Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-08-16
charity or college, father, and let me

charity or college, father, and let me
marry Mr.. Spence"
Observing charity or college! That
from the lips Of my own daughter! l
have wanted to interrupt you dozen
times to tell you how foolish and sense
less is the rubbish you were talking.
And now that have heard you to the
end, am speeches.. You are crazy!
repeat it, crazyl You are fit only Tor
convent or lunatic asylum. lhad oet-
ter find another heir" :
He covered his face with his hands,
aud could see his whole form tremole-
Father" / cried, ''if were only sure
that you are not mistaken"
We sat without another word being
spoken for many minutes. At last he
lay back in his chair with the weary air
intensified which mad noticed when
told him OF Mr.. Spence's offer, and said
in tone in harmony with that:
"You have been brought up, Virginia,
like all American girls, to have your own
way. have given you every indulgence
and liberty. Your smallest wish mas
been regarded. In the multitude OF my
business cares have merely had time TO
observe you in general way. But L
supposed the serious and absorbed air
which your face has worn came from the
interest of your studies, and that those
studies were fitting you for the work
had planned for you. l wish now that
you had never touched book In your
life. Better, in my opinion. to be the
careless butterfly OF society than the
fanatic. | never expected 70 live to see
my only child so blind to common sense
as to wish to follow such a monstrous
theory as you have described. Money.
Why, IL is the power and possibility OF
the world. But what good are words?
II you cannot see the folly and unsound-
ness of it at glance, IL is useless for me
TO talk. Go your own ways. Marry
whom you like. Not a dollar OF my
money
He stopped as he realized the futility
of his threat and covered his face again
with his hands.
"IfI were only sure that you are
rightr' repeated. 81 am prepared to
sacrifice my own wishes for your sake,
but l remain unconvinced. will write
to Mr.. Spence tonight and tell him that
/ cannot be his wife. / will resign my
position as secretary Of his society, and
give up what you call fads and isms.
Only shall expect for the future, father,
that you will tell me precisely what you
wish me to do and let me do 1t. You
must not deprive me OF my liberty OF
choice, and then treat me just as IL were
free. Do with me what you will.
Marry me to whom you please. will
obey-implicitly, unhesitatingly. Only
take away from me the responsibility
once and for all. / am weary OF 1t"
had spoken with anger and excite
ment. My nerves were all unstrung by
the events OF the past two days, and as /
finished my tears burst forth. wept
with passionate sobs. Ny father made
no effort TO comfort me. He sat with
his chin resting on his breast, weary
and sad.
81 did not mean to be disrespectful,
l murmured at last. ~ am willing 10
do all that you desire"
"You have said that you do not love
this man, Virginia"
II love him as much as l shall ever
love any one else," answered.
81 accept your sacrifice, my child.
Some day you will thank me. But write
tonight. / shall sleep better II | feel
that it is done. Promise me" he added,
looking at me with strange eagerness
that was pathetic and made the tears
return to my eyes, but this time out OF
promise me that whatever
happens you will accept the trust l am
going to leave YOU"
ran to his side, and kneeling, raised
my eyes to his. "Forgive me, father.
/ promise faithfully"
Only few words more need to be said
concerning this phase Of my life. That
night wrote to Mr.. Spence. Gratitude
and friendship will not make up for the
absence OF love, but whatever there can
be of consolation In these substitutes
sent to him. Why was 1t that as
penned the lines which were to disap-
point his hopes / was vaguely conscious
that my interest in his theories was
already less? So difficult is II In life TO
determine precisely how far our beliefs
are decided by our associations. But II
is not TO be supposed that. because
admit this after the lapse OF years, the
consciousness OF which / speak was at
that time more than secret one, which
Ishrank from confessing even TO myself.
Genuine were the tears / shed In pri-
vate for many days. My life seemed TO
me blank, and had lost tho motive OF
action. For allowing my father to be
right, and the principles advocated by
Mr.. Spence to be monstrous and absurd,
| had been too intimately connected
with the system not to feel great void
in my existence at severing my relations
with IL. What was TO take its place?
A fortnight after my dismissal OF Mr..
Spence misfortune befell me that ban
ished all thoughts save those OF grief.
My father was seized with sudden III
ness and died within few hours. The
doctors said the cause OF his death was
disease OF the heart, and that he had
been aware of the existence OF the dis
order for some time. II was many days
before l thought again OF what / was
told after the funeral-that i was left
by my fathers will sole helress to four
million dollars.
TO BE CONTINUED.