Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1877-08-15

that in her heart. But she tore that
tender, true heart, and put You away
from her, starving her love, wearying
night and day for her child. She grew
old in her h~eart-hunger, her health
broke in her starvation for her child's
kiss and caress. l, who have known
her from an infant, g%rieved for her reso-
luton. but V questioned her iudg-
ment. Yet | never knew, until to-day,
the reason for your Punishment and her
misery"
Celia p Albert Melrose cried. why
will you listen to that old dotard? Can
you not see he is influenced by his
desire to hold your property, even
after you are of age? Come with me,
dear child, away from these selfish
plottcrs."
But | must hear the reason Celia
pleaded, why my mother thrust me out
of her home and her heart"
"Never out of her heart, Celia" the
old lawyer said, never out of her heart.
You may not know that, if YOU die
within two months, or if you die with
out making Il will after you are of age,
that your fathers brother is
heir to the fortune your grandfather left
to you. Upon the evening Of his we'd
ding day, the day when won by his
plausible ann and winning voice,
your mother became his wife, he fell
asleep upon a sofa. She loved him then,
Celia, and forgiving his rudeness, pitt
full for his WEAKNESS, as she supposed,
though | understand wine flowed freely
at the wedding breakfast. she sat beside
him, caressing his hair. And in his
sleep he spoke"
"Stop y Albert Molrose spoke hoarse-
ly.
"Onemoment more. He said Once
| marry the mother the child will be
completely i'll my power"
at is a foul lie! Do not believe it,
Celia"
at is the truth, Your mother is here
to confirm my words"
And Kate Melrose, stepping for
ward, held out her arms to the child,
saying
Cecilia, could anything less than a V
ing your life have induced me to part
with you? Child, dear child, | exiled
you for your life's sake. For your life's
sake ! am here now"
And the girl, with one swift glance
into the faceo the twice batiled schemer
for her life and fortune, sprang into the
loving arms that had wearied to hold her
for nine long years,
With a curse, Albert Melrosc turned
on his heel and left the three, seeing
that no words of his could ever again
win Celia's heart from loyal love to her
devoted, self-sacriticing mother.
What his plans had been they V
knew, nor in what way he had so sue
cessfully traced the girl, for by the next
steamer he sailed for Europe, carrying
the remnants of his wife's fortune with
him.
He had obtained access to the SEM
mary under his true character of Gel
las uncle and ~step-father, the principal
having received no caution from Mr..
Carter, who thought she was securely
hidden.
In a few interviews he persuaded
Celia, already smarting under her moth
er's supposed neglect and Indifference,
to go with him away from the sem
mary, to some home he painted in
f%airy-colors to her girlish imagination.
What were his further schemes to
obtain possession of her fortune, moth
er and child could only shudderingly
imagine.
But the will of Celia Melrose, drawn
up on the day she came of age, her
marriage two years later, and the birth
Of her lovely Children, etlectually pre-
vented Albert Melrose from ever inner
iting the fortune he would have obtained
by foulest means, had he not been twice
bafled by Kate Melrose's strong, self
sacrificing mother love.
He died in Europe, never knowing
that his own carelessness in dropping
Celia's letter, agreeing to meet him on
that memorable October afternoon, had
put into his wife's hand the power to
overthrow his last deeply-laid scheme
to grasp the fortune his father had left
to Celia Melrose.