The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1878-10-17
LOANING LOVER

AUANLAU n 41V 7 LLhg
Ny sister Patricia was an heiress.
/ 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, I believe. Healthy habits
and frugal living are apt to make good
conditions, and BeSs and Amy and Pa
tricia and were as bright and hand
some girls as are often seen.
Bess and Amy were twins, with eyes
as blue as the sea-water near which
they were born, rosy cheeks, and long,
light brown curls; Patricia was a spark
| ling brunette, while 1 was as perfect a
blonde, with Crinkled hair, like molten
gold. Great had been our excitement
when Aunt Betty wrote from Fair
haven:
"Dear Sister-in-LaW: I am going to
do myself the pleasure Of visiting you
/ this summer. hear that brother Abel
! left four girls, and want to see them.
I am getting on in-years, and will make
one Of them my heiresS, etc,
Aunt Betty of FairhRyen was worth
hundred thousand dollars if she was
worth a 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 ntaid, cOachman and carriage;
but fortunately that was close by, and
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
always 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.
81 think she looks like my brother
Luke, don't you?" asked her mother,
with wistful look.
'The very image Of him" answered
Aunt Betty, turning pale.
I OWNED then, as 1 learned after
ward, that Uncle Luke had been a lover
Of Aunt Betty's when both were young,
before her marriage, and the fact
seemed to have a power over her.
She looked at Patricia until the girl
blushed rOsy-red, and would have
slipped outof the room, when she called
her to her, and, drawing her down upon
her knees on a footstOol before her, she
put Withered hand each side Of the
warm cheek, and said warmly:
''My dear, you shall be my heiUess.'
So it was Patricia she chose to leave
her money 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 beautiful within, without being in
the least modern. We had each a maid
and the free use of the horse and car
tiage. After making this provision tOC
our comfort, Aunt Betty excused her
self from making company Of us, and
were free as air to enjoy ourselves as
we chose, provided we did not interfere
with her maps. We chose to make a
great many pleasant acquaintances,
guided cOnscientously by Aunt Betty's
wishes, and the result was that re-
turned to Lowbridge in the summer,
engaged to Mr.. Clyde SherringtOn. He
was wealthy, handsome, agreeable,
well-connected. Everybody said, Ger
trude has done well for herself"
That autumn Aunt Betty died. Pa
tricia was to come in possession Of her
fortune in ayeaT, when she was twen.
ty-One-full and undisputed possession
of one hundred thousand dollars.
It was arranged that we were all to
come to the Hermitage to live. We did
so, and had lived there quietly, as was
becoming, for nearly year, when Pa
tricia made the acquaintance Of Mr..
Gage Redmond.
She met him FIRST at a funeral-Of all
placesl-the occasion caused by the
death Of our next neighbOr, Gen. De
Lacy, Gage Redmond being a neighPOr
of his. lie was well connected, but
poor as a church mouse, people said;
$50 Of course he was after Patricia's
fortune" mamma declared.
''Patricia is rich and beautiful. Pray
don't let her marry fOrtune-hunter,
mamma" said I, looking up from
letter 1 was writing to Mr.. Sherrlngton.
81 would not, if 1 could help it; but
what authority have I, Gertrude?" said
my mother. 'In a fewmOnths Patricia
will be in undivided possession Of her
fortune. We are here only by cOurte-
sy. The Hermitage is her home. 1
have no right to control her whatever" +"
"But your influence, mammag'
"Will have very little effect if she
sets her heart on this Gage Redmond.
Pray stop staring vacantly out Of the
window, Gertrude, and attend to what
say. l want assistance in this mat.
ter"
'Please excuse me. I am thinking
Of my own affairs just now, mamma, J