Middletown transcript., 1886-08-19
It'll lam absolute masterofthe Olden

! estate" ~ A.l'4 q
@All right, Frank. No apologize
of that sort required. We will nov
drink your health, and then to th'
health of the lady who is destined
to share this good fortune with
you" s.g OTIS
81 believe ] may venture to name
the lady, said one of the guests, as
they were raising the glasses for
the purposes proposed. Z" Let us
drink to the health Of Miss Edith Ed
ridger' fN -
Whatl that decayed crow ?" in
terposed Frank, lowering his glass
with indignant surprise. I thought
all my friends knew that dropped
her. forever, soon after the failure and
death of her father, two years ago.
Besides, Edith is to old for me! l am
two years her senior, and must be ten
years older than the girl who shall be
my wife and the mistress of my for
tune.
At the end of another two hours the
guests departed, and Frank, in some
what mixed state of mind, found his
way to his own room. His last con-
scious reflections were that money and
good words, literally applied to the
indulgent old housekeeper, would have
the effect to remove every trace of
what had occurred in a room which
helhad no right even to enter in the
absence of the proprietor. 5 j !.
q : y *gs *aafi r. h.a
:" I am pleased to welcome you to
our humble home r. said Miss Edith
Eldridge, rising and extending her
hand to Mr.. Hubert Olden, whom she,
recognized as an old friend of her de-
ceased father, also her mother, still
living, as the uncle OF the young man
to whom her heart and hopes had
been pledged in brighter and more
prosperous days. Herthoughts were,
however, withdrawn from him now !;
SO far, at least, that she did not ex-
pect or even desire ever to meet him
again. ~. ~ t.,s $. Z.
This call was made on the after
noon ofthe day whose early morning
hours Frank Olden had spent inlthe
manner described. When parting
from his nephew, Mr.. 0lden had been
intending to go into the country and
spend a few days, but finally decided
to put off that visit for the present,
and hence was at home and in his bed
in that same little alcove, and heard
all that had occurreds Everything
that was said and done during that
midnight carousal had not only fas-
tened itself onto his memory, but had
gon e into the very structure Of
his brain and his heart.
The moment his nephew left the
room, at the close of the banquet, Mr..
Olden rose went to his safe, from
which he took his will and burned itat
once.
'fAnd now," unused the gentleman,
"a good deal of hard thinking is in
ORDER"
He had known Edith Eldridge from
her childhood. and had known and es-
teerned both her parents before she
was born. They had, in fact, been
the truest and best friends of his youth.
His nephew's talk and conduct had
been to him a startling revelation.
Up to that time he had reposed the
most perfect confidence in him. Not
the slightest intimation of his heart
less reputation of Miss Eldridge had
come to his knowledge.
The last thought ofhis own marriage
had long since passed out of view !; but
he now began to realize that it had
not gone so far away that it could not
be brought back.
| Mr.. Olden's call at the humble resi-
| denee of Miss Eldridge lasted an
hour the most Of the time alone with
the young lady 3ae ~ 81
"iWhat could have been Mr.. Olden's
real object in calling here today p
asked Mrs. Eldridge, soon after the
gentleman left. Why, Edith" she
continued, What is the matter ? You
look as if you had been weeping
Did Mr.. Olden bring you any bad
news p 1a..l..l.
/ No, dear mother" Edith replied
ss with increasing agitation she threw
herself into her mothers arms and
burst into tears. e H..,l ~.
But these are tears of gladness
and not of sorrow, my dear childl'
said the astonished lady, wondering
what could be the nature of the ex
perience through which her daughter
had been passing. "Tell me all, my
dear"
=" 1t is so sudden-so unlike any
thing that 1 had expected |" falterec
Edith at last. "Mr. Olden has pro
posed marriage to me. He said h,
f knew it would take me entirely b,
surprise j but his 'own mind wal
made up, and he saw no reason fol
; delaying the offer. AS for my
answer, he said very kindly that h,