Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1879-10-18

/ could ~
The summer and fall were owe
and gone, and winters turbulen
reign was nearly over. Old Rober
! Leslie, not many months returned
from an almost lifelong residence il
India, shuddered as he sat, in hi!
luxurious wraps and furs, by the
side of his sea-coal fire.
ssThese February fogs and chill.
will be the death of me-" he NUT
tered. ''Catch me passing another
winter in this miserable northern
climate! What could have possessed
! the child to wish to remain here
when Europe and the South were
offered for her choice, and she has,
as yet, seen neither? Well, well,
have given in to Pet this time, but
in future Pet must Just give in tC
me, so far as the choice of winter
residence is concerned, at least. I'll
settle this business of my will, al
once for Pm old-I'm old. Where
can Raymond be, | wonder? he
should be here by this time"
Edwin Raymond, Esq, the
wealthy and influential lawyer, was
even then puzzling over the eccen-
trio letter which had that morning
reached him.
"Knew my father well, and loved
my mother in her girlhood's days ;
has lived, and will die, bachelor
for her sake; never saw her after
her marriage, but is resolute now
that none but her son shall draw up
his will for him; had meant to leave
the bulk of his property to me; :
why, he has never seen me but
has recently concluded that his adOp-
ted child (and niece has a better
claim Well, / should think so
The young lady is beautiful and
amiabIe, and her heart is free Now,
how can he know Perhaps, as he
learns / am still unmarried, some
arrangement might be effected by
which both might share his wealth.
] am invited to call this evening,
take dinner with them, meet the
young lady, &C., &C."
He fell into a brown study for
about ten minutes, at the end of
Will 1OlSOu
"I'll co." he resolved, elf only to
meet this eccentric old man, who
was my fathers friend and my poor
mothers faithful though rejected
lover"
And he did. The two men sat
together, sociably chatting. Ray
mond told Robert Leslie the story
of his strangely disappointed love.
This old man, so affectiOnately dis
posed towards himself, won all his
confidence.
A bitter blow it was when / came
home and found her gone, without
one word. | shall never love again."
he said.
sob, yes you WILL" cried Mr.. Les
lie, cheerily. await until you see
my little Pet. Well it was strange,
the way she came to me. [ had an
only sister years ago, before | went
to India. She married, and what
with long distance and the lapse of
years, we ceased to correspond, and
lost sight of her. Coming home
last spring, tired and wealthy, and
yearning TO pass my last years in
my own land, and with some one of
my own blood near me sought her
long and earnestly, but in vain. She
had died, l learned, and her hus-
band also; and of their three child
ren, only one had lived-a girl.
This girl could not trace. What
had become of the lonely creature,
and poor, none could tell.
1t weighed upon my mind, it tor
tured me night and day, this long
ing to find this one creature of my
blood, my sisters child. But mon
ey and skill were alike useless.
Spring wore away, summer was far
and at last l quite des-
paired of ever finding my niece
alive. Poor and unfriended, she
had died, / thought, and all my
wealth had had no power to save or
comfort her. 1t was bitter thought.
I was living at that time in the
house of a very worthy woman; not
a stylish lodging at all, but home
like and comfortable. / had not
been feeling well for several days;
disappointment, depression of spir-
its and heavy cold had pulled me
down, and my meals were sent up
to my room. Usually the landlady |
waited on me herself, but one morn |
ing L was surprised by very differ
ant sort of handmade, a pretty, |
dark eyed creature, quiet and sad. |
in her voice and in her |
earnest eyes reminded me of my
lead sister. / asked her name, her !
history. Will you believe it? Here |
was my long sOught-for niece, who
had thus come to me unconsciously /
and of her own accord, just as | was
learning to think of her as lost for
ever. You shall see her, and if you
1On't pronounce her charming, Pm
no judge" He rang the bell.
'John," said he to the servant who
answered it, "request Miss Leslie to
step down here for a few minutes
before dinner. Say 1 want to see
her"
Ed. Raymond had listened to the
story with a singular interest. Even |
50 had he sought vainly for a lost |
1ne, but alasI with no such fOrtu-
nate result. Even so might his
poor Lilly be wandering somewhere,
'riendleSS aud sorrOWful. He felt /
IN involuntary interest in the girl
ne was about to see, and turned al
most eagerly towards the door as it
opened, and Lilly Vane stood on |
he threshold!
Overwhelmed with surprise, he /
started back; but she, not observing
him, went up to her uncle and |
kissed him.
"You sent for me, UNCLE" said /
he old sweet voice that had made
he music of Ed. Raymond's heart /
;ix months ago. He noticed now a
ing of sadness in the gentle tones. i
"TO Introduce you to a friend of /
mine, my dear. This is MIR. Edwin
Raymand, Mr.. Raymond this"
He got no further, for Lilly had
altered a strange, low cry, and now,
with face white as her namesake
lower. olung to his arm almost
wildly, hut only for a moment. The
next she had controlled herself, and
bowed.
"You took me somewhat by sur
PRISE" she said, tremulously. 81
have met Mr.. Raymond before,
uncle" After a moments hesita- |
ton she gave Ed. her little, tremb-
ing hand, which he took and held |
eagerly. "Little Ella is well, / |
hope?" she went on; "and your
sister-and-goW aOVe" |"
my aoUe - He let go her hand |
In his surprise. My lCbe ~
sCertainlyp She raised her head |
with a little naughty movement,
and flashed a glance OF scornful re- |