Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1882-07-15
Srlett Storp.
HONESTY FINS.

| l,l uS chuO OuG luS a am anu Ial huSeS
Of the March night, and the fire
crackled and snapped behind the red
hot bars of the CRATE in a co2y and
comfortable sort OF way, casting a
rosy shine into the thoughtful brown
eyes that were tracing csstlea and
coronets in the brightly burning Goals.
'Ii | We're only rich ?' he ponder
ed to himself. "Ah if. Then good
bye TO these musty old books; good
bye 10 all the ways and means that
turn mans life into wretched bond
age. Wouldn't revel in new books
and delicious paintings and high
stepping horaes. Wouldn't | buy a
set Of jewels fer Edilh--not pale pearls
or sickly emeralds, but diamonds to
blaze like links offre upon her royal
throat. Wouldn't what nonsense
Tin thinking though r he cried sud
denly to himself. philip Acre hold
your tongue ! | suppose you are a
man of sense. Here you are neither
rich or distinguished while Edith
Wyllis is as far above your moon
struck aspirations as the queen Of
night herself She loves me though
sho'il wait-and the time may one
day come. If only DR.. Wyllis was
net SO distrustive Of fellow. Hello!
come in there, whoever you are 7
,"Please, sir, the postman has just
left it."
"All right, Katy. Now then," he
added, as the door closed behind Ka-
tvs substantial figure, "let's see what
nay unknown correspondent has to
say. A black seal, ha? Not having
any relatians to lose, l am not alarm
ed at the prognostic
He broke the seal and glanced
leisurely over the short business-like
communication within, with face
that varied from incredulous surprise
to sudden gladress.
cam l dreamingP" he murm ured,
rubbing his eyes and shaking himself
as II to secure complete possession of
Eis senses.
mo, I'm wide awake and in my
right mind it's no delusion-no part
of my weakening visions. But who
would ever suppose that old Thomas
Mortimer, whom haven't seen since
l was boy Of sixteen, and picked
him out of the river half dead from
cramp and fright, would die and leave
me all his money? Why, I'm not
the shadow OF q relation but then I
have never heard the old man had
any kith Or kin, so that L can't imag-
inc any harm in taking advantage of
his odd freak. Rich--am really TO
be rich2 Is my Alladin vision to be
an actual fact ? Oh, Edith, Edith r.
He clasped both hands over his
eyes, sick and giddy with the thought
that the lovely far-of star Of his ador-
alton 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 mi
ser's bequest, and he might claim
Edith now.
How full Of heart sunshine were
the weeks that fitted over the heart
Of the accepted lover, frightened by
Edith's smile, made beautiful by the
soft radiance of Edith's love. There
was only one shadow-the almost i'm
perceptible touch Of distrust and sua-
picion with which stern old DR.. Wyl-
lis 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 the fiery furnace
Of trial.
It was precisely week before the
day ret for the wedding, as the soft
lightF, veiled by shades Of glass, were
just ligh ted in DR.. Wyllis' drawing
room where Edith sat among her
white roses and heliotrope, working
on bit Of cambric Tutile and singing
to herself. She was slender. beau
tiful girl, with violet eyes, a blue
veined forehead, and glossy, abundant
cnrls, that pale gold that old painters
love TO portray.
81 wonder if Mortimer place is SO
lovely r she said to a silver-haired
lady who sat opposite. "Phil is going
to take me there when we return from
our wedding tour he says it is the
sweetest place poets fancy can de-
wise with fountains and strawberries
and oopses. Oh, shall we not be hap
py there? p