The Unfinished 'Will. SOLOMON VANWICK wat an old man a man who had weathered the storms and frosts of four-score years. His frame had become weakoned, his health impaired, and his mind nervous and irri table ; but yet the same iron will that had marked his disposition in the prime of his manhood, wbh not bent licnenth the weight of ago. Th6 old man hod but one child a son. That son had died, leaving an only daughter, so that Solomon Vanwick had but one living descendant, from himself, the fair Isabella, his grandchild. Vanwick was wealthy and proud, and among' the branch relations of his house, who hang about him in hopes of golden remembrance in bis will, was Victor Waldamcar, the son f the old nabob's sister. ' ' Old Vanwick was sitting in his large arm chair; near him stood Isabella, while at one of the high gothic windows stood Vic tor Waldamcar. Isabella, though her eyes wero tearless, had yet been weeping at the heart, but she trembled not, nor did she ehrink before the stern gaze that was bent upon her. "Isabella," said the old nian, while a meaning frown darkened his wrinkled face, " this Alfred Norcross is not tho man for your husband. Do you understand me ?" . " I understand what you say, grand father, but I think you tail khow little of the man of whom you speak. If you did, you would honor him for his virtues." When I say Norcross is not tho man for your husband, I mean it 1", said the old man ; " so from thenceforth you will see him no more." "No, no, my dear grandfather," exclaim ed Isabella, with an imploring look and tone, " you will not persist in that. You will not thus crush me beneath your dis pleasure." "Not if you obey me." " But Alfred is the son of my father's dearest friend.". "Yes," returned Vanwick, with bitter ness, and your father's friend was my enemy." "And will you, because there was ail unhappy difference between yourself and the elder Norcross, now keep that enmity ft!!v9 Si"st the unoffending son "Siltiice girlf Let me hear no mora of this. What I have said is said, and it shall never be recalled." 1 : ' '. "Sir," said Isabella, whilo an Inward struggle to keep down her rising emotions gave peculiar tremulousness to ber tone, "you are an old man, and your days on earth are short ; but little joy of this life is left for you, while I am young, and all of active life is before me. The steps which I take now will give color to my future, and be that future long or short, it must be made happy or miserable according as my steps are turned, My heart I have given to Alfred Norcross ; in his keeping have I placed my purest affections, and I know that lie is worthy of the trust. This union of our young hearts is tho basis of all our joy in the future, and I cannot feel that even you have a right to rend it in sunder." " Child do you prate to mo of righlt" uttered the old man. " Young Norcross shall never touch one farthing of my money. You shall not marry him, and if ne aarcs again - ( "IIold!" interrupted Isabella, while a strong calmness seemed to support ' her, " whatever you have to say aguinst me, I am ready to bear ; but speak not against Alfred Norcross, for 7n it my hvtbadf" " Your husband !" reiterated old Van wick, grasping the arms of his chair with bis bony hands. " Isabella, speak that word again !" "Alfred Norcross is my husband !" pro nounced the fair girl, in a firm tone. ' "Then," returned the old man, as his face grew livid and his teeth grated together, " go and live with your hus band. From henceforth you are nothing to me. I have forgotten you your image is wrenched from my heart. Cross not my threshold again. Go ! you are discarded, and forever !" ,' " But, my grandfather" "Silence, miscreant ! Out of my house, and never let me set eyes on you again !" "Then farewell, and may Heaven yet pour the balm of forgiveness o'er your soul," said Isabella, a she half turned away; but ere she went, she gazed once more into hit passion-wrought face, and with a starting tear she continued : " Your Suicy, grandfather, I never coveted, but your love I would faiu retain. Your property may go to those who hang about you for its possessions, but your heart's affections