St. Paul daily globe., 1888-05-22
HIS ONLY LOVE.
A Bachelors Romance.

n baCneIOf 8 Romance.
Poor Uncle Andrew was sitting by
the table supporting his head OH one
hand, and on his cheeks were traces of
fresh tears. / saw at glance that the
cause of his grief was miniature of
young girl he was regarding with rev.
erent eyes.
| was going to slip out of the room
out of respect for his sorrow, when he
called me back. "Don't CO." he mur-
INJURED. 81 feel as if it might do me
good to talk to you now"
had never imagined that uncle could
have any romance connected with his
life, so said: rs that the picture of
relative?" pointing to the miniature.
He shook his head sadly. ''No, but
!'ll tell you the story if you care to hear
it. l think it would be a relief to tell it
to some one this evening""
l drew up my chair in front of Uncle
Andrew, who thus proceeded:
"YOu may form some conception of
how beautiful Alice Bond was from the
picture you see there, though the reality
was far beyond the power of any artist
to reproduce it.
''She was delicate and tender flower.
A hereditary tendency to heart disease
her mother had died suddenly from
that cause-gave her friends much
anxiety in her earlier years, but the
doctors gave encouragement that she
would outgrow it in time, and Mr.. Bond
went on making money as usual, with
an eye single to leaving his daughter
some day the richest heiress in the land.
II was happy youth that day when
| told Alice that | loved her, and had
done so ever since | knew the meaning
of the word, and she leaned her darling
head on my shoulder and whispered
back the precious answer that satisfied
my hearts longing.
I'VE both knew Alice'S father too
well to hope for his present sanction of
our union. This was our plan: / would
go to the land of gold, then newly dis
covered, win fortune, and return and
proudly claim the hand of the rich
mans daughter, when he would have no
right to Spurn my suit as that of mer-
cenarv adventurer.
For two long years l toiled in that
wild, far-Off country, as man only can
toll when he has some cherished end in
view. l was among the fortunate ones,
and at the end of the period named had
amassed sum beyond my most san
guine hopes. The time had come when
L need wait no longer. The days of
Serytude were over, and / might now
fairly claim the prize.
''With what impatience / made the
weary journey homeward! Not line
had passed between Alice and myself.
1t was a condition of our compact that
we should hold no communication till
the time came when we might ask
Alice's father for his approval. This
self-imposed restriction had been faith
fully observed. | did not even write to
tell Alice of my success. l wished to
ha 40 rT hn in,
son.
"At last / set foot in my native town.
My first greeting, was resolved, should
come from Alice. L rather ran than
walked to her home.
Tell Miss Bond a gentleman wishes
to see her." l said, eXcitedly, to the
servant who answered my hasty ring.
81 fear you cannot see her to-day"
was the response.
"Why not?' | asked, impatiently.
"'DO you not know she is to be mar
ried this morning.? returned the serv-
ant.
'Married!' 1 exclaimed, gasping for
breath-'married!-t whom?'
TO Mr.. Ellis Wythe.'
ELLIS Wythe!-the villain! He had
pretended to be my friend, and was the
only cOnfidant of my love forAllice.
Not well knowing what / did, l
staggered past the servant and was
soon in the midst of the gay company,
to whom Mr.. Bond, stiff and stately as
usual, was doing the honors with an air
of great satisfaction.
1.-The bridegroom and his attendants
stood in a little group by themselves.
The clergyman was in readiness to do
his Office. They seemed to be only
waiting for the bride
Il advanced and confronted Ellis
Wythe. Heaven knows what l would
have said or done, for was in no rea-
sonable mood. But at that instant
piercing shrek from an upper chamber
rang through the house. Alarm over
spread the countenances of the guests.
There was general rush up the stair
way ,and was borne along with the 9TH
erS. Through the open door of an
apartment we saw the bridesmaid, who
had gone to summon the bride, kneel-
ing beside a PROSTATE form i'll white. 1t
was that of Alice, in her wedding robes.
The sstrain upon the worn, troubled
heart had been too great. She was
deadi
''It was not till after thatI learned
the full perfidy of Ellis Wythe. He had
pretended to receive intelligence,
through correspondent, of my mar
riage and permanent settlement in Cali
fornia. Stung by my supposed faith
lessness, Alice had yielded to her faith
| er'S command and consented to become
the wife of a man she did not love. But
the poor crushed heart rebelled at last
| and brOke!'
Poor Uncle Andrew!-and that was
the reason he had always remained a
| bachelor.