Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-09-25
LOVES LESSON. .
Z BY, HELEN HARcOURT.

BY HELEN HARcOURT. 5f.,@
Eyes, my DEAR" said the sick man,
gazing with a loving smile upon the
proud, stately girl bending over him,
"T hope Rupert win arrive in England
before Ego hence. / long to see the
lad once more, and I want you two to
nee each other. But if not" he added,
musingly, communing with himself,
tit will be ALL right--Pve fixed that.
Yes, yes; my plan is best for both Of
chem. And now kiss me, Allie, dear.
It is time you were asleep" b
A pair Of lips, sweet, yet with a
naughty curve that told of an ambi-
tious spirit, were pressed tenderly on
the broad, white brow Of the dying
baronet, who, for the last three years,
had been as q father to his orphaned
niece. 4s'.. ~
It wa, 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 demonstrative, and
the doctors had said that her uncle
might live for several months longer.
She did not know--llor did he-that
this was q farewell kiss; for when the
sun rose again, Sir Charles had gone
out OF the world, leaving but an empty
casket behind hifn-.a frail, perishable
shell, bearing his semblance, with a
calm, peaceful smile on his white face,
that told Of the quiet slipping away of
the living soul from the dead body.
Sir Charles was gone, but his will re-
mained--an awesome piece of parch-
ment, whose fiat 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
that he deemed it for veal, else hehad
never SO ordered their deshnies, so far
as in him lay. ~ E- -,.5-
~ Rupert and Alice: Whitney, the or
4
phan children Of Sir Charles two
younger brothers, had been his espe-
cial charges since the death oftheirpar-
ents.
Rupert had come to him Tristan
honest, noble lad, full Of life and earn
est purpose. ii. &, &-1 IS 5t}-. :
He entered the navy, and at the time
of his uncle's death was q lieutenant,
serving on aforeign station. In two
months more he was expected IN Eng
land on an eXtepded flrrlough---his first
I. for four long years. %ltl,y 5.- 4.
He had never met his Cousin Alice
she had livedin the West Indies until
her father S 5sta tlls, three years before
but was well aW are Of the earnest de-
sire OF his uncle that they two should
become all and allbbo each other.
Ehex4atter2 had sent him Alice's
picture, and being as yet heartwhole,
he was well content to accept the
beautiful wife selected for him. 81
Asto the proud girl herself, she, too,
nnde rstood her uncle''s wish. "A boy
4 ish portrait Of Rupert hung on the
4 library wall !, and she felt. sure she
should like the grown-up original. 4.
Il 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. s IA q 4. h @s
Sir Charles had hoped to see his two
loved ones united and happy, but
time waits for no mar, and his sum-
mons had come before his plans could
be comsum1nated }. ~.
M He had prepared for such contin-
gency, however, and had, as we have
heard him say !" fixed it all right. I" 81 /,
BY the decree OF his will, his vast
property, after a hand some legacy to
his widowed sister, Mrs. Carson, and
sundry requests to friends and SER
ya,lts, was TO be equally divided be-
tween his nephew, Rupert whitney,
\ and his niece, lliee IN hitney ~ ~
He said Ri and Alice were to we'd
each other year OF his decease,
/ and IN case OF the refusal of either one
20 to do, then his. or her half of the
estate, With the exception OF twenty