Daily Republican., 1885-09-25


sation.
Unable to speak, I drew forth myI
treasure. The shopkeepsr looked sus-
Piciously At me - he took II up and
tested 1t.
Your name and address, please" he |
said sharply. And how much do you
want ?"
"I want IA little mouey, If you
please" faltered.
As spoke the gentleman turned and
[ could feel pair of bright, keen eyesI
scanning my pale face. / grew more
helplessly confused, my tongue refused
10 utter D word.
Tell the shopmau how much you
want, and your name, my good girl,'l
he said In kind and plying tone."|
Then, for the fret time, l raised my
eyes to his face, feeling that l had
found q friend. Merciful Heaven u
was dreaming,or had my late troubles
driven reason from my brain, and
filled 10 with delusive fancies.
Surely there stood the original OIL
Aunt Bstsy's portrait, but young and
lttalwart o. he hao been forty years
Ago, when II was taken.
In vain 1 tried to speak. could
only point helplessly to the portrait
the chop with Its occupants and its
contents swam around me, and with Q
CRY for help, I sank faining to the
ground.
When next awoks to Consciousness,
! was lying on An improvised bad on an
old couch In our sisting.room ut homo.
moved my head, 1t felt weak and
sore. Then tried TO lift my hands, but
to my surprise WAS po werloss 70 do 90.
A woman, plainly dressed with kind,
moth srly face, was sitting near me, and
rose as moved.
looked around bewildered.
"Mamma - called feebly.
| "Hush, hush, my dear miss" said
the kind looking woman, soothingly.
"You must not speak your mamma IL
! asleep and you might wake her."
So lay still, wondering weakly who
she was and who had sent her there /;
but presently, seeing her stir the hre
Into blaze, forgot her caution, - all
my old anxieties came ba TX, and said
pleadin2ly
Don't poke the fire, please. 1t will
burn out too quickly, and we have no
moro GOALS"
"Oh, no, miss, you have been
dreaming. The cellar is nearly full, the
Coz only came in last week"
Again essayed to answer, but WAS
30 gently, yet with such authority or
dered to be quiet, that 1 was glad 10
LOBBY, 80 / lay still enjoying she sensa-
ton OF being not able TO think. In .
day or two l grew stronger, and one
morning, to my delight, my brother
Icame in, and had leave given mo 10
talk little.
Then heard all about my late I'D
venture.
1t WAS really . most wonderful
event, my dear, and reads like chapt tor
Tout of three volume novel," said m
mother, who, by the way. looked quite
bright and strong again. Whom you
fell down in faint, you let fall tho
velope In which you had carried tho
miniature, and the gentleman who wa
in the shop"
Il remember him, mamma,,' cried,
excitedly, he was the very image OF
the portrait. l fanoied must bo dream
ing
THAT is the strangest part Of the
story, but you won't let mo tell 10 tC
you properly, my dear. That gentle
! man saw your ,namo and address
brought you home In cab, sent In .
nurse, and everything we wanted, and
has been our good angel ever since. HI
lis Arthur Rsshleigh, the only son o
' your Aunt Betsy's old lover, who, afte
mourning the supposed faithlessness o
, his old love, married late In life, Ant
has not long been dead, leaving Arthu
a Ia large fortune. His astonishment q
seeing you With his fathers portrait
!. you may he sure, was very great. How
n ever, it was very lucky thing for US
| Nat 80
! such poor one. By the way, here
lis; Mr.. Rashleigh was kind enough l.
. bring 1t back with him.
There was one thing which did 20
!. appear to concern my mother In TIL
!. least, but made my pale face flame, an
!. that was the idea of receiving all thes
= benefits from a mere stranger, upo
= whom we had not the slightest claim
unless the fact that his father, fort
= years ago, had been my aunts love-
A could be considered one.
n So made up an eloquent speech. !
a which | thanked him warmly for hi
! goodness, and delicately yet frml
n conveyed the information, that II
!. tended to repay him as soon rs coul
I get to work again.
"a But carefully as l rehesrsed 1t, thu
10 eloquent speech was never uttered, nc
did / wonder at my mothers willin'
N ness to receive benefits from him. II
was 80 lonely, he said, he had not
~ friend or relative In England, and
: man servant, whom he treated wit
~ kindness and confidence, had Just rol
y bed him of some valuable old famil
plate which his father had thousl
"A highly Of, and had carried with hi
n. in all his wandorings.
For me-may 1 confess 1t witho'
~ shame-the grateful into1e,t l felt
,v him soon grew into love, and ali, hapI
,e rs my life has been since, can L ov
In forget that happy evening, when wal
"a ing home from the theatre, whittier
7 had taken me, he told me that he love
"a mt dearly, and asked me to DO b
wifo?
a. but IL am poor, / am not prett
~ and l am so old |" Ipleaded, fes
~, inc to accept this sweet, new ha
pipess, and mindful Of Lena's dep
ma citation of my personal appearance. 81
an etc.
ne closer In his.
mr. III you are too old for marriage
rat twenty two, how may hope with
NO moro years added on, even 10 enter u
blissful srate?" he asked.
not, So 1 said yes, aud soon after, we
lid " mt to Aunt Bstsy's, and there v
esk married At the little village church,
the son OF her old lover, who loved
lrevereBced the queer, touchy old m
mas not little for her loyal devotion 10
~ flasher.
my 50 Aunt Betsy's present saved I
my dear mothers life, and also saved
pus from the dreadful fate L. ma had thr'