West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1888-06-14
FENL0W'S FOLLY
BY JAMES NJ. MERRILL.


1t stood up gaunt and bleak. and
'oare, almost always in the shadow. that
solemn old building, n standing monu.
ment to the folly Of one man who i'm.
aSlned ne was TO rcvolutionize the world.
Or that part of it at least that reyolyed
around Tidewind as a center
so that is Fenlow's FolIy.p said
iaul Illldreth, as he stood beside the
,autiiul Alma Lane and passed down
INTO the deep shadows of the gulch where
INC immense stone building stood over
inc Lttie stream, and. seemed part Of
she gIoomy picture with which nature
h4d invested that lone spot.
Trees lining the hillsides sbadovved
the p ace, save for a brief bit at noon.
day, when the sun i'm his diurnal ronrd
peeped Tor short time into the solemn
gulch.
That is Fenlows Folly.p answered
the girl, her solemn gray ewes shadowed
with the gloom of the scene. ~ have
often wondered what was inside those
ola walls, but, you see, haven't vet
gained courage to make the exploration.
ferhaps you would 90 with me"
not Tor the world" he answered
with a laugh. "Tis haunted. they saw
and have no notion of shocking NV
nerves by visit to the old ruin. Did
you tell me why il was buitg'
r or factory Of some sort, but the
Pre-, ,ector died before it was completed
ana no one cared to finish the WORK. since
Fenlow left no property"
Indeed"
mere was puzzling look in the eyes
oil handsome Paul Hildretb as ne
piucked at his mustache and regarded
tho sombre rnin thoughtfully.
Folly, iTd.ed," +" hc muttered. srBv
the way, Cousin Alma, do you hear from
our mutual friend, Gerard Manning2 !
supposed you and he would have ioined
lVes and fortunes before now"
81 hear nothing"
Ana yet the gloom deepcned in the
gray eyes, and touch OF palIor shot
INTO Alma Danes checks. Why had This
nc, ,ercncc to Manning so affected herr
me man at her side understood. and
Dlt ms mp as he offered his arm, and the
TWAIN walked slowly down the country
foad. The walk extended half n mile
onding at the comfortable residence of old
squire ane whose broad acres were
counted by the thousands, and who had
laugnlhgiy Iromiscd his only child Alma
good lat due k IN her wedding dav.
Ohcc IN her own room Alma uave vent
20 hcr FEELINGS in dry sob rs she sank
10" In me willow rocker and gazed hard
at ne moor. Why did Gerard Manning
not Gomez This was the burden of her
gr:ei. At length she came to her feet
and from drawer in the bureau near ex'
tracted letter. She opened IL and read
Tor the dozenth time:
My DARLING ALMA:-I shall be with vo,
"orld shall know OF our betrothaL / have
pospcred,a and expect 20 satisfy the exactiooq
even even OF so eXacting sire as yours. Ma ~
ms ana good bye. GERARD .
precious missivo that. For the
dtozenth time Alma pressed IL 10 her
nps, then, with n shudder, flung il from
her,and sank once more TO the low chair.
IL was now the 22d, and Gerard Man.
ning had failed to appear. 'Tf / am
anyc wili DC with you on the Goth - he
hAd Written. Could it be that he was
ueadf Alma felt smothcring sensation
VI inc thought. But no, if anything had
gone wrong with Gerard the telegraph
WCuId have quickly informed her Of il.
or Two days her handsome cousin.
aul ilildreth had invested the souire's
home with his presence. and he had becn
very attentive to hs pretty cousin, who
had, on a former occasion. refused him
for the sake m the love Gerard Mannin0
had kindlcd in he rt.
Paul was more than ever attentive
during his present visit
i thought / must come before seftino
out for Europe, nc explained. II moa9
TO drown my sorrow in n foreign land y
Tn 8 had reference to his hopolesa
love Tor Alma She p'tied him as She
regarded the handsome solemnitv Of his
lace, pitied, and waited in vain the
coming Of Gerard Manning.
on have met Edith Walton doubt
less, " said Paul careles.iy, on tho third
daY OF his visit. "l saw her riding with
Manning on the morning Of the goth. as
i boarded the train"
'Inover met her, " was AIma's solemn
answer. II don't think Mr.. Manning
ever mentioned her name in my hearing. o
Tho sly dog. I suppose he wanted
TO Keep IL secret, but the gossips do say
that Miss Walton is an heiress, and that
Gerard is desperately smittou. ] might
have tried there myself only, you see,
couldn't marry for mere gold. lt isn't
IN my nature. believe / am not CON
siituied as other people. I shall never
marry"
lie sighed deeply
Onconsciou3ly they walked to the
bluff overlooking Fcnlow'a Folly and
paused only when the gray building
loomed up dark and ragged, before
their eyes.
The Folly again. uttered he. "Do
you know, Alma, the sight Of that old
ruin reminds me or my own life. ~
might have been bright and full Of
living enjoyment but for tho folly that
turned my heart toward ono object. i
am blightcd at the inception Of life. I
shall 50 30 Europe and live and die
there. / cannot remain here knowing