The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1881-11-10

EenQ60 TO regret having SAID so much.
Grace quietly but firmly demanded to
know all.
sFYou have said too much to recede p"
she exclaimed. Tell me all there is to
tell"
This Was Just the opportunity May de-
sired. She arose to see that the door
was closed; then, satisfied that she and
Grace we're alone together, she poured
into her victims car the story, whose re-
suit was Grace's fight from home.
The week passed anxiously enough to
the three people who were awaiting the
wayward brides return. The appoint
ed day came, and early in the morn
ing carriage stopped before the Sylves-
ter mansion, and Grace alighted from it,
followed by an old nurse, OF whom she
had always been fond, and WI oaeprss~
enee explained the fact that Grace had
been staying in her home, not five miles
away.
Grace walked into the house with an
air of mingled triumph and deprecst ton.
After the strange greetings were over,
Mr. Sylvester, with attempted steFnness,
demanded the promised explanation,
and this was the story:
"The night before my wedding day, I
learned from some one who thought |
already knew it, that Frank was about
W IuACIlL q DuuuICtl LAOubdElO uOilhEfs
upon very strange condition. His IN
Gle had died and left that amount TO him,
provided he married me within year
after the testator's death.
81 had never seen this uncle, but as
learned from my informant, he had met
me by chance in one of the New York
hospitals, and, after taking the trouble to
7 inquire my name, and no doubt satisfy
| ing himself of the suitability Of the con-
nection, he made up his eccentric mind
that Frank should marry me, or lose a
large fortune in the event of disobeying
4 his command.
"Now, though I am deeply obliged for
| the distinguished honor meant me by the
deceased, positively decline to be bar
| tered away to any one at a stated price.
at was sufficiently embarrassing to me
/ to know that the old gentleman was at
tracted by whim of mine, and mistook
| it for characteristic virtue. The fact is,
during that winter-my first in New
! York; was seized with fancy to vary
my round of pleasures by an afternoon
among the sick, TO whom l carried the
| ever welcome gift of fruit and flowers,
and it was while was distributing these
Cfferings that the matrimonial proje CT
occurred to Franks uncle.
"Do you not understand, and can you
not sympathise with me? Had l remain.
ed here, no explanation could have al
tered the case, and I should inevitably
have become Franks bride, under condi
tions alike painful to my love of truth
and self respect. have always declared
/ T would be loved for myself alone, no
for qualities l did not possess, nor the
money of whimsical old gentlemen.
She drew long breath as she finished
her recital, and he Id out her hand with
her own winning frankness.
''The last week of the year expires
yesterday" she said, with an unmistake
able sparkle of triumph in her handssm
eyes. If you take me now, Frank,
must be all for love. There's no longe
any money iu the question"
with all my heart!" cried the indul
. gent lover. "Since you have come bacl
, home of your own free will, and have n
further objections to make to our union
7 consider myself one of the happiest an
+ most fortunate of bridegrooms.'
He caught Grace's pretty, unreluctan
hand in his own, pressing it rapturousl
to his lips, with a smile quite as triun
phant as her own, and glance whose IN
/ tense and mischievous meaning was nc
( explained until after the quiet wedding
at which May Prescott was the onl
{ guest, for Mr.. and Mrs. Sylvestsr's prU
. dence and worldly wisdom still condemn
a | cd their impnlsive daughters esCapad'
though their pai tial tenderness forgav
: her.
''You have chosen poverty in prefer
! ence to wealth, they said, "and 80 mul
t be content to do without the grand wed
r ding we had contemplated"
| Grace submitted with the best hume
r possible; she had tested Franks love an
: gained her own end, and all VAS brigt
: before her inexperienced eyes
y After the wedding, Frank asked hi
: bride
care you quite satisfied with you
+ choice of proveTty and glad that you
marriage occurred to day instead OF
i / am perfectly delighted" Grace al
j swered.
8 "WiH you take little wedding gi
@ from me, as l have not yet presented 20
: with one?" Frank asked, meekly.
e with pleasure" Grace answered, G
she extended her hand, expecting to re
. ceive jewel case,
Y But instead of that, a ponderous Leg
document was produced, at which Graz
- gazed in blank surprise.
z, Then Frank explained that, desPit
v Miss Prescott's kind interest in their a
fairs, the fortune was not lost, as she ha
v made q slight miscalculatiOn in date
: ard his uncle's discernment in selectiI
r so charming a wife for him had mao
8 him the happi st of men.
!. Nav Prescott's chagrin at the failure
II her conspiracy, an tho delight Of Grace
parents at her good fortune, can east
IS be imagined.
: Grace bore her partial defeat wft
n charming equanimity, as she was qui
e convinced, by some mental process
|. her own, that she had her husband
d love. So she was reconciled to the po
a session of fortunel