The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1870-08-12
Months longthcncd from winter tt

summer, and winter to summer again,
and every quarter Ernest pagct was
sent by his uncIcto receive his intor-
est from tho fair NOR: gagcc. Thc
young man marvcIlcd, perhaps at the
comfort, ;sld even elegance, of tho cn-
tirc cntOnragc which surrounded two
ladies whose income only amounted
TO C20O per annunl. Neither he, or
any one save the worthy landIady
who assisted. Blanchc's fiIial efforts,
could divino that tho luxurics which
Mrs. DcCourcy calmly enjoyed as her
right, wcrc purchased at tho cost OF
her daughters inccssant labors.-
Blanche painted and carved, and
worked elegant triflcs in nccdlework,
and wrote graceful little tales for pc
riodicals, and in various ways, and at
tho expense of health, rcposc and
sleep, managed to earn enough to
hide from the selfish cause Of all this
sc'f-dcnial the consequence of her own
folly and criminal extravaganza. Nor
did Mrs. DeCourcy observe that her
chilI's check was hollow and pale,
and her eyes becoming heavy and Ius-
trclcss from lack Of sleep and rccrca-
ton.
1t was the morning Of Dlanchc's
twcnty-first birthday, aud short
note from Mr.. Brownlow had given
her notice that he would expect her
and her mother at his Office at noon
to conclude the business "which had
so"c on" he was pleased to add, "to
his perfect satisfaction"
Perhaps Blanche prepared with an
unaccountablo sadness for all inter
view that would end all intercourse
with tho brusquc yet kindly banker
and his nephew, who, alas for the
young girls pcaccl had, all unl1now-
ngly to herself, won the heart, which,
in words, ut any rate, he ..., never
appeared to seek. Poor Blanche !
The thousands she was about to sign
away wcro valuclcss in comparison
with tho love that she had so inno-
Gently and so anxiously lavishcd on
the handsome and intellectual nephew
Of tho millionaire.
And rs she assisted her mother up
the staircase that had become familiar
to her, and entered tho room that was
associated with such memorable
events, her heart sank moro coldly
and hopclcssly than OH that first in
tcrvicw when her "all'' had appeared
to hang on the balance.
"Mr. Do Courcy," said tho banker,
gravcly, when ho had conducted that
lady TO a scat near his ample table, on
which deeds and papers were strcwed
in confusion, 81 have only ono thing
to say to you before I finish my busi
ness with your daughter. consider
you about the most fortunate of wo-
men; first, to havo been tho choice of
high-mindcd and noble man, and
then to have been blessed with dcvo-
ted and rarely gifted child. Now to
business. leu and ny nephew can
witness Miss Dc Courcy's 81 gnaturc to
tho transfer Of the G4 900 to me, and
1 will then destroy her ngagcmcnt to
that effect"
IL Mrs. DC Courcy expected any
generous remuneration on Mr.. Brown
lows part, sho was disappointed.
The whole affair was formally con-
cludcd, and tho whilomo hcircss re-
duccd to pittancc less than half her
intended fortune. And still the bank
CT looked as calm and unmovcd as if
he had been receiving dividend
from q Russian loan.
"Now, my DEAR" ho said, more
kindly, "wc arc quits in pccuniary
sense; but you once wcro good
enough to say that you would always
consider yourself my debtor. DO you
still acknowledge this unnecessary
stretch Of gratitndc?"
"Indccd-indccd I do" was tho
earnest reply. 81 can ncvcr-ncvcr
repay your generous goodness"
"Then, my dear, 1 believe I can
give you an opportunity Of discharg-
ing any such obligation, and turning
tho tables on me, by making mo Il
very happy old fellow. Ernest can
explain it better than I can; and if
you will just give him q few minutes
in tho room whcro you puzzled out
all your problems, you can SEQ whcth.
cr this new task can be as chccrfuily
undertaken by you as the less oncrous
ono you h:!ve performed"
What Ernest said, and how he
made tho mystery clear to the fair
girls mind, was never known savo to
tho two principally concerned. But
we may cnaPlc our readers to guess
all that is wanting in tho details of
this true and real history, by adding,
that some three months afterwards
"Erncst Padgct, Esq, Of Fcrnidalc
and Belgravc Square" led to the altar,
"Blanche Nina, only child of the late
Admiral Dc Courcy, of Tho Manor,
Southwold." And bcncath tho plate
of the bride at the splendid wedding
breakfast, given by tho uncle of the
Bridegroom, was n small packet, con.
tanning check for G4,200, as o free
and uncontrolled gift from Mr.. Brown
low to "his darling niece"
"And, my DEAR" he whispered, eli
You havo nothing better in yonr little
head, you can found scholarship for
young damsels who distinguish them.
selves in the very rare feminine &C
complishments of "accuracy and
arithmetic"
WASHINGTON, July 81 Tho Assist
ant Treasurer at New York has heer