Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1875-08-20
MISS MELToN's coDIoIL.

| Miss Rebecca Melton, a valetudinarian
| of sixty. lay dying at her house in town.
She had held so tenacious a grip upon life
that it was difficult for the two Young
people to realize that the end was so near.
These two young people, Gerald Melton,
her nephew, and Miss Amy Williams, her
companion and nurse.
Gerald had seen the young woman every
day for the three years she had lived with
his aunt, out never until that moment had
bestowed a serious thought upon her. He
did not even know the color of her eyes,
till his aunt gaSped out sentence that
caused him to look at her attentively.
Then he found them shining LUMINOSITY
in the sombre gloom of the sick chamber.
"If you expect to pay for that horse for
Emily Thorpe to ride. with the money you
get by my death,'' said the dying woman,
YOU'RE mistaken
You don't understand" began Gerald.
ut was an infamous tr;lnsac tion,' said
the old lady. II found out enough about
it to make me put Il codicil to my will I've
left every penny to Amy Williams"
1t was then that Gerald looked ut Amy;
but his aunt su denly stretched out er
hands to him pleadingly, and finding a
gray pallor spreading over her face, he
knelt down by her bedside and took hel
cold, withered hand in his own.
IF the horse had been for anyone but
that Emily Thorpe!'' faltered the poor old
lady.
son, aunt" said Gerald, eff you'd let
me explain
II would if had time" she said, "but
must die now.''
In ten minutes it was all over and
Gerald went out Of the house with a great
ache at his heart. He was very sorry for
his aunt; she had been kind to him-too
kind for she had reared him for the use
less life OF a drone, when now it appeared
he must work for a living like all the rest
of the bees. 1t had hitherto been som e.
thing OF a bore to him merely to spend
money. and the fact began to dawn un.
pleasantly on the young mans mind that
/ to earn it must be infinitely more weari-
some. v7
Walking aimlessly on, his feet took me.
chanically il familiar direction, and he
found himself pausing before fine house
III fashionable quarter Of the city, from
whence shambled IA somewhat bent and
awkward figure that disappeared in a
brougham before the door.
Gerald recognized the man us Mr.. Bad
ger, the millionaire. and involuntarily
contrasted his own position with that OF
the fortunate soap dealer. He was, how
ever, so absorbed with the direful news he
had to tell Emily that before she came into
the parlor he had forgotten Badgers exis-
tence.
| 1t was singular that her remarkable
beauty and brilliant toilet did not appal
Gerald at that moment, and the fact of his
no longer being able to grace that lovely
hand with BETTING gems did not prevent
him from Selling i. in both his own and
kissing it rapturously. For that enchant
ing moment he was allowed to forget the
gloomy chamber where his aunt lay dead
and the woman who waited there for the
money he had been taught to consider his
own. swea e
sit seems to me that you are looking
very beautiful this morning." was all that
he could say.
Emily drew her hand gently away from
her caress.
s'Gerald." she said; 81 have something
to tell you.''
Her accent was cold. There was some
thing in her manner that caused her tt
step back and look at her with dim pre-
monition of what was to come.
sYou KNOW" she continued, chow bit
terly opposed your aunt is to your aztec
ton for ne. She has told me herself sh
will never consent to our happiness. Ger
aid, [ am too fond of you to wreck you
whole life. There is but one way to end i
ALL
She paused. He leaned forward an
still kept his eyes, now wan and haggard
8 upon her face. Then she sank, pale All
trembling, into a chair, and covered he
face with her hands. She was moved wit
B pity, perhaps, or vague regret. At las
, she spoke. Hl faoe
# 81 have just accepted an offer of ma
:. riage."
"From Badger, y cried Gerald, and wall
led to the door. "Your prudence, he al