The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-12-25

Cripple Corner were not destined to have a long
lie. Underlying them from the first was q
serious matter. which every member OF the
patriarchal family knew OF, but which, by taeit
agreement, nh forbore to speak OF. MIR. Vikings
health was in q bad way.
He might overcome the shock he had sus-
tainedin the one great affection OF his life, or he
might have overcome bis CONSCIOUSNESS or
being in the enjoyment OF another mans prop
him. A man haunted by twin ghosts, ne be-
came deeply depressed. The inseparable epecter
sat at the board with him, ate from hi
platter, drank from his cup, and stood by his
bedside at night. When he recalled his sup
posed mothers love, he felt as though he had
stolen it. When he rallied . little under the re-.
spect and attachment Of his dependents, he felt
as though he were even fraudulent in making
them happy, for that should have been the uE-
known mans duty and qualification:
Gradually, under the pressure OF his brooding
mind, bis body stopped, his step lost its elias
ITCHY, his eyes were seldom lifted from the
ground. He knew he could not help the de-
plorable mistake that had been made, but bel
knew he could not mend 1t for the days and
weeks went by, and no one claimed his name or
bis possesaione. INC now there began to creep
over him Q cloudy consciousness Of often-recur-
ring confusion IN his head. he would una<
countably lose, sometimes whole hours, Some
times o whole day and night. Once his rcmep-
branee stopped as he sat ct the, head Of the
dinner table, and wss blank until daybreak.
Another time it stopped as he was beating time
to therr singing, and went on again when he and
his pattner were walking in the courtyard BY
the light Of the moon, half the night later. He
asked Vendale always full Of consideration.
work and help how this was. Vendale only re
Piled, "You have not been quite well; that
Of his people. But they would put it Of with,
"Glad to see you looking 30 much better, sir ="
or "Hope you're doing nicely now, Sir )" IN
which was no information at oil.
At length, when the partnership was but fv
months old, Walter Wlding took to his bed, and
his housekeeper became his nurse.
calling nstD You a'f ss'l Rs,4 In. go Sold sn W. !" % said I sas
poor wine merchant. '
cit sounds more natural to me, sir, than any
other name. and I like it better"
"Thank you, Sally. I think, Sally, I must q
late have been subject to.fts. sthat 90, Sally,
Don't mind telling me now.1 o. d
aAh That 10 the explanation !" he quieti.
remarked "Mr. Oberreizer, Sally, talks Of tn
world being 80 small that it is not strange hos
often the same people come together. and COM,
together, ut various places, sndfn various stagsi
Of life. But it does seem strange. SALLY, thai !,
should, IS ! may say, come round to the Founds
BE extended his hand to her, and she gentk
tookit.
"You alo not going to die, dear Mr.. widing.'
$50 Mr.. Bintrey said, but I think he wa
wrong. The old child-feeling Is coming back
upon me, Sally. The old hush and rest, % \
After an interval he said, in . placid voice,
'"Please kiss me. Nurse," and it was evident,
believed himself to be lying IN the old dormitory.
AS she had been used to bend over the father
less and motherless children, Sally bent over
the fatherless and motherless man, and put her
lips to his forehead. murmuring,-
'"God bless You I"
"God bless you y he replied In the same tone.
After another interval he opened his eyes in
his OWE character, and said: Don't move
me, Sally, because Of ! Am going to say; q
lie quite easily. I think my time Is come. ]
don't know how it may appear to you, Sally
but"
Insensibility fell upon him for o few minuSes h
he emerged from 1t once more.
g don't know how 1t may appear to 20
Sally, but 80 1t appears to me-
When he had thus conscientiously finished biz
fsvorite aentepce, his time came, and he died.
ACT d.
vENDkLE LOVE.
The summer and the autumn nsd. passed
Christmas and the New Year were at hand. /"
As executors honestly bent on performir
their the . d,rty y toward ,S.a the an dead sa1, vsnda an. and Bint.
Aha hOthL " bhoa Jan LAW
the subject Of Wilding's win. The lawyer hao
declared, from the first, that il wac simply I'm.
possible to take any useful action in the mattel
ct oil. The only obvious inquiries to make In
relation 10 the lost man had been made already
by Wilding himself, with this result, that tin
and death together had not left . trace Of hin
discoyerable. To advertise for the claimant
the property, it would be necessary to menti
PARTICULARS course Of proceeding which woui
invite half the impostors in England to prese
themselves in the character Of the true Walter
Wildipg. "Ifwe find . chance Of tracing tt,
lost man, We will take it. II we don't, let us me-
for another consultation on the first anniversary
OF Wildings DEATH" So Bintrey advised :'and 80
With the most earnest desire to fulfill his dea.
friends wishes, Vendale was, fam to let the mat
ter rest for the present,
Turning from his interest in tho past to b
interest in the future, Vendale still found him
self confronting Q doubtful prospect. Months
on months had passed since his first visit to Sob
square, ind through all that time the one Ian
guage In which he told Marguerite that he loves
her was the language Of the eyes, assisted, OIL
convenient opportunities, by the language OF the
hand.
What was the obstacle in his way? The one Inn
movable obstacle which had been In his wayf rom
the first. No matter how fairly the o%pportuni1
ties looked, Vsndale's efforts to speak with Mar
guerite alone, ended invariably in one and the
same result. Under the most accidental circum1
otonnea IN the moat jnnocant manner .Doesibl0]