Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1884-03-22

OF her good news."
then departed for my hotel, where
Il was agreed that Mr.. NJ. should meet
me In the afternoon. Principally at
the appointed hour, the carriage await.
cd me at the hotel entrance, and In com.
! pany with my new friend, was sOon
u on my way 10 tie northwestern part OF
the city, where Mrs. Sherwood and her
daughter resided.
1--we found them at home. Mr.. M. in.
! troduced me and they both gave me a
cordial greeting, a greeting that makes
man feel he Is just where he IL want
cd. Miss Sherwood was a slender,
graceful lady of about forty, but look
ing ten years younger. She ressmbled
very much a Spanish Roma. Miss
Mabel said john, gazing coniempla-
lively up at the ceiling, ~ wont at
tempt to describe, because 1t would
take the remainder of the evening and
you might grow tired.
Neither will ] go into details az to
how we broke the good news, or preseu
ted the will. The announcement
caused scene both ludicrous and pa
thetic. When placed the will In Ma
bells hands she turned very pale and
slightly swayed TO one side. / thought
she would faint perhaps, and was just
preparing myself for the emergency,
when she sprang towards her mother,
threw her arms round her neck and
fell to sobbing. Her mother In turn kiss
ed and caressed and wept over her
daughter, and for time the scene re-
minded one very much Of the return OF
the Prodigal Son."
Here John saw fit to moralizea little.
What variety of emotions wo-
man can give vent TO in tears-,joy, sor-
row, fears, anger. After all / don't
know but what she is to be envied her
prerogative If we men only had more
latitude in that line, we might relieve
our overcharged feelings safely and
omfortably. For many emotions,
long suppressed, are oft times danger
Gus.
Laughter, he continued, resuming
his story" is never very far from tears,
and 80 1t was not long before these two
had recovered sufficiently to smile aud
shower prOfuse thanks on US both, al.
though | rather think | received the
lions share, and that they were dispos.
ed to regard me in the light of q hero
not an unpleasant one either, when re-
fec ted from the eyes of charming
girl.
We stayed for tea that evening, and
the next afternoon | called, at Miss
Mable's resolved, to relate fully the
story of the curiously related will
hidden in the recess of the 'old score.
Itary.'
When had finished the recital, she
inquired i'll would recognize por-
trait of the old man should | see it.. |
informed her | should, without the
least difficulty. She then led the way
to small, Hastily adorned room, around
which were scattered books, flowers,
pictures, and hundred dainty femi-
nine devices. On one side of the room
hung full length portrait of my nys-
terious visitor of two nights before. She
saw ! recogniz' d it, and the recogn-
ton only served to render more mex
rlicable the strange affair.
That" she said, while her eyes
filled with tears, I" is the portrait of
Mark Warrene--the dearest, kindest |
friend ever had 1t was painted by |
my father, whose friend he was Also"
nv WILD Poiho oohH again hieioSSeu W |
say
Whether the spirits of departed
friends are permitted to revisit the
earth for good purposes do not pretend
to say, but If it was not the spirit of Mark
Warrone that visited my room that
night, what was it.? am not supersti-
tious; that belongs to the Ignorant
and yet have always thought there is
a vein of that article, more or less
clearly defined, in every human being,
and that the belief that forbids the
farmer planting his potatoes in the
light of the moon for fear they will all
go TO "tops," or that prevents him
having his roof shinged when the
sign is up, are only weaker forms
of the same belief that impels the
North Amer can Indian to apologize to
The animals and birds he kills, thinking
hey contain the spirits of hisdep ar Jed
friends.
Well" he continued, to resume
my story, "tbe second will was proved
beyond doubt the nephew made but
little opposition when he heard the
facts of the case, and after wonder.
fully short delay, tor the circumlocution
office, Mabel Sherwood became the law
tul and recognised heiress of Mark
Warrtrs.
81 was az welcome visitor at the ;
residence by the river az
had been in the less pretenti0uS home in
The quiet little street Of the city, and Of
course you have doubtless surmised that
this is not all. | am engaged to Mabel,
and the marriage il to take place on the
10th Of next month. II was to acuuaint
you with this tact and to secure your
services as hest man at the trying
ordeal that | sent you such an ur.
gent invitation 10 visit ne
John leane, back in h chair with
The air of man who had told a story,
and told it well. He was evidently
prepared for any comments | might
make.
"Well," said l, "yonr story does
make amends for your deception. Aud Z
40 you have actually determined to for.
sake virtuous bachelordom and immo-
ate yourself on the altar of matrimony.
And you were the very last person !
,ver expected to find guilty of such
madness. If you won't be- offended.
should really like to ask what evil |
genius drove you to it?'
I" 1t all came about through the old
secretary" said John coolly, knocking
he refuse ashes from his pipe as he
poke. "When Mabel learned it was {
he hiding place of the will, she entreat (
ID me to let her have it. replied that
lothing would ever tempt me to part 8
yith it. We came so near quarreling,
hat to prevent that imminent Catastro. t
he, proposed we make a joins part
ership of it, She finally consented
all" c
A month later stood as best man "
It the wedding of John and Mabel,
which was celebrated with the greatest
ciat, and where l had the pleasure OF d
Meeting Miss Sherwood, then the wife OF
fr. NJ.
A fter the ceremony, John and his
Dvtly bride left for prolonged tour
trough ltaly-that paradise of sunnyI
kies and lovers-and through the clas.