The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1878-02-21
LOaning a Lover.

Strange enough, for we had always been
terribly poor down at Lowbridge, my
widowed mother bringing up her four
daughters with the greatest difficulty;
but when brought up we were worth
looking at, believe.
Bess ard Amy were twins, with ewes
blue as the sea near which they were
born, rosy cheeks, and long, light brown
curls. Patricia was II sparkling brunette,
while | was perfect blonde. with Grin
killed. hair like molten gold. Great had
been our excitement when Aunt Betty
wrote from Fairhaven
DEAR SISTER IN LAW: l am going to
do myself the pleasure of visiting you
this summer. hear that brother Abel
left four girls, and | want to see them. |
am getting on in years, and will make
one of them my heiress, ETC."
Aunt Betty, of Fairhaven, was worth a
hundred thousand dollars if she was
worth cent.
Well, in due time she came. She put
up at the hotel, for our cottage At Low
bridge wasn't big enough to hold her,
with her maid, coachman and carriage;
but fortunately that was close by, ana
she spent the larger half of three days
with us.
We all thought Bess would be her
choice, for father had named her Eliza
beth for Aunt Betty, though she had al
ways been "Bess" with US; but it was not
either of the twins and it was not lit
was Patricia.
"Where did that girl get her black
hair" Aunt Betty, asked, as soon as she
saw her.
II think she looks like my brother
Luke, don't your asked the mother, with
wistful look.
'The very image of him." answered
Aunt Betty, turning pale.
| OWNED then, AS learned afterward,
Uncle Luke bad been a lover of Aunt
Betty's when both were young, before
her marriage, and the fact seemed to have
power over her.
She looked at Patricia until the girl
blushed rosy-red, and would have
slipped out of the room, when she called
her to her, and drawing her down upon
her knees IN footstooI before her, she put
withered hand each side of TIE young
cheek, and said, warmly:
my dear, you shall DE my heiress."
SO it was Patricia she chose to leave
her IN >ney to; but we were not left out
in the cold, for she sent the twins, who
were only sixteen, to a convent school for
two years, and invited me, with Patricia,
to the Hermitage.
1t was her home-a stately old man.
sion of gray stone, gloomy looking on the
outside, but luXuriously comfortable and
healthful within, without being in the
least modern. We had each maid and
the free use of the horse and carriage. At
ter making this provision for our com fort,
Aunt Betty excused herself from making
company Of US, and we were free as air
to erJoy ourselves "a We chose, provided
~e did not interfere with her maps. We
chose to make great many pleasant ac-
qnainttnces, guided conscientiousy by
Aunr Betty's wishes, and the result WAS
that returned to Lowbridge in the sum.
mer, engaged to Mr.. Clyde Sherrington.
He MAS Wealthy, handsome, agreeable,
weli-connected. Everybody said, Ger
truGe has done well for herself"
That autumn Aunt Betsy died Patri-
cha WAS 10 come in possession OF her for
tune in year, when she was twenty-one
full aud undisputed possession of one
hundred thousand dollars.
1t was arranged that We were all to
come to the Hermitage to live. We did
50, and lived there quietly, as was be-
coming, for nearly year, when Patricia
made the acquaintance of Mr.. Gage Red
mond.
She met him a. first at a funeral-uf all
places the occasion caused by the
death Of our next door neighbor, General
De Lacy, Gage Redmond being a neigh
Dor Of his. He was well connected, but
poor as a church mouse, people said; $50
of course he was after PAtricia's fortune
mamma declared.
what can't be accomplished openly
must be done by strstagem, mamma 1t
is probable this Gage Redmond is after
Patricia's money. She is great prize
matrimonially. Well, you say | am
prettier than Patty. Suppose play de-
coyf"
"Whsti" cried mamma
"Mr. Rednoad is dark and reserved |
am fair and volatile. Don't you think
he would appreciate my style of beauty
it took a little pains to make him do
sof'
But Mr.. Sherringtoni"