Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1890-12-11

lOEGuuos WulCA oNppOSSu 10 Us Hiu0
only because he had no direct heirs
or near relatives. He had never
spoken but once of his family, and
then said briefly that he was wild
over, and had lost his only child.
II had enjoyed my inheritance for
more than niue years. when l fell in
love. !. who had never cared for
female society before, became deeply
attached to the mother OF one of my
patients, a lady nearly my own age,
the widow OF an artist who died in
Rome some four or five years before I
met her. She had sent for me to see
her boy, an only child. slowly dying
with an incurable disease of the spine.
MRS. Eastwell knew before she saw
me that there was NO hope OF saving
the child's life, but she thought could
ease the pain and restlessness from
which he suffered. She was herself
an artist, working in water colors for
the large stores that dealt in fancy
goods, and embroidering most exquis-
itely. But her child claimed much of
her time and attention. and I knew
she worked in hours when she should
have shared the boys slu1bers.
Patient. self-sacriicing, gentle and
refined, she filled my ideas OF pure
womanhood, and loved her with all
the strength OF the first love of years.
gave her mans devotion-not a
boys infatuation. But l knew that it
was useless for me to speak while the
child lived. She would have thought
it sacrilege to give my love considera-
ton while the mother love in her
heart was the ruling spirit. Love-
making while her child was dying!
could see how she would shrink from
the mere suggestion.
$50 tried to be content with win
ming the place of a trusted friend.
delicately trying to make my presence
a comfort and help to her and doing
all that could to make smoother the
hard p tbs the childish feet were
pressing.
''One afternoon she came to my
Office to ask some question about the
little boy, and as the waiting room
was full took her through the parlor
to the front door. As we passed by
the mantelpiece OF the front room she
suddenly gave cry of pain and sur
prise. stopping short before life-size
portrait OF Mr.. Fanshawe. Her face
was white. her whole form trembling.
and before l could catch her she gave
cry OF "Father!" and dropped in a
dead faint
1T was the old story. Tom. She
had loved her husband better than her
father. and eloped with him. never
winning forgiveness. The home she
had left was broken .up. and Mr.. Fan
Shave removed to another city, so that
for years she had not known where to
find him, and had never heard OF his
death. Her husband had taken her
abroad soon after their marriage, and
she did not know whether her father
had ever tried to trace or follow them.
You may imagine how like thief
l felt when I could calmly consider
this story. and think OF my Inherit
ance-I, living in luxury, and she toll
ing for bread! And the money was
hers by every claim of humanity.
lat once l commenced to arrange
for restoring the property to her. and
knowing her pressing needs. instruct
ed my lawyer to supply her with
ready money. and inform her that as
soon as 1t could be legally done her
fathers fortune would be restored to
her.
tom, she fatty refused to take it.
Shc had offended her father and had
accepted her punishment and she
would not listen to any proposal to
accept his money. In vain 1 urged
the justice OF her claim. the burden
that money so wrongly willed away
from her would be to me. She threat
ened to le We the city and never re-
turn. II persisted.
while nothing was settled, her
child died. She grieved. as only the
mother OF an only child can grieve.
and yet think comiorted her.
dropped all question OF the disputed
Inheritance in those long months.
when her loneliness led her to turn to
me. her true. loving friend.
And SO. Tom. when a year had
passed. and the little life was a sacred
memory, no longer a passionate pain
to remember. / asked her once more
to accept her fathers fortune and his
heir with It.
I'VE needed no lawyer then to make
the transfer. for won my wife with
out losing my Inheritance"
land there goes that COMPOUNDED
office-bell"' said Tom. rising. 80 l am
DIN. Y. Ledger.