The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-03-29
Honesty WINS.


The hour-hand OF Philip Acres old
fashioned silver watch was pointing to the
figure 8; the snug, red curtains shut out
the RAIN and darkness of the March night,
and the hot fire cracked and snapped be-
hind the red hot bars of the little crate in
cOzy and comfortable sort of way, cast
ing rosy shine into the thoughtful brown
eyes that were tracing castles and coroncts
In the brightly burning GOALS.
"If were only rich, he pondcred to
himself. "Ah, If ~ Then goodbye to
all mended boots and turned coats and
all the ways and means that turn a mans
life to wretched bondage. Wouldn't 1
revel in new books and delicious paintings
and hlgh-steppiug horses. Wouldn't. buy
II set of jewels for Edith-not pale pearls
or sickly emeralds; but diamonds, to blaze
like links Of fire upon her royal throat.
Wouldn't What nonsense Pm talking,
though2' he cried suddenly to himself.
'PhiIip Acre, hold your tongue. sup
posed you were man of sense. Here YOU
are, neither rich nor distinguished, while
Edith Wyllis is as far above your moon
struck aspirations Ss the queen of night
herself She loves re ttough-she'rl
wait-and the time may one day come.
u fellow. Hello come intherc, whoever
you are!"
It, was only the serving maid of the
lodging house, carrying letter in the COR
ner Of her apron, between her finger and
thumb.
..Please Sir, the postnan has just left
it,"
'sAll right, Katy. Now then," he ad-
ded, as the door closed behind Katy's sub
stantial back, '1et's see what my unknown
correspondent has to say. A black sea
eh2 Not having any relations to lose l
am not alarmed at the prognostic.''
He broke the seal and glanced lcisurely
over the short, business-like communicsl-
tion with face that varied from incredu-
lous surprise to sudden gladncss.
cam dreamlngS' he murnured, rub.
bling his eyes and shaking himself as if to
insure complcts possession of his senses.
mo, Pm wide awake and in my right
mind; it's no deluslOll-no part of nv
weakening visions. But who would over
suppose that old Thomas Mortimer, whom
| haven't seen since l was a boy of six
teen, and picked him ont of the river half
dead from cramp and fright, would die and
leave mo all his money! Why, Pm not
the shadow of a relation; but then never
heard the old man had any kith or kin, so
that l can't imagine any harm in taking
advantage of his odd freak. Kich-am [
really to be rch2 Is my Aladdin vision
TO be an actual fact 2 Oh Edith, Edith /"
He clasped both hands over his eyes,
sick and glddy, with the thought that the
lovely, far-oif stan of his alteration would
be brought to him at last by the magnet,
gold All these years of patient waiting
were to be bridged over by the strange old
mlscr's bequcst, and he might claim Edith
noW.
How full of heart sunshine were the
weeks that fitted over the head of the ac-
cepted lover, frightened by Edith's smllc
mate beautiful by the soft radiance of
Edlth's love. There Is only one lowering
shadow, the almost imperct ptible touch OF
distrust and suspicion with which the stern
old DIR, Wyllis regarded his future son-in-
law. All, he feared to trust his only child
to the keeping Of any man who had not
been proved in tho fiery furnace of trial.
1t was precisely a week before the day
appointed for the wedding, as the soft
lights, velled by shades of glass, just light
ed In DIR. Wyllis's drawing room, where
Edith sat among her white roses and hello
trope, working on bit of cambric rufflc
and singing to herself. She was a slender
beautiful girl with violet eyes, n blue-vcin-
cd forehead and glossy, abundant curls of
that pale gold that old painters love to por-
tray.
II wonder If Mortimer Place ls 50 very
loveiy2" she SAID to n silvcr-hailed lady
who sat opposite. 'Phil is gong to tako
me there when we return from our we'd
dug tour; he says 1t is the sweetest place o
poets fancy can devise, with fountains
and shrubbery and delicate copses. "Oh
shall we not be happy therc9'
She started up with bright, sudden
blush; for even while the words were
trembling on her lips Philip Acre came
into the room, his face looking Il little
troubled, yet cheerful wIthal. Alrs. Wyl-
lis, with an arch nod at her niece, disap-
pearcd into the perfumcd prospective of
the conservatory, leaving the lovers to
themselves.
''You are looking grave, Philip" said
Edith, as he bent over and kissed her
cheek.
"And am feeling 90, darling. have
very unpleasant disclosure to make to-
nlght--our marriage must be postponed in
definitely"
"Philip, for what reason3'
''fo enable me, by dll igcnt labor at my
profession, to realize sufficient means to
support you, dearest, in a manner satisfac-
tory to your fathers expectations and my
own Wishes" a
tBut Philip, thought"
"You thought me the heir of Thomas