Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-12-04

/
own heart, full of noble aspirations and
sweet womanly sympathies, expanded in
this genial, loving atmosphere, until
Mrs. Emerson's love for her was warm
and tender as n mothers.
She dreamed dreams, too, this young
hearted old woman in which her nephew,
travelling IN Europe, returned TO love
this gentle girl and bind her still more
closely to her. For, having but one
avenue for motherly love, Mrs. Emerson
had lavished it upon her sisters son,
who owed to her his education and q
handsome income, already settled upon
him
~ cannot bear to feel that you arc
waiting for me to die, that you may be
independent, the old lady said when
she settled large sum upon her nephew.
A year had passed, year of happi-
ness for both. since Mrs. Emerson had
met Alice Ward, aud there was still be-
tween them the strongest love. But the
old lady was not yet quite satisfied.
Uniformly cheerful, gentle and loving,
Alice could not entirely conceal from her
employer and friend that there was a
shadow upon her life that even the pres
ent happiness had not lifted. The con-
fidencc long withheld came quite uncx-
pccted ut last.
Alice was in her own room, adjoining
Mrs. Emcrson's, busted with some let
tiers, and did not know she was not
alone. Mrs. Emerson, who had come in
to ask some trifling question, saw her
take from her desk photograph, and as
she looked at it tears rolled down her
checks, until, with IN impatient look of
scorn ut her own weakness, she suddenly
tore it in two and threw it upon the
floor. One piece, the face portrayed
upon it, tluttercd to Mrs. Emcrson's feet.
Her own face was very white rs she
lifted it, saying:
"Who Is this Alicea Why have you
torn it?"
"He was coward, traitorl" the
girl said quickly.
"To you2"
"Yesl Oh, am sorry you saw me,
Mrs. Emerson. 1t is all over, long ago."
But there was choking sob in her
voice rs she spoke.
"Tell me about it, dear. Perhaps it
will take away some of the heartache to
speak of it"
at was before my father died. He
came to Hopeville, and-and, oh, Mrs.
Emerson, he did make me believe he
loved me! 1 cannot see that l was I'M
maidcnly in any way; but 1 loved him
with my whole heart, when he had tried
to win it, in a thousand ways-not be-
fore. His name was Walter Hutchin.
son."
az know you well enough to be sure
of that" was the gentle reply.
~ thought he would speak to papa;
but one day, when we were walking to-
gether, he told me he dared not ask me
to be his wife, because he would offend
his aunt, who was anxious to have him
marry rich, fashionable girl"
"Ohl He was fond, then, of his
aunt2"
al do not think so. He always spoke
of her money us far more important than
herself. l think she could not have been
very lovable person, because once she
had u very sudden dangerous attack of
illness that called him away for week,
aud when he came back he seemed quite
disappointed that she had not died.
remember, when | asked him how she
was, he said: 'Oh, confound her, she'll
keep her ey-bags to herself forever,
l believe. l thought was sure of them
this time"
''Was it this ogress of an aunt who
prevented his making you his wife2"
$50 he said. And 1 don't think
wanted to marry him after knew that
he was not manly enough to make his
own fortune. But-but 1 did love
him." and the tears dropped again over
the lost dream.
'You were fortunate to lose him.
He was, as you say, u coward and
traitor!n
Never had Alice heard Mrs. Emersons
voice so stern, seen her eyes flash So,
angrily. 1t had been part of the old
lady's castle building to conceal from
her young protegec the very existence of
her dearly loved nephew. She had put
away his picture, had sent her letters to
mail by her maid, had never mentioned
his name. She had believed if these
two met, unprepared, they must love
each other, and had omitted all mention
of Alice in her letters, for the same rea-
son that she kept her in ignorance of his
existence.
And now, where no shadow of doubt
could fall upon the story, she learned at
what value this idolized nephew held
her love, what gratitude her lifelong
indulgence had won.
1t hurt her pride too sorely for her to
take Alice into her condolences. hut in
many subsequent conversations she drew
from her moro fully the story of the
summer Walter Hutchinson had spent at
Hopevllle, the persistent wooing by
which he had won a pure, innocent
heart, only to throw it aside.
1t might be that when Alice was older
and her present secluded life was
changed for one where she saw more of
society. her heart would find resting
place in more worthy love. But there
had been but that one hero in her past,
aud the wound his want of faith and
honor had left yns dem and Ioct;no,