The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1891-07-01
He had not supposed that Laura
could be so audacious.

could be so audacious.
al will tell you,s continued the
girl, "why Isthink you have cheated
yourself. For the sake of making
money you have deprived yourself
of the greatest blessings. You have
abstained from doing kind and gen
erous acts, consequently you have
grown hard and selfish, and have
cheated yourself of the much joy
that comes to one who endeavors to
benefit his fellow-men; you have
not cultivated love for reading,
and have cheated yourself of much
interesting knowledge and intellec-
tual pleasure; you have not culti-
waited love for the beautiful in art
or nature, and thus have cheated
yourself of something of incstima-
Bile value that can be obtained with
out money and without price; you
have not cultivated any friendships
and you have cheated yourself of the
satisfaction of knowing that men.
regard you with affection and es-
TEEN, and above all, you have never
known the heavenly joy experienced
by one~who loves deeply and is
loved as deeply in return"
Laura forgot the fear of her gsand-
father, which she customarily felt,
and spoke with enthusiasm.
The old man noticed her glowing
cheeks and sparkling eyes with a
troubled look in his face. Could it
be that he was impressed by what
she had said? Could it be that he
acknowledged to himself that the
truth had been spoken? Laura,
who watched him narrowly, began
to realize hope, but the next instant
her spirits were dashed.
81 have heard enough" he cried
sternly. al am more than ever
convinced that you lack good COM
mon sense, and that it would be fool
ish for me to leave my property to
you. Your father was just like you;
he talked the same way. He would
persist in becoming an artist, and I
told him that he must leave me.
hoped you would be sensible. 1
believe you did have a little sense
until You met this newspaper re-
porter, Browning. He read poetry
to you and turned your head. He
does not know how to make money
or how to take care of it,
eff he does not know how to
make money, he does know how to
make love, and that is more than
you can do" cried Laura, thor
oughly provoked.
"You are impudent and foolish.
l suppose Browning is still waiting
for my. decision. If SO, tell him to
come in, and I will soon make my
self understood.
Laura went to the parlor, and i'm
mediately returned with Browning:
He was strongly built young fell
low with a bright, intellectual face,
and was manly in his bearing.
81 have sent for you," said Mr..
Pendergrass, looking at him scorn-
fully, sin order to tell you briefly
and bluntly just what the situation
is. If you and Laura marry shall
not leave her a cent. 1 have ar
ranged everything. If she cannot
wisely be entrusted with the prop
erty, then it will go to the foreign
missionary society. AS am a re-
ligious man, have always taken q
great interest in the heather, and
hope the money may be the means
of converting many of them"
81 myself feel more interest in
your granddaughter than in the
heathen," said Browning, gallantly,
although he was very pale, Sand
certainly do not wish to promote
the missionary cause at her expense.
But 1 wish you and her both to un-
derstand that / am no fortune-hun-
ter, and that if she loves me more
than she does the money, love her
enough to marry her without it and
to rejoce then"
"spoken like my own true lover -
cried Laura, her heart swelling with
pride and affection.
She ran to Browning, and he
clasped her in his arms.
Mr.. Pendergrass," the young
man cried, "here is something
money cannot buy, that is worth
more than your whole fortune. 1t
is pure, disinterested love-"
The old man gazed at the young
couple in astonishment.