The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1896-02-25

the way.
One day Mr.. Dinsmore, friend of
my aunt, called to see us. He was
going to Europe on businesseto be
gone several years; and he wanted a
clerk. Would l go with him?
Eagerly embraced the opportunity.
and went away with Dinsmore, and
was gone three years. At the end
OF those years, rs | said at the begin
ming:
"At home once more"
There had been changes during nv
absence. j found Aunt Dorcas as well
ms ever, but my step-mother had been
dead year, and Leonora had found a
home with my aunt. She was not
the Leonora of old. had left a rosy
checked, bright-eyed, Joyous maiden,
and L found n pale, melancholy wo-
man, who seemed to be suffering
under the weight of some great cal
amity.
There was one other person who
found n home beneath Aunt Dorcas's
roof, and that Kitty; but she was
away on visit.
When my aunt and 1 were alone |
asked her about Walworth and she
told me he wns dead. He died about
year after [ went away. And that, |
thought, was the cause of Leonora's
sorrow.
After LeonorN had gone to bed my
aunt and [ sat up and talked, and
among other things she told me that
John Walworth had left bequest for
me.
ga bequest for me?' 1 cried. "And
what is it?"
81 cannot tell you," my aunt, re-.
piled. "When Walworth had been
told thai he must die he sent for me
to come and see him, rs he had mes
sage for me. If | could not come, he
asked that | should send some one
whom my nephew would have no hes
ltatIon III trusting. ] could not go, so
sent Hitty, and he gave to her q
small packet, bearing your name, and
securely sealed, and he obtained from
her n solemn promise that she would
keep it faithfully, and deliver it into
your hands when you returned"
And that was all could learn from
my aunt. For further particulars l
must await my cousins arrival
On the following morning Leonora
met me as before; but [ thought her
eyes were brighter than then, and
with the melancholy shadows upon
her face were mingled slight CLEANS of
hope. Gould it be possible that, since
the death of Walworth, the old love
had come back to her? The thought
was JOY But was it likely?
During this second day visited my
old friends in the village and, alto
gether, the time passed very pleasant
ly. Occasionally l would find myself
lost in thoughts OF the mystery which
L had attached to the strange looks |
had detected upon Leonara's face );
and moro than once [ fell into rev.
erie upon the subject of Walworths
bequest. When / went homo to din
ner my aunt informed me that she was
going out to spend the afternoon and
take tea with friend; but Leonora,
she said, would attend to my wants,
and in all probability my cousin Kitty
would DO ut home to help enliven the
evening.
1t was during this interview with
my aunt that 1 learned that Kitty was
soon to be married, Leonora was
present when my aunt told me this,
and L thought she watched my face
with considerable anxiety; aud fur.
tbermore fancied that when she had
seen me receive the Intelligence not
only with perfect composure, but with
frank expression of thnukfulness in
view of my cousins good fortune, a
load seemed lifted from her heart.
Evening came, at length. After tea
/ walked out and smoked II cigar, and
whom l came IN [ found Leonora alone
in the parlor. My heart beat wildly :;
but / succeeded in calming myself. L
asked her about my stepmother; and
then, summoning all my fortitude,
asked her about John Walworth. She
told mo OF his sickness and Of his
death, and could not discover that
the subject was my moro painful to
her than had been that other subject
of my mother-in. laws passage TO the
world of spirits Here was the op.
portunity, and I determined to en-.
brace il.
"Leonora, You must have suffered
much when Walworth djcd?'
She started
'Lionel-Mr Drake Way do you
say that TO mef"
81 had thought, J answered, STUN.
bling over my words i'm n confused
manner, "th1t WalwOrth was some
thing more to you then u friend"
ooh ~ she cried, "what is there be.
meath the sun upon which suspicion
cannot fix its cruel graspl WalworSh
was not oven held by mo MS friend.
The very first time I ever saw him,
distrustod him; md though, fr.o. his
living with my aunt, was forced TO
treat bin with respect. yet / never
trusted him as ] would 10 friend"
Before I could recover from tho
state OF ostouishmcnt into which this
speech threw inc, my cousin Htty on.
tered the room.
After rafting away for half am hour
in her merry train, Hit,y remembered
tho packet.
"IlI give it, TO you on one condi.
ton, she cried. "LcJuora and shall
SEQ you open it,"
told her chat Ga ~ should, au sho