The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-25
at fault had borne no shame or suffering at

at fault had borne no shame or suffering &C
all.
He kept closely at work. lived econom-
ically, saved money. and. at length. told
Mr. Grellln one day that he intended TO
marry in the following month. and asked
for q for:nIGhts leave of absence. Mr..
Grellin. having no children of his own. had
taken a great liking for him when he found
he had reformed ID earnest, and was at
once interested IN the change be was about
making in bis life.
Have you told your auntp he asked.
when tEey had talked it all over together
mo Sir" replied George.
Don't you think you should do sol"
"No. do not. SIR" said George. 'She
took no interest in my affairs when
wanted her to. Now do not want her To
do So"
81 think you are too hard on her. Pasooe.
You do not know all. am snre that she
would be glad to make friends with you
again."
Il have no wish to see her. or have any
thing more To do with her. l am sorry her
name has been mentioned"
If am sorry to hear you say that. Some
marked Mr.. Grellin quietly. "Under the
circumstances. L think that shall take 1T
upon myself TO write TO her,"
George made no reply and notbin q further
was said on the subject, either then or
afterwards.
On the day before the wedding Mr.. Grel-
lin took George into his room aud handed
him check for ESQ as his wedding pres
emf: then shook hands with him warmly.
wished him all happiness. and hurried him
away, seeming quite shamefaced and I'M
easy az the thanks he received for his gen.
erosity.
There. there!" he cried. Don't say any
thing about It. lts-its all right When
you come back l have an important pro-
posal to make. Goodbye. good bye"
When George returned, a fortnight later.
he took him agan to HE room. and. after u
long preamble about age and increasing in
hrmities. offered him partnership. George
was too astonlshed for a moment TO realize
his own good fortune, and MIR. Grellin con-
strued his silence into acceptance of the
offer.
MY solicitor will arrange all formalities
and prepare the deed" he said. "All you
will have TO do 10 TO invest couple of
Thousand In the business"
"A couple of thousand" interrupted
George. suddenly aghsst.
Yes" laughed Mr.. Grellin. but won't
half do il. I'll find the money for you--a
mere fOrmality-leave that TO me-"
He wonld accept no thanks. and grew
quite curt and irritable when George in
sisted upon thanking him. So the whole
business was tacitly arranged, and In a
very few weeks George was duly installed
AS JUNIOR partner In the firm of GrelIin IL
Pascoe.
OF course. the news travelled down into
the country. and one day George had let
ter from a near neighbOr of his aunts, Q
crOny of has. and who wrote 10 congrsIu-
late him.
II don't suppose" continued the writer
referring TO Miss PettIter, you hear much
of the old lady now. She 10 as bitter as
ever; never mentions your name. My wife
called to see her the other day, and casual.
~ told her of your last good luck. but she
showed no interest In It, wouldn't talk
about II at all. She evidently hates you
like poison, but that won't matter TO you
now. She gets meaner as she gets older.
Sold her house q few months ago. said that
she could not afford the expense of keeping
il up, and lives now In one little furnished
room, whore they board and lodge her for
next TO nothing She must have u goodish
bit put by. though Pll he bound the Rev.
Mr.. Dadley-you remem Der hIm--has had u
big share of il. and means having the rest
of it If he can get IT, He stands a good
chance, too. She isn't the woman she used
to be; she's breaking up, and more under
his thumb than ever"
George ehow ed this letter TO his wife. and
then magnanimously pltied the lonely mis-
cradle. miserly little lady. and said that il
seemed really as If her unnatural harshness
to her nephew were coming home to her,
and In her old age she was neglected aud
alone.
Not many months after this George was
surprised 10 receive letter from the Rev.
Mr. Dsdiey himself. II told him. with that
Gentleman's Ia bitual prolixity, that his ol d
aunt was very Ill. and dying, and wanted
to sec him.
NO." said George stubbornly. IF she
wants to see me at all, its only because she
feels now how badly she treated me. She
doesn't care for me. and l don't care for
her. and I'm not going TO 60 down there
and play tho hypocrite and pretend DO. F."
There was n lofty high mlndedness about
this that made blm feel proud CT himself.
But MS wife. gentle and woman-like, was
inclined to be more forgiving.
If the poor. unhappy old lady feels
now" she said, how much she wron2ed
and neglected you. her remorse must be
dreadful. l know she must be naturally
selfish and cold-hearted, or l don't see how
But try To forgive her now. At least, 70
and see her and try TO forgive her."
There was something in all this that
soothed and flattered HIM. and he allowed
himself TO be 80 far persuaded that he
promised to speak 10 Mr.. Grellin tomorrow
and see what he could do about IT,
He mentioned IL next morning TO Mr..
GreliiD, and was saying how unwilling nc
was TO 20 when his partner interrupted
him.
"Go," he said earnestly. Go at once If
you are too late you will never forgive
yourself. Every word you say against her
now will rise ND anu haunt You after
wards. You do not know all Nv Inns are
sealed while she lives. unless she gives me
leave to spenk. Go. tell You; 60 at once. y
George was startled by his partners
vehemenoe. and did not know how TO re.
ply. lie went away. and hurriedly made
some few needful preparations, and had
started within On hour; and as the dusk OF
evening WAS beginning TO fall. he pressed
along the quaint. quiet well-remem bered
streets OF the little town. past the prlm
little house whore he had once lived with
his aunt. 10 the humber house where she
was now dying in her one little room: Day
where she was ~ ing dead.
''she died an hour ago." said the Rev. Mr.
Dadley. who met him at the door. Il was
with her at the last. Her last words were
to ask If you had come"
He felt . niOmentary pang OF self-re'