Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1889-05-12

something like twenty thousand pounds
a sum rot much in excess, to be sure,
OF what he would have had, bad he invest
ed his money to advantage and lived within
his income
She was a handsome girl, of about the
same age as Valentine, and with man
ner and temperament exceedingly sllur
ing TO a young fellow whose blood flows
warmly in his veins, and who finds the
leisure of a VOYAGE to the
antipOdes hang very heavy on his hands.
She permitted him to acquire the convlc-
tien that he was anything but Indifferent
to her; in fact, to use the colloquisl phrase,
she set her cap at him; and Valentine,
who spoke of himself without reserve as
poor man, and who WAS not. aware
that she disbelieved all his assertions
on that head, and interpreted them as
polite attempts to conceal his real wealth
and prospec.s-Valentin was completely
facinated by the charm Of her person and
conversation, and so far committed him
self with her, that by the time the voy-
age was ended he felt that he could not DO
less than offer her marriage.
She consented, and the cermony was
performed on their reaching New Zss-
land. But she stipulated that the mar
rage was to remain for the time being a
secret; for she had come on to visit some
relatives of hers and was unwilling, for
reasons satisfactory to herself, that they
should know anything of the hope she
privately entertained Of becoming Lady
Martin. Valentine, on mis- side, offered
no objection TO this arrangement; he had
his place TO make in the colony, and the
necessity of providing a suitable home
for his wife at the outset would have
seriously hampered him. She went to
her relatives in Napier, and ne, rs has
bean already related, cast IN bis lot
with his friend Brown, and visited her 10
town whenever opportunity served.
Now that she was his wife, however,
she no longer felt any necessity of con-
cealing from him her real bslief as TO
the extent of his means; she proceeded
from yelled limitations 70 plain speech,
and he became aware for the first time
that she had married him, not for him
self, but for something that he did not
possess. Her plain speech led to explain
lions on his part equally plain, and thus
they speedily arrived at perfectly clear
understanding of their mutual attitude.
The consequence wss a bitter quarrel
and determinations. The woman appear
Cd in her true cOlOrs, which were not en-
gazing; she called him variety Of hard
names, and if he had refrained from
retOrting in kind it was not because there
wss any lack of suitable expressions
waiting behind his lips. But they were
still husband and wife, and the bond
between them could not be severed. As
their marriage was a secret, however,
there was no fficulty about a separa-
ton; and Valentine agreed to whatever
pecunisry conditions she choose TO die
tate In case Of his brothers. death she
would come in for her share Of the in
heritance: but here he stipulated that
She should receive the money only on
condition that she forebore TO assume the
title. or allow her relation 10 him to be
known. She first demurred to this; but
on his offering to hand over everything
excspt the real estate and lsnds-an offer
EXTREMITY advantages to her from pc
cuniary point Of vlew-she finally con-
sented. probably rejecting that it would
be difficult or impossible to make such
contract legally binding, and that
when the time csme-if it ever should
come-she would be able to Iepudiste It
with impunity.
This affair produced bad effect on
Valentine; he became reckless and in
different TO his business interests, and Ill
fortune attended him. He welcomed the
Maori revolt as an opportunity OF Kidding
himself OF his troubles by stopping a bull
let; but though he stopped the bullet,
the bullet failed to stop him and the leg
scy that he received changed considerably
the complexion of affairs. He placed
half the sum in the bank at Napier for
the benefit of his wife, and sailed for
San Francisco with the rest. He ban
had no settled plan in leaving New Zea-
lsnd, except 70 appease his restless desire
for change and excitement. The future
could hold nothing good for him, because,
however good in itself il might be, it
would be dsiled by chronic and newt
able necessity of sharing II with that wife
of his-for what is the greatest blessing,
stimulus and Joy, 20 mau happily mar
ried. is the dreariest Of miseries to the
man mismated.
One misfortune however, he did not
look for; one danger he did not lear; one
emotion of all others he was confident he
could not feel. And yet this emotion
this danger, this misfortune were
precisely those to which he was destined
TO fall a victim. He could not foresee the
meeting with Pauline Nolen, nor the et-
feet that she would produce on him. Up to
that time his unhappiness had been chief
" negative-the ordinary disappointment
and disillusion; now be had to deal with
a positive pain-the impossibility Of being
united to the only woman b. had ever low
ed. It was like tantsliziug prisoner for
life with scenes of freedom and felicity.
II am talking 8 lot about myself, here
marked one day to Percy, as they were
sitting smoking together on the deck, q" but
il isn't entirely egOtism either. l have s
motive in It., connected with you"
What have l 70 DO with it?''
''You and Brown are about the only
friends have in the world. want yOu
TO know what my life has been and what
nv situation is in order that you may be
able to act intelegently in case anything
happens TO me.
Come, Val, you're not contemplating a
premature end, are You?'
oh, my health is good, and am in
good shape generally-never better. lam
speaking of accidents, which are liable to
happen TO the best regulated gentlemen.
In case Of my sudden taking off occurring
while I am in your company, I want
YOU to be competent to act as my
agent, representative or executor; |
want to give you my unrestricted
uower of attorney, in short Aud to that
end, " he added, taking a wallet from his
pocket. II have written out paper which
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