WEALTH WITHOUT WINGS. 23

 

fast obscuring all objects in the sick-chamber, where
silence reigned, profound almost as death.

“He sleeps,” whispered the wife, as she softly
raised herself from her reclining position on the
bed. ‘And dear Fanny sleeps also,” was added,
as her eyes rested upon the unconscious form of her
child.

Two hours later, and the last record was made in
Ruben Elder’s Book of Life.

For half an hour before the closing scene, his
mind was clear, and he then spoke calmly of what
he had done for those who were to remain behind.

“To Leonard Jasper, my old friend,’’ said he to
his wife, “‘ I have left the management of my affairs.
He will- see that every thing is done for the best.
There is not much property, yet enough to insure a
small income; and, when you follow me to the bet-
ter land, sufficient for the support and education of
our child.”’

Peacefully, after this, he sank away, and, like a
weary child falling into slumber, slept that sleep
from which the awakening is in another world. |

How Leonard Jasper received the announcement
of his executorship has been seen. The dying man
had referred to him as an old friend; but, as the
reader has already concluded, there was little room
in his sordid heart for so pure a sentiment as that
of friendship. He, however, lost no time in ascer-
taining the amount of property left by Elder, which
consisted of two small houses in the city, and a bar-
ren tract of about sixty acres of land, somewhere in
Pennsylvania, which had been taken for a debt of
five hundred dollars. In view of his death, Elder