Wichita eagle., 1889-02-27
HIS ONE LOVE
An Old Mans Unexpected but
Happy Disappointment

was seated In q Summer-hOuSe situated
upon the grounds of hotel at Fashionable
watering plaza BE was in a corner, hidden
by dropping 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 1 shall lose even that love
nowi"
On the other side of the sunmer-house,
divided from the side the old man occupied
by a rustic partition, two ladies', young and
fair, rushed in, and taking out some fancy
work, settled down for chat.
One was tall, and dressed in a pretty COS
tune that was at once youthful and ma
tronly:the other was petite, blonde, and not
more than eighteen Mrs. CORTLAND spoke
first
Embroidery, Alice," she said. ga
handsome handkerchief corner. For your
trousseau?"
Yes and the sweet voice faltered,
while burning blush crimsoned the fair
cheek. "Is it not prettya"
Very want to talk about your pros
poets, child. Your Aunt Marcia tells me
you are making n splendid match"
"Did she? l think so, Blanche NAL
colin Is so noble and good, and a true
Christian ~
''But your aunt tells me he is the favorite
nephew of the great oil merchant, Hiram
Bates, whose wealth is something enor-
nous You have only to help him play his
cards web, and he Will probably be heir TO
magnificent fortune. But what ais youa
You look as if was telling YOU a piece of
news"
Il think Aunt Marcia has been misin-
formed, that is all"
''Then he is not Hiram Bates nephew2,
81 never heard him speak of a rich uncle.
and am quite sure he has no hope of in
heriang money. He has a good salary, and
my little fortune will buy and furnish small
house, so we can make a com fortable, and,
hope, happy home"
did he never speak to you of his
unclen
''Never of rich uncle. He has told me of
lame uncle, his mothers brother, who has
been very kind to him, given him an educa-
ton and start in business He ALWAYS
talks of hun with the deepest love and
pity"
"Pityf'
''He suffers torture from the effects of
fall that has famed HIM for life and often
causes him weeks of agonlzing pain. Nal
COIN tells me with tears in his eyes of his
fear of losing this dearest friend and kind
l.
sometimes IN nursing him"
II wonder if she is the same?'
The old man leaning upon hrs cane was
thinking
"Can it be truei Does Malcolm think so
little of my money, that will be his, that he
has never even mentioned it 10 his prom
ised wifea Can it be that l shall gain a low
ing, tender niece instead of losing nv
nephew, when Malcolm marriesT
Loving his nephew 80 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 society's gayest
votarles, Mrs. Marcia Hayden.
he ascertamed by inquiry that the young
girl had inherited ten thousand dollars
from her father and that her winters were
spent with her Aunt Marcia, her summers
with maiden sister of her father. She
was quite belle, although 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 fashion
able frivolity, he was convinced that the
girl had been won by the prospect of Nal
collins heirship to has own fortune. He had
from him by the influence of dressy.
empty-headed woman, or, Still more appall-
ing, his neice-to-be making false protesta-
tons of affection, with hope of winning
golden favors.
While he unused upon the conversation he
had overheard, the silvery voices of his
young neighbors still sounding beside him,
there was a sudden crash, something struck
him upon the head and he LOST conscious
ness
Cries from the summer house, from
groups of people collected in the grounds,
brought party of men speedily to the spot
The rotten posts supporting the roof upon
one side had given way and the side and
roof had fallen in. Mrs. CORTLAND and
Miss Hunter were buried under the fallen
umbers, but Were uninjured. Not so the
old gentleman, who had been their uusus-
pected listener. He was taken out palid and
senseless.
Nobody knew him. He had come by the
morning tram, had taken breakfast, but no
room, and asked the hour for the return
train. A surgeon, summoned as speedily as
possible, announced q broken arm and AN
injury to the head, making a likelihood of a
long. tedious illness There was some am
mated discussion, some suggestions OF hos
pital, search through the pockets of the
unconscious victim, resulting in the discov-
cry OF a small sum of money, but no letters,
papers or cards, and finally deseruon of
one and another, each gong his or her wav.
with the comforting reflection:
ats none of my business
But when they had all deserted the in
jured man the surgeon, still busy binding
up his arm as he lay upon bench brought
from the ruined summer-house, felt light
touch on his hand, and looked up to see
little figure in mourning, with a sweet face,
very pale
Can help youl" Alice Hunter asked.
"No, child. not now"
"W nat viii they do with himr'
II suppose he must go to New York
hospital"
but the ride-the journey
'Nlll cause great additional suffering,
perhaps result il death"
Doctor, viii they keep him here If he is
paid forP'
certainly; but there Is not money
enough about him to pay his board week.
AZ will pay it"
"You."
Yes; viii not let him die for want Of
money have He"-and her lip quivered
The looks ike my dear father who is
dead'
"H'm-yes. Here come the fellows &c
take HIM to the station. think will take