Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-07-01
CHAPTER VII.

This letter made ME, from one OF the
most unhappy Of girls, the most Joyous.
The immediate prospect of poverly-ior
the dame declined dsily-the hard work
which began at daylight and ended at
bedtime, the certain knowledge that
Mathew was not at all satisfied with n
simple refusal-these things. which
had before filled my mind with
terror, now appeared like tho i'm
aginary specters of the night, which
cease to alarm when the day has
dawued. To me it was more than the
dawn of day; it was the uprising Of a glo'
rious sun OF love and hope. Ralph loved
me; Ralph was well, prosperous and in
high esteem Ralph was already wealthy;
Ralph would come, and all things would
be we'll, whatever might happen at the
moment. Yet this could not tell to any.
Matthew was not to know; my poor old
grandma her was too old now, and too
failing Of mind and body, to care for
earthly things; my father had clean fol-
gotten the hoy; my mother would not great
ly care to know; nor would it s0otho her
anxieties TO feel that we had pr0teC-
tor separated from rs by the rolling seas
and by voyage of ten months or more
What good would be his far off treasures
to us, she would have asked, when what
we want is beet for the pot aud bread foT
the board? AS for my fathers madness,
it increased every day, so that now our
cottage was palace indeed, every meal
was banquet, and the small beer Of my
brewing was champagne, port, Malaga, or
Imperial Tokay. But Mathew was too
much with him, and it made me uneasy to
observe how he conplimented my father
on his weldon, his resolution and his won
deriul success.
IN ali respects, madam" he said to my
mother, Il find your husband most sensi-
BILE and full Of sound Judgment. have
taken his counsel Of late In many private
matters of importance"
Then the Lord help YOU" said my
mother, sharply.
"What if hs does exaggerats his private
fortune?" Mathew went on. 1T ia o fail
ing with many persons concerned in trade
''If you mean this in kindness. sir, 1"
said my mother. II than you humbly
for Your good opinion of my poor, dis
traught husband. If you mean it in
mockery, you are most cruel man"
Indeed, madam" he replied, bowling,
''pray believe that / mean it in kindness.
He had no kindness at all in his nature
He designed these words to cover him in
iquitous purpose.
So he continued TO come and 90, and TO
walk with my father in the garden, and
whatever wild things my father said he
would accept grsvely as if they were
indeed words Of wisdom. No one except
myself suspected him Of sinister designs,
and my father disclosed to him the whole
prO6igious extent of his madness, so that
could have cried with shame and humilia-
tion, Mathew knowing well, as all the
world knew by this time, that he was little
better than the poorest in the parish.
THE world, SIR" the poor old gentle
man would say with a lofty air, has yet
to learn how great bsnefactor simple
London citizen may be. There have been
many berefactors. acknowledge THAR
greatness. But wait, sir, until my will is
opened and read. To you, friend Mathew,
have 'bequcathed a poor e10,O00-no
more"
"Ob, sirr' He bowed and spread his
hsnds. This is indeed goodness"
at is the duty of a rich citizsn to dis
cover merit and reward 1.-THE plain duty.
am London citizsn, and am, perhaps,
more proud of this position than becomes
Christian. The bulk of my fortune have
left to my daughter, whom design in
marriage for some great nObleman. But /
have not forgotten the poor Of my native
parish. Msthew-ao, no; and you will
find, when my will is read, that schools,
hospitals, marriage portions for the girls.
and apprentice money for the boys, will
attest my remembrance of this place"
''Sir," said Mathew, with grin of con-
tent, ''you will be q beDefsctor indeed"
snow, before answered Ralph's letter,