The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1891-06-05


wife had taken undisputable possession
of the lovely home which had been
Hilda's since childhood.
Ten years before a fearful epidemic
had visited the little village Of Morton,
| and John Braithwait. an honest. indus
trious carpenter. and his frail wife
were Frustrated BY this fell disease and
| had died within two days Of each other,
leaving the poor little orphan Hilda tc
| the mercies Of a cold world.
No one wanted the child and the
| almshouse seemed the only refuge,
when. to the surprise of the entire
ncighborhood. old Reuben Dclford. a
miser, who had hitherto evinced little
or no feeling for his fellow beings,
stepped forward and announced his in
tcntion Of adopting the little orphan as
/ his own child.
No one had thought that Reuben Del
/ ford possessed . spark Of human feel.
ing. but il was evident that there still
remained in his hard heart n little
warm spot which had not been chilled
by the owe Of mammon. And although
Hilda was but eight years old she ruled
both mansion and master with the
wand Of love.
And Reuben learned to set great store
by the little orphan. manifesting q re
gard for her which no one had dreamed
him capable Of. He was kind and in
dulgent. humoring her in every within,
and seemed never so happy as when the
little arms were about his neck and the
childish voice calling him: Dear old
Uncle Ruby"
What cared he what the neighbors
said Of him? Hilda loved him. and right
royalty did she defend him, growing
fierce with anger when anyone dared
to speak i'll Of him in her presence.
AT first Simon Dclford. his only liv
ing relative. in his smooth. silky way
tried to indrcc the old man to allow
him to take tho girl TO his home. think
ing that If he could get her away from
Sunset Grange Reuben would soon for
get her. lie argued that being only .
child she needed motherly care, and hi.
wife Samantha would be delighted K
have a little girl around
But Reuben thoroughly understood
Simon's motive and declared II to his
face. whcrcupon Simon few into a pas
sion, dcnouncing his uncle as a soft
hearted old fool.
The quarrel. however, was Of shor'
duration. for Simon was too far
sighted TO risk losing a fortune. evcr
though ii was not so large rs he haf
hoped: so he returned to his uncle ant
made an abject apology. declaring
that it deeply panied him to have
trouble arise between his only living
relative and himself
Reuben had very little faith in
Simon's repentance. rs he knew him e
be a cold. mcrcenary schemer. and in
wardly vowed that he would get very
little Of his tRcubcn's) wealth. Still
he allowed him to think himself fully
forgiven. whereupon Simon returned
home willing to await the develop
ments Of events.
simon came around occasionally. al
ways making great prctcntions Of AZ
lection for Uncle Rcuben's little girl,
as he called Hilda. But liilda had
taken a great dislike TO Simon, and
made no effort TO conceal II. And glad
was She when each of his periodical
visits came TO an end.
At last old Reubcn's eyesight failed
him. and being unable 70 attend to his
business affairs, he was Obliged TO EN-
p,oy a secretary, in the form Of one
Edward Wicland. a handsome young
man. whose poverty vas his only draw
back. lie was not long In Sunset
Grange when he took il into his head
TO fall madly in love with pretty Hilda
| Braithwait. now a lovely girl Of
eighteen. That his love was returned,
we are already aware; and SO for q
year all went merry rs q marriage bell.
But at the end Of that time, and the
| day succeeding the one on which Simon
| had come to make his monthly visit,
| old Reuben was taken suddenly iii.
Hilda was greatly distressed, and
would have been happy 10 repay hcr
| kind old friend by loving car through
| his illness. but Simon cmphatically de-
| clarcd that the sickroom was not ths
place for a young girl like her, and
f.rt1.nrt,aro inSiSfcd that hc. hito<plf