New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1885-09-23
LOVES LESSON.
BY HELEN HARCOURT.

BY HELEN HARCOURT.
eyes, my DEAR" said the sick man,
gazing with a loving smile upon the
proud, stately girl bending over him,
81 hope Rupert will arrive in England
before / go hence. I long to see the
lad once more, and want you two to
see each other. But if not" he added,
nusingly, communing with himself,
sit will be all right-Pve fixed that.
Yes, yes; my plan is best for both OF
them. And now kiss me- Allie, dear.
1t is time you were asleep ~
A pair Of lips, sweet, yet with a
naughty curve that told OF an a1nbi-
tlous spirit, were pressed tenderly on
the broad, white brow OF the dying
baronet, who, for the last three years,
had been as a father to his orphaned
niece. aa sg
It was a long, lingering kiss that
she gave him, and then, as she reach
ed the door, she turned impulsively to
bestOW yet another.
She remembered, with thankfulness,
in after times, how a glad light flashed
into the fading eyes, for Alice Whitney
was not ordinarily demonstrating and
the doctors had said that her uncle
might live for several months longer
She did not know-nor did he that
this was a farewell kiss; for when the
sun rose again, Sir Charles had gone
out of the world, leaving but an empty
casket behind him-a frail, perishable
shell, bearing his semblance, with a
calm, peaceful slnileTo his white face,
that told OF thesquiet slipping away of
the living soul from the dead body.
Sir Charles was gone, but.his will re-
@z1ained-an awesome piece Of parch.
ment, whose fat disposed, without
appeal, OF broad lands, OF stately
mansions, of two hundred thousand
pounds sterling and more, yea, far
more than all these of the future of
two persons who had both been very
dear to the testator, whether for veal
or for woe, who can say? But be sure
chat he deemed it for veal, else he had
never SO ordered their destinies, SO far
as in him lay. 7f
Rupert and Alice Whitney, the or
phan children of Sir Charles two
younger brothers, had been his espe-
cial charges since the death oftheir par
,ents. is5
Rupert had come to him Tristan
honest, .noblelad, full of life and earn
est purpose. .....,l 81. Z i.
He entered the navy, and at the time
of his uncle's death was a lieutenant,
serving on a foreign station In two
months more he was expected in Eng
hand on an extended furlough- his first
for four long years.
He had never met his Cousin Alice
she had lived in the West Indies until
her fathers death, threeyears before
but was well aware OF the earnest, de-
sire OF his uncle that they two should
become all and all to each other.
The latter had sent him Alice's
picture, and being as yet heartwhole,
he was well content to-. accept the
beautiful wife selected for him.
AS to the proud girl herself, she, too,
understood her uncle's wish. A boy
ish portrait of Rupert hung on the
library wall, and she. felt sure she
should like the grown-up original.
So, considering that he would be Sir
Rupert some day-that day had come
now-and that their union would keep
the vast estates together, Alice had
made up her mind that she might do
much worse than to comply with her
.uncle's desire.
Sir Charles had hoped to see his two
loved ones united and happy, but
time waits for no man, 'and his sum
mons had come before his plans could
be comsummated.
He had prepared for such contin-
heard himsay !" fixed it all right. .
By the decree Of his will, his vast
property; after a handsome legacy to
his widowed sister, Mrs. Carson, and
sundry requests to friends and SER
wants, was to be equally divided be
tween his nephew, Rupert Whitney,
and his niece, Alice Whitney.
He said Rupert and Alice were to we'd
each other within a year Of his ,decease,
and in case of the refusal Of either one
SO to do, then his or her half Of the
estate, with the exception Of twenty