Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1870-11-17

row ranked IN his bosom. Il Civ,
up the right now and henceforward.
Blanche was startled. She woulC
have said more, but Walter Birm
ingham was advancing toward her
and when next she had leisure t.
look around, Gilbert was gone from
her side.
"What have done?' she though
in dismay. "Tll see him in tht
evening, and coax him into goo6
humor once more. He surely cam
be vexed at me for an idle word like
that"
All, little Blanche, it is not the
well considered sentence that does
all the harm in this world-it is the
idle word. .
"Such charming day as we have
had, Mrs. Traine," said Blanche, as
she came up the steps Of the hote
piazza, as smiling and radiant as il
the worm remorse was not gnawine
at her heart.
"That, ofcourse," said the bloom
ing matron who was reading in an
easy chair under the shadow of the
vines. "But what sent Mr.. Evering
away in such hurryT"
"Sent him away?"
Yes, by the evening train. He
came home, packed his things, and
drove away as if there was not q
moment to lose. I am very sorry.
we shall miss him so much" u
Blanche went slowly upstairs and
sat down by her window, looking
out at the purple glow of the eve
ming landscape as if it were a fea.
tureless blank. So he was really
gone away, and by her own folly she
had lost the priceless treasure ot
Gilbert Evenings love. h..af
"And 1 cannot even write to him
for I do not know his address," she
thought, with clasped hands and
fearless eyes. "Well, it is my own
fault, and I must abide the conse.
quences as best I may" '1is
Blanche Penroy went home from
the gay summer lounging place 8
sadder and wiser woman: and the
November mists dropping o'er the
brick and mortar wilderness of hel
New York home, had never seemed
half so dreary to her as they
seemed now!
shall now be an old maid,'
thought Blanche, walking up and
down the fire light darkness of her
twilight drawingroom, and hel
dimpled hands clasped behind hel
waist. r-
shall never care for any one
now as 1 cared for-for Gilbert; and
1 dare say 1 shall keep a cat, and
grow fond of green tea and scandal
sewing circles! All, well-a-day! life
cannot last foreverw s-T ii
She rang the bell with an impa
tient jerk. - 30
care there any letters, Sander.
son9"
"One, ma'am; it came by the eve.
ming post about five minutes ago."
Blanche sat down by the fire and
opened the letter. "Black-edged
and black-sealed! So poor Mrs
Marchmont is gone at last!''
1t was from the executors of Miss
Penroy's distant cousin, formally
and briefly announcing her death
which had taken place in one of the
West India islands some months
since, but Of which the melancholy
news" as the letter ran, had only
just been received. 1t was not ell.
tirely unexpected, as Mrs. March
mont had been for some years slow.
ly fading out of the world, victim
to hereditary consumption.
Leaving one child, son." slowly
repeated Blanche, leaning her cheek
on her hand, and looking down into
the fiery quiver of the red-hot Goals.
"Poor little fellow! he must fee.
nearly as desolate and alone as do
only I have one advantage-I have
at least sufficiency of this world
goods; and this orphan child must
be thrown penniless and alone or
his own resources; for, if l remem
Der Alright, Mrs. Marchmont for
feited all the wealth of her first mar
riage by her second alliance with the
poverty-stricken lawyer whose death
plunged her into such bitter mourn
ing. That was a agenuine love-match
yet how much grief and trouble il
brought with it, "leaving one child
a sonw Why should l not adopt
the stray waif, and make business
of my life to cherish and comfort
him? I have no object in existence
there is one that Providence itsel
seems to point out to me-"
Once more she rang the bell, with
a fresh color glowing in her cheeks
and new light in her eyes.
bring in my writing case imme
diately, Sanderson, and get ready to
take letter to the post for me a.
soon as possible" 2 ~
The old servant obeyed, wonder
ing at his mistress unwonted energy
and yet well pleased to see some o
her old animation returning.
1t was a very simple and uncon
scious letter that Blanche Penroy
wrote to her "far away cousin'sn ex
ecutors from the fulness of he
heart:
l shall never marry now," sht
wrote; "and it seems to become my
plainly indicated duty to undertake
the care of this orphan child of Mrs
Marchmont's. With your approval
therefore, I propose to adopt him
and endeavor, as far as is in my
power, to supply the place of his los
mother. You may at first deem mt
young to undertake so grave ant
serious responsibility; but l wa
nineteen last month, and am yer,
much older in thought and feeling
than my years. OF course, at m,
death the child will inherit tn,
property which was left me by my
deceased parents"
az hope my cousins executor
are like the nice, white headed olt
lawyers one reads about in novels.
said Blanche to herself, as she foldet
the little perfumed sheet of pinl
paper, talking of "expediency" anc
appropriate, ''for 1 do so much wan
somebody to love and care for: an,