will And no better resting-place than In the bosom of your grand child, for thcro, at least, they will be re ciprocated." .;., Old Solomon Vanwick made no reply, but while yet he gazed at the light form of . his grandchild, she passed out of the room. As she closed the door behind her, a look of almost fiend-like exultation rested upon the face of Victor Waldamcar, and he turned his eyes away from his undo, lest his reil fueling might be seen. Ten min utes passed away, during which time the old man sat with his hands grasped firmly on the arms of the chair,while a fierce rage seemed rankling in his bosom ; but at last his feelings settled to a sort of cold, iron determination, and turning towards his nephew, he said I j " Victor, I think she's been ungrateful to me." J " MoBt ungrateful," returned Victor, in a fawning, pharisalc tone. " Her ingrat itude to ono so kind and generous as your self, was to me as unexpected at it was be wildering. But, my dear, uncle, you may yet somewhat 1-elonb towards' her', Tor though young Norcross Is unworthy "of your esteem, yet Isabella may have been de ceived.". , t , . J , , " Deceived !" exclaimed the "old man1, again bursting iuto a passion. .."It's me that's been deceived I Most grossly has she deceived mo. No, no, Victor, you can not palliate hor offence. I have discarded her disvowed her; Not a penny of my property shall she ever touch." Again Victor Waldamcar turned away to hide the glow of exultation that suffused his countenance. " "Dear uncle," ho said, at length, in a tone so studied and hypocritical that any but a rage blinded old man might see it, " let mo advise you to wait awhilo ero you alter your will ; for though Isabella has disgraced you by her marriage, as well as forfeited your kindness by her reckless dis regard of all your desires and even though she has virtually cast hcrpolf off by ruth lessly trampling on your love and solici tude, yet'1 ''Pfcaco, peace, Victor i" interrupted the old man, with increased emotion. " Noth ing, nothing shall turn me. , I know you would plead for her, but even with your pleading, you cannot loso sight of her utter unwortbincss. My decision is made. Hero, take this key and unlock the left depart ment of that old cabinet." Victor Waldamear stepped to tho old man's side, aud with a trembling hand ho took tho key. It was placed in tho loeft,. and the quaintly carved door was opened. " Do you see that deep drawer, with a small key in its lock ?" psked the old man, " Yes, sir," returned the nephew. " Open it. Within you will see a parch ment tied with a bluo ribbon, and bearing a heavy seal. Bring it to me." Victor found the douument,and he hand ed it to his uucle ; then, at an order from the old man, he rang for a servant, who, when )? ayycared, was requested to bring a lighted taper. Ere long thd taller" MS brOught, tttiil after the servant had withdrawn, Vanwick tore off the sfcal and ribbon from off tho roll he held, and as ho opened it, Victor's eyes rested upon his uncle's will! With fea tures again set iu their firm, iron mould, the old man raised the parchment to the blaze of the taper. Tho compact vellum began to hiss and crackle- in the flame, and as it crisped and rolled in the heat, it fell in char red masses upon the table. Slowly it burn ed, but yet line after line of its inky import became annihilated, and at length the work of destruction was complete. Old Vanwick's will was no more. 1 Thus far had Victor Waldamear tri umphed. He had succeeded in poisoning the old man's mind against his grandchild, by the most subtle arts. He had not dared to directly attack the uame' of Isabella, but be bad most basely traduced the fair fame of Alfred Norcross, aud by a continuous siege of petty thrusts aud stabs at the cords of affection that bound the old man to bis son's daughter, ho had at length soon the estrangement complete. But the game was not yet won, for without a will,lsabella was the direct lineal heir. A new will must be made, and to this end, and that he might be the heir,' Victor Waldamear de termined to set himself at work, ne was now Vanwick's sole confident, and he held no doubt of bis