The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1889-03-14
ONE LOVE OF HIS LIFE,

An old gentleman. leaning forward
with his hands clasped over a gold.
headed canc, was seated in Il summer
house situated upon the grounds of d
hotel at fashionable watering-place.
He was in corner. hidden by droop-
ing vines. and his face expressed deep
and apparently painful thought. The
refrain of his sad musing was:
"Only one person in the whole world
to love me, and shall lose even that
lave now"
On the other side of the summer
house, divided from the side the old
gentleman occupied by rustic parti-
ton, two ladies, young and fair. rustled
in, and taking out some fancy work,
settled down for a chat.
One was tall, and dressed in pretty
costume that was at once youthful and
matronly; the other was petite, blonde,
and not more than 18. Mrs. Courtland
spoke first.
Embroidery. Alice?" she said. "A
your trousseau?"
YES" and the sweet voice faltered,
while burning blush crimsoned the
fair cheek. ''ls it not pretty?n
..Very. / want to talk about your
prospects, child. Your Aunt Marcia
tells me you are making Il splen did
match"
"Did she? I think so, Blanche. NAL
colin is so noble aud good, and true
Chrstian!"
.'But your aunt tells me he is the
favorite nephew of the great oil mer-
chant, Hiram Bates, whose wealth is
something enormous. You have only
to help him play his cards well. and he
will probably be heir to Il magnificent
fortune. But what ails youP You
look as if 1 was telling you a piece of
news"
II think Aunt Marcia has been mis-
informed, that is ALL
Then he is not Hiram Bates neph-
ewP"
II never heard him speak of a rich
uncle, and am quite sure he has no
hope of inheriting money. He has Il
good salary, and my little fortune will
buy and furnish n small house, so we
can make comfortable, and, l hope,
a happy home"
Ibid he never speak to you of his
unclePn
Never of rich uncle. He has told me
of lame uncle, his mothers brother,
who has been very kind to him, given
him I'm education and start in busI-
ness. He always talks of him with the
deepest love and pity"
Pity"
..He suffers tortures from the effects
of fall that has lamcd him for life
and often causes him weeks of aguniX-
ing pain. Malcolm tells me with tears
in his eyes of his fear of losing his
dearest friend and kind uncle, and l
think he hopes l may be useful some
times in nursing him."
II wonder if it is the sameP'
The old man leaning on his cane
was thinking.
"Can it lie trucP Does Malcolm
think go little of my money, that will
be his, that he has never even men,
toned it to his promised wife? Can it
be that shall gain loving, tender
niece instead of losing my nephew,
when Malcolm marriesPn
Loving his nephew so deeply, Hiram
Bates had felt keen pain at the news
of his betrothal. He had never seen
Alice Hunter, but he knew she had
been brought up in circle of fashion,
and was the orphan niece of one of So
ciety's gayest votaries, Mrs. Marcia
Hayden.
He ascertained by inquiry that the
young girl had inherited $4,000 from
her father and that her winters were
spent with her Aunt Marcia, her sum-
N s1at, i,t fNf hnr. fothnr
She was quite belle, though only in
society one season, pretty and accom-
plished, and the old man groaned in
spirit over his nephew's choice.
A belle. with head full of fashion
able frivolity, he was convinced that
the girl had been won by the prospect
of Malcolm's heirship to his own for
tune. He had seen in the future his
nephew estranged from him by the in.
fiuence of dressy, empty-headed wO
man, or. still more appalling, his niece
to-be making false protestations of al
fection, with a hope of winning COLDER
favors.
While he mused upon the conversa
ton he had overheard, the siIvery
voices of his young neighbors still
sounding beside him, there was sud
den crash, something struck him npol
the head and he lost consciousness.
Cries from the summer-hOuse. frOn
groups of people collected in TIL
grounds, brought party of mel
speedily to the spot. The rotten post
supporting the roof upon one side hat
given way and the side and roof hat
| fallen in. Mrs. Courtland and Mis-
| VI ,,A1nt. Tho falln
timbers, but were uninjured. Not S
the old gentleman, who had been thei
unsupported listener. He was take
out pallid and senseless.
Nobody knew him. He had come b
the morning train, had taken breakfas
but no room, and asked the hour TO
the return train. A surgeon, sun
moned as speedily as possible, anuOunC
ed q broken arm and an injury to til
head, making a likelihood of Ions
tedious Illness. There was some an
mated discussion, some suggestions {
a hospital, a search through the pocl
cts of the unconscious victim, resultin
in the discovery of Il small sum {
money, but no letters, papers. or card
and finally a desertiOn of one and al
other, each going his or her wa.
with the comforting reflection:
"It's none of my business"
But when they had all deserted Il
injured man the surgeon, still bus
binding up his arm us he lay upon
bench brought from the ruined sur
mer-house, felt II light touch on Ii
hand, aud looked up to see lit
figure in mourning, with sweet fac
very pale.
Can L help you?' Alice Hunt
asked.
mo, child, not now"
What will they do with himP"
"I suppose he must go to Ne
} York hospital"
but the ride-the journeyP"
. s'Will cause great additional sutf'
ing, perhaps result in DEATH"
doctor, will they keep him here
he is paid fore"