands OF lawyer, whom he had occasionally
consulted. When Florence de Nye saw her
last seasons partner gazetted for the Crimea,
and wiped away the two tears which suddenly
darkened her sight, she very little thought how
he had been thinking of her.
The very same day, at Harkstone Castle, as
PhilIis was walking after Harry Spoken, and
the" poppy" was following her, she suddenly
fell down on the gravel-waik, and could not sue
coed In getting up again. Harry tried what
he could by exhortation and rebuke, and at
last ran for his mother. Mrs. Spoken ran and
lifted her up, and assisted her back tc the
house. 1t was evident she had suffered slight
stroke OF paralysis; an event not to be wonder
ed at, considering the total change of habits
che had undergone The Doctor was sent for,
aud Phillis for this time recovered. What por
ton of wits she had, did not seem diminished
by the attack, but in her health there was an
evident alteration. She walked less with Har
ry, diminished the activity with which she had
arranged her room, ate less, slept more, and
liked an easy chair 10 sit in. It could not be
doubted that this would not last very long, and
the destinies of Harkstone Castle became a
matter of very great interest.
"Only keep her from thinking about will
at all. my DEAR" said Mr.. Spoken to his wife.
"Very well, Spoken" answered the lady;
but you know she can be very stubborn if she
takes thing in her head.'
This was true of some things, but not of such
great interests as the Harkstone property; for
it might certainly be subject of doubt wheth-
er the idea of possessing it had ever established
itself in Phills's head. But Mrs. Spoken went
on deceiving herself, and fancying she believed
it very possible that the strange heiress might
obstinately make little Harry her heir.
eff she should make will contrary to Capt
Graburn's interests while l am her adviser"
said Mr.. Spoken, ~ would Recommend him to
dispute it, and l would assist him with all the
information in my power. 1t would be dishon.
orable on my part; it would be professional
diseredit.'
"You would not if it were your own SON."
suggested bis wife.
II would" said Spoken, "though it were my
sons soul in my fathers skim"
Mrs. Spoken argued no more but she said
to herself, 4" Ah-a-well, he has not been tried
yet"
Phillis fingered on. Through all the sum.
mer of 1854 she continued to live declining
life; and her interests were bounded to her
physic, her port wine, her crawl along the grav-
el-walk, aided at length by Mrs. Spoker's arm
All those exciting nonths-when battles we're
fought, when brave men triumphed or persisted,
when the hearts at home beat fast for the fates
of those abroad, when the great interest con-
cerned absorbed for the most part smaller and
personal interests-PhilEs, neither knowing nor
caring about those scenes, was quite taken up
with her own living or dying.
The winter saw her withdrawn into warm
room, sitting in an easy chair, too weak to rise
from it, q jelly and an orange on the table
q piece of flannel drawn over her head. The |
comfort and luxury she enjoyed were far more
prominent in her feelings that the illness. She
said very little, but wondered at her own COM
fortableness and before very long. Spoker |