success. Already the broad land and the bright gold of his uncle seemed own, and not a pang of remorse reached his heart, as ho thought of the poor, innocent being whom be had so foully wronged out of her birthright. . '''" Isabella was not. entirely happy when she turned her steps toward the dwelling which her husband had procured, nor was she really sad. The knowledge that she ban beon utterly discarded by hor grand' father was a source of sorrow, for she had loved the old man well ; but the thought that she had a husband who loved her cheered her on, and whon at length she found herself clasped : to that husband's bosom, the clouds were all rolled away, and and she smiled in joy. "Alfred," said she, "bore in this hum ble cot we must make our home, for my grandfather has forbidden me ever to enter his dwelling again." t.. " Then be hot disinherited you?" " Yes, and be disowns me." " Then," said Alfred, while hit fine feat ure were lighted np by noble prldo,and he clasped hit young wife more closely to bis bosom, " we will show him how ludepeud ent we can be. . I am sorry that he ttili clings to his dislike of me, but if I live be shall yet see that I bear him no malice in return. When my father urged your father into that unfortunate speculation by which they both were ruined, he thought to do him a pecuniary benefit, but Ood ruled it otherwise. Now, if Mr. Vanwick will still hunt me down for the result of my father't doing, then he it at liberty to to do ; for my poverty, too, I suppose be bates me but look up, dearest Isabella j with my pencil I can yet carve out a for tune, or at least a comfortable meant of ustenanoe. ' You do not mourn for the loss of your grandfather's estato,Isabella?" ' " No, no, Alfred, I coveted it not ; nor do I miss a thing I ever possessed. One source of regret alone is mine I have loved my grandfather, and I am sorry that ho ap preciates it not." Since Isabella had boon' banished from his house, old Solomon Vanwick had been growing moody and moroso. Ho had en tertained no thought of recalling her, nor had he swerved ono grain from his resolu tion of utterly disinheriting her ; but yet ho missed her sweet smile and her merry song, and no art of Victor Waldamoar's could make him glad. The old man, how ever, would uot own, even to himself, that 'twas Isabella's absenco that made him sad ;' ho rather persuaded himsolf that 'twas the sin of ingratitude she had com mitted, and in his opinion Victor endeavor ed to strengthen hifn. Vanwick's health was 'evidently failing, and his schoming nephew began to fear that he would die without making another will; but at length the old man was brought to the point aud a notary was sent for. Ho spoko of his grand-daughter, but Victor kept strict watch that the poison failed not iu its work upon his mind ; and whenever Borne spark of paternal kindness would for a moment struggle to throw its beams over his bosom, the nephew would dash it out with a cold stream of insinuating slander. Within the old man's library Bat Victor Waldamcar and the notary. Vanwick was there, and he dictated to the official whilo the new will was being made. With tho exception of a few hundred which were bequeathed to some of the old servants, the whole vast estate was made over to Victor. Tho young man's eyes sparkled as he heard the orders given which were to mako him the solo heir, and he dared not hold up his head lest his too palpablo emo tions should be seen. " That is all,',' said the old man, as he gave the last clause of the will. "And have you nothing for your grand child, the gentle Isabella?" asked the notary, with considerable surprise " Isabella, sir, has, by hor ungrateful conduct, alienated hersolf," returned Victor, quickly, lest, if time were given, his uncle might relent. "Mr. Ynnwick," continued tho notary, seeming to take little notice of what tho nephew had said, " by law, withbftt a will Isabella is your sole heir tho daugStor tho only child of your only sou. Is it your firm intent that she be thus cut off?'' "I tell time yes, old man," Baid Victor. Tho notary noticed not the young speak er, but he kept his eyes riveted upon tho face of