Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1884-07-11
NORMA.
BY FANNY MAY.

BY FANNY MAY.
"By Jove! this Is an awkward pre-
dicament for a staid old bachelor like
myself W find himself into be asked
to be- guardian to, and take sole charge
of, a girl not yet out of her teens. Some
hoyden, | suppose, who will forever de-
stroy my peaceful, quiet life here with
her ceaseless clatJer."
The above. half exclamation, half
soliloquy, was uttered by Raymond
Delamere, the handsome master OF
River View Hall, rand old picturesqe
mansion overlooking the beautiful
waters of the Hudson, as, with q sad,
thoughtful look on his face, he persued
the letter that bad been penned 10 him
by Victor Liuwood, his dead college
chum, In his dying moments, asking
him to act ~ guardian to his orphan
Norma.
"Poor VICTOR" he murmured, after a
moments silence. while the thoughtful
look deepened on his handsome face
she saved my life Unce at the risk Of
his own, aud it is only right that 1
should repay the great debt OF graft
tude owe him, by welcoming to River
View the ward he has bequeathed me-"
With Raymond Delamere TO speak
was TO act /; for even while he spoke he
had touched the small silver bell tn at
summoned Mrs Gray, the housekeeper
at River View, to his presence.
Mrs. Gray" he said, when that
kind and worthy lady had made her
appea, ance, 81 have q ward, tie
daughter OF my old friend, Mr.. Lin
wood, who is coming here soon to make
her home at II yer View; please zee that
a pleasant suite Of apartments are pre-
p Jared at once for her reception"
Mrs. Gray towed and Withdrew, and
when, a few days later, Norma Linwood
arrived at River View, she found q
suite Of apartments, overlooking the
broad, cleaning river, prepared for her
that were a marvel of elegance, and
would have pleased the fastidious taste
Of queen.
"a quaint child-woman," was Ray
mond Delamere's mental decision a., ht
lifted az tenderly as a father might tht
girlish, undeveloped form OF his ward
clad in its sable robes, into the carriage
waiting N convey her to River View
and gazed into her pale, grave face
that was only redeemed from being
positively plain by tho radiant, violel
eyes and the short, golden hair that
although confined in net, would
escape from its confinement and curl In
mberless tiny, cleaning rings abou,
the fair. girlish brow.
| Norma soon learned to love every
nook and corner Of the grand old man
sion, with its charming views of the
broad, shining river; but better thar
all, she learned to love its handsome
master, Raymond Delamere.
To her he seemed hero AID God
whilc to him she seemed only q sweet
Iquiet child, with o child's sleeping
heart; for he did not know how tha
woman's heritage of passion and powel
the worli calls love had awakened !
with its master touch until 1t knew NJ
life but loving him, and if any one ha,
told him the truth, he would have soon
Ter believed that the heavens woult
fall.
They were bright, happy days fol
lNorma-the brightest and happiest II
her young life, those golden days tina
she spent at River View with her hano
some guardian for a companion, Will
he superintended her studies, or Will
they took together long, charming
drives and rambles, until the fatal da,
came when they were destined to hav
a most cruel ending.
1t was a beautiful autumn day, full @
fragrance and sunshine, when, afte
they had returned from a delightful
ramble through the surrounding
country, the master of River View sud
denly announced to Norma his deter
mination to place her at fashionable
boarding school to have her educ .tio
completed, while he left River Vie'
: to 60 abroad.
Exercise had brought a faint piil
j, flush to NOrma's pale face, and "a
!, ldiant light had filled her violet eyes a
I she gazed upon the purple mist tina
:. Gro wued the distant hills and the broa
1 cleaning river over which the sunshin
! threw q veil of misty gold but as sh
listened to the words that sounded tn
death knell TO all her happiness, til
color quickly fled from her face, leavin
u it cold and pale as carven marb. ., Will
II the radiant eyes were suffused wit
! tears.
I. "What, cryingS little one?" sa'
y Raymond Delamere, as he tenderl
patted the golden head, and then b
loomforted her with loving, tender wore
= and told her how proud he would fe
when, after the time of their separatio
was ended, he would return to Rive
o. View to find, her his little ward,
, beautiful and accomplished woman.
va Il will try to become accomplishe
for your sake, guardy," Norma whisl
Tered through her tears, and soon aftel
: hen she had sought her own room
s.; the master of River View congratula
VI ted himself that he had succeeded
comforting her, and that with the con
;" panious of her own age she would 500
Il forget to be home sick, little dreamir
ID that, as soon a. Norma was alone, ST
k. threw herself with passionate sobs
lie the window, where all through IL
81 long night she lay with the moonligt
shining on her pale, pain-stricken fac
q ltrnderly murmuring his name betwee
her sobs.
n n n
q Five years had elapsed since Ra.
mond Delamere had left River View
II. travel through distant lands.
Many beautiful women had smil
. upon him, and hail tried with all Il
L arts known to the feminine heart
r. win his love and the honor of becomil
. the mistress of River View /; but he b
: cun the gauntlet successfully, and
{ arrow from Cupid's bow had pierre
. his hitherto impenetrable heart, un
a i.