Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-05-09
Cousin Claude: or My Uncle's VIII.

/ had always been led to expect that
L would inherit my uncle's money. Ny
parents were poor and I am inclined
to think that they looked forward with
unnecessary eagerness to the time
when 1 shsuld be able to bring them
out of their poverty.
/ little knew the condition of the
will which ran as follows: Unless
married my Cousin Claude before l was
eighteen, all the fortune was to be
distributed among certain hospitals
and we were none of us to get cent.
I first heard this from my cousins own
lips. He was surprised that | had not
heard it before, but he spoke very
kindly on the subject and did not
try to urge me very hard to accept
him. He was almost old enough to be
my father, but was fine-looking and a
man of intelligence.
When he had told everything he
said: ''Dispassionately. l should say
that your happiest course lay in ac.
cepting me, because you insure large
worldly prosperity 10 yourself and to
those you are bound in duty to con-
slider. because you place yourself in
your own proper sphere and station
because know myself TO be an honor
able man, we'll fitted for the RESPONSE
biiitieS your decision would devolve
upon me. On the other hand L see a
raint of seldshness in my words. Your
young beauty tempts me; the fortune
you secure to ME temptS me, and i
question myself whether L have a
moral right to seek to bind your youth
to my declining years, though without
you they must be past in comparative
poverty, no small sacrifice to one who
has known only luxury Only since
have seen you have l learnt to feel al
the embarrassments growing out oi
our uncle's strange WILL.
He paused; and /, who had been re-
volving IN silence all that he had said
answered calmly. 81 am to accept you
then, before my eighteenth birthday ol
all this wealth goes to swell the Golfer:
of various hospitals and colleges; my
parents are still poor, condemned u
this dreary life; you are impoverished
and l am forever shut out from al
hope of higher earthly existence. Il
it so?''
He bowed his head.
81 see papa coming" / said. 81 viii
go to him; and tomorrow morning
will inform you of my decision.'
| He kissed the hand 1 extended Il
him; then drawing it within his arm h'
led me to my father.
1 shut myself in my room that da,
and spoke to no one. L knew now how
my parents had always regarded me
less as a child than as the lnstrumen
of their release from poverty,
They must be freed-I saw tha
clearly-but perhaps L need not b
married at once. 1 decided the ques
tlon quickly enough that l would ac
cept my cousin. Had L possessed bu
little more experience / should hav
known that my reluctance to ratif
cation of my VOWS arose from doub
whether 1 would love the husband
felt compelled TO accept.
The next day the old house was file
with smiling faces-no gloom sat o
any but my own, ana L Kept my sac
ness for the solitude of my own room
a week later, the day following m
birthday, Claude went away. Il
another month my parents and mysel
left the old house for ever.
We took up our abode IN th
splendid London mansion where m
uncle had lived his lonely, useless life
Here we were soon surrounded by tn
elite of society. l had young compan
IONS of my own sex in plenty; but
found them shallow and frivolous.
had lived in thought, they in the ex
ternals OF giddy existence. l liked tn
| young men no better. Claude grew
daily in my esteem and affection.
became reconciled to lot that woulC
secure me so kind and constant
| friend. l learned to lean upon anC
| trust him. He was counsellor, guide
friend, as well as lover.
We were married, and / was happl
"a brief, bright happiness. The month
we had allotted to travel was no
passed when brought home his mang
| led remains-crushed out of all hu
man semblance by that dreadful rail-
road collision which shocked the coun
| try that year, and 1 entered the hom,
he had prepared for his bride clad il
| the garments of widowhood.
l remained in my solitude for som,
years-years that 1 devoted to the i'm
provement of my mind. L was twenty
| two when again re-entered society.
| was still young and not unattractive
and was rich. L need not have re
manned widow long, but / was in NJ
haste to marry; above all, meant, 4
ever / resigned my liberty, 1t should be
into the hands Of one whom Claude
might have approved.
And at last L found such a one, ol
he found me- More truly, L suppose
a mutual and inexplicable attraction
| drew our spheres into contact. W,
knew not Of each others existence, a
we know things here, until we met, bu
our souls were no strangers even il
that hour. They mingled then int
one-a bond of sweetest unison wa
| formed, of which marriage was but tn,
external symbol, and in perfectest ac.
cord all the years of ouc life have sine,
been passed.
Claude would have loved this man
and l often think that he looks upon u
| from that other life to which he ha
gone, and smiles upon a union that !
so completely fraught with happiness