Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1901-06-13

DRY SOeLn not pack to the. con
y trary, we had been so poor il
worldly wealth that I hope II
may be considered excusable in me if
l felt almost light-headed when [ sud.
denly inherited little fortune of $40.
O00 but the dizzy sensation was pro.
duced by pure joy, and in no sense by
conceit, or any form of the evil de.
scribed by the apostle as being ''puffed
up,' or "vaunting ones self.''
was already an old maid, that Is to
say, / was nearing thirty, and the one
romance of my life had been my en-
gagement to Oscar Eckstrom. He was
clever young Swede, of good station
in his own country, and of marked
ability as an engineer, by which trade
he had hoped to make a sufficient in
come to permit him to take on himself
the expense of wife, and a mother
in-law; for-my dear mother, who was
helpless invalid, had so long been a
part OF me that the man who married
the daughter would be obliged to con-
slider the mother as part of her while
she lived. This often troubled nv
dear mother, but I would not allow her
to speak of it, or indeed to think Of it.
either, SO far as could prevent it.
Oscar and I had now been engaged
for about, fiye years, but, although he
was steady and industrious, the time
when we Gould appoint our wed ding
day had not yet come. ana I. still rg-
tanned my position in the school where
!. had been first appointed to- the. pri-.
mary department, when was net yet
fifteen years of age. My salary made
comfortable support for my mother
and myself, and Oscar was each week
laying small slln in bank, ana we
confidently looked forward to better
and brighter days TO come.
: And behold they came in way we
had hardly anticipated NY Uncle
7 Samuel, sitter whom, as he had been
my mothers only brother, had been
named. died in some far away place in
Australia, leaving me what at first
seemed the almost fabulous sum of
$4,000!
Perhaps a girl who had been dow
cred with the name of Samuella really
deserved compensation of that sort.
put don't know if thought that way
aoout It, being just so happy and CRATE
1ul that l was simply light-headed.
ana my JOY was not even tempered by
sorrow at the loss Of my uncle, for I
had never seen him in my life.
IN every way was glad and CRATE
Iui over my inheritance.
In the first place Oscar and cou1d
now be married; in the second place
long years in the school-room, and q
series OF vacations spent in the hot
clty' mad taxed my strength more than
l dared confess to myself (although
tne doctor had commanded a rest. and
summer in the country for both NV
motner and MYSELF, and lastly, I could !
indulge in the extravaganza of having
my one girl friend come and pay me a !
visit. +<
mad long known of a COSY little |
nouse IN the country, which I could get !
on easy terms at any time when I was |
III tne position to bid for it; my first |
act now was to take advantage of this
lucky chance.
tnen sent in my resignation of nv
posltlon IN school, and procured a sub
1Dtote Tor the balance Of the term. for
l was not going to sacrifice the early |
sprlng beauty of the country = the
months Of April and May, which had
Always seemed to me the true holiday
VI the year-and then Oscar and had
d nttle talk about our ng-delayed
Wedding-day. At last we decided on
Tue nfst OF September, and I gave my
ee1l up to the luxury of q few DAYS of
enopplng, not mere looking in show
WINDOWS and pricing Of goods, but
genuine shopping, for I had my mod
ee' lttle rousseau to prepare, and ex-
.ept my wedding dress and bonnet. I
nao determined to make everything I
Aequlfed with my own hands
hy the end of week I was sett1el
-, ~ my dear little cottage home; and
though Oscar had complained Of tho
.ois tllne to wait, soon realized how
a: ~ lSe l mad been to put off my we'd
= uay for several months to come.
W. ~ "hat with the gardening to do and
ny sewing, it was well if would be
4ur.e Az ready by September.
lnree evenings in the week Oscar
ne 10 see me. The railroad journey
;. ~ 's ABOUT half an hours dura ton. and
O oo "iloWed him to remain from $50 till |
ao'o, ana though the three bright hours
w almost like minutes, the mem
ino VI them fingered with us both DUR
90, o'eiy moment Of the time between.
"llu each time when we met again .xe
+ts ISailed our conversation almost at
~ the word where we had dronned # on
'ne evening before.
10 C,s soufse had long since written
como 4 ana she had promised to ,
NV 49, ~ lle as soon as was settled in /
yet Aome, and though she had not !
Asiaea the day on which I might I