Solomon Vanwick. "It is, it is," at length murmured tlie old man, in a slightly faltering voice. "She has been very unkind, very ungrate ful to mo, and I " , Vanwick hesitated, aud for a moment Victor trembled, but his assurance came quickly to his aid, aud he said : " My uncle would not thus have cut her off, but that young Norcross stood ready to grasp hit money. Into his bands Vanwick desires not that his property should full ; but, if at any time Isabella needs assistance, or when I can see signs of her repentance, I shall assist, ber, though I trust that long years will yet pass ere this last testament of my dear unolo'g will need to be adminis tered, and he himself may yet see what the girl deserves." . , u , p,,.,. , : Young Waldamcar spoko this with the most hypocritical sycophancy ; but it seem ed to revive the drooping purposes of the old man, for with a quick, nervous move ment, he put forth his hand as he did so : " The will is as I wish it. Give it to me, sir, and let me sign it. I said it, I gave her warning, and I told hor she was discarded forever. 'Twas her own fault." Old Vanwick spread the parchment out before blm, and after running his eyes over it, lie seized the pen and dipped it into the inkstand. There was a norvous twitching about the muscles of his face, and a strango, lustrous fire shot forth from his eyes. The; pen had not .yet touched the document. ' ' " Sign I sign 1" whispered Victor, as he sprang to the old man's side. " Here here it the place 5" '' "Yet, I will sign it," murmured Van wick. " She is not worthy ; she shall not touch a penny of it. I said it, and I must not sworve." ..!.' "Then sign! sign 1" , . " Hark I bark I Did I not hear a voloe?" uttered the old man, still grasping the pen, and raising hi band. '"Two 7uir voice ! Twa Isabella' !" . . " No, no, she has forgotten you, my dear uncle,", urged , Victor, while the sweat be gan to stand on hi brow. "Sign the will! sign I'.'v . -,' v . .'' . , , At that moment the door of the apart ment was thrown opon, aud Isabella, all palo and trembling, entered the .room. Here eye caught the scene before hor, but she dwelt upon none save her grandfather, and towards him she cast a look of implor ing, tearful agony. A moment the old man gazed upon the form of his grandchild, then bis lips trembled ; .the fire of hit eyes changed to a still stranger glow, a tear started forth upon his long gray eyolashes, and slightly raising hit hands towards Where she stood, he murmured f i . ' " Isabella my child forgive your poor old grandfather. I forgot the warm love of your heart ; but let all be forgotten forgive. You have come back to you are you are Isabella. Victor take away this black curtain it shuts her out. Take it away it makes all dark !" '," The will!-Sign it 1 sign it!" gasped the nephew, as he laid his touch upon tho hand that still held the inked pen. That hand rested on the tablo, and it moved not.. It etill -clutched tho pen, but it made no motion toward the unfinished will. The old man's eyes were still fixed on his grandchild, but their fire was gone, and they looked cold and glassy. The notary stepped forward and raised Van wick's hand from the table, but it fell back with a dull, leaden motion, and the unused pen fell from its grasp. Solomon Vanwick was dead I ' ' ' Victor Waldamear shrank back pale and trembling from the scene ; he dared not speak, for in the presence of the dead his conscience shook off its lazy : folds and stung him. Isabella sprang forward and threw her arms about the neck of her grandfather' corpse. She kissed the mar ble brow, she bathed the pale faco with her tears, and then turnlug her eyes towards tho notary, she murmured : 1 " Ho forgave me ! He forgave me ere he died ! You heard him, sir, did you not ? Ho loved rue-he loved me-I ask no more." "Mr, Waldamear," said the old notary, after the party had withdrawn from the the study, " henceforth you must regard Isabella as the ruler of this place. What ever may have been your aims, or what schemes you may have used to attain them, you yourself best know ; but you must now be aware that there is nothing here for your ambition to feed