The Penn's Grove record., 1888-05-12
PENIS GROVE, N. j, SATURDAY. MAY IL. 1888.

ers of hot tears; and, without her
knowledge, still holding the tortured
heart of Reuben in her keeping.
On arriving in California, he passed
through a great variety of scenes and
adventures before finding his uncle,
that would undoubtedly be interesting
to the reader did our limited space
permit Of their being c%hronicled. Suf-
fleet to say, that lie found his uncle
after a years search, and was aston
ished to find him sole proprietor Of a
magnificent ranch, ver whose broad
and fertile acres grazed immense herds,
which were taken in drove3 almost
weekly to Sacramento.
He welcomed Reuben with open
arms. and before the expiration of a
week, had promised to make him his
heir, IL he would give up all other
notions, and turn ranchero.
He had been twice married, but
neither of his wives had borne offspring.
since given over all hope Of ever pos
sessing. 1t was essential, he further
affirmed, that some one should have
his property when he was done with it;
and who so natural and desirable as
his SISTERS son.
Reuben was by no means insensible
to his uncle's kindness, and he accepted
the duties of his new situation as head
ranchero with a zeal and interest which
did him credit, and raised him i'm
mensely in the esteem of his kind rela-
tive.
One day, about six months after his
installment at Green Valley Ranch, he
took from his trunk the last remaining
shirt Of the four that the sweet. far
away Alice Newcomb Undoubtedly
Mrs. SOmers now) had made him.
There was something unusually bulky
and cumbersome about the bosom. He
the inside, and found a neat
pocket, four by six. carefully buttoned
at the top. 1t contained something
thicker and weightIer than the two
thicknesses of linen of which it was
composed. He thought of Alice, thou
sands of miles away, and unbuttoned
1t with nervous fingers.
lie drew forth an envelope addressed
in q dainty hand-the chirography was
we'll remembered and perfectly rami.
liar-to Reuben Vance. The envelope
seemed to be pursed out, as though it
contained something more than a sheet
of note paper.
He slit the envelope with a penknife,
and drew forth the contents.
There was a single sheet of satin
note-paper, neatly folded and written
upon; and nicely packed within were
five i've dollar notes. He stared at
them curiously, and then, to elucidate
the matter, he read the note. The
changing expression of his features
while he read showed that he vas
powerfully affected. We will give 1t
verbatim for the benefit of the reader:
"OAKDALE, Nov. Is, 1S-.
"DEAREsT REUBEN:-I cannot let
you go without taking this e of
you how much we shall miss
you when you are gone. 1 suppose you
will think of us sometimes, but l
shall think of you always, night and
day. You will never be free from my
thoughts and prayers. They will fol-
low you everywhere like a bsnedictlon.
Dear Reuben, is it unmaidenly, when
you are so far away, and We shall
probably never meet again, for me to
confess how fOollsh-perhaps wicked
| have been to suffer myself to love
you in secret, and without your ask
when l am engaged to another. l
have struggled and fought against it
with all my weak strength, but l can
not help it. If l have erred, l know
you are too noble and generous not to
me. 1 took the liberty to make
up your wages to two hundred dollars,
because 1 heard father say you had
we'll earned it, though he did not vol
unteer to give 1t. If, when you read this,
you should still have a kind remem-
.rance Of the writer, l pray you will
leign to write to me, and inform me
you are, and how you are getting
On. l shall be very anxious till l know
you are safe, and well and happy"
From your true and devoted friend,
"ALICE NEwCoMB."
A mist cleared away from the per-
vision of Reuben. The past
rose up before him, and he now saw
everything clear for the first time.
"Noble grill" he murmured, kissing
the letter. "What a dolt-what an
IDIOT / was not to have seen It'll And.
poor thing, she loved me all the
and l hadn't the wit to guess it,
and so we both suffered IN silence"
He made a %confldant of his uncle.
and he helped him to a clearer under
standing of the matter than he would
have arrived at alone.
81 suppose she is married to that
iackanapes long before this" sighed
Reuben, despondently.
81 don't believe a word Of it," said
mis- uncle, cheerfully. "She got that
kink in her head. and il she Is like
most girls, she wouldn't marry anybody
Till after she found out what effect her
letter would have on you. l under
stand-I know all about the twists in
women. I've had two of 'em. l
would write to her il 1 were you, pop the
question slap off, and make everything
IS clear as mud to Squire Newcomb, as
you call him, about your situation here,
and what l am bound to do for YOU"
Reuben followed his advice, and
"GREEN VALLEY RANCH, CALI,
June II, Is.
DARLING ALICE:-Allow me to
call you so, il you are not, as | fondly
hope you are not-another's wlfe-I
found your sweet and beloved letter, so
like your dear self, in the pocket of the
shirt you packed in my trunk
1 started from Oakdale. l
would have given the world had l
before l started what 1 now
know. Oh, give me the assurance that
you are still single. and that you still
love me, and 1 shall be transported INTO
the highest heaven of happinessl Give
me but that assurance, dearest, and
and continents shall not long
us.
81 have found my uncle, and he Is
very rich. 1 live with him, he likes
me, and he says l am to inherit his
property. But that is nothing. l
have all that heart could desire now.
'.Darling, do not delay a moment In
responding to this letter. Tell me
everything; and If you are still single,