Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-03-20

Mss SuInelia beverley ndQ reached
oe age OF sixty-three without having
ettained mOdicum OF patience, self
control or gentlenesS. inseparable from
81 loea OF a gracious, kindly autumn.
Hers was the autumn Of eQuinOctial
disturbances, rather than the loneliness
OF indian summer
without being clever woman, or q
deep thinker or student Of philosophy,
Miss Beverley had arrived by sheer in
stinct at a scheme Of life that, for pure
materialism and unconscious exaltation
Of the eternal selfhood, beggared all
philosophy. The earth was &SSs, SNd
the Inhabitants thereof-created for
her benefit, TO minister to her whims
and wants in the ways she deemed be-
sitting. Having been born into a world
incomplete until her coming, she had
accomplished all that could reasonably
J be expected Of her. She had given
creation a center-herself; that was her
merit, for which she must be rewarded /;
If creation failed 70 avail itself OF the
privilege Of going around her, that was
it's sin, for which it must be punished.
In short, Miss ,Cornelia Beverley was a
silly and selfish woman, who. without
having ever read a line Of Emerson in
her life, made one Of his maXimS her
daily rule OF conduct-ths one which re-
fers to the soft side OF existence being
the special perquiSite Of the cautanSer-
Gus aud foolish.
10 must not be understood that Miss
COrnelia was an anomaly, unlike other
human beings and utterly intOlerable
and destitute OF redeeming qualities, for
such was far from being the case. She
was extremely good natured when her
wants were properly attended to. and
she was given the best of everything,
and she was liberal In way-that is, she
wOCld layiShly bestOw such favOrS as
were in her gift on the person who hap
pened 70 please her, and she never said
ill-natured things Of people behind their
backs unless she were unusually angry.
She possessed the negative virtue Of be-
ing spiteful to their faces. IL was
common saying among her kindred that
1.-THE worst thing COrnelia ever says
about you she says to yOar face"
Perhaps those whose daily life and
conversation were tinctUred with her
presence at times deplOred this excel
lence, and would have cheerfully sub
mitted to any amount Of backbiting
could they have thereby escaped the
many trials in which they were both
criminal and counsel for the defense.
StiIl, so elastic is human nature, and so
noble 10 the main, even the people who
lived with Miss COrnelia found many
excuses for her. She had had a great
deal OF trouble in her youth, and some
very stern affection, and in compassion
for her sorrow her family had gradually
learned 10 throw a mantle Of charity
over her selhshness. Trouble like hers,
even when self caused, carries with It
an atmosphere that touches sympathy
so keenly as not unirequently to diSarm
judgment.
In her youth Miss Cornelia had been
handsome, high-spirited girl, hayward
and passionate, but attractive enough
10 have many admirers. At eighteen
she became, with,the consent and bless
ing OF both families, engaged TO young
man of the neighbOrhOOd, Dir. Spots
wood Darlington. The cOurtship was
stormy one, the engagement stormier,
aud the end total wreck. The lady IN
sisted upon carrying on foolish, will
ful hlrtatiOn with another man Tor
whom she cared nothing, simply 10
demonstrate TO her lover that she would
submit TO no interference or dictatlOn,
The gentleman was violent in temper
and Jealous in disposition, and the ter
miDatlOn Of the miserable affair was a
fierce Quarrel between the two men and
a duel. which resulted in the death Of
one and the manning for life OF the
other.
After the death Of her lover Miss
Beverley fell into deep melancholy,
alternated with wild gusts of remorSe-
ful passion, which unsettled her brain
To such an extent that for years she re-
oufred strict attention and most careful
nursing. The horror Of publicity which
distinguished the old time gentry pre-
vented her family from sending her TO
an asvlum, even when she was at the
worst. Tender care and years Of tran
ouilitv finally restored her mind TO its
balance. but by the time she resumed
her Mace in the family her natural sell
6sbness had been fostered by unlimited
Indulgence and developed by the con-
alteration which had become the habit
OF the house.
She had some trifng property, de-
rived from her mother sufficient for
her support in other peoples houses,
. b,t NOT enough 10 enable her TO have
one Of her own. lt was standing
S,rievance with her that her brother
4actor. her guardian and trustee, had
eoId her land and invested the proceeds
A., snch a way that the principal was
bevond her control. Her nephew Hee-
+or had been equally faithful to her in
tsrests. so she drew her little income
~egplarlv. unveXed by the storms that
beset and finally stranded the family
nroperty. Her home she made with her
Panbew's widow, TO whom she was kind
ina ftful way, and Spasmodieaily at
She nreferred her old home and her
a old rooms and familiar surroundings,
80 said. but the truth was that In other
ta,ses she was forced TO exercise a self
-ost~aint that was irksome TO her. She
-, about among her kindred and
,.sda long visits, during which Mary
- ber boys enjoyed themselves and
tbeir immunity from blame; but always,
sooner or later, she returned TO them.
The lady (as has already been more
49, bipted) Ned Anthony had diSiked
s. 49, his earliest bOyhood. Once she
- ~ oeensed him unjustly OF trampling
1e S,he tulips In the garden, aud had
.,.ar the word OF little negro boy,
49, was really the guilty party. In pref
w. 49,, n his own. The race prejudice
a,.~een the poor whites and negroes OF
ne South is = thing OF wonderful