Richland beacon., 1880-05-15
me particularly, who was to need it so

Al !aSt tne spllHH W III CdHlt, anu
we were making preparations to grad
uate. Immediately after, Leonard was
to leave for California. For the last
few months his health had been failing,
and the physicians told him that an en-
tire change Of climate with some active
outdoor work was necessary for his
complete recovery. He was unwilling
to leave Margaret, but she urged it so
strongly, and also advised it, that he
finally consented. California seemed
the tlace for him; the gold excitement
was at its height, and ne hoped that
wlile seeking for his health he might
also find his fortune.
81 went TO the nearest city to read
law, bu, alway managed to see Margaret
once or twice week, for EeOnard's sake,
| said to myself.
"We received one letter from Leon
ard, mailed at the Isthmus. He said
that the sea voyage had done him much
good, and he felt almost inclined TO re-
turn. What difference it would have
made in my life if he had!
1.-The damp chilly days Of October
had come. We had not vet hearG o
Leonard's arrival, and We naturally
felt little anxious, hut the uncertainty
of the mails at that time would account
for the delay. The change in the
weather began to tell upon Albert; he
grew weaker, and no logger took the
same interest in the books which we
read to him. told Margaret. one day,
that feared her brothers end vas near
| found her prepared forit: indeed, she
had realized it, but had not the courage
to speak of it. Poor girl. he had been
care to her all her life, yet, when
she was called to part with him, it
seemed almost impossible to give
him up.
"By the first of November Albert left
u.s. After the last duties Of love were
performed, | took Margaret back to her
little home. Inas gentle a manner as
could, | asked her what her wishes were
and how could aid her. She said that
she would wait for a letter from Leon
ard, TO see what were his prospects. If
she could 60 to him she would, but if
that was impossible she would look for
some work to do unit! his return. Her
little fortune bad been almost exhausted
by her brothers long illness, and by the
necessarily heavy expenses at the last.
On that account she felt obliged to do
something for her own support, but she
had enough money left to take her to
California il that seemed the best
course.
81 admired her courage, brave girl.
There she was. all alone in the world.
with 70 one but her betrothed, who was
three thousand miles away. admired
her courage, but loved herself. 1t wa,
the first time | had admitted it to my
self, although had recognized its in
! fuence.
Il felt it necessary that one of us
/ should go away, because / was doing
Leonard an injustice, since could not
longer treat Margaret as q friend.
thought this all over on my way back to
the city, and resolved to go abroad and
study, if Margaret did not 60 tC Cali
fOrnia.
"Little did / know that my course
was all marked out for me, as soon as
should get to my rooms. There / found
on my table small package, and an
envelope directed to me in strange
handwriting. Inside were two letters
one from Leonard, and the other in the
same handwriting in which the en-
vel0pe was directed. There was but 8
word from Leonard, and as ! read it
my heart stood still. Il entrust Mar
garet to your care The writing wa.
LeOnard's, hut so changed; it lOoked a.
if it had been written with the greatest
effort. / was SO overcome by reading
these few words that ! forgot all abOu
the other letter. Why should Leonar.
entrust Margaret to me? Was he dead
and she free? The thought fashet
through my mind like lightning.
eagerly seized the other letter. and reat
it at glance. Leonard was dead, ant
his death caused by his infirmity, with
out doubt. 1t was as l feared. Feared
when Margaret was free, and l coul'
rightly sue for her hand? l was com
pletely overwhelmed by the contradiC
tion of feelings in my breast. NJ
! grief for my dearest friends death wa
in strong conflict with my mine-min
/ if could win her.
/ 81 took up the letter again and rea
. it carefully. 1t WAS written by friend
. " miner who had been with Leonard a
the time of his death. He had gone
, the hydraulic mines to try his fOrtun
/ there. A morning or two after he a
rived he was working under projectin
t mass of earth and rock which had bee
\ loOsened by the water. The Othe
e miners saw the mass tremble and calle
to Leonard to run from under it; bu
I alas, he could not hear them-he ws
/ deaf. The earth and rock came dow
s with a crash, and partially buried hin
s but he was rescued while life still r
O mained. and taken to a neighbour
: house, where everything was done f
s him that was possible. But all in val
e for he died within the next twel'
l hours of some internal injury. Ho,
O ever, he was conscious to the last, ar
e wrote these few words, entrusting to n
!. what was dearest to him on earth;
"a also requested that the little gold du
!. which he had found should be sent
r. me, the result of his first and last di
+ gings.
j learned all this from the minel
lr letter. 1t was written in strange Ia
a guage, and still stranger spelling, b
Z under the rough exterior you could q