The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-03-13
THE M1sER's REQUEST

"Pleasc, sir, here letter.
"All right Mary. Now, then, added
Philip Acre, as the door closed behind
Mary's substantial back "let's see what
my unknown correspondent has to say.
A black seal, ehl Not having any rela-
tons to lose, l am not alarmed at the
prognostic."
He broke the seal, and glanced leis-
urely over the short business like com
munication contained within, with a face
that varied from incredulous surprise to
sudden gladness.
IAN dreamng2" he murmured, rub
bing his eyes and shaking himself, as if
to insure complete possession Of his
senses. "No, I'm wide awake, and in
my right mind; it is no delusion-no
part of my waking visionsl But who
would ever suppose that old Thomas
Mortimer. whom | haven't seen since !
was a boy of sixteen, and picked him
out of the river half dead between cramp
and fright, would die and leave me all
his money? Why. I'm not the shadow
of relation; but then | never heard
that the old man had any kith or kin, so
l can't imagine any harm in taking adj
vantage Of his odd freak Rich-am |
really to be rich?-is my Aladdin vision
to be an actual fact? OH Edith, Edith !"
He clasped both hands over his eyes,
sick and giddy with the thought that
the lovely, far off star of his alteration
would be brought near to him at last by
the magnet, gold All those years of
patient waiting, which he feared were
before him, were to be bridged over by
the strange old miser's bequest he
might claim Edith now.
How iull Of heart-sunshne were the
weeks that fitted over the head of the
accepted lover-brightened by Ediths
smilc-made beautiful by the soft radi-
ance of Edith's love,
There was only one alloying shadow
the almost impcrceptible touch of dis
trust and suspicion with which stern old
DR.. Wyllis regarded his future son-in-
law.
All he feared to trust his only child
to the keeping of any man who had not
been proved in the fiery furnace of trial
1t was precisely a week before the day
appointed for the wedding, and the soft
lights yelled by the shades of ground
glass were just lighted in Doctor Wyllis
drawing room, where Edith sat among
her white roses and heliotrope, working
on bit of cambria ruiiling, and singing
to herself.
She was a slender, beautiful girl with
violet eyes, q blue-veined forehead, and
glossy abundant curls, of that pale gold
that painters love to portray.
81 wonder if Mortimer Place is so very
lovely" she said to a silver hared lady
who sat opposite. "Phillp is going to
take me there when we return from our
wedding tour, aunty; he says it is the
sweetest place poets fancy could devise,
with flowers and strawberries, and deli
cous copses. Oh shall we not be hap
Ply there's"
She started up with bright, sudden
flush, for even while the words were
trembling on her lips Philip Acre came
into the room, his handsome face look
ing little troubled, yet cheerful withal.
Mrs, Wyllls, with an arch nod at her
niece, disappeared into the perfumed
perspective of the conservatory, leaving
the lovers to themselves.
"You are looking grave, Philip" said
Edith, as he bent over and kissed her
check
"And am feeling so, darling. I have
d very unpleasant disclosure to make to-
night-our marriage must be postponed
indefinitely"
"Fhilp! for what reasonW
"To enable me by dihgent labor at my
profession to realize sufficient means tC
support you, dearest, in manner salts
factory to your fathers expectations ant
my own wishes"
"But, Philip, l thought"
"You thought ne the heir of Thomas
Mortimer's WEALTH. So | was, Edith,
few hours since, but have relinquisheC
all claim to it now. When | accepted
the bequest was under the impression
that no living heir existed. | learned to
day that distant cousin-a woman. i
alive, although my lawyer tells me, il
ignorance of her relationship to Thomas
Mortimer OF course shall transfer tn
property to her Immediately"
''But, Philip, the will has made it lie
gally yours
Legally it has; but, Edith, could
reconcile it to my ideas of truth AM
honor to avail myself of old Mortimer
fanciful freak at this womun's expense
might take the boarded wealth, but
could never respect myself again coul'
! dream of legally deflauding the right