The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-04-27
From All the Year Round.
FREDDYS AUNT.
( fC'OnclusiOn.l

FREDDYS AUNT.
Fl q
[Conclnsion.
landed at Liverpool, after a some-
what protracted voyage, and, before
proceeding to London, went into Che
shire to pay hasty visit, to the family
of friend / had left in Australia. They
weregentle, friendly people, not in afiiu-
ent circumstances, but evidently the
leaders, not to say benefactors, of the
little village circle in which they pass
ed their calm existence.
NV hostess seemed to think some ex-
planation necessary, for, on the last oc-
casion, she turned to me and said:
"We have been much interested in q
new neighbor of ours, who has, like
ourselves, dear relation in Austraila'
We have taken advantage of that cir
cumstance to tighten therbonds of ae'
quaintance and close neighborhood; Tor
Mrs. Thompson is charming old lady,
and is, we greatly fear, in want almost
of the necessaries of life. She is lame,
moreover, and never moves out OF the
humble lodging in which she resides,
except upon the arm of faithful old
servant who lived with her in Gas she
hinted) far more prosperous days. But
she is good enough to allow us to assist
her housekeeping, and her own KIND
heart enables her fully to comprehend
the satisfaction it affords u.s."
"Alasr thought l, "that Myrtle Groves
are few"
On the morrow / babe farewell to my
friends and was just passing the out,
skirts of the pleasant village, when
noticed two figures, one of them stoop'
ing and emaciated, leaning heavily up
on the arm of the other, though ial
more vigorous than herself. Mrs
Thompson and her servant was my con-
clusion.
The latter seated her mistress, tender
ly, in rustic seat under some elms
which appeared to be the limit of their
walk, placed book and some knitting
beside her, and then strOlled slowly on,
examining the hedge-side flowers.
As presently passed the old lady.
could but too distinctly observe the
marks of fallen gentility, &c. Her
head was bowed down, and her white
shrunken hands clasped together on her
lap. There was one ring on her finger
no wedding ring,-a ring OF blue
enamel, with q little cross of brilliants
A vague remembrance shot across me,
as if | had seen that ring before.
turned suddenly, and caught portion
of the sittel's profile. Could it be-
But then "Mrs. Thompsonw hesitated.
The servant, still wandering on, was
Just turning the angle of the road. Ii
the lady we're indeed Miss Sympleson,
that must be Christine. hastened on,
passed her, and glanced back. Chris
tine it was.
She uttered cry and ran towards me
80, Master H.,"-she had always call.
cd me "master, ,"-"is it you! Have you
seen her: Did she know you"
The poor woman was trembling with
agitation. l soothed her, made her sit
down under the trees, and drew from
her the whole of the distressing story
which may be told in very few words.
The grasp of Mr.. Suckham Drye had
gradually frightened upon my too con.
fiding friend, until the whole of heI
means, beyond what might have been
obtained by Bullingham, were absorbed
in one or the other of his abortive
schemes. Awakened at last to her po.
sition, poor Miss Sympleson was induced
by this man, who still retained his ex.
traordinary influence over her, to seek
to retrieve her losses by investing every
shilling that remained to her in the St
Georges Channel, &C., Company, whose
shares were rising every hour. This
was the death blow. The bubble burst
Miss Sympleson was a beggar.
But what, / asked, could induce her
nephew to stand cOolly by, and allow
this swindling vagabond, whose charac.
ter he perfectly understood, to work
the ruin of his kind relative!
Christine shook her head. With a
little pressing, she confessed her belief
that there was little to choose between
those two gentlemen" Without be.
ing formally admitted to her mistress S
confidence in such matters, the faithful
servant knew enough to convince heI
that Bullingham had secured Mt least
one-half his aunt's property.
But had he done nOthingf Was to
understand that he had abandoned his
benefactress to her fatei Had he made
no provisions for her at ally
Not one halfpenny. II was possible
he might not be fully aware Of her des.
titute condition. After the great shock
Miss Sympleson had written one letter,
entreating that advice she, poor thing
had been so prompt to bestow. But nc
answer came, and the pride of the poor
lady revolving against appealing to one
so much her debtor, she came to the
resolution to retire under an assumed
name into some cheap neighborhood
and there patiently await the change
that time and sorrow were rapidly work
ing in her feeble frame. They had
means to pay for lodging, but nothing
more,-and their food was furnished by
the generous neighbors at Myrtle Grove.
At each Of the three meals of which
I partOok with the family of Myrtle
Grove, happened to observe that, be.
fore any one else was helped, plateful
of whatever was the choicest was pre-
pared, with some solicitude, and des-
patched by the tidy maid-servant to
''Mrs. Thompson" Probably Il thought
some invalid member Of the household.
1t was satisfactory, however, to remark
that the appetite of tie suffering lady
was yet robust, the viands supplied be.
ing amply sufficient for two.
/ had hardly patience to hear her to
an end, so eager was l to listen to my
dear old companion. But Christine
warned me that her present state Of
health would not admit of sudden sur.
prises; and with reluctance was pre-.
vailed upon to proceed at once to Lon.
don, and defer my interview with heI
until had afforded her base relative
one more chance Of redeeming, in some
Door measure, the wrong he had done
Ny heart swellcd as took out my
well-flled pocketbook, and forced upol
Christine portion, infnitessimally
small, of the debt / owed her gcnerou,
mistress. SO we parted.
The very next day saw me assailinl
the door of the eminent counsel in Lin
coins Inn and requesting an immediate
l;vxorvsa~