The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1882-04-15
AUNT wEALTaY,s DELI.
By ESTHER sER1E KENNETH.

BY E6IhEh ok6lE AEHGEIns
Accepted, cried pretty Lefty Coles,
in voice of delight.
ssAccepted?" repeated her beautiful
sister Portia, in tone of dismay.
Certainly" calmly responded Mrs.
Coles, folding and lnclosing letter.
when yonr Aunt Wealthy Dale wrote
me, month ago, giving us an invita-.
tion to spend the summer with her. 'as
she had probably not many more to live,
I saw at once the full significance of the
invitation, and congratulated myself up
on the opportunity OF gratifying one OF
the richest women in the country which
is no small matter, assure you, my
deaf Portia," addressing the letter and
ringing for servant to mail it.
SBTt, mother, was going to the
Lakes with Uncle Dicks fan,ily!" re-
preachfully from Portia.
IT cannot permit it, my dear little
daughter-under the circumstances, !"
calmly replied Madam, leaning back in
her easy chair and folding her hands
upon her black satin cap.
"Oh, Portal cried Lefty, sits the
most delightful old place-a great farm
house, with bowery elms hanging over it
orchards, fields of clover, cattle in the
meadows"
"a horrid old farmhouse. deep in the
country" she murmured. "when was
going to have such brilliant summer,
with all my new dresses shirred seven
deep, and trimmed with such brilliant
lacei It's just shame! Ned Dudley
is going to be at the Lakes, too-Lou
Stanhope will be sure to get him, and
Portia pouted becomingly; but then
Portia never did anything unbecom-
ihgly.
Her mother surveyed her, comprehen-
sively.
ssWhen you have been at Aunt
friend you please to visit you. will
she said.
My affair with Ned Dudley isn't far
enough along to warrant my doing thatl"
her eldest daughter answered, quickly,
with fash of her dark eyes.
Portals mamma forthwith dismissed
the subject.
We start for Cherryville the first Of
he week, girls. / can think of nothing
that I should permit to prevent our go
ing. Lovers are very well, but money
is absolutely essential; and explain te
you plainly now that Aunt Wealthy has
great deal of it, and no relative nearer
than ourselves. All the others have an
abundance. We, only, are obliged to
strain every nerve to keep up appear
Ances. Aunt Wealthy must know this,
and is likely to make US her heirs. !. I
hope you will have wisdom enough to
make yourselves as interesting as posi-
bic. She is peculiar but not disagree
able. Very independent, but not aggres-
sively SO; and strongly attached to her
home, and Mrs. Coles rose and left the
room.
"A delightful prospect to dance atten-
dance on that tiresome old woman all
summer !" cried Portia, knocking the
toilet bottles about on her dressing case.
ssOh, shan't r. caroled Lefty, waltz
ing about the chamber. ST never could
make anybody like me by trying, and I
should feel mean to be trying to get into
her good graces in hopes of getting her
money when she died. But do like
the country-the real country-and old
houses are so much more homeJike than
new ones
But Portia had gone out of the room.
Frank, in this quiet evening hour we
have before my door gives entrance to
comparative strangers, listen to what
have to say. The future is uncertain,
and may meyer have another moment
in which T can open my old heart to you
so fully. You, the bound boy whom,
out of charity, persuaded my deceased
husband TO take nineteen years ago, are
dear to me to-day as my own son would
have been had he lived. Your trust
worthiness, your frankness, your upright
ness, your kind, chivalreus nature have
endeared you to me beyond expression,
II would ask nothing more satisfactory
to myself than to die leaving all my be-
longings in your hands. But the will of
my old parents through whom the Slopes
came into my possession, will not permit
me to do this while there is one OF. my
kith and kin alive. In view of this,
have made plan, which / will not men
tion now, but God give it success, and
IN any event always be certain that /
loved you as my son r
Aunt Wealthy broke of abruptly.
The rare tears spratE into Frank
Imbert's handsome blue eyes as he
looked down at the frail and failing
figure WHICH embodied all he had known
since his friendfess infancy of love.
No boy ever hid half so good
mother as you have been to me, !" he an
swered, softly stroking his one friends
soft gray hair. Don't talk Of property.
While have my health and two hands I
can earn an honorable living, and am
patis6edp'
He was stalwart, handsome fellow,
some twenty six years Of age, whom any
woman might be proud to call her son,
while he was known in the community
So head man at the Slopes, he calling the
mistress Mrs. Dale, and she calling him
Frank 1mbert.
The mutual confidence and affection
between the two lay more deep and
abiding than if it had found fuller ex-
preston. Perhaps this was the only