Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1863-09-12
CHATIA,s FORTUNE.
"CHARLEs EVERETT, til New York
- shot through the heart ~

Everett's nerveess hand as her eye met
that one line in the CHASTITY list of skilled
and Wounded" and the blood receded
from her cheek, leaving it whittier than
marble statne.
The morning sunshine lay on the pur-
pie violet wreaths Of the Administer car
pet, and glimmered over the gilded chairs
of the dainty little apartment where the
young heiress sat Mt breakfast with her
solemn old governess. She was slight,
fragile little thing with large, brilliant
eyes, and cheeks just tiuted with tremu-
lous pink, like white roses stained with
sunset, and her dress, of snowy muslin,
tied at the waist with simple blue ribbons
seemed exactly adapted to her pure
childish lovliness.
Mrs. AIIaile took up the paper and
scanned the columns Through her gold
spectacles.
"Chares E, erett-so it is" she NUT
/
tered. "Gone at last, poor fellow! |
wonder what his wife and little ones will
do. You ought to help thea a little,
Grata.
"uelp them? of course will. He
was my distant cousin, wasn't he, aunty |?
she asked, unconsciously using the pet
name by which she had known her gov
erness for years.
Mrs. Allaire udded her head.
"Your cousin, child-and your rival
for years.
"My rival, aunty? l do not under
standw
'Your rival in the affections of old
Colonel Everett, my dear. All, you
may well be surprised you have been
heress to this property eversince you
were a child, and never knew how it
came to YOU"
''TelI me about il, aunty, said Gratia,
setting down the Tiny Sevres chocolate
cup and folding her little hands tightly
together.
"Tbere is not much to tell, Gratia,
only Charles was own nephew to Colo
mel Everett, while you were only a re-
mote cousin. And when Charles dis
pleased his uncle by marrying poor
young girl in open defiance of his wish
es, and the old man wiIIed ali the prop
erty which was 10 have been his nephew
to you, babe in the cradle, there were
plenty to dcclair it an act Of gross injus-
ticc."
at was injustice" said Gratia, with
burning checks and compressed lip
Why have / never been told this be-
FORE"
"My dear, Colonel Everett had right
to bestow his property where and how
he pleasedr'
'tIlad not Charles Everett been
brought up in expectation Of being his
uucle's heif?" Was he not the nearest
blood relation, while l am but distant
connection e.
Eyes, but"
"More than this, has not Charles laid
down his life, under the crimson folds of
his country's flag-are not his wife and
children in destitution, while | am revel-
ing III the wealth which should have been
theirs? Great heaven that this thing
should have been for years, and | not to
know of itr'
Gratia had risen from her seat, and
] was walking up and down the room with
strange fire flashing in her humid dark
eyes. Mrs. Allaire watched her with a
troubled face.
Suddenly she stopped.
"Aunty, this injustice shall be repair
el-this wrong shall be righted as far as
N me lies. will give this money back
TO the widow and the fatheriess-aIas
that il should be too late to render resti-
tuition to the brave man who lies on the
red field OF Gettysburg.
"Gratia, my child, are you insane?"
mo, aunty, am only sane. Do not
irritate me with useless Arguments and
unmoaning sophistry-my mind is made
up and | wish to lose no time. Will YOU
send for lawyer"
"For Mr. SouthalI e.
The sudden carmine blazed in the pearl
pure chee k-the eyelids dropped with
momentary shyuess, but it was but for a
second.
'For Mr.. Southall, if You like. He
has always bad charge of my affairs,
and is perhaps the best person TO consult
in this emergency"
"Very well, my dear, | will do as You
desire; but am quite convinced that he