Smyrna times., 1882-10-04
That Day in His Boat.

That Day in His Boat.
1t was wild night. The wind blew,
the rain drove, the waves roared in the |
near distance. 1t had been a fateful
day to me.
Grandfather Delmar, with whom l
had lived ever since ! could remember,
had been carried to his final home that
afternoon, and now | was the last rep
resentative Of our ancient name. The
wide acres Of the Delmar plantation,
originally one of the estates on the
Eastern Shore of Maryland, had come
down to me as sole hcireSs. 70 me
had also ascended the Delmar dia-
monds, which for two centuries had
blazed on the persons Of the Dehnar
ladies. l say descended, but | am
hardly correct, for these broad lands
and these priceless jewels were mine
only under the will of my grandfather,
and that will contained a provisO
which had just learned for the first
time. Twas to marry Randolph Heath,
the ward and adopted son of my grand
father, or else the entire property was
to go to this self-same Randolph.
The will had just been read. The
funeral guests, or, at least, the most
important of them, had listened to it
in the great drawing-room below, the
walls of which were hung with pOr-
traits Of my Delmar ancestors, hand
some men and lovely golden-haired
women.
Charlotte" said my aunt, when tho
reading of the will was ended, "Char
lotte, my dear, you must invite oul
friends for the night. You are mistress
now"
Il shall never be mistress Of Delma
Hall, Aunt Mordaunt," said, firmly
She clutched my arm, her eyes wild
with wonder.
And why not, pray?"
Because of the proviso; | vii
never wed Randolph Heath"
Her face whitened to the hue c
death. She was lone widow, and
was her idol and she coveted all thos
jewels and rich acres for my heritage
For moment we stood breathless.
But Randolph Heath's in Austr'
liza" suggested a friend, and you al
mistress at least till he returns"
Poor Aunty caught at this Ia,
hope with a grasp Of relief.
SO you are, my dear" she put il
"well leave all these disagreeab
things to be settled in the future. Il
night, my friends, we will shut Il
doors against the storms and be cor
Portable"
She swept off toward the CLOWN
parlor, followed by all her guest
while fed away to my chamber.
The afternoon, as | have said, h;
turned into rain and the huge wav
thundered ON the shores of the b'
close by with hoarse cry, like humi
heart in pain. paced my room re-
lcssly. ! could not marry this Ra
dolph Heath, whose face ! had nev
looked upon since the days of my eal
childhood. I could not do it,
another face rose before me-the fa
of the man ! loved. A poor ms
landless and unknown, yet who h
grown so dear to me in the few br
, months of our Summer acquaintar
that to give him up were worse tn
death. Yet | was Delmar and it v
sore trial to lose my heritage
: lose tho Delmar jewels, All the /
h mar women before me had worn tn
u matchless old diamonds; and must
n alone of them, become disinheri
c and dowcrless?
"Yes, cheerfully," l said; since
y keep them must give up the che
II of my heart. Dear, dear Sum-
D days"
l. For it had been during visit t.
o school friend, who lived in one of
lovliest counties of Pennsylvania, I
had met, the proceeding June, !
bert Stanley. For the first time
nv life had found in him a perfe
{. congenial soul. We liked the S;
poetry, preferred the same music,
mired the same scenery. All! "
delicious days those were. We +
we walked, we sailed, We read toget
Our acquaintance soon passed into
macy, and from that ripened into
Never could / forget the day,
blissful day, when my hopes becai
certainty. Herbert had asked me
'"'' evening before If would go with
kinds in his boat. No knight of old C
have handed me into the little "
more reverentially than he did.
- manly he looked! How strong
self contained Ny heart heat
Lea& for something in his manner told
o,.n what was coming, but / was inexpl
IUUh, bly, happy, nevertheless. He re
in this for about one-half hour, then stop
fhyy7.ly he lay upon his oars, and looking
- in the face like brave heart O
C, 81. vos told his tale. though with ms
&c, 81.