The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1874-10-16

| ehO OC1OdNSlAcuG Gudb WAS udSleulQg
to him should come. This letter,
never reached Godfrey.
| l received letters from him irreg-
ularly, for he was moving constantly,
but ever loving and hopeful, looking
forward to his return, planning for
our future. My happy, peaceful life
at Walnut Hill was only clouded by
the gradual falling of my cousin
Nellie, who sank to rest upon her
fathers breast, holding my hand,
when she had been my sister for
nearly year.
My uncle's grief was softened by
my presence. It had been my
cousins care to tell me of all his
wishes and tastes, and l tried to re-
pay his love for me by filing a
daughters place in every way. But
after these two years I have describ-
ed, Godfrey's letters ceased. Again
and again steamers came in, and no
letter came to me. I wrote to vari-
GUS points where he had been, and
received no answer. Finally my un-
Gle wrote to the house in whose en-
ploy he Travelled. They sent an i'm
mediate answer:
'Mr. Raymond has resigned his
place, and gone with an exploring
porty to Central Africa"
That was all. If he had found an
other love he did not bid the old one
farewell. Without word or sign he
went from my life.
Six years passed away and my
stepfather died. In mis- will he re-
stored to me my fathers property,
nearly doubled by successful invest
ments. l was Indifferent to wealth
when it came to me. Ny uncle sup
pied every want, and willed his
property to me, but he was glad that
my lost inheritance came back to
me from his own sense of Justice.
In the six years l had lived at
Walnut Hill 1 bad gone into society,
had read and studied, keeping my
uncle's house, and leaving no spare
time for sorrowful meditation. I
had suitors, made friends, but the
heart l had given Godfrey would
not open Tor new love. False or
true, Godfrey was the one love of
my life, and 1 would have no other.
1 was twenty eight years old, and
ten years had elapsed since my first
meeting with Godfrey, when 10Y
uncIe's death once more threw me
on the world alone. With all his
wealth added to my own,I was with
out one living relation, and strange
ly desolate. 1 never made intimate
friends, and my home became hate
full to me.
left it in the care of house
keeper,and with one paid companion,
Mrs. Lee, Il returned to my old home,
New York, for visit. In the hotel
where took a suit of rooms met
one of my old schoolmates. She
had been one Of the few who had
visited me when l was earning my
living at the sewing machine, and
had given me her dresses to make;
so we met cordially,
"You must come home with mel"
she urged. 81 am married, you
know, and my husband has a home
st Nysck-on-the Hudson. We have
two little girls and q baby boy. I
an only here on a shopping excur-
sion, and going back tomorrow.
You must 60 with me-"
She was very cordial, and when
her husband, Mr.. Lancelles, was
introduced to me, he added his en-
treaties to those of his wife, and
was easily persuaded to make a visit
to Nyack. Here, Marion playfully
overhauled my wardrobe, and made
me alter and change to her taste.
"You look about twenty two or
three, though 1 know you are Older"
she said to me, "and you dress like
fifty! You must let me dress you"
So my dresses were founced and
trimmed, soft lace relieving the deep
black had worn since my uncle's
death; my hair was crimped, and
Marion fused over me as if 1 was
one of her own little girls.
I had been six weeks at Nyack,
when the little girl told me one
morning, with the appearance of i'm
parting weighty tidings, that Uncle
Ray was coming home, ana a few
minutes after Marion came to my
room.
we are to have com pany," she
said.
"Your brother?"
$50 the children have told you.
They call him Uncle Ray, but he is
not a relative He is an intimate
friend of Mr.. Lancelles. They were
at school together, and for years in
the same business house. Three
years ago Ray came here and made
US visit Of over two months, re-
turning to Europe. He travels con-
stantly, restlessIy. Come with me-
while get his room ready, and I
will tell you more about him."
"He is not rich she said, "but
he earns enough to live upon
by writing tor some OF the leading
journals. Alone in the world, since
we have had a home he leaves many
of his valuables with us, fearing to
lose them if he takes them with
him. You must never betray me,
but I will show you box he left the
last time he was here, that 1 am to
destroy if he dies abroad"
AS she spoke, Marion opened a
cabinet and took out q small box,
which she unlocked with a key she
took from her own pocket.
In this box we're q few small par
ticles. One, an envelope, held a
photograph Of grave, q tall white
marble shaft, and upon it,