upon further. That will which was : to have robbed a child of hor birthright is yet unftnifhed, and he who alone could have done it is now no more on earth. A wise Hand held him back from the fatal deed, and even bis own hand shrank from it. And now," the Old Plan continued, turning to Isabella, " let the ! servants see that nothing is troubled till my friends arrive to settle the estate The funeral may, if you ohoose,.bo at your own arrangement, or I will take its chargo upon myself." , Isabella was too much bewildered by what had passed to take anything of mo ment upon herself. Ono thing alone fccemi i ed uppermost in her mind, hot grand father had forgiven her ! Then tahva the thought that sho and her hnsbatrt Bhould suffer no more, and in the mtdst oT her over whelming emotions, she buried hor face in her hands and wept. I need not tell hoW'tfre servants sneered at Victor Waldamear, when he went disap pointed and disgraced away from the dwell ing where his scliemings had failed, nor need I toll how tho scrvnats laughed and cried by turns when they knew that their young mistress was restored to them. Isabella mourned for her grandsiro, but yet the smiles of joy began soou to bloom around her. Her dear husband was re stored to health the wealth of her father's house was hers, and the deadly shafts of the traducer had fallen powerless and harmless about her. ' They had, indeed, caused hor some hours of anguish, but now they had fallen back upon tho evil man who had sent them forth, and they stung him, and the poison ho had intended for others, full to his own portion.' n m Jtather Fast. - ,' The TeiTO Haute Krpreti says that 'a city minister opened his front door auddonly, and surprised a guilty looking man who was just in the act of depositing a neatly covered basket on the door step. The meeting was not rapturous. "Ah I" said the minister rushing out and grasping the man by the collar, whilo he applied a heavy oled boot vigorously under the coat tail of his visitor, "what do you mean, you vil lain, by loaving a baby on my door step ? Ah, I have you, scoundrel ! I'll show you how to abandon an infant to tho cold mer cies of the world !" And all these remarks were punctuated by kicks. "I hain't left any buby at your door," said the man, taking up the basket and lifting tho cover. "I brought a right fat turkey for you, but I'm darned if you shall have it now, if you were starving," and he walked away. The minister had a pensive, unhahpy look and corrugated brow, at he dissected his buck wheats a few minutes later. Evidently there had beon a misunderstanding. t2?" A poet thus describes how it snow ed, and what he did : Boftly, softly, while we slept, C'uuie the snow-flukes gently down, Came and sorrowfully wove ' A shroud of white for the buried town Wo rose with feelings grand and Intense, And hired a youthful rhovelest to cleuu our sidewalk olf for fifty cents. ' We hope that all will imitate the exam ple of the poet, as described in the last Hues, of this poem appropriate to the 1 l3TYou ask for freedom of thought; but if you have not sufllolent grounds for thought, you have no business to think and if you ' have suftiulent grounds, you have no business to think wrong. perry coran; Real Estate, Insiiran cef CLAIBi AGENCY. . LEWIS POTTER & CO., : Real Estatt Broken, Iniurance, t Claim Agent Nov Hloomficld, J?u.' WEIN VITE the attention of buyers and sell ers to the advantages we otter them In pur chasing or disposing of real estate through our of fice. We have a very large llstof rieslrab property, consisting of farms, town properly, mills, store and tavern stands, and real estate of any descrip tion wlilrh we are prepared to oiler at great bar- fiains. We advertise our property very extensive y, and use all our efforts, skill, and dllllgence to effect a sale. We make no charges unless the Sroperty Is sold while registered with us. We alsc raw up deeds, bonds, mortgages, andall legal pa pers at moderate raws, f Home of the best, cheapest, and most reliable fire, life, aud eattle Insurance companies In the United States are represented at this agency. Property insured either on tho cash or mutual