Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-02-20
TIE MIsER's REQUEST.

darkness of the March night, and the fire
--s,ned and cracked behind the red-hot bar
4 ,be little CRATE in a most cosy and comfort
~ sort of way, casting a rosy shine into the
.I,,rgbtf,ll brown eyes that were tracing cas-
- and eorOnets in the burning Goals.
For Philip Acre was, for once, including
L;-,seIf in the dangerous destinations of day
IF were only richI" he pondered to him.
-.lf "Ah, if Then goodbye to all those
.s,,sty old law books; goodbye to to the mend
- boots and thrice turned coats, and all the
1-svs and means that turn mans life into
.-~stched bondage Wouldn't / revel in new
Rocks and delicious paintings and high step
,in0 horses? Wouldn't buy set of jewels
t,r Edith-nOt pale pearls or siekly emeralds,
I'M diamonds, to blaze like links of fire upon
her roval throat Wouldn't what nom
sense I'm talking, though he cried sudden
= rousing himself "Phil. Acre, hold your
-.,pfounded tongue | did suppose you were
!, fellow of more sense Here you are, Meth
r rich nor distinguished, but simple law
student. while Edith Willis is as far above
YOUR woon-struck aspirations as the Queen of
NIGHT herself, She loves me, thOugh--she
viii wait-and the time may one day come
IF only DR.. Wyllis were not so distrustful of
a fellow However, l must learn to prove
myself worthy of the sweetest prize that ever
-HaloOi come in there, whoever you are
Il was only the serving maid of the estab-
Iishment carrying letter in the corner of her
sproD. between her finger and thumb.
Please, sir, the pOstman just left 1.-two
cents 10 pay.
+'Here are your two cOppers, then, Katy
a pretty fair equivalent for any letter | may
receive Now, then, said he as the door clos
"a behind Katy's substantial back, "let's see
what nv unknown correspondent has to say.
4 black seal, eh2 Not having any relations
10 lose, | am not alarmed at the prognos-
tic I"
He broke the seal and glanced leisurly over
the short, business-like communication con-
tanned within, with face that varied from
incredulOus surprise to sudden giadness.
" Am dreaming % he murmured to him.
self as if to insure complete possession of his
senses mo, I'm wide awake and in my
right mind it is no delusiOn, no part of my
waking visions But who would ever sup
pose that old Theron Mortimer, whom |
havn't seen since was a boy of sixteen, and
picked him out OF The river half dead between
cramp and fright, would die and leave me all
his money. Why, Pm not even the shadow
Of relation; but, then, | never heard that
the old man had kith or kin, so | can't i'm
mrgine any harm In taking advantage of his
odd freak Rich-am / really to be rich
oh. Edith Edith y
lie clasped both hands over his eyes, sick
and siddy with the thought that the loved,
tar-Otf star of his alteration, would be brought
near to him at least by the magnet of gold.
All those years of heartless waiting were to
be bridsed over by the strange old miser's
beauest he might claim Edith now
How full of heat sunshine were the weeks
that fitted over the head of the accepted
loyer-brightened by Ediths smiles-made
beautiful by the soft radiance of Edith's
love! There was only one ALLOWING shadow
the most imperceptible touch of disgust and
suspicion with which stern old DIR. Wyllis re-
garded his future sOn-in-law All he feared
Is trust his only child to the keeping of any
man who had not been proved in the fiery
furnace of trial
II was precisely a week before the we'd
ding. and the soft lights yelled by shades of
ground glass were just lighted in D.. Willis
drawing-rOOm. where Edith sat among her
white roses and heliotrOpe, working on a bit
Of cambria ruffiing, and singing to herself.
She was a slender, beautiful girl, with violet
gray ewes, blue-veined forehead, and glossy
abundant curls of that kind old painters love
10 portray.
= wonder if Mortimer Place Is so very
lovelv,n she said to a silver-haired lady who
sat opposite, "PhiIlip is going to take me
there, when we return from our wedding tour,
auntv; he saws it is the sweetest spot poets
fancy could devise, with fountains and shrub
berries and green delicious eOpses! Oh I! shall
We not be happy there?"
She started up with bright, sudden blush,
for, even while the words were trembling on
her lip, Phillip Acre came into the room,
his handsome face looking a little troubled,
vet cheerful withal. Mrs Willis, with an
arch nod at niece, disappeared into the per-
fumed perspective Of the conservatory, leav-
ing the lovers to themselves.
You are looking grave, Phillip" said
Edith, as he bent over and kissed her cheek.
Il am feeling so, darling. l have a very
unpleasant disclosure to make tO-night-Our
marriage must be postponed indefinitely"
"Phillipl for what reason?"
"To enable me TO labor diligently at my
profession to realize sufficient means TO sup
port you, dearest, in a manner satisfactory
to your fathers expectations and my own
wishes"
"But, Phillip, thought"
" You thought me the heir of Theron Nor
timers wealth: So l was, Edith, few hours
since, but have relinquished all claim to it
now. When | accepted the bequest, was
under the impression that no living heir ex
isted. learned to-day that distant cousin,
a woman, is alive, although. my lawyer tells
me, in ignorance of her relationship TO Theron
Mortimer. OF course, shall Immediately
transfer all the property to her."
" But Phillip, the will has made it legally
YOURS"
" Legally, it is; could reconcile it to my
ideas of truth and honor TO avail myself of
old MOrtimer's fanciful freak, at this woman's
expense, / might take the boarded wealth,
but / should never respect myself again,
could dream of legally defrauding the right
full heir. Nay, dearest, l may lose name and
wealth, but would rather die than suffer a
single stain on my honor as Christian gen.
tleman ~
"You have done right, Phillip, said Edith,
with sparkling eyes. "We will wait, and
hope on, happy in loving one another more
dearly than ever. But who is she !? what is
her name?n
'That's Just what didn't stop to inquire.
/ will write again TO my lawyer to ask these
questions and to direct that a deed of con-
veyance be instantly made out, and then dar-
ling
His lips quivered a moment, yet he manful-
" completed the bitter sentence:-
"Then / will begin the battle of life over
again."
And Edith's loving eyes told him what she
thought of his noble self-abnegatiOn-a sweet
testimonial
"Heml" said DIR. Wyllis, polishing his eye
,I,--o- NTH crimson silk mock.