The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-09-20
r EW A r D E D
BY AMY RANDOLPH.

BY AMY RANDOLPH.
1t was raining. Not brief summe
shower that ripples down, under tn,
arch of a bending rainbow, with sun
beams laughing through the drops, ant
piles of pearly clouds watching on tn,
horizon, but steady, ceaseless, uncom
promising storm, whose leaden fall haI
obscured the purple heraldry of dawn
and threatened to last late into th'
ght,-a rain that penetrates remorse
lessly through umbrellas and water
proof cloaks, discovers all the cracks il
ieaky roofs, and generally centrives tt
drive people Of q nervous temperament
nearly distracted.
Kitty Eswick was sitting at the win
dow, dreamily watching the big drop,
as they splashed against the panes ant
streamed down in Liliputian 'rivulets
but the blue, misty eyes took no cogni
sance OF. the driving rain, and he open
book lay unheeded ON her lap. She was
delicately pretty, this homesick country
girl, with Il dazzling fair complexion
and pale brown hair,-a fragile thing
whose fair head dropped like Il white
wind-fower.
Not IA bit like my Josephaw said hel
aunt, Mrs. Siaclair, to herself with some
complacency, when the Iural damsel hat
first been consigned to her care for the
winter.
Mrs. Sinclair was right. Miss Josepha
was tall and large, with brilliant black
eyes, and cheeks whose bloom was arti
fcially hightened-a young lady able t.
talk you blind on any given subject
and possessed of considerable calm i'm
pudence, which her mamma called "easy
self possession" No, Kitty Eswick was
certainly not a bit like her cousin Jo
sepha Sinclair.
kitty Kitty Eswick!
The girl started from a reverie and
dropped her book.
Did you speak to me, Aunt Sin
clair p
did l speak to you? should think
so three times at the very least"
Il beg your pardon, aunt" said Kitty
meekly, II was thinking Of something
else.n I'D" .. - .- '-.----+
Then l must beg you for the future,
my dear, to be a little less absent mind.
ed. want you to decide about this
blue silk-the boy is in the hall to carry
it back, if it is not wanted. Will you
have the dress, or not 7"
II have already decided, Aunt Sin
clair"
kitty, you are never in earnest " in
terrupted Miss Josepha. ''You will not
send back that lovely silk when the
shade is so becoming to you"
II don't t'need it, Josepha, and1 can;
not afford it." so
Nonsense" said Josepha shortly,
"You have money enouSh-it will only
be fifty dollars"
"But / have other uses formy money
said Kitty, calmly.
"Mr. Melbourne is so fond of blue y
said Josepha, trying a new tack.
ais he but do not dress to suit Mr..
Melbourne's peculiar tastes. He is moth
ing more than an agreeable acquaint-
ance." g. -
"Kfttyw
"Aunt SInclair.'
"You surely do not think of repelling
the attentions of the richest man in our
set, nv dear. have been overwhelmed
with congratulations on his evident adj
miration for you."
II am sorry" said Kitty, quietly, "but
l cannot help it. iou should have
warded off this trial, aunt. You knew
that / was already engaged" " 70.
Engaged! to country gentleman,
with two hundred a year"
Kitty colored up-the blue eyes glow
ed like sapphires. 7rgs
"To q man whom l love and respect
more than the whole world beside, to a
man whose noble heart is worth all the
mines of Golconda"
Mrs. Sinclair looked rather surprised;
she would as soon have suspected her
canary bird of having a will OF its own,
as mock little Kitty Eswick!
"Of course, you will do as you please"
she said, setting her thin lips close to-
gether. '"Josepha, will you ring the
bell for Bridget, and tell her to deliver
this silk to the boy who is waiting in
the hall! Thank you, my love" o
= "Mem, if you please" said Bridget,
returning from her behest, "there's
little boy says please can be see Mrs
Its all right, Bridget" said Mrs. Sim
clair, composedly, "yeu gave him the
silkfp .s'.. st-,,
at isn't that one, mem; its another
one," said Bridget. Hes just come in,
streamin' wild the rain, and never an
umbrella to the back of him"
"Probab,y it is mistake, Bridget"
said Mrs. Sinclair, thoughtfully conteth-
plat ing the ribbon she was arranging.
"No, ma'am it isn't, would ye come
down and spake to himp -..
"Realiy, this is very annoying" spoke
the lady, somewhat sharply, Tell
him to come mp here, if he must see me,
on such dreadful day as this "
Bridget returned in moment, usher
ing in a pale, faded little creature of
scarcely more than ten years of age, his
eyes stained with recent tears and his
garments dripping with moisture.
"Well, boy, what do you wanti" said
Mrs. Sinclair, pettishly. Stand little
further off-you'n give me my death OF
cold !"
"Are Won Mrs. Sinclair, ma'am Z" ask
ed the child, his lips quivering with the
effort he made to command his voice,
and one little hand closing nervously
ON the brim of his worn hat.
"Yes--what on earth do you want r
"Grandpapa is dying--and he asked
me to come here for you, ma am-grand-
papa's name is John Merlin, and
The voice broke down here, drifting
away on sudden tide Of hysterical sobs,
as the little creature sank on the floor,
hiding his face on q chair.
"Merlin-John Merlin--why, he's
kind of a distant cousin, isn't hef the
man that speculated in foreign stock;
and lost everything said Josepha u
thought he was dead long ago"
$50 did I,n said Mrs. Sinclair, coldiy
"Will you come, rna'am ~ said the
child, piteously. "He is very sick, and
he said he must see you.n
~ can do no good, boy" said Mrs
Sinclair, drawing her silken skirt HON
his unconscious grasp. "Send Tor doc
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