The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1860-03-01

usual place of residence and his fathers es-
tates passed almost unimpaired into his
hands. The poor Captain Keller, whom Ce-
ella Barton had considered as little better
than beggar was the wealthiest man in
New York
Eighteen years of absence had not extin-
guished from The heart of Charles Keller the
memory OF the love he had avowcd to the
beautiful Cecilia Barton. She had become
Mrs. Lennox The first care of Charles,
when, after various changes, he again found
himself in New York, was to find ont the
whereabouts of Mrs. Lennox. On learning
that she had been widow for two years, his
heart beat with rapture, and when he learned
still further, that a law suit, undertaken
against her by her husbands family, would
completely ruin her if gained by them, and
that it would in all probability he decided
against her, his heart beat stiil more ruptu-
rously. "Ahl this time," said he to himself,
'my happiness will not vanish like dream.
Cecilia must now be mine"
The wealthy Captain Keller was ushered
one fine morning into the drawing room of
the almost beggared Mrs. Lennox.
In spite of her thirty-six years, and the
troubles which had assailed her since the
death of her husband. Cecilia had p, eserved
all the attraction of her early beauty. She
was no longer, it is true, the airy nymph she
had been; she was n queenly woman whose
brow bore something of the starry light of
Raphael's Virgin Mother or Correggio' slove-
liest woman. Her eyes, black as night, full
of fire; her brown hair. her graceful figure,
her alabaster complexion, and all those
treasures of beauty which women lose gene
rally one after another. as the rose loses its
leaves, were still in Mrs. Lennoxs possess
sion. Her mind alone was wrinkled mis-
fortune had aged her spirit; the woman now
in the presence of Captain Keller, retained
in her character no trace of the frivoty Of
Cecilia Barton. Time and experience had
satisfied those empty tastes which had for
merly beer hers, and convinced her that
that which she had taken for happiness was
but its shadow. ..-.
The interview was touching one, though
at first both parties were ceremonious and
constrained. Charles related hisadveutures
to Mrs. Lennox; Cecilia returned his conf
dence by telling him her misfortunes, her
everyday sufferings and her despairing pro-
visions for the future. Then, when the whole
recital was complete, and those little moth
ings which are everything in intellectual
life, were exhausted by both, Charles took
the hand Of Cecilia and in voice of deep
emotion, said to her: "Cecilia, you are now
free; | have never ceased to be so-let us
unite our destines; be TO me the wife have
yearned to possess-grant me your hand and
perhaps both of us will date from this hour
our true happiness" s..
"Captain," replied Cecilia. ~ did not ac-
cept you formerly, because YOU were too
poor | cannot accept you now"
"Why not, Cecilia?" exclaimed the Cap
tain.
"Because at present you are too rich. 1t
did not suit my folly to accept your love for
merly without riches, at present it does not
suit my principles or my PRIDE to accept
your generous offer! Do not speak Of love
to me, therefore, or Of marriage but of your
friendship, we shall always be true friends"
"But, Cecilia" replied the Captain, ain
name adjure you to accept my
hand and fortune What will become of YOU
when this law suit is lost; yes, what CAN be-
come of you?"
"My friend, If heaven leaves me the little
possess, confess that shall not hesitate
a moment in accepting you but at the pres
ent moment most probably am pennless,
for own nothing but the handsome furni-
ture which you see, and that last remnant of
former pleasures will soon disappear Also
'sIn the name of mercy" exclaimed the
Captain, ''grant at least"
''No more offers, Captain Keller, if you
please. They might humiliate me, and
know you are too gallant to wish to make me
blush"
The Captain, seeing that he could not
shake the firm resolve Of Mrs. Lennox, left
her and repaired to the residence of her
lawyer, turning over in his mind every i'm
aginable stratagem by which to conquer the
exaggerated scruples of her whom he loved
moro than ever.
"Will you tell me, SIR said he to the at
tsrney "what is the state of the lawsuit
against Mrs. Lennox?'
"Alas, sir, il was lost this morning in spite
of all that could be done," answered the law
yer.
"And its loss"
"Reduces my client to poverty; she has
nothing but a few pictures that she can call
hers, and some few jewels, which will scarce
ly pay COSTS"
"And the estate which was at law, how
much is it worth ?''
"Fifty thousand dollars. 1t will probably
be sold for much less"
"Well," replied Charles, ~ consider it
mine," and he arranged with the lawyer to
make purchase of the property, instructing
him at the same time to buy it secretly, and
above all to prevent Mrs. Lennox from know
ing Of the purchase.
When he arrived ut home, Captain Keller
called his servant, Jonas, man who had
been in his confidence for several years.
"Jonas," said he, "I am going to make you
assume jews dress"
"You don't say SO, cap pan?"