The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1863-11-26

And get not for me!
Xdro Srneeat
RI. b. A, DRrea,
Gratia's Fortune.
"Charles Everett,-th New York
shot through the heart ~
The newspaper dropped from Gratia Ev
erett's nerveless hand as her eye met that
one line in the gastly list Of "Killed and
Wounded" and the blood receded from hel
cheek, leaving it whittier than marble stat
ue.
The morning sunshine lay on the purple
violet wreaths of the Administer carpet, and
glimmering over the gilded chairs of tht
dainty little apartment where tho young
heiress sat at breakfast with her solemn
old governess. She was slight fragile lit
Ue thing with large, brilliant eyes, and
cheeks just tinted with tremendous pink
like white roses stained with sunset, and
her dress, Of snowy muslin, tied at the
waist with simple plain ribbons. seemed ex
actly adapted to her pure childish lowell
ness.
Mrs. Allsre took up the paper and scan
ned the columns though her gold specta-
cles.
"Charles Everett-so 1t is, " she mutter.
ed.-''Gone at last, poor fellow! wonder
what his wife and little ones will do. YOU
ought to help them little, Gratia,"
"IIelp them Of course ] will He was
my distant cousin, wasn't he, aunty p
she asked unconscious'y using the pet name
by which she had known her governcss for
years.
Mrs. Alla,re nodded her head,
D"Your cousin, child and your rival for
years"
"My rival. aunty do not understand
s'Your rival in the affections Of old Colo
mel Everett, my dear. All, you may well
1ook surprised-you have been heiress to
fhis property every since you were child,
and never knew how it came to you"
.'Teli me all about it, aunty," said Gratia,
setting down the tiny Sevres chocolate. cup
and folding her little hands tightly togeth-
cr.
"There is not m uch to tell, Gratia, only
Charles was own nephew to Colonel Eve
rett, while you were but remote cousin.
And when Charles displeased his uncle by
marrying poor young girl in open defiance
of his wishes, and the old man willed all
the property which was to have been his
nephew's to you, babe in the cradle, there
were plenty to declare it an act Of gross in
justice"
at yas injustice" said Gratis, with
burning cheeks and compressed lip. "Why
have I never been told this before ~
"My dear. Colonel Everett has right to
bestow his property where AID how he pleas
edr'
"Had not Charles Everett been brought
np IN expectation Of being bis unclc's heir Z
Was he not the nearest blood relation. while
l am but . scant connection |"
'sYes. but
'.More than this, has not Charles laid
down his life, under the crimsoned folds Of
his country's aag-are not his wife and
children IN destitution, while am reveling
in wealth dat should have been theirs
Great Heaven. that this thing should have
t,esn for years, and not to know ol
it,"
Gratia had riscn ftom&,ag seat, and was
walking up and down the room with strange
FIRE flashing in her humid dark eyes. Mrs.
Allairs watched her with troubled face.
Suddenly she stopped,
"Aunty, this injustice shall be repaired
<iIis wrong shall BE- righed IS far - in me
ties. Iwill give this money back to the
widow and the iatherless ALAS! that It should
be too late to render resolutions 10 the BRAY.
man who lies on W. red field Of Gettys
burg r.
'Gratia-my child--sre you insane ~
''No, aunty, am only sane. Do you moi
irritare ms.with unless arguments and un
meaning sophlstry my mind is made up
and I wish to loose no time. Win you sent
for alswyeri'
ssFos Mr.. Southall :"
The sudden carmine blazed into the peah
pure chesk-the eyelids droopsd with mo
mentary sbyness, but itxas but for sec
.ond. t4
"For Mr.. Southall, II you like. He Ia
.always had charge Of my affairs, and i
perhaps the best person to ocusnlt in thi
emergency" naK nsk0n
"Ysry we'll, my dear, Twin do as yon de
sire but am quito convinced that Nj
jSouthall will think with me that this Is =,
sbsurd place Of Qc:xotism."
"Hs will moi. aunty," said Gratia, softly
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