Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1891-07-13

Laura went to the parlor and imme
diately returned with Browning. HI
was a strongly built young fellow
with bright, intellectual face, anC
was manly in his bearing.
s'I have sent for you," said Mr.
Pendergrass, looking for him scorn
fully, Gin order to tell you briefly an,
bluntly just what the situation is. l
you and Laura marry I shall not leav,
her cent. 1 have arranged every
thing. If she cannot wisely be en-
trusted with the property, then it vii
go to the foreign missionary society
AS am a religious man, | have Away
taken a great interest in the heather
and I hope the money may be thu
means of converting many of them"
81 myself feel more interest il
your granddaughter than in the heath
en-, ''said Browning, CALAMITY although
he was very pale, and I certainly dc
not wish to promote the missionary
cause at her expense. But [ wish yoT
and her both to understand that I an
no fortune hunter, and that if she
loves me more than the money, I love
her enough to marry her without il
and rejoice 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 can
not buy, that is worth more than
your whole fortune. 1t is pure, dis
interested love-"
The old man gazed at the young
couple in astonishment.
els it possible that you value what
you call love more than all of my
money and the power it will confer
on the possessor of it?''
"It is" they cried together, and they
looked fondly at each other.
The old man was touched, and the
scales fell from his eyes. He realized
the truth of what Laura had said in
regard to his having cheated himself
of the greatest blessings of life. He
comprehended that his life had been
a failure, and that he had cheated
himself in spite of all his precautions.
This young and unworldly couple pos
sessed the secret of happiness which
he had never found.
He became greatly agitated, and the
effect upon him in his weakened con-
dition was very serious. He put his
hand to his side and cried:
GA spasm is coming. 1 believe [ am
dying. Run to Lawyer Andrews and
him to bring both my wills"
Laura hesitated.
''Do as you are bidden," said her
grandfather sternly. l have done
wrong, but 1 may be able to leave the
property to you yet" IL
Laura obeyed him. Fortunately
Lawyer Adrews lived in the next
house, and was at home. He rushed
to his safe, took from it a bulky en-
velope, and followed the frightened
Laura to her home
Mr.. Pendergrass was sinking fast
when the lawyer arrived.
"Have you both wills?' the dying
man asked eargerly.
''Yes.''
A look of great relief came over Mr..
Pendergrass' face.
'"Then tear up the last will that dis
eliminates against my granddaugh-
ter and retain the will made several
years ago, that leaves the property to
her Internationally"
AS Laura bent over her grandfather,
tears streaming from her eyes, he
gasped the word, "Forgive."
She pressed his hand and he was
dead.
At this moment a ray of sunshine
for the first time that dreary day burst
through the clouds, as the great orb
sank beneath the western horizon,and
the general gloom was slightly re-
heved. There was a little soul in the
day after all, and so there had been
little soul in the hard, selfish man who
now lay in the embrace of death.
Cold, cough, coffin is what philosophers
term "a logical sequence" One is very liable
to follow the other; but by curing the
cold with dose of Ayers Cherry PectOral,
the cough will be stopped and coffin not need
ed-just at present.