Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1884-09-19

and susp icious, discontinued DISPOSE.
ton, that had planted the wrinkles &c
thickly upon the retreating fore
head and about the thin, queruloui
lips.
Hes greeting was meant to be kindly,
and intended to put the young girl ri
her ease, and Nell, seeing this, with
ready tact 1t once adapted herself TO the
situation, saying to herself that heI
aunt was probably far more pleasant
than she seemed.
But as the days went on, she was
forced to acknowledge that Miss Mar.
tha's appearance in no degree belief
her. She was q most diaagroeAble
woman, who seemed u think that her
wealth gave her An excuse for being 70.
One day Nell sat idly turning over
the lesves Of photograph album. The
portraits were nearly all Of . past
generation, and - she knew none Of
them, they had little interest for her
but presently she came across one that
seemed Of recent date moreover, 1t was
strangely familiar, and Nell stopped TO
examine 1t more carefully when, to her
surprise, she recognized the portrait "a
that Of Walter Spencer, her fellow
boarder at Mrs. Curtis.
II wonder how bis portrait came 70
be here, thought Nell, "ani IL Aunt
Martha knows him ?' and just then
Mics Martha entered the room.
Her bushy brOws gathered In an oni.
nous frown ~ her eyes fell upon the
/ counterfeit presentment' of young
Spencer, and just ss Nell was about to
U tier the question she Intended to ask
regarding him, she was frightened to
see q dreadful change come over his
aunt's face. The old lady tried to speak
but only inarticulate sounds issued from
her writing lips, and In another in
slant she had fallen ON the floor at the
terrified girls feet.
As quickly a. possible Nell sum-
moned assistance, and the old lady was
conveyed to her chamber, while mes
senger was dispatched for a physician,
who, when he arrived, pronounced
the seizure to be q paralytic one.
The stroke had affected her lower
limbs only, and it was doubtful II she
would ever regain the use of them, but
her mind WAS 50 clear as ever. At her
earnest request Nell promised to remain
with her for few WEI Ks longer at ali
events, although her visit had proved
anything but q pleasant one, and she
had been looking forward with relief
to its termination, at the time Of Miss
Msrtha's sudden illness.
Before the departure Of the physician
he requested few moments' converse
ton with Nell, ~ he wished to give
some directions In regard to the nurs-
ing of his patient. The young girl con.
Il tod - hA L. tnh La-
q units seizure had taken place, and the
tion was the album still lying open
Ing greeting to the beholder.
"Ah! " he exclaimed, going up to the
table. "What have we here? Could
your aunt have seen this, Miss Page?''
Mel. explained exactly what had hap
pened. adding:
HAD the sight of the portrait any
thing to do with her illness, doctor?"
Undoubtedly it WAS the cause OF
It," answered the doctor. " Are you
not aware, Miss Page, that Mr.. Spen-
Ger was brought up by Miss Townshend
from childhood with the expectation OF
inheriting her property? At least she
allowed him and every one else to
think that 1t was her intention to make
him her heir. But . few months age
there was q violent quarrel between
them, and directly afterward young
Spencer left fairfield"
Nell's acquaintance with her aunt
had been but short one, but she could
we'll understand that high spirited
fellow like W alterl5pencercould Ill brook
her tyrannical exactions. She said moth
To the doctor Of her knowledge Of the
young mans whereabouts but for the
next few days her thoughts often
wandered to him.
In the meantime Miss Martha wa,
rapidly recovering, and one day wher
Nell had preached the subject Of hel
speedy departure, she leaned forward II
her invalid chair, and laying her yellow
claw.like hand upon Nell's pretty
plump one, said
Don't go, Elinor, stay here with mi
always. don't want to be left to tn
care Of hired servants. You shall be ny
heiress. l intend to make my will q
once. But don't leave me-"
Nell was fully sensible of the ad
vantages of money, but the prospec
of constant oompanionship with ont
whom she could neither love nor re
spect was not an inviting one, and ye
she could not choose but pity this poo
rich woman, who, seeing her hesitation
said pieadingly again
Do stay with me, Elinor. You and
are all that Is left of our kin
dred. And all that I have shall b
yours"
And Nell Answered
!" will stay, aunt but is there n,
one else who might have had hope
fostered by you, and whom you SHOULD
also remember Pr
"Not one cent" cried Miss Martha
The migrate, not one cent Of min
shall he ever possess - and she pouret
forth such o torrent of vituperatioI
upon the unconscious object Of hel
wrath, that Nell longed to run ava,
from the sound OF the angry voice, re
solving within herself that If this wer,
all the effect it had she had better
never again allude to Walter Spence
in her aunt's preser ce.
A few days after Nell's decision II
remain in fairfield, Mrs. Curtis
motherly heart was gladdened by ,
short visit from her favorite, whom sh'
loved almost as much IS though sh'