New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-10-10

railing"
I IT'S Miss Inglea orrh's, sir" answered
the sexton, in q tone that told of surprise.
Then adding, in more subdued voice and
with increased s0lemniry, "We buried her
but the day before yesterday. But, sir,
thought you'd know all about it,"
| "No; I've been absent from Ems land, and
as l only returned this morning hadn'!
heard OF her death. Well, poor lady
knew she couldn't last long. Drive on,
| Jarvey!'
At this the lyman f1ourished his whip,
and the carriage moved br1skly of. leaving
the sexton transtixed to the spot, a picture
of perplexity and establishment.
| Its awkward, this occurrence" solilo-
| quzed Captain Walton, mot to say omin.
GUS. coming at such crisis. My Nelly had
| great regard for her old aunt, and this
melancholy affair will no doubt, be affect
| ing her very much, and make it necessary
| 70 postpone the ceremony, for which we've
been so long waiting. 1t would seem as il
we were ever to be doomed to disappOint-
| ment."
The cloud which had spread over the
| speakers countt nance had nearly passed of
| a. he came within sight of Inyleworth
| House. But the black hatchment fixed on
| the facade brought it on again. and in
solemn silence lie was driven up to the
door.
Without waiting for the driver to de-.
| scend from his seat he sprar out of the Il '
| and rang the hall bell.
II was answered by footman with face
as long as it could possibly be pulled.
rs Miss Ingleworth at home, james p
"Yes, captain, she is"
"AnnOunca me-"
The man went off. and soon returning,
| said:
will you please walk in, SIR Miss Ingle
worth is down in the drawing room; she ex.
pected you would get here to day. Sad
news it is, sir, for you especially"
Why Tor him especially Captain Walton
did not stay to reflect. His beloved and
hetrothed was waiting within, and hurry
ing past the sevaut he pushed the draw
ing room door and stepped inside. There
his steps were arrested by a sight that for
time suspended his hearts pulsation. In
stead of his darling Nelly starting up from
a chair and rushing forward to receive him,
he saw only the maiden aunt reclining upon
her invalid couch, as be had often seen her
before. Sudden as the | ghtDine's fash the
full truth broke upon him. The question,
Where is Helen" came but mechanically
from his lips, for soon as asking he himself
answered it, adding, "You need not tell me.
l know it. 1 know ail--she is dead!'
And she was.
As soon as the distracted lover had got
over his first wild frenzy of grief, and be-
came calm enough to listen, the particulars
of his .idncee's death were communicated to
him. There had been no prolonged Illness
for Helen InglewOrth had died suddenly
almost in the same hour in which she was
seized. He knew this without being told;
her letter he received in Marsellles bore
date but the day before that of her death,
and in it there was no mention of any NAL
adv, nor, indeed. much else save their ap-
preaching nurtials, with her own Joyous
exultatiOn at their being SO near. Whjls
writing that letter she had evidently been
in the bet OF spirits-as it proved, alas! too
like the tabled swan that sang its sweet
song before expiring.
Heart disease had been the cause of her
death, as stated by her aunt and attested
by the certificate of the medical man who
had attended her.
1t was but slight sOlace to the expectant
bridegroom whom death had thus cruelty
despoiled to learn that he WAS not also de.
prived of the property which would have
become his on contamination of the mar.
risge ceremony. BY will soon after put
into his hand he saw that be was made sole
possessor of all Helen Inglewo, this estates,
some money legacies alone excepted.
Though poor-having, indeed, but little
more than his captains pay to live on
Henry Walton was not The man to care
much for this. Could he have recalled
Helen Ingleworth to lite he would have
cheeriuIly surrendered all, and been CON
tented to live with her in theqiumblest cot
tage on her estate. Alas! it was not to be.
She Was dead-dead and buried; he would
never see her more.
While glancing over the contents Of her
wlll-which by official necessity he was
forced to read-one of its clauses struck
him as being of somewhat singular char
acter. Besides legacy of 100000 left to
har fhara W. aunfhar fnra N
amount to be given to the doctor who had
attended her. Ten thousand pounds for
professional services, as particularized in
the wording OF the will
What were these professional services
What could they be 2" very naturally asked
Captain Walton of himself. And, directing
his inquiries in the proper quarter; he
learned that they consisted In semi
weekly visit during a period of twelve
months, with few hours attendance
when the final crisis came. One hundred
pounds per visit A payment cut of all
proper ton to the service rendered, and yet
no other reason was assigned for the ex-
traordinary beqnest. True, DR.. Lamson,
the lucky legatee, was the family physician
had been for years. But this could not
account Tor Helen InglewOrth having be-
queathed him such an enormous sum, and
Captain Walton was puzzled for the ex-
PLANTATION. The aunt could not give it, In
deed, she, too, WAS equally perplexed by
the beQuest, and not little nettled to think
that stranger, doctor, had been remem-
bered in her nieces will to the same amount
as herself! 81 e,. n
Failing to find q tisfactory clue to this
strange clause, Captain Walton not the less
determined on executing it. HIS would
faithfully fulfill the trust repost in him as
cole I'D ministrntor-which he was. IL was
there in black and white, solemn tesla
ment duly signed by Helen Ingleworths
own hand-how his trembled as he scanned
the we'll known sutograph-attested By two
witnesses; one the lawyers clerk who had
drawn up the will, the other q young man
whom Captain Walton remembered being
in DR.. Lamson'e service sort Of assistant.
Thif, again, seemed q strange circumstance,
though 10 even did not euggest to the mind
Of the young officer any suspicion of foul
deslisg on the part of the physiclsn. The
character OF the latter forbade such q sup
position, and Captain Walton ives not given
to wicked or unjust surmises. Besides, the
aunt had informed him that her niece knew
she had the heart disease. She had often
complained of paipitations. But it mat
tered little now what the diseaee; she was
dead; and, beyond doubt, the doctors oe-
tifcete correctly stated the cause of her
death. -. $3.50
So ccneluded Captain Walton. ~ with
SD heart he set about executing the trusts
Of Che will. But before he could pay the
iargo sum heqnsAthed to DR.. Lams0n ru.
naEs began p reach him which seemed to
give rood reason for Withholding it--at
Ieast. Ter 5 time. The esssip Of tne .neiah-
borhood had commenced making itself busy
with the phyaieaan1s nane-hithsrts spot
lees ard irreproAchable4 Tho ONLY thing
ever alleged aRiinst him va fOndneas for