Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1883-05-27

roof with her.
had come again, since she and Roger
had parted.
In 4 despairing letter of farewell she
had learned that he had parted from
his uncle in anger-had gone out into
the wide world to work out his own
fortune, but not without the hope, he
added, that some day he should come
back to seek and claim her.
Janet's reverie was interrupted oy
voices close upon her, and, rising has
| tily in her confusion, Miss Lynn was
introduced to Mr.. Window;
The sunlight and faint bushes met
upon her cheek and made her posi-
| lively beautiful, for the time, as she
stood talking to the stately and cere-
monious old gentleman who had once
held her happiness in his hand, and had
refused 10 give il to her.
Long ago Janet had confessed to her
self that Roger WINDOWS love would
have crowned her life with happiness
indeed. For life had been a very color
less affair to Janet until the advent of
this handsome and ardent lover, aud
now that he was gone Miss Lynde had
discovered that, after all, she had not
been impervious to the influence of an
absorbing love. There was singular
mixture of reverence and repugnaRee
in the girls mind toward this proud
and self.opinionated old man, and Miss
Lynde's eyes and lips were very grave
as she answered Dir. WINDOWS cOur-
tier-like speeches, and walked beside
him down the trim garden path.
Evidently he was not aware that this
was the woman who had taken his
nephew away from him. Roger had
withheld the name and the other had
not had the curiosity to inquire
after it. The fact was sufficient to the
intlexible old man. His nephew wish
ed to form 3 connection beneath his
position in life. The woman had suffi-
cient shrewdness to see that his consent
was necessary to make her marriage to
his adopted heir q desirable one. Mr..
Window congratulated himself on his
own astuteneSs when he absolutely de-
clined this compliance with his hot
headed nephew's impaSSioned and very
impatient demands. SO the two equal
" fiery and obstinate natures had met
| in wordy combat, and both had been
worsted, though each refused to yield.
They had parted in anger, and Mr..
| Samuel Window was trying the effect
of change and variety on his now lone
| " life; for, all unaeknOwledged to him.
self, he felt his Aephew's detection
| keenly, and but for his pride would
have begged him to come back again.
In the meantime Mr.. Window found
himself becoming greatly interested in
this serious-eyed Miss I.ynde. Quite
unaware, Janet had touched the vul-
nerable spot in Samuel Windem's ma
ture.
He fancied her fair resemblance to
lis dead wife, and she had not dispelled
the illusion by the fashionable airs and
affectatiOn that young ladies generally
display. So Mr.. WINDOWS visit at
Mrs. Burdett'selegant country mansion
was prolonged from week to week,
until that lady confidently asserted to
her husband her belief that Mr.. Win
dom intended marrying their govern
ness; and certainly the lady's theory
was not without sufficient basis, for the
gentleman's old fashioned and cOurtly
I attentions were impressive enough to
even unobservant eyes.
One morning, as Miss Lynde was
| leaving her room she was rather star
tied by Mr.. WINDOWS servant handing
her a letter, with that gentleman's COM
| pliments.
Gould it be possible that he was
really be about to propose to her, rs
Mrs. Burdett had vaguely intimated?"
thought Janet, a. she broke the seal in
some perturbation; and this was what
\ she read
my DEAR GOCNG LADY-I have
considered whether / should speak to
you upon this subject that lies very
! near my heart, or trust it to the more
| diSpassiOnate medium of letter. For
| i desire that you should weigh care
fully the proposition / have To make
| you. am an old man, without tie
that is not mercenary. The only rela-
tive had living has fOrSaken me in
my old age tor some Schemiug adven-
turess, who doubtless expected to Sc
! cure my money too. Will you come to
me in his stead to brighten and cheer
the remainder ofmy days? have rot
asked you without due reflection and
thorough study of your character; and
| TO remove you from any sense Of de-
pendency or from future contingencies,
| / would convey in your name certain
bonds and household property, of
which We will speak more explicitly if
you consent to regard favorably my
| proposition. In this event l should
also desire to adopt you legally as my
| daughter-that you should assume my
name, with all its privi lcges, and the
assurance again repeated, that ] am
acting upon matured reflection and
sincere motive of mutual benefit.
Truly yours,
| "SAMUEL WINDOW
Miss Lynde felt extremely perplexad
as she reiolded her letter. What should
she do? Would she be hurting Roger
| WINDOWS interest in accepting his
uncle'S proposals, or, rather, would she
not be rendering him a service in Sc
| curing him against others who might
be more self interested than she?
Altogether it was irresistible. The
| thought of reigning in the house where
Roger had lived-perhaps to have him
come back some day to find her there
awaiting him.
\ little later, then, and Janet beheld
herself transformed into an important
parsonage, with all the Injurious sur
rOundings and costly accessories that
betitted rich mans daughter.
Mr.. Window was kindness itself in
his stately, Old-fashiOned manner, aud
yet Janet was not altogether content.
The coming home, to which she had
looked forward to so hopefully, had not
come to pass, and upon the subject of
his truant nephew Samuel Window
spoke never word.
"And SO, Uncle Samuel, you have
brought me back all this way to tell me
you have found ME wife? But it is
out Ofthe question. There is only only
one woman in the world you could in
duce me TO marry, and she will not
marry me-"
await until you have seen my
daughter" said his uncle, with n be-
nign smile.
at is scarcely worth while to quar-
/ rel at our first meeting" thought Roger
as he came slowly down stairs As the