Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-01-14

MISS EKlSM'S CODlClL.
Miss Rebecca Erism, 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 the end was so
near. These two young people were
Gerald Erism, her nephew, and Miss
Luane Williams, her companion and
nurse.
Gerald had seen the young woman
every day for the three years she had
lived with his aunt, but never until that
moment had bestowed 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 shin
ing LUMINOSITY in the somber gloom of
the sick chamber, and something therein
forbade him to hate her, although the
sentence his aunt had uttered was to the
effect that she had left Miss Williams
all her money.
"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 Ger
aid.
at was an Infamous transaction" said
the old lady, and what call post-obit
| found out enough about it to make me
put a codicil to my will. That rascally
horse -dealer'l lose his money after ALL
and Emily Thorpe shall tlaunt none of
her iinery at my expense. I've left
every penny to Luane Williams"
1t was then that Gerald looked at
Luane; but his aunt suddenly stretched
out her hands to him pleadingly, and
finding gray pallor spreading over her
face he knelt down by the bedside and
took her cold, withered hand in his own.
"If the horse had been for anyone
but that Emily Thorpe!" faltered the
poor old lady.
"Oh, aunt" said Gerald, if you'd let
me explain"
81 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 very
kind to him-too kind, for she had reared
him for the useless life of drone, when
now it appeared he must work for his
living like all the rest of the bees. 1t
had hitherto been something of a bore
to him merely to spend money, and the
fact began to dawn unpleasantly upon
his mind that to earn it must be infinite
ly more wearisome. g.
Walking aimlessly on, his feet took
mechanically familiar direction, and he
found himself pausing before fine
house in fashionable quarter of the
city, from which shambled somewhat
bent and awkward figure that presently
disappeared in brougham before the
door.
Gerald recognized the man as Mr..
Badger, the millionaire, and involuntari-
ly contras,ed his condition 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 existence.
1t was singular that her remarkable
beauty and brilliant toilet did not appall
Gerald at that moment, that the fact OF
his no longer being able to grace that
lovely hand with BETTING gems did not
prevent him from Selling il in both his
own and kissing it rapturously. But for
/ that enchanting moment he was allowed
to forget the gloomy chamber where his
aunt lay dead, and the woman that
waited there for the money he had been
I taught to consider his own.
/ 1T seems to ne that YOU are very
/ beautiful this morning" was all that he
could say.
Emily drew her hand gently away from
/ his careSs.
Gerald" she said, Il have something
to tell you"
Her accent was cold. There was
/ something in her manner that caused
him to step back and look AT her with a
| dim premonltion of what was TO come.
! You know, " she continued, how bit.
terly opposed is your aunt to your atfec-
ton for me. She has told me herself
that she will never consent to our happi-
ness. Gerald, | am too fond of you to
wreck your whole life. There was but
one way 10 end it all -"
She paused. He leaned forward and
I still kept his eyes, now wan and haggard
upon her face. Then she sank pale and
trembling into chair, and covered her
ewes with her hand. She was moved with
pity. perhaps, or vague regret. AT last
she spoke:
Il have just accepted an offer OF mar
riage."
From Badger" cried Gerald, and
walked 10 the door Your prudence.
he added, standing upon the threshold