Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1871-11-18


himself in great arm chair, and light
ing cigar began to smoke.
Soon sort of of doze stole over him.
He never could believe he was quite
asleep, for in the blue wreaths, at
first a dim outline, at last perfectly dis
tinct, appeared the figure of woman.
She was dressed in white, and cloud
of golden hair fell over her face, and
she stretched her hand toward him.
Harry Bolton felt cold shiver run
through his veins.
"Who are your he asked.
"The figure didn't speak, but pointed
toward the bed
What do you want of me?" queried
Harry.
Then fell upon his ear these words,
in n strange, sweet voice:
"Take my child to Heaven
And she was gone.
Harry started from his dream to find
his fire burning low, and his cigar
crumbled into ashes, but strong i'm
preston almost as great as though he
had actually seen vision. All night
he sat smoking and thinking, and by
dawn his plans were formed. A con
sultation with the landlady ended by
the consignment of the child to the
care of an elderly woman, warranted
conscientious and amiable. Harry
Bolton found himself the guardian of
an adopted child. From that moment
change came over the young mans
life. He had an object to think of and
care for. He said to himself: 81 will
pring up daughter for my old age"
and set himself to work to become a
fitting parent for the wonderful woman
he proposed to make Of her. His for
tune must be husbanded for her: SO he
relinquished gambling. He Quit his
habits of dissipation ; half his time was
spent in visiting his charge. who, well
dressed and well cared for, grew every
day more lovely and engaging. He
taught her to call him Uncle Harry,
and it was strange to see the young
man devoting himself, as some old
grandfather might, to all the whims
and pleasures of little child.
AS she grew older he placed her in
boarding school, and there, of course,
saw less of her, yet still as much as the
rules of the establishment would allow
until the child was some twelve
years old, when violent illness pros
trated her guardian upon what came
near being his death bed, and the doc
tor ordered him Immediately on his re-
covery to 60 to Europe.
So they were separated, though a
regular correspondence was maintained.
Delicate health detained Harry from
his native land five years, and during
that time, as a matter of course. they
never met.
At the end of that time Harry Bolton
returned from Europe improved in
health and anxious to see his adopted
daughter. He knew she had grown
older, but so little do we reflect on the
changes that time must bring, that
when inquirng for Miss Estella Gray
(this was the name the child had lisped
when questioned), as he waited in the
parlor of the seminary, a lovely girl of
seventeen opened the door and entered
the room, he could scarcely believe his
eyes.
Yet it was she, indeed-the child he
had left, grown into womanhood. Es-
tella was seventeen, and Harry Bolton
thirty.five. He was young yet in look
and thought. There seemed, after all,
but little difference between them.
Both felt this, and their manner toward
each other was more reserved in conse-
quence. But Harry was charmed as
well as surprised. A lovelier creature
never met his eyes, and thoughts and
dreams that he had thought dead forl
ever arose from their grave once more.
AS he walked homeward he said to him
self:
"What if, after all, have been rear
ing a wife for myself?"
Then with half laugh he muttered:
"No, | am too old for her-it is all
folly"
Folly or not, the thought remained.
He paid Estella such delicate attention
as suitors do. He anticipated her every
wish, and did his best to appear in an
agreeable light. Whether she under
stood him or not, he could not tell.
She might regard him as an indulgeut
guardian, and the thought chafed him
sorely. At times he hoped, at times he
feared, until calling one afternoon Ia
holiday Unexpectedly, he found Estella
tete-a- tete with young gentleman, q
brother of a school friend, Ernest Clark.
the knowledge that Estella had another
male friend so much nearer her own
age than himself, annoyed and angered
Harry. And when, time after time, he
saw them together, his suspicious
strengthened. They loved each other.
She would wed young Ernest, and he
would only be the middle-aged guardian
to give her away with his blessing. The
thought once in his mind rooted itself
there, and at last drove him beside
himself.
~ will go back to Europe" said he.
will forget her. Love and wedlock
are not for me-
And on the impulse of the moment,
he ordered his baggage to be packed,
took passage in the next steamer for
Europe, and went to the seminary to
bid Estella good bye.
She came in smiling, but his moody
looks made her grave at once. She
put her hand in his and he shook it
coldly, and sat down beside her. For
MON ent he was silent, and then he
said
al have come to say goodbye, Es-
tella. am going to Europe"
"MA Bolton, to Europe? Are you
ill again."
mo; nothing can tell you."
"Will you stay long p
Forever" We shall probably never
meet again."
The great tears swelled in Estella's
eyes, and she put her hand upon her
heart ; she evidently could not speak.