Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-07-07

Five years had passed away. Celestine
had not heard a word from Ernest
3 Vance. But she remembered; she was
true; she had faith that he would come to
redeem his pledge. Spencer Drake had
been devoted in his attentions to her, and
her father had coaxed and commanded
and threatened her time and time again,
but In vain; she would not marry Spencer
Drake. .1
She sat at one Of the large windows,
and ieoked out upon the noble Fifth ave-
nue.. 1t was the fifth anniversary OF the
departure of Ernest Vance.
Zone year morer she sighed.
ssMy dear, y said a voice at her elbow.
ssOhl How you startled me, father"
my dear, have sad news for your
''Pray, what sad news can you have for
me, fathersn
';Before I tell you shall ask you again
) IL you will not marry Spencer Drake
Father, ask me to do anything than
that. l cannot marry that horrid, idle,
brainlesS man.
Her father sighed, and the paleness of
his cheeks were visibly deepened "If you
will not marry Spencer Drake we are
ruined.n
"What do you mean, fathert'
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 DO Q bankrupt
in purse and in character"
"But what has Spencer Drake got to do
with your debtss' asked the young woman
with fearful calmness.
why, his father is my heaviest in
dorser He holds $500, 600 worth Of my
paper. It will mature In the next four
/ months, and I 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 whirlpool Of
disaster. hate the manr'
The crash came. 1t was great sur
prise to everybody, and several small
firms went down with the Orman 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 Celestiue 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 IL to
keep his wife and daughter in food and
a -. H. H.
was compelled to call to attend his invalid
wife.
As the day drew near when Ernest
Vance had promised to return to her
Celestine's spirits rose to the highest
pitch. She had not told her father and
mother about It, because he might not
come.
1 When the night arrived the three men,
bers Of the family sat in 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 . 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 1t was 10 o'clock
before the window was shut and the cur
tains drawn. Her heart began to fail;
hope, sweet hope, which had given her
courage through six long years, began to
vanish.
''If he should not come, all will be lost
s,,Aa - "a 4 -
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. aI
And then the little bell rangi
Mr. Orman started up and exclaimed,
Whats thatri but, without waiting for
an answer, went to the door. In few
moments he returned. A tall, clean
shaver man followed him.
mr.. Vance," said he.
Celestine uttered O 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 1t.
When she regained consciousness ex-
plantations were in order. These were
given in frank, manly fashion, and then
Mr. orman Joined their hands together
aud said:
my children, receive my blessing. /
confess wronged Mr.. Vance"
Mr.. Orman began business as banker
again In the growing western city where
Ernest Vance had Como and prospered as
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
vestlnents 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