The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1890-07-17
Alice Hunters Patient,

An OH gentleman, lCanlnS forward
with his hands claspcd over q gold,
headed cane, was seated in summer
house situated upon the grounds of hote
at fashionable watering place. He was
in q corner hidden by dropping vines,
and his face expressed deep and appar,
emily painful thought. The refrain of his
sad musing was: "Only one person in
the whole world to love inc, and shall
lose even that love now!''
On the other side of the summer
house, divided from the side the old gen
tlcman occupied by rustic partition,
two ladies, young and fair, rustled in,
and taking out some fancy work, settled
down for chat.
One was tall and dressed in pretty
costume that was at once youthful and
matronly; the other was petite, blonde,
and not more than eighteen. Mrs. Court
land spoke first.
Embroidery, Alice2" she said. GA
handkerchief corner. For your trous-
seau2n'
ayes" and the sweet voice faltcrcd,
while burning blush crimsoned her
check. ''ls it not pretty?'
every, I want to talk. about your
prospects, child. Your Aunt Mary tells
me you are making splendid match. "
'Did shc? l think so, Blanche. Nal
colin is so noble and good and true
Christian"
"But your aunt tells me he is the
fayorite nephew of the great merchant,
Hubert Bates, whose wealth is something
enormous. You have only to help him
play his cards well and he Will probably
be heir to magnificent fortune. But
what ails you2 You look as if 1 was
telling you piece of news"
II think Aunt Mary has been misin-
formed; that is ALL"
"Then he is not Mr.. Bates's nephew2"
81 never heard him speak of a rich
uncle, and l am sure he has no hope of
inherlting money. He has good salary
and my little fortune will furnish a
small house; so we can make comfort
able and horea a happy home"
"Did be never speak to you of his
uncle2"
"Not OF rich uncle. Hc has told me
of lame uncle, his mothers brother, who
has been very kind to him, giving him
his education and start in the world.
He always talks of him with the deepest
love and pity"
"Pity?"
"He suffers tortures from the effects Of
fall that has lamed him for life and
often causes him weeks of agonizing pain.
Malcolm tells me with tears in his eyes
of his fear of losing this friend"
sI wonderful is the same!" murmured
Mrs. CORTLAND.
"Tell me, Blanche, some of the best
places to 60 for our furniture and car
pets 1t will be new work for me to buy
household goods, and Aunt sophy is not
well enough to help me much"
"Oh, will go with you. But de-
clare, if were you, would wait and see
if your Aunt Mary is right. Your for
tune will never buy Or furnish such a
house as future millionaire should live
in"
"NIy fortune" said Alice Hunter, with
a ring in her clear voice, twill furnish a
house suitable for bank clerk with five
hundred year salary, which is what my
husband will have. If Malcolm has a
rich uncle lie is not the man to live in ex-
pectation of money to come to him
over a grave. If his uncle Hubert is, as
you say, very rich, Malcolm would hate
money won by the death of the nearest
relative and dearest friend he has. But
I don't believe in the money, for he
never spoke of it to me-"
Then the talk drifted into discussion
of bridal fucry, of furniture and stories
of the young wife's content in her own
married life.
But the old man leaning upon the
cane was thinking: "Cau it he truc2
Does Malcolm think 50 little of my
money, that will be his, that he has never
even mentioned it to his promised wife,
Can it be that l shall gain loving,
tender niece instead of losing my nephew
when Malcolm marries"
Loving his nephew so deeply, Hubert
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
votaries, Mrs. Mary Hayden.
While he 1nused upon the conversation
he had overheard, the silvcry voices Of
his young ncighbors still sounding beside
him, there was sudden crash. Some
thing struck him upon the head and he
lost consciousness.
Cries from the summer-house from
groups of people collected in the grounds
brought a 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.
Courtland and Miss Hunter were buried
under the fallen timbers, the doorway
being completely blockaded, but were
uninjured. Not so the old gentleman
who had been their unsuspected listener.
He was taken out pallid and seaselcss.
Nobody knew him. He had come by