San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-04-27
do you mean, father"

"W-hat do you mean, father"
81 mean simply that for five years all
my investments have turned out badly,
that am up to my ears in debt, and that
unless you marry Spencer Drake within
the next ninety days shall be bankrupt
in purse and in character"
"But what has Spencer Drake got to do
with your debts?" asked the young woman
with fearful calmness.
"Why, his father is my heaviest in
dorser He holds $500, 900 worth of my
paper. 1t will mature in the next four
months, and l can't redeem it. That's
what mean, Celestine."
Celestine was visibly shocked at this
disclosure, but her answer was calm and
decisive
81 love you; I hate Spencer Drake
And would not marry him to save your
and my fortune from the whirlpool Of
disaster. l hate the mani"
The crash came. 1t was great sur
prise to everybody, and several small
firms went down with the Ormh bank.
The wreck of Orman's business was COM
plete; everything was swept away.
Mrs. Orman was Frustrated by the
blow and Celestine was compelled to re-
main with her all the time. She longed
to go out in the cruel world and help by
her feeble efforts to assist her father, but
she could not leave her mother. Her
father never reprOached her by any word,
but Celestine knew that she had panied
him deeply and that he blamed her largely
for the disaster which had borne him to
the earth.
During the long year the Orman family
suffered the direst poverty. The old man
had the hardest possible time of it to
keep his wife and daughter in food and
clothing and pay the expensive doctors he
was compelled to call to attend his invalid
wife.
AS the day drew near when Ernest
Vance had promised to return to her
Celestines spirits rose to the highest
pitch. She had not told her father and
mother about it, because he might not
come.
When the night arrived the three mem
bers of the family sat in a spare room in
which there was scarcely any furniture.
A dim light threw weird shadows on the
wall. Mrs. Orman sat in an arm chair,
with her eyes closed and her hands crossed
on her lap. Mr.. Orman leaned his head
upon a writing desk, for his heart was
heavy with multiplied misfortunes and
disappointment. He was discouraged.
Celestine was intensely nervous. There
was no color in her cheeks, but her eyes
shone with terrible earnestness and eX-
pectancy. This had been true of her all
day. She sat by the window that looked
upon the street, and it was 10 O'Clock
before the window was shut and the cur
tans drawn. Her heart began to fail;
hope, sweet hope, which had given her
courage through six long years. began to
vanish.
eff he should not come, all will be lost
indeed!' she sighed, and she could not
restrain the tears which welled from her
full heart.
AS the clock struck II Mrs. Orman be-
gan to gather her things about her to re-
tire. Celestine came to assist her. The
father still rested his tired and perplexed
head upon the desk. Celestine had given
up the watch and banished the hope and
longed to reach her own little room, where
she might weep herself into forgetfulness
of her pent up grief and crushing disap-
pointment.
And then the little bell rang!
Mr.. Orman started up and exclaimed,
whats that'" but, without waiting for
an answer, went to the door. In few
iuOulculo nc TtCuIutu. a Idll, Cltdu
shaven man followed him.
"Mr. Vance," said he.
Celestine uttered wild shrek, and as
she fell upon the bosom of her returned
loved one she lost consciousness for mo-
ment. Her joy was too great. The anx-
iety had told upon her, and when the
meeting came she was not strong enough
to sustain it.
When she regained consciousness ex-
plantations were in order These were
given in frank, manly fashion, and then
Mr.. Orman joined their hands together
and said:
'My children, receive my blessing.
confess l wronged Mr.. Vance"
Mr.. Orman began business as banker
again in the growing western city where
Ernest Vance had gone and prospered as
a lawyer beyond his expectations. He
had been two years the district attorney
of his county, and was sure of being
elected to congress. AS the silent part
ner in the Orman bank he directed the in
vestments with shrewdness and with the
knowledge of real estate values which his
long residence at W had given him.
And Celestine, she is the pride and the
idol of Ernest Vance's heart. All things
come to those who wait. and after many
years all she hoped for came to her.
New York Evening Sun.
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