Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1867-11-07

cannot last forever
A dreary comfort that for a gil
of nineteen summers.
She rang the bell with an im
patient jerk.
care there any letter, Sander
SOM"
''One ma-am; came by the eve
ming post about five minutes ago.
"Light the gas and give it t
me-"
7 Blanch sat down by the fire an(
opened the letter, suppressing
yawn.
"Black-edged-and black-seal
ed! So poor Mrs. Marchmont i;
gone at last !"
1t was from the eXectors Of
Miss Penroy's distant cousin, for
mally and briefly announcing hel
death, which had taken place in
one of the West Indias some
months since but of which the
melancholy news" as the letter
ran, has only just been received
1t was not entirely unexpected, as
Mrs. Marchmont had for some
years been slowly fading out of the
world, victim to hereditary con-
sumdtion.
"Leaving one child, a son.
slowly repeated Blanhce, leaning
her cheek on her hand, and look,
ing down into the fiery culver of
the white hot Goals. "Poor little
fellow he must feel nearly as des-
olate and lonely as l do ! Only !
have one advantage have at
least a suf6ciency of this world
goods: and this orphaned child
must be thrown pennyless and a
lone on his own resources, for if |
remember Alright, Mrs. March
mont forfeited all the wealth Of
the first marriage by the second
alliance with the poyerty-stricken
lawyer whose death plunged her
into such bitter mourning. That
was genuine love mate, yet how
much grief and trouble it brought
with it, ''leaving one child son!"
Why should ! not adopt the stray
wait, and make it the business of
my life to cherish and comfort
him? l have no object in exist
ence; here is one that Providence
itself seems to point out to me-"
Once more she rang the bell,
with fresh color glowing in her
cheeks, and a new light in her
eyes.
'Bring in my writing-case i'm
mediately, Sanderson, and get
ready to take letter to the post
for me as soon as possible"
The old servant obeyed, won
dering at his mistress unwonted
energy, and yet well pleased to see
some of her old animation return
ing.
"She do look more like herself
tonight, do Miss Blanche, than
she has for a long time" he said
to his housekeeper, as he came
down after obeying her summons.
ri only wish Miss Blanch would
take a fancy to some nice, proper
behaved young man it don't seem
nohow right that she should live
all by herself in this big house,
so forIornlike."
The housekeeper nodded saga
ciously to all Mr.. Sanderson's
propositions. She fully agreed
with him: "Only Miss Blanche
was too willful ever to hear word
of advice"
1t was a very simple and un-
conscious letter that Blanche Pen
roy wrote to her far away cousins
executors from the fulness of her
heart:
81 shall never marry now," she
wrote, "and it seems to become my
plainly indicated duty to under
take the care of this orhan child
of Mrs. Marchmont. With your
approval, therefore, propose to adopt
him, and endeavor, as far as In my
power, to supply the place of his
mother. You may at first deem
me rather young to undertake SO
grave and serious responsibility;
but | was nineteen last month, and
l am very much older in thought
and feeling than my years. vi
course, at my death, the child will
inherit the property. which was
left me by my deceased parents"