Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1873-08-16

he wrote out paper, and folded il ia q n
envelope and directed it to you. What
it contains do not know. | know he
did hot intend for my ewes to see it, and
L will respect his wishes now that he is
dead, though did not in his life. You
See 90 not try to shield myself. l did
not know of 1iIis letter though, until
three months after his death. But
feared lac would tell yoH, what sup
pose he has written, and when sent
Luke Varney for you that night, | also
sent a man to see that You did not come.
But the fellow eXceefied his orders aud
for seventeen terrible months haye up
raided myself as your murderer
yours, Waller, you whom loved, and
have for lnere than twenty years, better
than my own life!
.sIt is a humiiiatiHg confession for a
womait TO make, but cannot otherwise
explain W hat it is right for You to know.
loved you, Walter, before her fair face
crept into your heart, shutting me for
ever out of the only haven L hoped or
cared for. married Dane out OF SIM
pie revenge, SO that l might keep you
out OF your fathers home and heart. l
forbade Danes seeking or aeceptingany
reconciliation with you, and yet l loved
you all that time! You cannot under
stand it; well, no matter. 1t is all over
now, the whitening fire, the bitter pain.
but all! the sears remain!
II go from here Tomorrow. leaving
you 10 your own. You will never see
me again, and this is the last word L
shall ever speak to you let me say then, ,
this once, dear Walter, farewell. Let
Lena think as kindly of me as she will. !.
she has a tender heart, and l loved the
child because she was yours. Once more
farewell. CELIA"
Lena was lying in her husbands
arms, crying softly, when he closed.
''PoOr auntie-God pity her." she said,
gently. And that was all the word
that fell between them then, though
Walter Hargrave leaned over and kissed
his daughter with more than his usual
tenderness.
He read the letter from his brother in
silence and tears, as befitting message
from the dead. 1t was in its essential
points very much like hers. and need
not be repeated. But the will gave
equally to Walter and Dane Hargrave
all the vast estates of which the old
squire was possessed, and though Barry
Grey never came back to Brent (he dared
noD, Susan Bristow acknow ledged to
her signature, though ignorant all these
been approved so many years before.
and which gave to Dane the entire prop
erty.
Measures were at once instituted, and
Walter Hargrave soon came into legal
possession of his patrimony. He had
made preparations for settling certain
portion upon his brothers widow, when
the word came to him that she was dead.
Again there was joy in Brent. But
now it was upon the Sabbath, and
though people looked enthusiastic, of
| course nobody cheered. The chief
point of attraction upon this occasion,
however, was the chapel instead of the
railway station; and instead of battle
flags, beautiful garlands of eyergreens
and Il few late roses decked the altar.
And. most Interesting of all, Mollie
Sterhe and Luke Varney stood up be-
fore the old white-haired minister and
severally promised to Glove. honor and
cherish" each other ''till death did them
part"
When the ceremony Was over Doctor
| DinsmOre gave Molie II sealed paper
which she was not 10 open until tilt
next day. But that is no reason why
you should wait until Tomorrow before
you know, and SO | will reveal its con.
| tents at once. 1t WAS a deed of the doc.
tors house and the few acres of land be
longing to it, "as II slight return for tiis
Invaluable services she bad once rem
dered him, the whole of which debt ht
never expected to be able to pay, if h,
We're rich as Crnsus."
You see Mr.. Hargrave could not Civ,
up his 'slittle girl and of course til,
doctor coul.in't give up his wife--espe
cialiy now that he had Developed int
such a model lover-husband, and s.
they all went together to the Hargray'
mansion, while Luke and Mollie tool
up their abode in their new home, an,
old Hugh gave up the lighthouse an,
came and lived with them, vet goin,
down to the shore every day and stand
ing for hours looking off to the crne
harbor bar which had wrecked his hap
piness past any resurfcctfon this sid
heaven.
One day, some time the following win
ter, Mollie--I beg her pardon! Mrs
Varney--came out and spoke to Docto
DinsmOre as he was on his way HON
from Davitt's--they We're some of then
sick--and unfolding q newspaper
pointed to a brief item in that portion
of the paper which it is slanderously re
ported is particularly attractive to feII
mime eyes.
His Trace Frightened, and then gre,
grave again, as If he reDuked himsel
for some latent fear that was not strict
ly loyal in its faith.
81 want you to show it to her." sll
said.
. 81 had rather not" his face CROWN
troubled. E i=.s .
; fsHaven't you faith in her, now ?'' sll
asked, sharply.
81 never lost faith in hertz was til
: proud reply.
''1'hen prove it by telling her.
think she W 1uld like to know it, e.
y But might she not think that Iii
it to remind her of what, God knows,
never think about, OF want to thin
|, about? That did it because in SON
way-ever so little, doubted her?"
> "Why, Doctor Dinsmoie," 81
laughed, ssyon are rs timid and hesita
: ing as loyer of twenty"
! "Say a lover of forty, and yOE have
exactly" he said, smiling. Neverth
less he put the paper in his pocket, al
= when he got home pointed the item o
;. to his wife, carefully looking away fro
q her-lest she might think he was watcl
ing her-while she read i'll stead
O though slightly surprised voice, the ft
lowing:
% "Married in this city (Baltimnre).
t, the residence of the brides father, ]
Is Rev. Mr.. Blake. Mr.. Leslie Wolee
d and Miss Agnes Carroll"
81 am so glad!" she exclaimed. s'N
II on my account" she added, quickl
5, ''YOu will not think that, BASIL col
+, ing and standing beside him and putin
1t one little hand shyly on his arm.
1t am only glad for him; for myself, l G.
~ defy hundred Leslie Wolcotts now
'g II didn't think, my darling-I-"
''No, Basil, l know you didn't; bu
l; want to tell you how much more yo
III strong. faithful, unselfisIi love is to II
than you eau ever think OF fathom, O
~ could ever, ever tell if had milli
OF tongues"
~ THE END.