The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1867-10-09
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young man, ,as stack iarmer. III t,aea I !
81 am very old" 50 the letierran, = an
sery poor, SO yon mustnot come out, her
with. any idea of finding wealth made i
your baud. You will have ,toIwork, ,hard-
ssry hard. but II you are, moi. afraid Of ;ha
J wlll.glye you 2. start, some practical sd
vice drawn from experience, and a .shak
down in my rancho.
So he had written, and his nephew glad
y accepted his invitation. lie had remain
ed 70 see The New Year in. but Mabel knei
his call on that day would be to say fare
well Tor months, years. perhaps, per
lhaps." she thought. sadly. never to NEE
again. She had never questioned be
heart about John Martyr. content to tax
his pleasanl attentions, his gallant speech
Ifs. his ,deferential words, or, in, .othe
wcrds, h|s half saucy jokes. bis laushin,
badinage for the Amusement OF the haur
but on that New Years day she was rest
less. nervous. and erciied, finding hersel
taking st random 10 her callers. aging j 9
where she should have said no. and listen
ing intently for foot fall and voice, tina
fingered away from her. AT last he came
lining bis call 10 miss the morning ,visi
tors, and when the luncheon bell cleare,
lie room Of the family. Declining Mrs
Hughes invitation to JOIN them at table, h,
kept Mabel for few parting words. III,
did not bind her, lie did not ask ateturn d
bis love he only told her l,is prospects an,
hopes. and then said II he ever had hom,
70 pfer . bride. he should come TO his m
tive village 10 seek one. Very vague this
but Mabel. looking into his dark, earnes
eyes. silently resolved that his bride
should be waiting for him when he retsrn
cd. Night found him speeding over ihs
iron road 10 New York, on the long jour
nev 10 Texas. =a f#.
My llttle heroine spoke no word 10 am
one u the hope 10 her heart. Some day
she thought. her secret foun. Of hone and
happiness might be open to her friends, bul
moi now-not until words were gwen that
made her blisslui dream 4 certainty of ioy
Three manlhs--fpur-sped away. and one
April morning, when The ieet OF May we're
pressing closely on The confines af the pass
ing month. Mabel had letter ali alone
IN her pretty room; she read the words,
her heart IuIl ot jyfaI surprise over the
John Martyr wrote q strange stars.
Upon his arrival in Iexas he had found his
uncle last sinking uader fatal disease,
partly the effect II starvation and exposure.
In mIserable hat. with no bed buta blan-
set spread upon the mud Roor, half cloth
ed and half lamished. the prematureiy old
nan lay dying. Shocked At such a sight,
lohn bad at once sent for physician and
'ome comforts 10 the nearest station, but
.he old man was so distressed at the ex.
'cnse. that IL was not until his nephew as
'ured him his own purse still held the need.
ul funds. that he consented TO have q bed,
! char. astove. aud some medicines. For
weeks. lie fingered, The young man. faithful
y mials:r-ing 10 bis wants. then died.
eavlng all he possessed, BY will. 10 bis be.
owed nephew, John Martyr. The misera.
lie hut seemed q poor legacy, but The
ivung mans amazemcnt may be Imagined
fHVh w tVuHu HN uIClc Hau fffI Au enOr.
nous fortune scraprd together In lifetime
Il miserly accumulation and asaricious
luarJing. After this tale. he puured out
US while heart 10 Mabel. telling 81 his love
'is hopes. and plans. One word from her
would bring him al once 10 her side. His
I,Icle's aaalrs would keep him .ew weeks
. Texas. but before letters could be rx-
hanged he would be free 20 hasten 10 her. |
Night he hopei II she did not love hin,
silence would deal that blow to his heart.
cannot tell The rush Of happiness that
looded Msbel's heart as she read the letter.
'le had pictured years Of anxious waiting.
ad LEI her fancy even run upon death dur
ng separation. had thought at best theyI
vculd be middle aged folks before John
made his liortnne. and had tried TO think
nv emigration 10 Texas would suit her
title self; and now he could come home. |