The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-02-28
A TALE or TWO HISBRS
BY Edgar Fawcett.
lcopYRIcnr. 1911
ICON thu ,d.l


not wish to concern myself with any
compact that bears relation to your
death. Still, if You are willing to make
me your heir, | can but thank you for
having SO decided, and yet" he con-
tinucd. - would ask you, sir, for some
immediate help. Our needs are grow
ing urgent, though they are not at all
excessive. My wife and could live on
very moderate annuity. If You would
consent: to aid Us with certain month
ly sun could, pcrhaps-indced, most
probably succeed in getting a clerk
ship here in New York that would
swell the amount donated until it be-
came an actual compc tcnce."
IN -In-ycs, yes" muttcred Van Dorcn,
strolsin:y his bare, sharp, shavcn chin.
''You want in other words, more than
I'm willing to give. thought my
terms very fair-very fair" and no
looked both Stapficld and Martha full
in the eyes, for moment with gaze
that seemed to both of them positively
vulpinc
But the young wife, whatever may
have been her furtivc rcpulsion, now
drew nearer to the obdurate old man
and addressed him with simple and
lovely eloqucnce Of pleading. She spoke
of their marriage and the deep mutual
love that had caused it; of Alfred's great
willingness to work, and of her own
eager desire to fill their little home
with happiness and thrift. There were
tears of cntreaty in her voice, though
none in her tcnderly bcsceching eyes
But possibly light was there that
somehow crept, with whatever faint
ness, down into the sullen gloom of
that unnatural heart. Before the inter
view was over Martha, and not her hus-
band, had gained victory. Stanfield
was to receive everything at his uncle's
death, and meanwhile, until that hirh-
ly uncertain event occurred. he was to
get Il small monthly allowances. But
besides this, rs Van Dorcn gravcly con-
coded before his departure, efforts
would be used towards securing for his
nephew the desired mercantile clerk
ship.
That last promise, like the former
one, was faithfully carried out. The
old man, in spite of his dctcstcd stingi-
ness, retained n certain distinct bust
ness influence. He recommended Stan
field to n firm of some Importance. and
here. in prm Office overlooking the
throngs of masts ut the docks of Water
street, Martha's husband soon found
himself seated before lcdger-ladcn
desk
1t was tiresome work; he had, as tho
phrase goes, n head for figures, and by
nature he was not one to whom the gid
dy pleasures of cities offered tempting
lures. But it began gradually to bore
him with increasing keenness that he
could not crafty in the cautious and
conservative atmosphere of Messrs. Van
Vcckten & Co. his longings for quickly
acquired riches.
81 desp;se money merely in ITSELF"
he would say TO Martha. "But what it
will bring-ah! that's another AFFAIR."
Think. you and might go round the
world together, arm in arm. as it were,
If that old fellow would only consent
to let us!''
"And SO we shall, some day, no
doubt" whispered Martha, with lips
against his check.
"Hush," he said almost pushing her
away from him. IL hate to count on
anyone's dcath-cven his"
eyes; you're right, dear" said Martha,
"Forgive me-"
Nevertheless he did count on his
unclc's death, harshly as it first went
against his nature to do so. During the
next five years two children were born
TO Martha and himself, Il boy and girl.
The little family had just enough to
supply its wants and not dime more.
Martha, with her babies and her domcs-
tic cares, kept up her spirits in blithcst
fashion. But the change in Alfred wor-
ried her. She saw that his office work
was growing more and more leaden
task to him, and that the ycarning for
Myndherst Van Doren to die had become
like cancer that slowly eats deeper
and deeper into the flesh
When their first child was born thcv
brought it to the old miscr, but he car
esscd 1T in only languid and perfume
tory way. The truth was he could
caress nothing with any real pleasure
save dollars, and these he actually did
fondle and slip through his fingers in
their most captivating golden form.
For Stanficld, who now and then would
meet the old butler, had it directly from
Samue | himself, one day. that there was
pot of actual gold coin in the cabinet
OF the library upstairs, and that here,
very Often instead of reading any of
oOn' vi VIC duJdccHC SnclVcS-
books which he had long ago ceased
from the horrible extravaganza of pur-
chasing-he would sit crouchinrly be-
side his green-shaded lamp for hours
and hours of an evening, arranging the
gold pieces into piles of u certain
height, making of these piles medal
lions, and then altering the latter with
a slow but inccssant variance until his
fra. -,e1,, ,~,.1. 4