The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-08-20
received in reply to letter from Mr.. Har-

RESPECTED SIR-The inquiry thou directedst
has been easy. / am connected In businesa
with one mot of our society 10 whom the
young man is well known and by whom he Is
much esteemed. Richard Temple is wise be-
yond his years. He is of quiet and retired hab-
its and will get on In the world. This is the
opinion Of my friend. know that lie would
willingly give him his daughter to wife. But
Richard was not forward In the matter.
His thoughts, even in the company OF the
maid, seemed eocoupied-doubtless by busi-
ness. Since writing these lines have been In
formed that he visits Elm's Cross In few days
TO arrange some matters connected with his
late mothers Affairs. | am, respected friend,
ETC., EZEKIEL BROWN.
This letter determined Mr.. Hargrave to
recall his rejection Of Richard Temple, and
the effect Of conversation he had upon
the subject with his daughter proved to
the unbounded joy of the parents that as
yet she had no organic disease.
For some days Martha, though happy,
was restless. At length an acquaintance.
when calling, informed her that she had
just seen Richard.
"Thou rememberest Richard, MarthaW
Martha nodded.
"He is grown so comely and so manly
thou wouldst hardly know him."
"He will call here peradventure" said
the mother.
NAY. He has already taken his place
in the coach for tomorrow" Martha
grew pale, and the mother hurried out Of
the room to seek her husband. That
night Richard received a friendly note
from Mr.. Hargrave, begging him to call
in the morning on business of Importance.
When Richard found himself once more
in the silent drawing room his manner was
very different from what it had been on
the last occasion. He was calm, but
gloomy, and almost stern; he waited for
the appearance Of his inviter with neither
hope nor fear, but with q naughty impa-
thence. Instead of Mr.. Hargrave, how
ever, 1t was Martha who entered the room,
and he started back at the unexpected ap-
partition. The color that rose into her face
and made her more beautiful than ever
prevented him from seeing that she had
been i'll, and when she held out her hand
the slight grasp he gave it was SO momen-
tary that he did not discover its attenua-
tion. A painful embarrassment prevailed
for some time.
He was about to withdraw with cere.
monious bow when Martha stepped for
ward.
"Richard," said she, "T have no fear that
my early friend will think me immodest,
and therefore l speak without conceal
ment. larry yet awhile, for l have that
to say which, peradventure, may make
thee consider thy place in the coach light
sacrifice"
"How;"
"Richard," she continued, "thou didst
once WOO me for thy wife, and vert re
jected by my fathers commands. Circum
stances have brought about change 10
his feelings. Must l speak itf" and q
;,I,t ~, H..
illumined the bright flush that rose intv
her face. "Wert thou to ask again the an
swer might be different"
So long u silence ensued after this
speech that Martha at length raised her
eyes suddenly and fixed them in alarm
upon Richards face. In that face there
was no Joy, no thankfulness, no love; moth
ing but blank and ghastly stare. He
was as white as a corpse, and large beads
Of sweat stood upon his brow.
"What meaneth this2" cried Martha,
rushing toward him, but he threw out his
hands to prevent her approach, while the
answer came hoarse and broken from his
haggard lips:
"Ruin-misery-horrori Martha. am
married." And SO saying he rushed out Of
the room.
1t is said that men recover more speedily
reason is not that they feel them less
deeply. Women have more leisure thar
men. The world has few demands upon
them, and they can only exhibit their
mental power and loftinesS of resolve by
making wholesome occupation for their
fevered minds. OF theee women was Mar
garet Hargrave. Although stunned at
first by the blow, its very suddenness and
severity compelled her to reflect upon her
position and summon up her energies.
She did not permit her sympathies to lie
buried in one absorbing subject, but cast
them abroad upon the face of society
Under this moral discipline she recovered
her bodily health. The fresh roses Of
youth continued to bloom in her lovely
cheeks long after her hair had begun to
change its hue, and so the gentle Quaker
commenced her descent into the vale Of
years.
The process is different with Richard
Temple, but still of kindred character.
To say that he did not repent his marriage
would be untrue, but still he had honor
and integrity enough to cherish the wife
he had married in return for her love. lie
devoted himself to business and to his rap
idly increasing family; prospered in both,
and in due time arrived at the enjoyment
of at least ordinary happiness. But at
Iength period of commercial calamity
came and Richard suffered with the rest
His fixed capital was still moderately
good, but he was embarrassed, almost
ruined, for want of money.
One day during this crisis he was in his
private room in the countins room brood
ing over his difficulties, and in the least
possible mood that could be imagined for
sentimental recollections, when a letter
was placed before him the first two lines
of which informed him, in brief. bust
nesslihe manner, that Martha was dead.
The paper dropped upon the floor and he
abandoned himself to grief.
On emerging from this he took up the
letter to place it on the table, when, on
glancing over its remaining contents, he
found that poor Martha had bequeathed to
him the whole of her original fortune of
25,000 When he had become quite an old
man he was observed often plunged in
deep reverio over his Quaker loye.-L. Il.
in New York Sntvs