Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-04-03
ALAN SINCLAIRS LEGACY.
BY G.. F. s.

Mr.. Alan Sinclair knitted his brows,
very perplexedly, as for perhaps the
half-dOzenth time he read the long,
closely written sheet of paper that
lay before him on his desk.
Then he walked up and down his
library several times, that perplexed
frown clearing off his handsome fore
head and finally he sent word to his
housekeeper, Mrs. Whey, to attend to
the matter lie had mentioned to her
an hour or so before.
Which order given, Mr.. Sinclair re-
sumed his chair again, to think over
and definitely decide the plans for
the future, which this long, and we'll
filed letter had made necessary.
And the origin of the necessity was
that, dying, his old friend and chum,
Edward Maynard, had left him-im-
ploring him not to refuse the legacy
his daughter Winnie, utterly friend
less, utterly homeless, unless in heav-
ems mercy, Alan Sinclair's heart was
turned III pity towards her.
But to bring girl-a delicate,
awkward, silent child into the house,
ior Mr.. Wayne had written plainly
and frankly about little Winnie. Ii
it had been boy-a Wide-aWake act
i've .bOy-WhO could have been his
companion as he grew older, in whose
sports and lessons he could have taken
a decent share of guardian inter-
est, aud who might have, some-
times, with his tutor, accompanied
him OH those tours abroad he was SO
fond of taking.
But girl mot at all pretty, or very
interesting, but shy and fashion
Cd" Mayne had said, "but good as
gold" and he (Sinclair) on the eve of
another three years tour over foreign
countries.
Well, he philosophical himself into
making the best OF it. He telegraph
ed that Miss Winnie should be ready
to accompany the escort that he would
send to bring her home to RoscIeigh,
at three that afternoons and then, af-
ter long, serious talk with good,
motherly Mrs. Whey, who had been
hOusekeeper for his father before him,
this highly favored young gentleman
considered the momentous affair set
tied, dismissed it from his mind a.
much as possible, and went on with his
arrangements for leaving home early
on the morrow for that wandering
abroad, i'll which, having unlimited
means at ready command, he 80 much
delighted. A
When his dead friends child ar
rived he went to her at once, and the
instant he crossed the threshold he
met her eyes-sEeat, mournfnl dark
eyes, deep-set and bistre- circlcd, with
look in them that was strangely
mingled one of utter friendlessness
and sorrow, and necessitous resigna-
ton.
She certainly was not pretty in the
least, and ia her thin angular figure,
propped so awkwardly in big-cush-
Toned easy-chair-in the sallow,
peaked face, and shortcut, stubborn,
light hair of nondescript color, and
perfectly straight-there was scarcely
promise of future attractiyeness.
She arose and eourtesied grayelv "a
Mr.. Sinclair advanced, scanning her
curiously, and swiftly deciding that
she was hopelessly ugly little soul
even homelier than her father had
sald-but all, all alone in the world
but for him. And the thought un-
consciously lent a bright, sympathet.
lc smile to his greeting.
"And this is little Winnie that ha.
come to live at Roseleigh, is it? |
hope they took good care of you on
the way, and did not allow YOU to be-
come very tired. You shall have IA
nous times here at Roseleigh," he en-.