The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-02-04

! Ting. The waiting Is nearly over. I
am coming back to you very soon now.
| Ny work Is almost done, and | have
such n lot OF money for you. And you
| will love me, Dorothy. won't you? 1
| know you will have learned to love
me all this time while have been away.
| This letter tells me so. and this one
and this. All, God has been very good
| to me. He has sent the love into your
dear heart. and now that ! am rich,
can come to you and then nothing
shall ever separate us any more. Dor
othy. my own darling, Dorothy. l am
kissing your dear letters, because they
were written by you, because this paper
has been touched by your dear hands.
The waiting Is nearly over. nearly
over"
The old man clutched the bundle of
letters as he finished speaking and COW
cred them with kisses. At the same
moment strong gust of wind blew the
window open. and rush OF air en-
tered the room. extinguishing the small
lamp on the table. The old miser rose
quickly TO relight It, and as he did SO,
the ten notes which lay In his lap slid
from his knees and n puff OF wind blew
them into the heart Of the fire.
The rustic they made as they fell
caused old Simon to look round. For n
second or two he scarcely realized what
had happened Then the new flames
from the cracking notes told him Of
the disaster.
A terrible cry burst from the lips OF
the old man as he hurled himself down
on his hands and knees and clawed
madly at the red-hot bars Of the CRATE.
Ruin" he shricked. Ruin! Just
as had won her. have lost her o
God, save them. save them! Dorothy.
Dorothy, 1t was not my fault! l could
not help It! tried have worked
SO hard, and thought had succeeded.
But now have failed. have failed!
o Dorothy, my DorothyuAnd the wall
that came from the old mans lips
would have wrung tears from n stone.
There was stiffness. broken only by
the gusts OF wind and the tapping Of
the open window. Simon Bowling had
tainted.
The room was quite dark. for the
lamp was out and the fire had burned
low. before consciousness returned to
the old mlser.
When he again opened his eyes all
the madness had gone out of them, and,
when he spoke, the words were the
words OF an old man who knew he was
an old man. and who knew he had not
many minutes to live.
The bundle OF letters was still In his
hand, and he had forgotten all about
the money.
With an effort he raised himself on
his elbow. and. bowling his white head,
he reverently kissed the letters.
Dorothy. he murmured very family.
81 am tired. and I am coming to you"
Then. with a barely perceptible sigh.
the weary head fell back. and Simon
Dowllng's waiting was over.
In the morning the villagers found
him lying by the side OF the fire. the
bundle OF letters still clutched tightly
in his hands. A dillgent search was
made for the money. but none was
found. and gradually the impression
gained ground that Simon Bowling had
been sadly misjudged In hts lifetime.
and that he had not been a miser az
ter all.
Indeed. the majority OF the village.
who had before called him "a horrid
old beast" Joined the minority which
had been more charitably inclined. and,
when an opportunity presented itself,
made point Of referring TO his as
poor old chap. Sketch.