plan, and perpetually at 4 and S per thousand. Tensions, bounties, and all kinds of war claims collected. There are thousands of soldiers and heirs of soldiers who are entitled to pensions and bounty, who save never made application. Sol dlers.lf you were wounded, rtiitured. oroontraet ed a disease In the service from which you are dis abled, you are entitled to a pension. When widows of soldiers die. marry , the minor Children are entitled to the pension. Parties having any business to transact In our line, are respectfully Invited toglve us a call, as we are confident we can rendersatisfactloii In any branch of our business, i . t STT- No charge for informatiou. ' 4 201y LEWIS jfOTTEB CO. ST. ELMO HOTEL, (FORMERLY "THE UNION,") ' JOS. M. FEUER, Proprietor,, 317 & 819 AI1CII STREET, PHILADELPHIA. Terms, $2.60 Per Day, THE ST. EI.MO Is centrally located and lias been re-luted and refurnished, so that it wiil be found as comfortable aud pleasant a stopping place as there is in Philadelphia, II 2'J Neiv Millinery Goods A.t Newport, Xn. I BEG to inform the nubile that T have Just re turned from Philadelphia, with a ful assort ment of the latest styles of MILLINERY GOODS, HATS AND BONNETS. fllBltONH, FRENCH FLOWERS. FEATIIKim, . CHIGNON'S,- LAC'li Gapeh. . NOTIONS, Ant) all Articles usually found In a first-class Mil' llhery Establishment. All orders promptly at tainted to. rWe will sell all goods as Cheap as cab be got elsewhere. DRESS-MAKING done to order and In the la test style, as 1 gut the latest Fashions from New York every month. Goffering done to order, In an wiiuns, i win warrant an my worn togive sat isfaction. All work done as low as possl ble. ANNIE ICKES, Cherry Street, near the Station, Newport, Pa. SIB 13 CARLISLE CARRIAGE FACTORY A. Jl. SIIERK has a large lot of second-hand work on cA hand, which he will sell cheap lu order a 10 iiiuae room lor new worn, FOR THE SPRING TRADE. He has. also, the best lot ot ' : NEW WORK ON HAND, You can always see different styles. The mnterlaV is not In question any more, for It Is the best used. If you want satisfaction in style, quality and price, go tothls shop before purchasing elsewhere. There Is no firm that has a better Trade, or sells more lu Cumberland and Perry counties. REPAIRING AND PAINTING promptly attended to. Factory Corner of South and Pitt Streets, . , 8 dp i , C Alt LISLE, JA. Farmers Take Notice. fJIIIE subscriber offers for Sale THRKSIHNa MACHINES. JACKS and HOUSE -, , POWER, . , WlthTumbllngShaft.andSide Gearln!;, Warrant ed to give satisfaction in speedy and perfect threshing, light draft and durability, on reasona ble terms. Also r JL, O T7 GIIS Of Superior Make. , CORN SHEI.t.FKS. KETTLES. STOVES. SCOOPS AND ALL CASTINGS, made at a country Foundry. Also, A GOOD MILL SCREW, ' in excellent order, for sale at a low rate. I refer those wishing to buy to John Adams, Samuel Mhuniam John lloden, Ross Heneh, at Ickesbttrg. Jacob Shoemaker & Son, Elliotts burg! Thomas Morrow. Loysvillei Jobu Flleklug er, Jacob FUcklnger, Centre, 62013 T , ', . ' SAMUEL LIGGETT. Ickesburg, May 14. 1873. , TJNCAN SHERMAN A CO,, IiA-IVKICUN, i No. 11 Nassau Street,' NEW, YORK, .. : r v. , Issh circular Notes and olrcular Letters of credit available lu any part of the world. ir Currant accounts received on such terms as may be agreed upon. ' 5 12tf Vick'i, Floral Goide for 1873 F The GUIDE Is now published Quarterly TWENTY-FIVE CENTS pays for the year, four numbers, which Is not half the cost. Those who afterwards send money to the amount of ONE DOLLAR or more for 8ceds may also order Twenty-five Cents' worth extra the price paid for the Guide. . , The JANUARY NUM BER is bcanli'ul, giv ing plans tor making RURAL HOM EH, De slgus for Dining Table Decorations, Window Gardens, ibc, and containing a mass of infor mation Invaluable to the lover of flowers. Ono Hundred and Fifty pages on fine tinted paper, some Five Hundred Engravings and a superh COLORED PLATE and C1IROMO COVER. The First Edition of Two Hundred Thousand Just printed In English and German,, ready tooud out. . i ,, JAMES VICK, ' Rochester, N. Y.
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