Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 5 — page 12: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

— ——— = Ne —_—S———— + -« gorbing topic at Fort Dodge happy event at Glendale, 12 — ee eg a EE SS Beadle’s Half-Dime Library » honesty of strangers. It is true, Delton and Hewitte had given bond for the faithful per- formance of their duty; but to Sampson and Newbold’s honesty al) was intrusted with great confidence, by Jerry Grimes. Month after month went by, and, to Uncle Jerry’s surprise, he heard nothing from any of his agents. He had no doubt but what his sisters could be easily found; but in this he seemed to have been mistaken, for two years passed before he heard a single word of any of them. Then he received a letter from Henry Sampson stating that after constant search, he and Newbold had been enabled to find but one heir, Greene Lamar, the daughter of his, Jer- ry’s, sister Ruth. Ruth and her husband, he wrote, were both dead, and Irene had been adopted by her father’s sister with whom she was then living. From Irene Mr. Sampson had learned that her aunt Naomi had married clan- destinely, and leaving Kentucky had never been heard of since. Margery had married a north- ern gentleman, and left the State also; and ears afterward Irene heard that her husband ad died, that she married in and went West. Further than this he had learned nothing, but wrote that he had sent Isaiah Newbold West to continue the search. About this time Newbold himself put in his a rance at Glendale, and informed Mr. Grimes that he had given up the search for the present, and, with one Sampson Carew, had opened a land-office in Fort Dodge. Jerry Grimes answered Sampson’s letter, making particular inquiry about his niece, [rene Lamar. In reply Mr. Sampson wrote: ‘‘Trene is a very beautiful young lady with fine accomplishments and a pleasant, sunny nature. She is just such a niece, Mr. Grimes, as would fill up that void in your heart, for you could not help loving her. And since I have told her all about the uncle of whom she had heard so little, and the fortune that he wished to bestow upon her, she seemed transported with joy. The people with whom she lives have lately met with a reverse of fortune, and are now very poor; and as Irene no longer wishes them torbé burdened with her support, I have advised her to go out West and make her home with you; and, although she is to be married to an estimable young man within the coming , she has concluded to visit Glendale; and if t should be your wish, make her home there until she has gained a home of her own by mar- - 7 Uncle Jerry shouted with joy when he read this letter. He wrote at once to his niece, Irene Lamar, in regard to coming West. He urged her to come by all means, and not to de- lay it a day. e old man was again made happy, and in his letter he looked upon and described the bright side of Ag: oh ing. He painted the lories of the great West in gorgeous colors, and Seated paradise around Glendale. In her reply, Irene seemed transported with {oy and manifested great eagerness to be with im. She stated, in the same letter, that she would leave Tennessee about the first of the fol- lowing December, and would endeavor to be at Glendale in time to spend the holidays. As the time for her arrival drew near, Uncle Jerry began preparations for her reception. He dispatched teams to the nearest a town for furniture and household fixtures and adorn- ments, and when these had all been put in order, with the asssstance of some of the good women of Fort Dodge, his cabin seemed transformed into a palace. Meanwhile, Isaiah Newbold, the land- nt had called frequently at Glendale. In fact, he had become a sort of confidential friend of Mr. Grimes, much to the distrust of the Fort Dodge settlers, for this class of people in those aay held no particular respect for land-agents. Newbold was in constant communication with his old friend, Henry Sampson, and so, of course, he knew all that was going on. To Uncle Jerry he always held out a hope that he would yet find him other heirs than Irene La- mar. He claimed that he was secretly at work, through diiferent agents, searching out the whereabouts of his sister Margery, and that he might at any day surprise him with some happy development. He om etch that he Fare rapes evidence of Mar ha come Wes er marriage with her econ husband, one John Kenelm; and his statement was corroborated by Henry Sampson in his letters to Uncle Jerry. | As the holidays approached, the coming of the young heiress, Irene Lamar, e the all-ab- and a looked-for Mr. Grimes had not only made arrangements to give his niece a kind und happy reception, but his neighbors also; and so it was an event calculated to break the dull monotony of pioneer life among the settlers, and create a feeling of ardent, expectant joy. CHAPTER IX, PRETTY MISS LAMAR. IsaArIAH NEWBOLD and his partner, Simon Carew, sat in their little office—a wooden struc- ture which had once been a part of Government barracks—discussing, in earnest tones, the social arty coming off at Glendale as soon as Miss mar arrived from the South. Newbold mani- fested considerable interest in the young heiress, and Carew accused him of having already fallen in love with her, or of holding designs against her wealth. To this Isaiah replied: ‘*‘T presume Sampson has won that girl’s heart ere this, for he wasa lady’s man, besides being afortune-hunter. I hope he will not accom- pany her to Glendale, for fear he strikes my trail. He’s keen of scent as a sleuth-hound, and if he should strike the track of Margery Ken- elm, I might as well haul off. I told Uncle Jerry that I was upon the trail of his sister and her husband, and that I might make a discovery at any day. Yousee, Simon, I have a full histo of Margery’s life from the time she went Nort to live, until she married her second husband, John Kenelm, and went West. A boy was em: her in birth before leaving the North, and his is all that I know of them. After crossin the Mississippi they seemed to have disappeare as if by magic. oreover, I have a picture of Margery that [I procured of the family of her first husband. But mind, I tell you, I have kept all this to myself, and will not present it until I find the heir of me Kenelm. My opinion now is, that I can lay my hand upon her boy at any moment; and after Miss Irene has been fully established in her wild-wood home, I will see what can be done.” ‘“* Exactly,” responded Carew, drumming upon the table with his fingers, and arching his eyebrows, At this juncture three men and a boy entered the office of Newbold and Carew. They were, apparently, all