Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1862-02-28


advantage to US, rich or poor, Bell"
Isabel tossed her head.
just as you choose; but I'm not Z,
be domineered over any longer by I'm
Gle Joseph!'' (
"You have made very sensible de
cision, my dear" said the old gentleman
when Emma announced her intention,
to him that evening.
'Let Bell marry second Croesus, if
she likes-in this world of reverses and
change. she may one day discover that
there are some requirements more pre-.
cious than the winged gold she value,
so highly
Emma Medworth's fashionable acl
quaintances were shocked by The tidiRs
that she had began the study Of kitch-
en- lore; some pronounced her little
deranged, others wondered at her vul-
gar taste, and few, very, very few,
thought secretly that she was sensi-
BILE girl Isabel and her wealthy lover,
1t is needless to add, were not among
these last.
Two years afterward, one of those de-
vastating commercial crisis, before
whose simmoon breath fortunes melt
away, and the boarded treasures of years
are scattered to the four winds of heaven,
swept through the country. Mrs. Med
worth small competence was involved
in the general Whirlpool of ruin. and
this was potall. Her widowed daughter
Isabel, whose palace of wealth had been
shattered by the misfortunes of one dis
astrous week, returned to her mother s
house, dependent aud heart broken, a
burden to those who were ill-sble to
support her.
Uncle Joseph quietly watched the
course of events, and smiled to himself,
as he observed Emnla's unshaken cour-
age and vivacity, and the excellent ap
plications she made Of her household
accomplishments. Now, indeed, she had
learned their value.
s'Nice girl, that, soliloquized Uncle
Joseph, on his way to the bankers; mot
the sort to break down and melt away
like snow wreath, at the first touch OF
calamity. I like little Emma. Twenty
years old to day, is she? Well, [ must
see if the old mau cant find some sort
Of an acceptabl present for her.
The carriage which was to convey old
Mr.. Medworth to the railroad depot was
at the door-he had bidden each mem
Der of the family adieu, with the single
exception of his youngest niece-and as
he gave her parting kiss, he said
frankly:
| My dear, I'm getting to be an old
man, and these visits to the city begin
to seem like weigAty undertakings, SC
! it isn't at all likely you will ever see
me again. Don't interrupt me, child
[ know you're fond of your old uncle
but shall love you just as well then
even if | don't have chance to tell you
so every day. haven't forgotten that
this is your birthday" he added, slip
ping little box into her hand; land
don't think [ can do better with my
money than to purchase the happines:
of the favorite niece who followed my
advice years ago"
And before Emma could ask an ex
planation the old man was gone, leaving
his sister in law and daughters in a per
feet maze of bewilderment
"Wht can he mean, exclailEed Mrs
Medworth. "He was always strangely
eccentric"
'sDo open the box, Emma, said Isa
bel, eagerly; II am dying to disco vel
| this mystery!'
But Emma still stood motionless, anc
Isabel snatched the box from her hanc
and unclasped the lid.
at is emptyP she exclaimed, in al
accent of disappointment and vexation
tossing the box from her.
But, even as it fell, a tiny strip o.
paper futtered out. Isabel stopped ant
picked it up-it was check for twenty
thousand dollars.
$780," exclaimed the naughty younG
widow, when her first astonishment hat
subside :, 'your house keeping ha
proved a fortune to you, Emma
Really, if [ had foreseen this brillian
announcement, l might have been in
clined to play the dutiful niece myself
"My dear Isabel" said Mrs. Med
worth gravely,"I regret as much as yo,
do that yo1r uncle failed to perceive il
your character the wisdom and goot
sense he has found in that of Emma"
The young widow did not reply-per
haps she was thinking that, after all,
wealthy husband is not the best invest
ment woman can make Of herself i