The Leavenworth weekly times., 1874-10-08
AN OLD MANS STORY.


mart euppIied BY cur fathers old house
Eefpsr, Dame Watson, who was GOOD,
weli-meaning sal, yet showing none OF thai
tender care one's own mother can feel.
Our father was engroesed by his business,
and devoted but little time to his motherless
bows. He was a merchant, and carried on
trade in New York, some half an hou s
trayel by tle railway. We lived in grand
old mansion by the Hudson river. The
Morton Homestead YVES we'll known through
cut the country for lis antiquated and ven.
erable appearance, having been built batcre
the Revolutionary War, by our English an
cestor, Sir Greenville Morton, who had
emigrated to this country and adopted j;
for his own.
Time sped on, and when We were eighteen,
ill-heal,h, together with advancing age
caused our father TO retire, with a compe.
tency. from business. We had received q
good education from private tutors, and a;
the age of twenty we We're ready to acc sde
to our fathers wishes and 60 into mercsn.
tile business, he furnishing us ~ith good
capital to start with.
So far our lives had known only JOY and
happiness, We having scarcely thought that
was At yarisEce with brotherly feelings; ye,
Owe were very different in disposition. ] had
inherited my fathers stern will and hss'y
temperament, while, on the contrary, Jas
Der was gentle and slow to anger, with a
calm, LOVING disposition. But even with
such different traits of character, we had
never yet quarreled since our first childish
years.
A sad change was TO come over the spirit
of our dreams, and this is how il came
about, An aunt, our mothers eister lvir G
in an adjoining State, had, before leaving
this vale of tears, requested our father to
take charge Of her only daughter, a. he was
her nearest of kin then living. As father
was only too glad to befriend the orphan. in
few days our cousin was an inmate o! Nor
ton Homestead.
Never shall forget tie surprise with
which first beheld Myrtella Warren. Had
an angel suddenly burst upon my view,
could not have been more astonished. In
stead of, az though. her, a little girl IN
pantaleis, a lovely young lady of seventeen
years OF age took my profiered hand in the
library, and gave me cousinly salute with
her rosy lipe Never can forget the thrill
of that kis,. NY heart was taken by
storm. / was irresocably in love at first
sight.
che must have noticed something OF my
admiration in my eDtrancsd gaze, for her
eyela,hes fell, and her cheeks were suffused
with lovely crimson; but whether from
modesty or a reciprocal feeling l could no,
tell, but would have given worlds to have
been assured that her first impressions OF
me were as favorable az mine of her.
Jasper was not at home, and ! wondered,
with my first twiIge of jealousy, kow he
would be impressed with her appearance;
for in my heart had already resolved upon
winning her, if possible, for bride.
didn't sleep much that night, and in
what little did was haunted by my disa-
greeable dreams, in which my brothers cad
face was present, pleading, in sorrowful
voice, for share in the affections Of Myrtei-
la. Then, when refused his earnest plead
ing, he disappeared from my sight, and his
lingering remark. You are your bro'h here
murderer, appeared to be taken up and ech-
oed by thousands Of voices, until, in terror,
awoke, and was glad the night was past,
and that had only been dreaming. new
er place any faith in dreams or warnings.
If had, should have interpreted mine to
mean that something bad was TO happen 10
me o. my brother.
The next few days passed pleasantly to
me, in the company of Myrtella, of whom
my fret impression had not dimmed; but
the more got acquainted, the more i found
to love and admire We took many rides
and drives, and was her constant compan-
ion and escorf; yet could not say that my
wooing was prosrering as we'll as | oouli
wish. She was ever kind and Loving, yet
she seemed 10 regard me rather in the light
oil q brother than lover; and whenever
LII Al 1C lav No srA
denly impressed with tie importance OF
some object entirely foreign TO my feslipgs,
which was very aggrayating to my impetu-
Gus nature. However, i resolved TO pesse.
we're and hope for the best.
Thus time rolled onward; days length
ened into weeks, and seemed 10 be no
when my father received notice from 4 dis
tart firm, with whom he had business reIa.
tions, that required his immediate presence
confirmed invalid, and the inclement season
of the year having arrived, he could not
take the journey to attend to il him self; so
was neosssitated, though much agairs, my
will, to 20 as his agent. As the business
admitted of no delay, in two hours | was
ready; 20, without time TO speak a parting
stepped into train found for the S1uthern
city Of Mobile. consslei myself with the
thought that in short time l would return,
and then. With the fnt opportunity, l would
press my claim, and know my fate, for this
suspense was consuming torture TO me.
/ arrived safe at my Gestinaiion, bu, soon |
learned that the affairs of the firm were in |
such complicated condition that possibly
some time would elapse before could settle |
my fathers business with it and return.
/ had written to my father as TO whether
| was obliged to stay until the business Of |
the firm was all settled. He wrote that bv
all means must stsy; nothing about Myr-
tella, only that she was well, and that Jas-
per was at home. 4 Bis last was the feather
that was about to break the camel's back
But every thing mus. come TO an end. Nv
absence, and again entered Nor
ton Homestead. l was warmly welcomed
BY Jasper and Myrtells. They seemed, to
my jealous eyes, to be on very loving terms;
but whether Jasper regarded our cousin in
any dearer light than bro.hsriy affection,
could no. satisfactorily then determine
resolved, however, that would not long be
! prey to uncertainty, and, with this resolve,
oOuSot dloIc. alter some Gesu.-
tory conversation, i told her of nv intense
owe, from the fi.st moment l beheld her,
md entreated her to give me hope; il not
aow, to give me some prospect Of happiness
n the future. On my knees besought her
owe.
She seemed thunderstruck at my abrupt
proposal, and, taking me by the hand,
'egged me to rise, whtle a look of mingled {
pity and pain passed over her face 40 she
"Oh, Thoma., my Ge,r cousin, {
'ou little know how you haye painei me,
or little thought of this; but | can never
owe you other tnan sister should dear {
"Myrtella, do no, ray SO. Have yo. a
,rior engagement?-for sarely have a I
ight to ask"
'Ob, Thomas. indsei am so,ry for You.
mt l am the afianced vile OF your brother" Z
"Perdition seize the black-hearted rascal" |
csied. in uncomfortable arger, as I s,rode I
rom her presence. Then like q mailman, (
rushed fIo1 the house 4
The last spark of brotherly affection died I
,ut Of NY heart; anger and revenge took
'omplete control of me, and resolved that
{ he possessed her heart he should never 7
'oesess her hand. strobe along the high I
ray, my b-ain nearly crszed, not knowing q
II caring whittier l went. | met vounc 4
nan Of my acquaintanoe, who accosted me: |
"Good-svenlny, Tom. Why, what's the