Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-01-05
ONE LOVE OF HIS LIFE.

the grounds OF hotel At fashionable water
ing place. He was in . corner hidden by
dropping vines, and bis face expressed deep
and apparently painful thought The re-
frain Of his sad musing was:
only one person in the whole world to
love me, and shall loss even that love now!'
On the other side OF the summer house, di
viied from the side the old gentleman occu
pied BY rustic partition, two ladies', young
and fair, rus;led in, and taking out some
fancy work, settled down for a chat
One was tail. and dressed in pretty COS
tune, that was at once youthful and ma
tronIy; the other was petite, blonde, and not
more than eighteen. Mrs. CORTLAND spoke
first.
Embroidery, AliceF she said "A hand
kerchief corner For your trousseauF'
Yes" and the sweet voice faitered, while
q burning blush crimsoned the fair cheek. rs
it not prettyF
Very want to talk about your pros
poets, child. Your Aunt MARGIN tells me
you are making q splendid match"
did shei | think SO, Blanche. Malcolm
Is so noble and good and true Christian
But your aunt tells me he is the favorite
nephew of tae great oil merchant, Hiram
Bates, whose wealth is something enormous.
You have only to help him play his cards
well, and be will probably be heir to n mag
niiicent fortune. But what ais youi You
look as if was telling you piece Of news
II think Aunt Marcia has been misin-
formed, that is all"
''Then Ire IS not Hiram Bates nephewi
Il never heard him SPEAK Of rich uncle,
and am quite sure he has no hope of inner
iting money He has good salary. and my
little fortune will buy and furnish a small
house, so ve can make II comfortable, and,
hope, happy home
Did be never speak 10 you o. his unclef'
Not OF rich uncle. He has told me OF q
lime Uncle. his mothers brother who ha.
been very kind 20 him, given him his educa-
ton and start IN business. He always
talks of him with the deepest love and pity
"Pityr
He suffers tortures from the effects of @
fall that has famed him for life and often
causes him weeks Of agonizing pain. Nal
COIN tells me with tears in his eyes OF his
fear of losing this dearest friend and kind
uncle. and think be hopes l may be useful
sometimes in nursing him"
Il wonder if it is the sames'
The old man leaning upon the cane YVES
thinking:
Can it be truei Does Malcolm think sc
little Of my money, that will be his, that he
has never even mentioned it to mis- promised
wife! Can it be that sail gain loving
tender niece, instead of losing my nephew
wnei Malcoi i'm marriesf
Loving his nephew SO deeply, Hiram Bates
had felt IA keen pain at the news of his be.
troei.al He mad never seen Alice Hunter
but he knew she had been brought up in d
circle Of fashion and was the orphan niece OF
one of societys gayest vo,aries, Mrs. Marcia
Hayden. He ascertained 10y inquiry that the
young girl had inherited $4,000 from her
father and that her winters were spent with
her Aunt Marcia, her summers with maiden
sister o. her father She was quite a belle
though only in society one season, pretty and
accomplished, and the old man groaned in
spirit over his nephew's choice.
A belle, and with head full of fashionable
frvolity, he was convinced tina. the girl had
been won by the prospect of Malcolm's heir.
shIp to his own fortune He had seen in the
future bis nephew estranged from him by the
influence OF a dressy, empty headed woman
or, still more appalling, his niecc-to be max.
ins false protestations Of affection, with O
hope of winning golden favors.
While he nlused upon the conversation he
hsd overheard, the very voices of his young
nei:hbors Il sounding beside him, there
was sudden crash, something struck him
upon the head and he lost consciousness
Cries from the summer house, from groups
Of people collected in the grounds, br, light a
party Of Iaen speedily to the spot Lac rot
ten posts supporting the roof upon ono side
bad given way and the side and roof had
fallen in. Mrs. CORTLAND and Miss Hunter
were buried under the fallen timbers, the
doorway being completely blocsaded, but
were uninjured. Not So the Old gentleman
who had been their unsupported listener. He
was taken ont pallid and senseless,
Nobody knew him. He had come by the
mo- aiuS train, had taken breakfast, but nc
room, ami asked the hour for tho return
train a surgeon summoned Us speedily as
possible announced n broken arm aud injury
to the head, making Likelihood OF long,
tediou illness. There was some animated
discussion, some Suggestions of hospital, a
search through the pockets of the uncou.
scious victim, resulting IN the discovery OF
small sum OF money, but no letters, papers
or cards, and fnslly a Lesertion G? one and
another, each going his or her way, with the
comforting reflections:
III Is none OF my business.
But when they had all deserted the in.
Jured man the surgeon, still busy binding up
his arm as be lay upon bench brought from
the ruined summer house, felt lisilt touch
on his hnn.i, and looked up to see little
hgure ii mourning, with a sweet lace, very
pale.
''Can help your Alice Hunter asked
mo, child, not now
"Whlt will they do with himf
III sunposa ne must 60 TO New York
hospital"
"But the rlde-the journey
Will cause great additional suffering, per-
haps result in death"
Doctor. will they keep him here # he ID
paid for."
Certainly; but there is not money enough
about HIM to pay his board a week,
81 will pay itl'
"Youl'
"Yes; | will not let him die for want Of
money have He"-and her lip quivered-
"ha looAs IKE my dear father who is deadr'
"u'm-yes. Here come the fellows to
carry him to the station. | think will have
him taken to the little cottage where board.
L. Will cost less and be more quiet
Mrs. CORTLAND declare Alice was outrag-
liz Tue pTtlt4 iSiibS IiitSL Wutu Tue
young girl went to the cottage aud offered
her serv ICES rs nurse to the doctor; but Aunt
Sophie sierced comment 10y moving her be-
lon.nss from the hotel to the quiet boarding
house. Id the doctor found he bad a valua,
hle ass.ssuut.
Alice explained in her quiet. low voice thai
hsr father was y. for nine months before he
died, and she wa. his nurse This accounted
for the noiseess wooden dresses, the velvet
shod feet, the quick eye and ready hand. and
when the sufferer recovered Consciousness,
the gentle voice and tact that Quoted him in
parpxysms of pain AMI fever Aunt Sophy
was too much OF an invalid herself to help,
but she sat beside the led while Alice moved
TO and fro, made dainty SOUPS and tempting
dishes, and performed all nursing duties.
The invalid had one long talk with the doc
tor and then submitted to the geptls minis
ira ion Of the two women. only insi.:ing upon
. man the doctor provided being with him at
night und within call
The season WAS over, and only these three
remained OF the summer boardprs at the lit
tie cottage, when one cool October day the
sick man, now fast recovering, called Alise
to him.
~ shall soon be we'll again." be said, 70
gretfully.
Yes" she answered, cheeril1 very coon
Il shall miss my nurse"
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