New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1888-04-18
| OF his cneeks was visibly deepenet
If you will not marry Spencer Drake

of his cneeks was. visibly deepenet
Ii you will not marry Spencer Drake
we are ruined"
What do you mean, father"
II 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 l 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 100000 worth of
my paper. 1t will mature in the next
four months, and / 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; hate Spencer Drake.
And would not marry him to save
yours and my fortune from the whirl-
pool Of disaster. / hate the mani
The crash came. 1t was a great
surprise to everybody, and several
small firms went down with the Or
man bank. The wreck Of Orman's
business was complete; everything
was swept away.
Mrs. Orman was FRUSTRATED by the
blow and Celestine was compelled to
remain with her all the time. She
longed to 90 out in the cruel world
and help by her feeble efforts to as
sist her father, but she could not
leave her mother. Her father never
reproached her by any word, but
Celest1ne knew that shehad painedhim
deeply and that he blamed her largely
for the disaster which had borne him
to the earth.
During that long year the Orman
family suffered the direst poverty.
The old mar had the hardest possible
time of it to keep his wife and daugh-
ter in food and clothing and pay the
expensive doctor he was compelled to
call to attend his invalid wife.
AS the day drew near when Ernest
Vance had promised to return to her
Calestine's 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
members 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 armchair, with her eyes clos
ed, 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 dis
appointment. He was discouraged.
Celestine was intensely nervous.
There was no color in her cheeks, but
her eyes shone with terrible earnest
ness and expectancy. This had been
true of her all the day. She sat by
the window that looked upon the
street, and it was 10 o'clock before
the window was shut and the curtain
drawn. Her heart began to fail; hope,
sweet hope, which had given her cour-
age through six long years, began to
vanish.
IF 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 IL Mrs. Orman
began to gather her things about her
to retire. Celestine came to assist
her. The father still rested his tired
and perplexed head upon the desk.
Celestine had given up the watch and
banlshed the hope and longed to
reach her own little room where she
might weep herself into forgetfulness
OF her pent-up grief and crushing dis
appointments.
And then the little bell rang
Mr.. Orman started up and exclaim-
ed: whats that?' but without
waiting for an answer, went TO the
door. In a few moments he returned.
A tall, clean-shaven man followed
him.
'Mr. Vance," said he.
Celestlne uttered a wild Shrek, and
as she fell upon the bosom OF her re-
turned loved one she lost conscious
ness for a moment. Her Joy was too
great. The anxiety 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 a frank, manly manner, and
then Mr.. Orman Joined their hands
together and said:
"My Children, receive my blessing.
confess I have wronged Mr. Vance,"
Mr.. Orman began business as a
banker again in the growing western
city where Ernest Vance had grown
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 partner 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.