Daily Republican., 1883-10-13

, A kind of resentment, most unit
!. and nndeserved, sprang up In his IN 1
against Frank Lindsay. He wi
ashamed of 1t, and yet he could NJ
quite overcome 1t, nor altogether bic
1t at times 1t was ~ II he question:
r In his heart
;, Why should he live and inherit til
l. wealth first amassed for her, Will
= her child lies In an unknown grave?
Q | could have found my pretty Mabel
: son they should have been joint heirs.
3 For, though his sisters letter ha
| sad nothing of 1t, and he had n
r grounds on which to base his idea. b
had somehow quite convinced his min,
5 that her babe had been a boy.
, Frank was at this time o generous
warm hearted, whole soulsd young fsl
= low of twenty-three, who shrewdl,
comprehended the condition of hi
, nncle's feelings, and sympathized will
} him in his disappointed hopes an,
plans, more sincerely than would have
been possible (under the circumstances
TO any but really kind and noble
nature. He was a handsome fellow too
and bad sunny temper, and pleasant
genial ways, that made him singularly
loveable; naturally enough he was q
favorite with women, and one poor little
feminine heart, whose owner was alto
gether too poor and lowly TO be taken
into consideration at all, except as an
object of pity, made him In a fond, foolish,
girlish, unreasonable way, its dream
and idol.
She was the prettiest creature The
mere child, who had lately taken 20 sit
ting at the street corner, near the Lind.
say mansion, with basket Of flowers,
Finishing above her odorous treasures
like the sweetest of roses, and handing
bouquets to her customers with q sweet,
shy, upward glance from eyes as blue
and modest Is the violets.
She was new at the trade. Frank
knew that al q glance, before be ques-
toned her and learned her simple
story. She was too shy to talk readily
with any one, but after one long, limo.
cent look into Franks honest, kind
brown eyes, she trusted him comp Iete-
ly.
Her name was Lily D,ne, she told
him. Her father had died when she
was a baby girl, and her mother had
supported her ever since.
How? Oh ! in many ways. Mamma
had been a governsss, you see she was
accomplished with her needle, to; they
had managed-though poor mamma
had to work very losely-until the
accident that had famed her, and driven
Lily to sell flowers. The tears welled
up into her deep blue eyes; it was very
kind Of the florist, near whose store
they lived, to trust her with the flowers !;
and she was earning enough, too, to
Keep them but mamma was SO lonely,
lying sick all day, and besides, she got
NO better.
Franks kind heart melted at the
tone and tears. 1t was evening, and the
fiower-girl was going home.
=" Let me go with you and see your
mother" he said. 81 may be able to
serve her."
She was too Innocent and confding
to him TO say nay moreover, she so
sorely needed a friend, and her heart
lnstinctively turned to this one; but
when they entered her poor home, and
shesaw her mothers glance ofalarm and
surprise rest on her companion, kind
OF terror OF her own imprudence seized
her, 80 that she fastened to explain
The gentleman is my best customer,
mamma. do not know his name he
thought he might perhaps help
yOu-'
Frank came to her assistance,
-" 1t is so sad that you should lie here
alone and Sick" he said, gently. 81
should he so glad to serve you if you
will teach me how. Ny name is Lind
say my uncle is an influential man
John Lindsay. of -''
The SICK woman uttered cry She
rose up in her bed in the strength
of her excitement, and held out ler
hand.
He whom they call the Golden
Merchant % she gasped. "Oh bring
him here Tell him have message
for him. His sisters message, given
on her death-Ded. Will he come if you
tell him that %
Would he come? Oh, how quickly |! |
Within half an hour he stood by |
Mrs. Danes bed, mbling and pale.
You have a message for mo from |
my sister? My lost one, whom have
sought 50 vainly and so long! From
her death bed, you say-she is dead,
then. my pretty Nab? Give me her
message, for Gods sake!'
The woman T. moved her hands from |
her white face, and looked into his
eyes.
NAB is not dead, but dying, john"
she said, while he started wildly at her
voice. Take Mab's farewell from her
own lips, my brother, for her death-bed
and mine are one -
They took her back to the home she
had deserted full eighteen years before,
and nursed her gradually and slowly
back to health and strength again, and
the Golden Merchant welcomed the
poor, pale ghost of the bright young
lister he had lost, and found her dearer
nan ever to his heart Only one little
loud was on his happiness.
" If on ~ your child had been boy,
lear Mah,' he said, with a sigh,
Frank and he could have been Joint
leirs."
She answered, smilingly
"They will be SO, think, in any
ase. Look at them, John watch them
IS they talk together; their hearts show
plainly In their eyes. TLeir love story
,egan with our re. union, my brother
Nay 1t be brighter one than was
ours or mine! And so shall they be
oint heirs TO life and love, as we'll az to
he fortune OF the Golden Merchant"