Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1886-10-16

Lily had never seen this distant
relation, yet she had formed AZ
opinion of him in her inmost mind
as we were all apt to do of unseen
persons whom we hear great deal
about; and whenever she thought OF
Mr.. Glencross the image of a hook
nose old sman, yellow-skinned and
cadaverous, engaged in sorting over
piles of mortgages or counting bags
of gold, suggested itself to her men
tai eye.
But he must be human, at least,
thought Lily, in the agony of her
distress. IF / go to him myself,
and tell him just what poor Char
ley's necessities were, and how good
hearted he is, in spite of his faults
and thoughtlessness---if say frank
ly to him that | have no money nor
Jewels to reimburse him, but that /
will stay and work for him, as SER
want girl might work in the kitchen,
until | have discharged the horrible
debt, surely, oh, surely he cannot
have the heart TO refuse, / can do
q great many things. | can sew
and embroider, and can make good
bread and biscuit, and poor mamma
always said was good housekeep-
er, and if Mr.. Glencross is really so
misery as Charley thinks he would
look at the economy of the thing.
At least, it is worth trying.
So favorably did Lilias Wayland
regard this idea, preached in her
sore extremity, that in two days
from the evening in which she had
hidden good-by to her handsome,
reckless brother, she stepped from
the cars at the New York depot,
dressed in a sober brown suit that
made her look like shrinking little
mouse, with her carpet bag in her
hand.
A little inquiry sufliced to bring
her to the street where Mr.. Glen
cross resided-a stately avenue,
lined on either side with elegant pal
aces, the like of which Lily had new
er seen in the palmer city where she
had been born and bred. Her heart
sank within her as she stood on the
broad brown-stone steps leading up
to the carved rosewood door, on
which a silver plate bore the name
of 'Glencross' in old English letters.
Then, coloring deeply at her own
cowardly RIGHTEOUSNESS and utter
lack of all resolution and enterprise,
she rang the bell to settle the ques-
ton at once and deiiantely.
SIS Mr.. Glencross at home p she
asked of the colored servant who an
swered the summons.
Yes, Mr.. Glencross was at home /;
would the young lady enter? And
Lilias was shown into an apartment
curtained with heavy folds of purple
satin and carpeted with velvet of
the same rich color, an apartment
whose dusky splendor made her
think of all the stories she had read
of enchanted palaces in the realms of
fairy land.
As Lilias sat on the silken sofa,
waiting with throbbing heart for
the appearance of her unknown cou-
sin, the thought stole into her mind
that he wasn't so much of 'miser'
after all and then came sick sort
of misgiving that her mission was
all in vain.
For surely she thought, glanc-
ing TREMENDOUSLY round the elegant
apartment, 'he will not want anyone
to make bread or look after the
kitchen expenditures. | wish--oh,
/ wish that | was safe at home
again ?
The thought had scarcely framed
itself in her mind when door at the
farther end of the room was opened,
and a tall, handsome man, scarcely
thirty years of age, entered.