Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1878-12-28
An Arm For 4 Child.

All ATu FOE OHllu.
In a meanly furnished, but Clearly
kept room, in n shaky, tumble down
looking house. situated in not very
aristocratic neighborhood, yclept 1.-THE
Points" sat regally beautiful, though
sadly careworn, woman. She sat with
her white taper hands folded together
before her. and her blue eyes fixed sor-
rowfully upon an open letter-written
upon black-edged paper-which lay
upon the lap of her frayed and faded
mourning dress.
Let us peruse the missive that we
may know what it is that causes the fire.
quent tear TO steal down the long, dark
lashes and drop upon her hands.
TURNER'S Inn, LONDON
"May 18th, As.
''MRs. ALICE PENRHYN (nee Alicia
Chester) .-MADAME: 1t becomes our
painful duty to advise you Of the de.
mise of your maternal uncle, Lord
Wallace Waneleigh, who departed this
life at his country seat, in Somerset
shire, at 3 p. NJ. of the 18th instant.
His last will and testament, executed
three weeks previous, and opened three
days subsequent to his death, consti-
tutes yourself, his sisters child, his
sole heiress.
"We would recommend that you an.
swer this letter in person, if such
proceeding he not absolutely impos-
sible.
"You will please find enclosed a
Bank of England draft for $500 ster-
ling, which we have ventured to remit,
having ITO certain means of knowing
how you are situated.
"Hoping to hear from, or see you
soon. allow us, Madame, to remain, etc.
"BENT, BENT & BowDEN,
Solicitors.
Mrs. Alicia Penrhyn, as the letter
declares her name to be, had been wild
owed two years previous to the time we
introduce to our readers, by the acci.
dental discharge of pistol which her
husband was carelessly handling.
Had she been rolling in wealth she
would have returned to her native land,
and mingled again with those she had
parted from when Egbert Penrhyn's
handsome face and courtly speech won
her for his Nife. In poverty, she was
too proud to lie burden upon them.
But this was all over now; the letter
which proclaimed her sole heiress to
one of the grandest estates in "Merrie
England" 10y upon her lap, and the
dimpled baby hands of little Elsie rum
pied the gaudy. but valuable draft,
which was "but the few drops before
the copious shower"
Still she sorrowed, for woman's
tender heart will ever sorrow for an.
others loss, although it brings that
woman gain.
Gloliously bright and beautiful rose
the sun upon the Goth of July, and its
golden rays glinted and sparkled with
diamond-like brilliancy on the crested
submits of the dark blue waves of the
Atlantic, through which the steamer
Peerless clave her way toward the
chalky cliffs of Albion.
Upon the holy-stoned deck the passen-
gers gathered, gazing with silent awe
upon the scene spread out before them
so vastly beautiful-if we may 80
term it.
At the wheel, with his small, though
tarry and weather-beaten hands resting
idly upon the spokes, stood Harvey
Irving, whose bright hazel eyes fol-
lowed lovingly, yet bashfully, the gray
Iobed figure of beautiful woman who
paced the deck listlessly-save now and
then. when the "wee toddling thing"
who played about her feet strayed too
far away; then she would lift the dusky
wells which draped her azure eyes, and
call to the little one:
ELSIE, darling. stay closer to me-"
And the child would run and clasp
the gray-gloved hand that was nearly
as small as her own, and answer,
"Yes, mamma"
At last the helmsman turned his eyes
away, and gloomy cloud settled upon
his timely nodded features, as he mutt
tered, complainingly,
IF was only captain, now, might
i might speak to her at all events.
and even that would be foretaste of
Paradise; but foremost hand! Bah!
mustn't look her way again, and lie
turned his back upon the lady and her
child, and glanced seward over the
stern rail-
As he stood thus, he heard the heavy
iootfail OF Captain Hazleton, and turn.
ing suddenly he caught that gentle
mans eye. and beckoned to him.
"Weli, Harry, my man" said Halle
ton. what is it 2"
Do you see those black lines astern,
sir ?"
Hum replied Captain Hazleton,
making n tpyglass OF his hands, and
gazing long and earnestly in the direc
ton alluded to. Now that Won cali
my attention to them. l think l can
make out some half dozen pieces OF
drift wood" and lac smiled good