Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1874-07-10
in his dark eve, and tender protection

upon MS strong arm, sure that 1t would
always protect her; and when her step
grew weak, her eye dim with age, she
knew his love would watch over her
as it did now over her delicate, fragile
form. 1t seemed to me the beau ideal
of true love. He so strong, dignified
and tender; she fair, trusting, and 50
ready to follow meckly where his judg-
ment led. Her lonely life, her orphan
hood, and weak health had made her
peculiarly dependent upon love, and
she was like the vine that would fall
did not a strong heart stand ready to
support her clinging love. SO Thought
then.
! My new nephew was the only son of
my old friend Lawrence, a man of
standing and wealth, who gave his con-
sent to the marriage, and fondled my
pets curls with an distracted air.
which we all attributed to absent
mindness, and thought of it no more.
Young Frank was physician, and,
as his father described it, left home to
settle in a small town in Ohio, there
to establish practice. We all thought
it odd that Mr.. Lawrence should be
anxious for Frank to make his Owll
way so entirely; but the lovers parted
with vows of constancy, and he went
to Ohio.
Two years passed away, and my pet
was of age There was meeting of
lawyers, some signing of papers, and
! Constance was in possession of the
large property her father had left. On
the day she came of age my old friend
Mr.. Lawrence died, and Frank was
sent for to come home. | knew my
child's hope, which was mine, too, that
his fathers death, making him indie
pendent, would allow him to remain
at home.
1t was the evening after the funeral.
We were seated in the parlor, listening
to gentle rain pattering on the win
dow-panes, listening, too, for we'll
known footstep, when the bell rang
violently, and then with a hasty step,
Frank came in.
We knew he would be sad, for he
had loved his father well; but We start
ed as the light fell upon his face. Such
a look Of utter, despairing misery
never saw before. Constance was be-
side him instantly.
Frank, dear, YOU are i'll
His lip qcivered, and he took her in
his arms, and looked into her face with
a passionate look of love and sorrow
that as heart breaking, then he came
to me, nd putting her on the sofa be-
side me ne said, softly:
"Take her, auntie, II must give
her up"
"Give her up"
II am not inconstant. | love her.
his voice broke here; but after a mo-
ment, he said; 81 will tell you. When
my-when Mr.. Lawrance's will was
read this afternoon, it was found that
he had only few thousand dollars to
will away; these he left to me. The
rest of his property goes to his heir-at-
law, his nephew"
''Surely his son is heir-at-law," |
cried.
81 am not his son.
Not his son -
"Never meant to deceive you; |
thought until to-day that | had the
right to call him father, but | had
not. He left, me a letter, telling me
that Years ago he was called to see a
dying woman, who had heard that he
was rich aud charitable; she begged
him to care for her baby, and died
whilst she spoke. He did as she re-
quested. May God reward him for it,
And-and-that is all. | know not
who [ am; nameless, poor, | came to
tell Constance that she is free"
Ny darling had listened quietly;
now she left her place beside me to 60
to her dearest resting-place, in his
arms. She did not speak; she only
rested her fair head on his bosom,
drew his arms about her waist, and so,
silently, lovingly, renewed their en-
gagement. ! stole away leaving them
standing there.
The next day he left us to return to
Ohio. He wished, he said, to make
himself a home and position before
he married, and we respected the no.
BILE heart that shrank from seeming to
WOO the heiress and he went back. At
first his letters were frequent, then
longer intervals came between them,
and we noticed that each time the