The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1885-05-13
THAT DAWN HIS BOAT.

II was o wild night. The vino
blew, the rain drove, the wave
roared in the near distance.
II had been a fateful day to me
Grandfather Delmar, with whom
had lived ever since / could re
member, had been carried to hi
final home that afternoon, and now
Twas the last representative Of oul
name. The wide acres Of the Del
mar plantation, originally one o.
the largest estates on the eastern
shore of Maryland, had come down
to me as sole heiress, To me also
had descended the Delmar dia
monds, which had blased on the
persons Of the Dslmar ladies.
say descended, but / am hardly
correct, for these broad lands and
these priceless jewels were mine
only under the will Of my grand
father, and that will contained q
proyiso which l had just learned
for tho frst time 7 was To marry
Randolph Heath, the ward and
adopted son of my grandfather, OF
else the entire properly was to &c
to this self.same Randolph.
The will had just been read
The funeral guests, or at least, The
most important Of them, had list
ened to ii in the great drawing
room below, the walls Of which
we're hung with portraits of my
Delmar ancestors, handsome men
and lovely, golden, haired women.
"Charlotte," said my aunt, wher
the reading Of the will was eudec
-"Charlotte, my dear, you mus
invite our friends for the night
You are mistress now"
81 shall never be mistress Of Del
mar Hall, Aunt Mordaunt," l said
firmly.
She clutChed my arm, her eye
wide with wonder.
"And why not, pray2"
"Because of the proviso. l vii
never we'd Randolph Heath"
Her face whitened to the hue o
death, She was a lone widow, anc
l was her idol; and she coveted al
those jewels and rich acres for my
heritage. For q moment we s!OOt
breathless.
"But Randolph Heaths in Au
stralia," suggested a friend, "anc
you are mistress at least until hi
returns"
Poor aunty caught at this las
hope with a gasp Of relief.
$50 you are, my DEAR" she pu'
in; "we'll leave all these disagresa
BILE things to be settled in the fu
ture. Tonight, friends, We vii
shut the doors against the storm
and be comfortable"
She swept off toward the glow
ing parlor, followed by her guests
while l fed away to my owl
chamber.
The afternoon, as I have said
had turned into rain and tn
waves thundered on the shores 0
the bay close by with a hoarse cry
like a human heart in pain.
paced my room restlessly, 1cOul,
not marry this Randolph Heath
whose faced had not looked upor
since the days of my early child
hood. Icould not do it, for anoth
er face arose before me, in the fac,
Of The man Iloved, A poor man
landless and unknown, yet VIII
had grown so dear To me in tn
few brief months of our summe
acquaintance that to give him u
were worse than death, Yet / wa
a Delmar, and it was a sore trial t
lose my heriLage-to lose the Del
mar jewels. all the Delmar VIC
men before me had worn thes
matchless old diamonds; and mus
!, alone Of them, DO disinheriteC
and dowerless2
"Yes, oheerfully," 1 said; "sinc
to keep them l must give up tn
choice Of my heart. Dear, dea
summer daysl"
For it had been during a visit t
a school friend, who lived in one o
the loveliest counties Of Pennsyl
vania, that 1 had met, the proceed
ing June, Herbert Stanley. FO
the first time in my life | haC
found in him a perfectly congenia
soul. We liked the same poetry
preferred tho same music, admirec
The same scenery. All what deli
ciOus days those were. We rode
we walked, We sailnd, we read To
gether. Our acquaintance sOol
passed into intimacy, and from
that rlpened into love.
Never could | forget the day, III,