Connecticut western news., 1888-12-19
INHERITING A WIFE.

"Goodby, Hclen," said the young m, ID, with flush of anger on his hand . some fac,, as he turn ed from his un cle towards the pale girl standing by the wind ow.
 "Goodby, Frank" she said, listless- ly, prof .rlng him slender white hand.
 Ho took ths hand, and, bending over, lightly touched her forehead with his lips.
 She raised her head to address him with a forcel effort, and he was gone.
 9Th, young fool thinks he can defy me-" said M-. John Duncan, angrily, ut with love and pity rising to his kindly gray eyes as he bent them upon Helen.
 The latter was the rich old mans adopted daug hter, and in her seemed ceutered all his happiness. shc was his idol, and he had planned to make her his heiress, or that she should shar 0 all he had of this worlds goods with Frank Duncan, his nephew. But this latter contingency was to be that these young people should havs his fortune together only as man and wife.
 Helen Morley had been an orphan ever since she could remember. She had endearcd herself to old Mir. Dun can by her sweet unselfish life and her devotion to him as her benefactor.
 She and Frank had boon thrown much together, as a matter of course, and old Mir. Duncan, as he looked at his favorito ncphew's handsome, sni- mated facc. and then at Helens sweet oval picture, framed by her mass of bright hair, when the two were to-. gethcr, declared to himself that they were made for each other, and that it was plainly the work of Heaven that they should be thrown accidentally in each others way.
 But he had just now serious mis givings whether or not Heaven ever had any thing to do with such young scapegrace as his nephew.
 He had just received a terrible shock, and he was stirred by anger, disap. pointmant, and pity for his fair H ,len.
 Then, too, he was placed in so deli. cato a position that he hardly knew what to say to her. He had no assurance that Frank had evor spoken q word o love to thls girl.
 "But ho can't defy mo with i'm punity!' growled the irato uncle, a Helen had not replied to his first re mark about tho young gentleman ir question. II will not leavo him farthiugl will make a new will! H shall be beggar for all he'll get iron mel continued John Duncan, stan ping his foot fiercely.
 "Oh, father" said Helen, appo aling. ly. "What has ho done to anger yol so2"
 ''Donea" shouted the old man, fairly exasperatel by this question, forgettin for the moment that Holon did no share his news, and therefore indignant that sho should not join with him 1T condemning the young mans heniou crime. ''Done?" he repeated, in risin, tones of freshly kindled anger. "What hasn't ho donca Upset all my plans Destroyed all my happiness! Tolls m | hn'c 1xy,f1, Elise Courtois, and that his happiness his very lifc depends upon his marryi, her! And he has the cifrontery to asl my approval of such ridiculous step
 The old man paused only at sight c Helen, who had sunk pale and tro mb ling upon sofa. Her delicate finger were interlacod, and thero was q look of such uuuttcrablo pain in her fac that even Mir. Duncan's anger fled be fore it.
 Then with sudden thought his ange c rose again, and he demanded, "Hs the villain deceived you, Helen Tell me tho truth By heaven, if h has, Tll--"
 "Oh, no, no; he has mover spoken t mo of-of--"
 "Thcrc, there, my dear! I onl wished to know-I meant it all for vol good" sail MT. Duncan, tenderly.
 Helen fled to her chamber to thinl and to recover, if possible, from Il sudden blow she had received.
 There had been no spoken words
 lovc between them for the throo yea
 that Frank had b,en constant vi,it'
 to his unclo's, and yet she had thou sh she had believed; yos, she had hope
 that the first lovo of her pure your heart had found safo resting plac and that 1t was Ieciprocated by hir although as yet not proclaimed, f somo good and sufficient reason on | part.
 But 1t was all over now. Her ey , were open to the mortifylng truth. S cried for puro shamo at first, then f
 disappointment. Her face was [ ] sdAms e she thought of the possibiN