strangers, and well bundled up in buffalo overcoats and beaver caps. The boy was the only one among them calcu- lated to attract attention. Hecould not have been over fifteen years of age, and possessed a face and complexion as fair and delicate as an maiden’s. And when the youth removed his mittens and held his hands out before the fire burning on the hearth, Mr. Carew noticed that they were small and shapely. ‘* Rather rough weather, gentlemen,” said one of the callers, as he removed his cap and shook the snow from it over the fire. ‘‘T should say it was,” replied Newbold. ‘*Rather discouraging to men who have been accustomed to a milder climate, but desirous of securing homes in the great West, ” added the first visitor. ‘‘Then you are in search of land, eh?’ asked Carew. ‘* Yes; and we have called to make some in- nee: —— the lands you have to sell.” ‘It will be our —. to wait on you, gentile- men, and give any information you may desire, whether it is to our interest or not. Of course, there are few claims for sale, but nearly all the surrounding lands are for pre-emption. If you would like to fo into the country and look at the lay of the land, its natural resources, and so forth, I will drive you out in my sleigh. I will admit, it is the worst season of the year to get a good impression of these untamed ‘prairies. If you conclude to take a claim, we make out our application and charge you a small fee for he same; but nothing for driving you over the country. It is our aim to encourage emigration, sac eee we will make some money.” Well,” said one of the “ land-sharks,” ‘‘ we have come a long ways to look at your country, and would like e a drive this afternoon wherever you may elect.” “Very well; I will take you down as far as Dick Henslee’s place and back to-day. I have got to be here by dark, for a ae ady is ex- pected ee one ante from wee — and I have en — er Over r uncle’s place a fow niles from here.” ig A smile passed over Carew’s face, and the boy seated before the fire smiled, also, as he glanced up at the faces of his friends. The land-buyers finally returned to the Wau- konsa Hotel, and in the course of an hour or two, Newbold drove down in a long sleigh or sled, and taking them in, dashed away through the village southward. About sunset he returned alone, having left his passengers, he said, at Dick Henslee’s place from whence they would go southward the next day. it had been snowing off and on all day, and when night set in, the snow-fall became more furious. This was deeply deplored on account of making the stage late, and spoiling the anti- cipated -time at Glendale; for it was a well- settled fact that Miss Irene Lamar would arrive that evening, when all were to proceed in merry procession from the settlement up to Glendale. However, Mr. Newbold kept his spirited team harnessed to his cutter, and the merry jingle of his sleigh-bells kept alive the hope of the village —stirring old blood and young alike. To the happy disappointment of all, the stage —now upon runners instead of wheels—dashed into the village at a few minutes past the usual hour, and of the two passengers it brought, one was Irene Lamar and the other her escort, an elderly gentlemen and friend named Doyle, who had eo a8 her to the West upon business. Isaiah Newbold at once took Miss Lamar and Mr. Doyle into his conveyance and started for Glendale through the storm, followed by a num- ber of other sleds and sleighs filled with happy old folks and merry youngsters. Two hours’ driving brought them to the home of the old recluse, when Irene and Mr. Doyle were conducted into the cabin by Newbold and introduced to Uncle Jerry Grimes. The meeting of the maiden and her uncle was an affectionate one—never to be forgotten by those who witnessed it. Uncle Jerry laughed and wept by turns as he stood with his pretty niece clasped to his breast, feeling, at last, that he had some one to love. He gazed down into her face, regarding it with that deep, thoughtful in- terest that a child regardsa new toy. In her great brown eyes, fair, patrician features and the music of her woman’s voice, he endeavored to trace some resemblance to her dead mother. But in this he failed; still he loved Irene none the less for seeing no family resemblance in her face; and what was wanting in making the joy of their meeting complete, the old man expected time and a better acquaintance to supply. The guests having all arrived they were intro- duced to the new mistress of Glendale, when a very happy entertainment followed. It was midnight before the last of the guests had departed; and when Uncle Jerry and his niece at length found themselves alone, they be- - talking over matters concerning their past istory. Uncle Jerry told her how he had once loved a fair, but faithless woman; and how, after he had been deceived and his love turned to hatred, he had renounced women and society forever, and sought the seclusion of his present home. Here for twenty years had he dwelt; and for seventeen of these years had all the world be- yond him been a blank. He had never heard of any of his friends until he heard that his uncle Thomas Campbell was dead. He knew not what had become of his sisters until apprised of their death and disappearance by Hahry Sampson. Nor could Irene tell him any more than he al- ready knew. She had been left fatherless and motherless when a mere babe, and knew noth- ing of her mother’s people until she met Mr. Sampson. Aside from their relationship, Uncle Je and Irene Lamar were as strangers to eac other, up to the moment they met under the roof at Glendale. The maiden filled a great deal of the void in her uncle’s heart. She oe he to be as kind and affectionate as she was beautiful. She was keen of ate and sought out the old man’s whims that she might favor them. In this way she took possession of her uncle’s heart, and, as the mistress of Glendale, moved a queen of matchless beauty before him. But after all, the old man was not entirely happy. Something, he knew not what, seemed undone, neglected. He endeavored to shake off this that made him restless in the midst of joy; but all was in vain, for day after day it grew upon him. CHAPTER X, SECRET OF A SILENT CONVERSATION. THE day following Irene Lamar’s arrival at Glendale was wild and blustery; yet, despite the inclemency of the Weather, Etah ewbold drove down to Uncle Jerry’s and spent most of the day with the old gentleman and his niece. It was a pleasure now to call at the home of the recluse, for it seemed transformed from one of shadows and sadness, to one of sunshine and joy. Despite the social company, comforts and (ECO AMC 800) ‘S