The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-03-22
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ones fancy unconsciousiy associated him
With this world. She knew she ought to
dwell upon him as safe and happy in
back and back, like gloomy birds Of evil
omen, and settle in that cheeriess. misty
cemetery at Kensal Greon-where, Sir John
Boworbank Ind said. some handsome mem.
orial must immediately be erected to dis.
tinguish it from the throng Of graves; and
he left his wife behind in London for a day,
IN order that she might leisurelv examine
her fathers papers, and find outfwhether
the deceased-h was melancholy to hear
the clever barrister, the social diner out,
already spoken or as merely "the deceased
had any particulas. wish regarding his
own monument; TOR Emily's husband was
very kindly. verx considerate: and in this
! last sad coniuncturs she had been more
drawn to him than for many months be-
She had bidden him eood-by an hour
ago. he starting by the night mall for Liy-
serpoois snd had settled herself alone in
the large, desolate dining g-room, making q
s2Es er encsmpment BY the frs,. that she
|sS<s S ss..s - sesSI fess Sssea
after paper the large d9sk vhioh had been
the awe OF ke. e.s..sS,s.ocd md the PER-
piexity Of her youth. She could hardly
believe that it was really herself then peer
ing into with unhaliowed c-es. and turn-
ing over with unforbid6eh hands, those
secrets or which we all have some, and
which we think are safe from everybody,
till death comes and teaches differently.
What Mr. Kendall could have been think
ing of when he left all these matters
many OF which he certainly would not
have liked even his daughter to be ac-
quainted with-to such n chance as now
befe!l them, is impossible to say. Prob
ably the truth, unseen and disbelieved
though it stares at us in church yard and
street, and whispers to MS in every book
or newspaper, that ain the midst of life we
arc In death, had been wholly unrecog-
nized by this man Of the world, or else he
might have had superstitious. dread of
setting his house In order, and contem-
plating, in any way, his own dissolution,
Certain 1t was he left no will, and his
most private papers were found in the ut
most confusion, everything being exactly
ms he had Quilted his homo on the morning
OF his death, to return thither alive no
more.
With solemn tenderness BETTING such
an Office, his daughter turned over scrap
after scrap, opened, md looked ut letter
after lettor, just reading as much as SEEM
ed necessary, and then burning it, or lay
ing it aside to be burnt. A good many
u
ike oven her husband to see them-theso
relics of purely selfish life-not abso-
lutely wicked life, bat one self absorbed
and self-enjoying-noth but self
worship from the beginning to the end.
Lady Bowerbank was growing weary;
the ball clock had just struck eleven, re-
sounding through the gloomy old house
with thrill that almost made her start off
her chair-she was very feeble and nerv-
GUS still, though her health had been of
late months little improving. Sick at
heart, forlorn and lonely, she put aside
heap after heap of letters in unfamiliar
handwriting, to DO examined by and by,
when she suddenly came across one thai
was not unfamiliar.
and MS SopasS at ss being there her iatnor
respondence; probably this was one Of the
letters. None of them had ever been
shown to her; she had only found out ac-
cidentally that such had been sent and re-
ceivod. Eagerly she took mp this one,
thc:s acS;..at5d-Emily's perpetual hesitn-
tomas to whether it would be a breach
Of confidence or OF duty to read 1t, when,
looking at the envelope, she saw it was not
addressed, as the rest OF Mr.. Stenhouse's
letters had been, to Mr.. Knowles house in
Liverpool, but to Queen Anne street, Lon
don. And the postmark bore n date long
subsequent to that unhappy time; date
which, as Emily Dowerbank gaZed on,
cold shivers of fear ran through her, for it
was week after her twenty-fi first birthday.
"He did write, then. / must read 1t!
must and wilt" she said to herself; and
for once that firm Il will"-the want of
which had been the great lack Of her life
as it is one of the greatest md most fatal
deficiencies In any human life or character
came to her aid, and she carried out her
purpose. Was II for good or for nl2 Alas!
the teller of this simple tale-and maybe
Ak n s1A,
except that, as o general rule, to have met
open-eyed the most binding truth is better,
ay, and easier in the end. than TO live un-
der the blighting shadow of permanent
lie.
The letter addressed 10 Mr.. Kendall by
John Stenhouse ran thus:
SIR: Though we did not part amicably two
years ago, bog now to appeal to you as to
gentleman and u man of honor, aud the father
Of the lady whom l then, and ever since,
steadily determined to make my wife.
AT your desire, alb stained from NIL commu-
nication with her until she became OF age,
which was 0 week ago. On that day, and
again for six days following, called at your
house, TO sea her and you, and 10 beg permis-
sion to renew our ongagement-or rather to
complete it; for 1t has, as regards myself,
noveR been broken; but was not admitted.
cannot learn anything about her. have
gentlaman could presume TO watch lady-in
the hope Of soeing her; and all in vain. j
now take the straightforward course OF WIFI
ing direct to you cir. You may not like mo,
but you can know nothing against me- Also,
you arc q father. entreat You for her sake
-she did love me once-.not to stand In
the way Of our happiness That she is trus
to me kyyo not the sightest doubt Tsh
me wheE ishe is, and when ! may SEQ her.
5urs faithfully, JOHN STENHoUsE.
InclS ed with this was small note.
scarcely moro than SCRAP, apparently
written in haste, and was blotted. as it was
folded:
Z SIR: accept your explicit and complete OK.
planation, and wish your daughter every hap
ptness that circumstances may afford her
Mother she nor you will ever beagain In.
truded upon by your obediont servant,
JOHN SrENHoUsE
Emily b owerbank read. and sat uetri.
hsd. The whole world seemed fading
from her in n sort Of dark-gray mist. The
roaring OF waters was in her ears, and 4
dull, knocking pain ut her hoaft. Then nj
ceased, and she passed into temporary un.
consciousness.