Wilmington journal., 1873-11-07
ONLY A LOVE STORY.

open BOOK on my lap, looking as dlS-
consolate as any two people on the
face Of the earth could look.
Its Its no .5 use els striving ngha longer" my
come sooner or later, and as well now
as any time. I knew, when your father
commenced this beastly speculation,
what it would amount to, even if he
had lived; You can marry Rupert
Chichester, Nellie can go to Mrs.
Ingelow, and as for me, the poor
house is open!'
''Not SO bad as that mother" /
said; for her words smote me TO the
very heart
/ hated to hear her speak 50 of my
father-my dear, kind, patient father,
whose body was scarcely cold IN the
grave! He had been wealthy mer-
chant in New York (where I was
brought up but had failed. With the
wreck of his fortune, we moved to
Texas. The city of O. was be-
ing built, and land was going at very
high rate. My father invested his all
III land, and built Il small house. 1t
was the old story. Land went down.
everything failed him, and, just before
Il mortgage was to he foreclosed,
Which should turn us all out beggars,
he died
Meanwhile, for two years previous
to our going West, l had been keeping
company with Rupert Chichester. He
wished to marry me before we went,
but my father objected.
''Firginia is young" he said, "and
you are not very old. You can both
afford 70 wait awhile. Let two years
pass; ii then you love each other as
you do now, you are weldome to her
my boy"
Rupert had to consent to the ar
rangement. Two years had passed,
almost, and Rupert had written to me
that he was coming
"What else can we do?" my mother
asked, petuantly.
Il viii give Rupert up, Il said slowly,
for it cost me a desperate effort TO
make the sacrifice, "and stay here to
take care of you and Nellie!"
"You she sneered. "What can;a
girl of nineteen do ? You had better
take Rupert, if ne will have you!"
turned away. My mind was made
up, but 1 cannot say that 1 did not
suffer All that night long I lay
awake, looking the future straight in
the face. l loved Rupert, and ] would
cry until my tears were exhausted,
only to cease, rest, and commence
again
The next morning ! arose early. /
put on my sun-bonnet Ga crowd would
have collected had | attempted to walk
down Broadway with it on and start
Office was some two miles away. When
l arrived there, found him alone.
"What is the matter, Miss Viz
ginia?" he asked. Have You come
to be prescribed for? You look i'll,
child" he continued, i'll u more sub
dued tone. Il fear you are worry
ingl"
Il want your advice. Doctor" re-
turned, "bat not iu regard to 10y
health
'You shall have il" he said.
Aud then | unfolded to him my plan.
DO you think Mr.. Chichester will
give you mp so easily = he queried.
81 don't--that is" | stammered,
II don't know
'If he loves you, lie will see some
other way out Of your difficulties he
said, almost beneath his breath. Then
aloud: 81 will go over to Squire Ken
yon's with yoll, and see if cannot get
him to extend Your mortgage"
'"Ihank you" L returned; and half
the burden seemed lifted from my
shoulders
Squire Kenyon listened to us, and
gave me five years to pay it off in, pro-
vided that 1 paid a stipulated sum
every three months. Iagreed to that, /
and then returned home,
"Where have you been?" mymother /
inquired.
"Over to Squire Kenyon's. See, he
has given me five years longer in which /
to pay that mortgage; and I will do
My mother made no response. but I :
could see she was not so much pleased ,
IS was.
After breakfast, went and hired
man-it was spring -time-and then
came back.
''Nellie must FRY and care for you
for am r'.:n& :" l"., Steve" said.
Our m,fir:r - N invalid. and
needed gre. led of care for she
was one who E.,, always dissatisfied,
and complaining at her lot, having been
brought up in case.
An hour later. L was holding the
plough, and working like n man, eager
to get as much done as possible before
Rupert came.
Two weeks passed, and one dav he
unexpectedly I arrived. L shall never :
forget how he flushed, as he caught ]
sight of me, standing behind the
plough, in that old sun bonnet, with ,
my face hot from my labor. ,
Can this be you, Virginia ?" he {
asked, as he gave me a kiss, which was \
rather formal. =
walked to the house with him, and =
Nellie, seeing us coming, ran to meet !
Is. ..
"ls this you, Rupert ?" she cried, in I
! little whirl of excitement. 3
And he unceremoniously picked her 8
lp and kissed her warmly. i
"Pardon me I" he exclaimed, drop n
ing her; II really had forgotten that +
ou had grown outof your baby days-" ~
81 am ffteen," Nellie responded. !,
baking her curls at him. II wish you \