Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-06-18

some valentines, Miss Purcell ?" cried
Miss Mayne, holding up her pack. Just
then James put my letter into my
hand, and | went back. But it wasn't
my CarecrOss letter. It was q letter
from Mr.. Gervais-I knew his peculiar
hand. What could he have to say to
me? Nothingl L slipped it unopened
into another envelope, directed it to
him, and mailed it. He has taken his
choice. | should despise myself
oh, to think to think that L
March 10.-Poor Miss Julia's heart
disease, that has kept her in her chair
for thirty years, gave her release this
morning. She died at sunrise. Last
night cry awoke me, and hand on
my shoulder, and voice far off crying,
" Follow me-" [ threw on my wrapper
in the thick smoke, and ran to Miss
Julia, the whole world in a red glare
about me. She was not in her room !;
and then | suppose l tainted, for l
knew no more till q wait of cold air
was blowing over me, and / was lying
in Mr.. Gervais's arms under the fir
trees. ooh, thank Godp he said.
" You are alive; you breath; you are
not dead! On, my darling! my dar-
ling!' And he was kissing my fore
head, my cheeks, my lips, and 1 could
Mt help myself struggled to be free,
but | was so weak. cit is wicked"
I managed to say, "and Miss Mayne-"
"Why do you speak of her ?" he
cried.
"You know Why" [ exclaimed.
a." Because you are going to marry her."
''Is that why you drop my violets.
and [ send back my love-letters?r he
murmured. 81 shall never marry any
body but you, Antoine. I never m cant
to since the day l read your mind at
dinner. Tell me, tell me-" he whisper
ed, as he held me-tell me if I may!"
And it's no matter about the rest.
AS soon as | could | went to Miss Ju-
liza. They had the fire under before
long; it was only in the wing, and we
were all comfortably housed again be-
fore dawn. But the shock was too
much. Just as the color broke out on
the sky, she kissed me and was gone.
l was crying little when Mrs. Whyte
came where | was. Mr.. Gervais moved
to the window.
"Well," said Mrs. Whyte, ~ don't
know that it is to be regretted. She
was no pleasure to herself, nor to any
one else. 1t is extraordinary, Gervais,
that there are no deeds or stock certifi-
Gates of Cousin Julia's to be found"
perhaps they are burned" said Mr..
Gervais.
mo. The fire injured nothing in her
room; it was al! in the halls, and Mr..
Whyte's office. Well. at any rate, it
sets you free, Miss Purcell. We shall
not need your services longer. AS for
wages. hope you understood there
were none. 1 hardly know, Gervais,
what we had best do while the repairs
take place."
Mr.. Gyles Whyte slowly opened the
door and came in. He was the color
Of ashes.
"You are very welcome to stay in the
house while you please, Mrs. Whyte,"
said I.
She wheeled upon me. "Welcome?'
she exclaimed. "To stay in the house?
Really, the girl is
"The owner of the house." said Mr..
Whyte.
"What!' she screamed. ''Have you
influenced that idiotic old woman to
make a will"
"Miss Julia had nothing to WILL" said
I. "She gave all her property years
ago to the Alton Bay Lock Insurance
Company for an annuity, which has
been regularly paid and spent. And as
for the house, my father bought its re-
version Of the company before | was
born, that she might never DE homeless.
And that is why it is mine"
81 don't believe word Of it," said
she.
Mr.. Whyte took his wife's hand.
"There is worse misfortune III store"
he said "You must be brave. The
fire has destroyed our bonds, and they
were not registered"
Gervais made a sudden movem ent
forward.
"Mr. Wnyte," I said, "you have been
kind to me, you have been kind to poor
Miss Julia. This house is yours and
your wife's as long as either of you
live"
"The poor Duchessp said Gervais,
when they had left the room.
"What do you know of the Duchess ?"
cried.
"Do you suppose" he said, "that Miss
Julia never turned over your book of
Spanish exercises? [ never touched
the book. She repeated the choice pas
sages. You have turned the tables on
the poor Duchess. But, my darling.
perhaps you are not better pared
than she, for all your reckless giving of
estates, to meet poverty. Did you UNI
derstand that my wealth went with
But I could only cling to him, laugh
ing and crying together, and saying that
he was wealth himself, and that loved
him. [ loved him, in way he never ex-
pected me to do. 1 couldn't tell him
about Carecross and all it's vast proper
ty, the mills and mines, the fields and
cattle and rent-rolls. [ want hin to
love me little longer in my poverty,
and some day I will give him my Span
ish exercises to read, and it will be time
enough then for him TO find me over
and over again a. milliOnairess.