Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1874-10-02

affairs
.True. But in this kind Of affair |
could not assume to dictate to him, and
if | did,. | know him too well to believe
that he would not follow out his notions
to the end, in spite of any suggestions
could Offer
"You hint that may be my guardi-
ans heir. | never thought of this, nor
do | care about it,
"And Mr. Calder" ventured. elias
he no eye TO your probable fortune, or
dowry Y
'Not the least thought in that direc-
ton ever suggested itself to him, | hon
estly believe, " she replied.
And your guardian knows nothing of
your engagement y
"No sir. Why, he won't allow Hen
ry to approach me at all. He forbade
him to visit the house even
Patience is all | can recommend,
then" | said quietly. Watch and wait
Your guardian may relent."
Miss Clara left me unconsolcd, but ev-
identity resolved not to be sacrificed to
what she deemed her old guardians I'M
reasonable selfshness.
A roomy, comfortable apartment in a
large, old-fashioned house.
Upon one side cheerful fire glowed
from out the spacious CRATE, and in front
of its seeming genial warmth there stood
an ample, high-backcd easy-chair, in
which, sitting bolt upright could be seen
the form Of an old man, whose gaze was
fixed apparently upon the fitting da.ao,
as if he were in deep meditation.
The aged man had sat before that CRATE
at evening a thousand times before. in
this same chair. and in the fixed attitude
of contemplation or sulky reticence; and
the ancient attendant he employed as II
man of all work had seen his crusty old
master there, the last thing before he re-
plenishcd the fire at night, for years and
years.
1t was part of his ill-paid old servants
understood duty that on these occasions
he did not disturb the reveries of his irate
employer, and so he did not discover
that Miles Graspall was dead
The flames of the fresh fuel rose slow
| ly and burned low The FIRE settled
down, and heap of snouldering ashes
only remained
Philip mounted to his chcerless attic,
and slept soundly as was his wont, till
next morning, while Miles Graspall re-
NAMED before the prato cold ind stark.
sleeping the sleep that knows u3 waking
/ IN this life
Upon the small table which stood at
the right of his chair there lay sheet
of paper, on which was written, in tho
peculiar but well-known hand Of the
rich old guardian of Clara Ellwell the
commencement of the usual declaration
of will, which had evidently been UNI
dertaken by the old man at previous
date, and which he had that evening
either been contemplating or making ad-
ditions to, the last paragraph of which
ran thus:
81 further give and bequeath unto
Clara Ellwcll, my well-esteemed ward
and adopted daughter, only child of my
sister Clara, the sum of twenty We thou
sand dollars, in cash, as a wedding gift,
whenever said Clara decides to marry"
And these were the concluding words
of the instrument, which had plainly
been prepared so far with care and fore
thought by the hand of the man who had
been stricken by death in the very midst
of his intentions whatever they were
who now sat in his old chair, an uncon-
scious victim of paralysis!
X 4 II
Philip rose at his customary carly hour
in the morning, and repaired to the an
Gent sitting room to put things in order
there when, to his surprise, he sudden
ly discovered that his why old master
bad forgotten to 90 to bed the night pre-
vious, irrasmuch as he found Miles Grasp
all sitting where he had left him, with
clasped hands, and elbows resting on the
chair arms, still gazing earnestly and fix
eddy into the now cold and blackcned
CRATE.
Philip knew what the consequence
would bc-or thought he knew should
he disturb his employers cogitatiors
He was indifferently paid to perform GER
tain mental duties, and he was forbidden
to ask questions.
1t was not little strange that the old
gentleman should have remained up all
night; but perhaps he hadn't, thought
Philip. He might have just come down
stairs, and was sulkily waiting for the
fire to be rekindled.
Philips eyesight was none Of the best
anyway. So be hustled about, cleared
the ashes, removed the fender, when he
looked at Miles, and be suddenly felt that
something was wrong" there.
The servant placed bis hand, for The
first time in his life, upon the blanched,
cold forehead of his master, and ex-
claimed, dead p
And ten minutes afterwards the rigid
corpse was surrounded by the alarmed
household, foremost among whom came
the beautiful Clara, iB whose profound
grief and copious lamentations there was
no Disguise
But all was over with Miles Graspall
He occupied the old easy-chair for the
last time, and he had written the last
words he would ever write in this world.
was most unexpectedly summoned to
my patrons house on that fatal morning,
and the first thing that arrested my at
tention on entering the room-where all
remained yet undisturbed- the doc
ument that lay on the table beside the