Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-01-25

lCll
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
in to her victims ear the story, whose
result was Grace's flight from home.
The week passed anxiously enough to
the three people who We're awaiting the
wayward brides return. The appointed
day came, and early in the morning a
carriage stopped before the Sylvester
mansion, and Grace alighted from it,
followed by an old nurse, of whom she
had always been fond. and whose
presence 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 depreciation. After the strange
greetings were over, Mr.. Sylvester, with
attempted sternness, demanded the
promised explanation and this was the
story:
1.-The night before my wedding day. 1
learned from some one who thought 1
already knew it, that Frank was about to
inherit 500, 900 upon very strange
condition. His uncle mad died and left
that amount to him, provided he mar
RED me within year after the test
ator's death"
81 had never seen this uncle. but as l
learned from my informant. he had met
me by chance in one of the New York
hospitals, and after taking the trouble
TO inquire my name, and no doubt salts
fying himself of the suitability of the
connection. he made up his eccentric
mind that Frauk should marry me, or
lose large fortune in the event OF dis
obcying his command.
"Now, though 1 am deeply Obliged
for the distinguished honor meant me
by the deceased, L positively decline
to be bartered away to any one at a
stated price.
at was sufficiently embarrassing to
me to know that the old gentleman was
attracted by whim of mine, and mis-
took 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 after
noon among the sick, to whom L carried
the ever-welcome gift of fruits and
flowers. and it was while 1 was distrib-
uting these offerings that the mat
rimonial project occurred to Frank S
uncle.
sDo YOU not understand, and can You
not sympathize with me? Had l re-
NAMED here, no explanation could have
altered the case, and should inevitably
have become Franks bride, under cir
cumstances alike painful to my love OF
truth and selfrespect. + have always
declared that 1 would be loved for
myself alone, not for qualities did not
possess nor the money of a whimsical
old gentleman"
She drew a long breath as she finish,
ed her recital, and held ont her hand
with her own winning frankness.
s.The last week of the year expired
yesterday" she said. with an unmis'
taxable sparkle of triumph in her hand
some eyes. "If you take me now,
Frank, it must be all for love. There's
no longer any money in the ques
ton"
with all my hearth cried the In
duIgent lover. ''Since you have come
back to me of your own free will, ant
have no further objections to make tt
our union, / consider myself one OF the
lbappicst and most fortunate of bride
grooms.
He caught Grace's pretty, unreluctan
hand in his and pressed it rapturousl'
to his lips, with smile quite a
ltriumphant as her own and glanc
whose intense and mischievous meaning
WAS not explained until after the qme
wedding. at which May Prescott was tn
| puest. for Mr.. and Mrs. Sylvester
prudence and worldly wisdom still con
ldemned their impulsive daughter
escapade, though their partial tender
ness forgaye her.
"You have chosen power Y In prefei
ence to wealth." they said, "and
mnst he content to do without tn
grand wedding We had contemplated.
Grace submitted with the best hnmf
, nossible; she had tested Franks lov
and gained her own end, and all wa
bright before her inexperience
eyes
After the wedding, Frank asked Ia
bride: =,
/ Are YOU quite satisfied with yo'
choice of poverty and glad that yo'
5 marriage occurred to-day instead OF
: week ago." o.
lam perfectly delighted, Graz
: answered.
e "will you take little wedding g
r from me as I have not yet preseh.e
,or with one ?" Frank asked NEE
..yv;,h Measure. Grace answered,