The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1875-03-04
The Rich Man Of Upham;
-slu.14t
Matte COlwell's Good Work.
BY ANNA Shields
BY ANNA SHIELDS.

BY ANNA Shields.
''The doctor says he cannot live
more than few days longer"
Matte Colwell had been inquiring
how it fnred with Simon cartwright,
the rich man of Upham, who lay vast
ing with fatal illness. Not a young
man, yet ono who had carried fifty
seven years as erectly as thirty, and
who had borne promise of long life
before the fatal direase came suddenly
to end his hope. In 'sauld lang syne''
which every man past his first youth
carries in his heart, Simon cartwright
had wooed pretty Matte Colwell and
won her love. Before their betrothal
was six months old, when the lovers
were driving out together, the horse
had taken fright, run away, and Mat
tie was thrown out and crippled for
life. When this was an established
fact, the girl had hidden her lover
farewell, and, refusing all warm en-
treaties, had taken up the burden of
her life alone. AS years rolled by her
infirmities had increased, until, at fif-
ty, shelwas feeble old woman beside
the strong and stalwart lover of her
youth.
1t had been one of the rare cases
where love had mellowed into lifelong
friendship, though Simon had married
and lost his wife, and had one son liv-
ing, estranged from his father. a son
upon whom Matte had poured out all
the mother-love that every woman
hides in her heart.
But while sorrow, pain and loneli-
ness had never hardened Mattie's heart,
but left it at fifty as tender, pure and
true as it was at seventeen, Simon
Hartwright had grown hard and stern.
devoted to money-making and full of
worldly wisdom, When his old love
had timidly tried to heal the breach
between himself and Ed ward, his first
born, he had repulsed her good offices
SO sternly that she had never dared re-
peat them, and only comforted her
heart by corresponding with the boy
she loved so well.
But the fiat had gone forth that OYER
came all womanly timidity, and Mat
tie, when her question was answered,
went slowly to her own room. her
head bowed, and tears coursing down
her withercd cheeks. Once there, she
knelt an d prayed, long and fervently
She arose from her knees very pale,
but with steady light in her soft,
brown eyes, and putting ON her de-
mure Quaker-like bonnet and cape,
went out into the cold, winter air. All
about her the snow flakes whirled in
the bitter wind, but she kept forward
till she stood at the door of the great
white house Simon Hartwright had
built for his home. The housekeeper
who opened the door, knew Miss Mat
tie well, for the crippled old maid was
beloved by every man, woman and
child in Upham, for her gentle chari-
ties and noble, self-sacrificing life.
"I'm glad you've come to see Mr..
cartwright" said the housekeeper,
"for he is very bad to- day. He cannot
lie down at all without suffocating
spells. Will you go up"
Up to lofty room, luxuriantly fur
nished, VIII ere the sick man sat in a
great arm chair, far away from the
ruddy CRATE fire that tortured his
lungs. With smile that few people
ever saw upon his hard face, Simon
Hartwright stretched out his hand to
Matte Colwell.
81 was sure you would come when
they told you how bad was," he said,
folding her little white hand in his
own, almost as white as snow.-"You
have not been my friend of late, Mat
tie ?"
"Always your friend, Simon," was
the answer, "but thinking you wrong
in one act of your life. 1t is for that |
am here
She threw aside her hat and cape as
she spoke and took a chair beside the
invalid. Upon his face had gathered
a hard frown, his lips were firmly
folded, and his eyes cruel as death,
Undaunted, Matte said:
"You will forgive Ned, Simon" 2"
"Never! He disobeyed me where l
had most set my heart!"
ale married Lucy Wheaton, loving
her."
ga girl whose father was common
drunkard, who died in delirum tire
mems and was buried by charity"
"But good, pure girl, who nobly
did her duty to father and baby sister
till both died. A loving, tender girl
against whom there was no whisper
of repoach, and faithful. good wife
now for three years. You will not
die unforgiving?"
81 have made my will. 1t is here,
and he opened drawer in the table
beside him. ''There are some legacies
but the bulk of my fortune goes tC
found library in Upham, this house
to be used for the purpose. Ned will