The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1894-07-16
TEN FICTION
FOR
Globe Readers.
AN ADOPTED BOY.

I'm not disposed to be unreasonable
Blanche, said Gilbert in a whisper a
he arranged her white lace for her, blu
l do think you've waltzed quite oftel
enough with that fellow Birmingham"
''~Jealous:" tainted the girl, flushed an,
rosy.
of course yOuu do as you please
Blanche, only it's a choice between Biz
mingham and ne"
She drew herself up haughtily.
You are beginning to dictate early
sir"
Have I not the right"
Nothing Of the sort, Mr.. Evening""
BE it SO, Blanche, " he said. Il Civ
up the right now and henceforward."
Blanche was startled. She would hav,
said more, but Walter Birmingham wa
advancing toward her, and when next sh'
had leisure to look round Gilbert wa.
gone from her side.
Such a charming day as we have had
Mrs. Trainer said Blanche as she camt
up the steps of the hotel piazza, smiling
and radiant.
THAT, of course, said the blooming
matrOn in an easy chair under the shadow
of the vines. But what sent Mr.. Ever
ing away in such a hurry?"
Sent him away"
"Yes-by the evening train. He am
home, packed his things and drove away
as if there was not a moment to lose.
Blanche went slowly up stairs and sat
down by her window, looking out at the
purple glow OF the evening landscape as II
it were a featureless blank
And | cannot even write to him, for /
- h. $1,000
with clasped hands and fearless eyes.
So Blanche PenrOy went hOme from the
gay summer lounging place a sadder and
a wiser woman. And the November mists,
dropping Ger the brick and mortar wilder
ness of her New York home, had never
seemed half so dreary to her as they seem
ed now.
She rang the bell with an impatient
jerk.
"Are there any letters, Sanderson?'
lone, ma'am, 1t came by the evening
Blanche sat down by the fire and open
ed the letter.
BLACK edged and sealed-and black
sealed! So poor Mrs. Marchmont is gone
at last!'
1t was from the executors of Miss Pen
roy's distant cousin, formally and briefly
announcing her death, which had taken
place in one of the West India islands
some months since.
Leaving one child, a son." slowly re
peated Blanche, leaning her check on her
hand and looking Down into the fiery
culver of the white hot Goals. Poor little
fellow! He must feel nearly as desolate
and alone as / do.
"Why should l not adopt the stray waif
and make it the business of my life to
cherish and comfort him? l have no OBJ
jcct in existence. Here is one that PrOvi-
dence itself seems to point out to me-"
81 shall never marry now" she wrote,
land it seems to become my plainly indi-
Gated duty to undertake the care of this Or
phan child of Mrs. MarchmOnt. With
your approval, therefore, l propose to adopt
him, and endCavOr, as far as is in my pow
er, to supply the place of his lost mother.
You may deem me rather young to under
take so grave and serious a responsibility,
but I am very, very much older in thought
and feeling than my years"
just q week subsequently a priln legal
note was received from Messrs. Alias &
Corpus, the deceased lady's executors, stat
ing that they saw no valid objection to
Miss PenrOy's very laudable projects, and
that, in accordance Herewith, the child of
the late Mrs. MarchmOnt would arrive at
Miss Penroy's residence on the following
Saturday night"
Saturday highland this is Friday"
calculated Blanche. "Oh, how glad I
shall be! SandersOn, tell Mrs. Brown to
have the blue room fitted up Immediately
for Master MarchmOnt, and you had bet
ter go yourself to the depot with the car
riage at 5 tomorrow afternoon to meet
him."
Saturday was a day of hail and tenn
pest and softly falling snow, and by 5
o'clock the drawing rooms were lighted
and the crimson silk curtains closely
drawn to exclude the stormy darkness
without. Six times within the last Is
minutes had Blanche Penroy looked at her
watch as she stood by the fire waiting to
hear the returning carriage wheels.
'Oh, l hope he will like me-" thought
Blanche, with that instructive yearning
for love that comes to every woman's
heart, as the door opened.
Heres the young gentleman, miss"
said SandersOn.
But instead Of a child z or 8 years old
a tall apparition stalked in-scmething
over six feet high, with a black nustache
and merry hazel eyes trimming over with
mirth. For an instant Blanche stared at
HIM as if she could scarcely credit thesevi-
dence of her own senses.
"Gilbert!'
Exactly. You wanted to adopt me,
and here I am"
No. but Gilbert'--
Yes, but Blanche!"
You are not Mrs. Marchmont's SON"
Il am-by her first marriage. And al
though l am by no means the p~enniless
infant you suppose, as all my fathers
wealth comes to me, l am quite willing to
be adopted-particularly as you are not
Blanche struggled between tears and
laughter, uncertain WI n could best ex-
press her feelings, but Gilbert Evering
drew her te lerly toward him.
If you adopt me, dearest, it must be
life. Do not hesitate. Our happiness
has already been too much at the mercy of
trities. You will not retract your offer"
We'll, after all, - said Blanche de
murely, all l wanted was somebody to
and care for, and'--
And l shall do very well in that ca