Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1863-06-26
Simon Warners' viii.
BY ANY RANDOLPH.

nized that individual in the wrinkled sexagen-
arian who sat on the porch smoking his pipe,
under the shadow of perfectly blooming
honeysuckle that was nearly as old as him
self!
To night, Simon Warner was troubled in
spirit; the red glow in his pipe-bowl had
faded into white aahes, and he wiped his brow
repeatedly with the old fashioned yellow silk
hankerchiefhe always carried in the right hand
pocket of his pepper-and-salt colored coat.
81 didn't s'pose you'd ha' gone off and feft
your old uncle in this sort O way, Martin, !" be
said ENORMOUSLY. "It's blow to me"
"Uncle, am sure you would give my plans
a hearty approval, if you would only consider
them ~
The W ords came from tall, handsome
young fellow with sunburnt cheeks and eyes
full Of blue, flashing fire, who leaned against
one Of the rude wooden pillars that supported
the porch.
"Then you've made up your mind to 60
headlong of to get yourself killed or taken
prisoner-it don't matter much Wilhelm
those pestilent North Carolina swamps."
"No, uncle, haven't any such intention"
laughed young Martin Warner. "But l haes
made up my mind to 60 and do my duty on
the field, where . thousand better men than
myself have left the stain of their hearts
blood ~
"Pshaw !" calculated uncle Simon.
| "Just as you please, sir" said the young
man, spontaneously.
rs it just IS please?" snarled Simon
Warner. "Look here, Nartin-you say this
country of yours is more to you than wealth
or life-we'n prove it! If you are determin-
cd to make fool Of yourself, do it. Only l
warn you henceforth to abandon all thoughts
of ever succeeding to the wealth l have
amassed. You act in opposition to my wishes
be good enough to consider yourself no
longer my heir"
II am poor, UNCLE" said the young man,
with changing color, "but not poor enough l
hope, t. allow my sense Of right and duty to
be battered for gold. Leave your money
where you please-its disposition cannot in
Auencs my decision"
"Stsy though" pursued Uncle Simon, keen.
ly watching the young face from beneath his
frosty eye.lashes, ''there is yet another con-
sideration. Do you suppose DR.. Maybe will
give his pretty daughter to a penniless adven-
turer? Do you think Dora Maybe would
have been engaged to you, had you not been
the heir of my money!"
The words, though spoken with the bitter
est sarcasm, glanced back from the armor Of
frank truthfulness that encased Martin War
ner's heart. He only smiled.
II have the firmest faith in Dors's love,
uncle"
A silence of some moments ensued-at
length Martin broke it.
"Uncle Simon, l am going-will you not
say good.bye"
The old man shook his head grufay.
Cat least shake hands ~ and Martin ex-
tended his hand entreatingly. Simon Warner
merely touched it with his cold, shriveled
palm, and the next moment Martin had disap-
peared among the tall shrubs Of the little
door-yard.
Gone he was indeed gone. Up to the
last moment Simon Warner had scarcely be.
lieved he would actually depart-now he mast
believe it
"What do you say, Dora, darling? Will
you love your soldier As truly as you loved
Uncle Simon's heir?'
''Martin p
1t was very lovely young face that was
turned up to his, in the silvery June moonlight
"a face with violet-grey eyes and cheeks
shaded from pearl into carmine-a face thai
was truth and purity embodied.
'sThen will you love me still %
~ will love you until death, Martin, and
through all the ages of eternity p
He folded the frail figure to his breast with
passionate tenderness that was beyond al
words.
II knew it, dearest! Dora, in as far II
man may, I s0'H prove worthy Of your love
Andswhen I come back
"When you come back, Martin! All, dc
not speak too confidently. If l should lose
you"
"If you should lose me, love, could you
not remember that died for my country
under the folds of the glorious old fag-and
be resigned ~
eyes," exclaimed Dora, with a sort of sob
bling sigh, as the scarlet blood rose to he1
cheek. I could give, my best and deares,
for that cause! But, oh Martin, God viii
keep you unscathed for my saken'
"Amen !" said the young man, reverently
The November snow was falling white and
thick among the leafess hickory trees thu
wind shook and ratified the easement of the
lonely room in the old farmhouse where 81
mon Warner lay dead and shrouded! VAR
and powerless had been his golden stores t.
bride the grim messenger Death!
In the keeping room below sat forfeit
cousin, one Bella Warner, spreading his long
claw-like fingers over the blazing pine-logs
and talking, by fits and starts, to a bony fe
male in calico short-gown, who sustained
towards him the relation of wife.
"The will is to be read this arternoon-o
course Pm the heir, seein' he's disinherited
bis nephy. You and I'll be grand folks, Ell
viry; see if don't keep kerridge equal to
Squire Duncan's, and I'll buy that corne,
medder o. Nat Prices the fust thingr'
"Ains you going to low nothin' to young
s'Not / !; what's Martin Warner to me-
Hallor' as the door opened, "it's you, is it
Mr.. Martin. l hardly knew We, you was SC
fine in your new uniform. was Jest sayin'
to Elviry, of course you wouldn't expect me
to donothin' for you, when the property come
to me. Let every man look arter himself
that's my motto" A ~-s~s
Martins cheek flushed slightly.
II entertain no expectations of any kind
SIR" he returned, haughtily. am only toe
glad that was here in time to receive DYING
grasp of my uncle's hsnd, and to hear from
bis dying lips that was still dear to him in
spite of what had come and gone. I attend
his funeral from motive ofdeep respect and
affection-pray do not misinterpret me ~
Bella chuckled, visibly relieved, and as the
funeral guests dropped in, one by one, he wen
about with long face and sanctimonioul
whine, doing the honor of host, chief mourn.
er, and heir apparent, to the edifcation of the
whole neighborhood.
But when at length the snufy little old law.
20, ,ofoldod h. u;n NTH
"Ahem?" Bela's eyes sparklsd greedily and
his features twitched with eager interest
Would the old man never have done with for.
mality and legal prose? Adhere it came
"Do leave and bequeath my whole proper.