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Show thing .1 ,.,-- ' ' parieu Alice was . minute, V Hive, way, ., i ne - -- i What a pretty i tli.il r.. tn relieve her t 1 1 .i . a Dcnt-u- .,,a S11 t icau.ug i,7i, en,.,,,,. the two ladies made. r-- k . ' m,.,l will be changed, and two. so all our... plans . t . . i . r. ... .. - room A icl- wiis we can ! I uir.ix.-u- . -- - .! L n i . her shoulder we might easily for she held it wide open. ai;.l entranced. It ran thus: . and l'olly, wouw you m. eo anywhere on a visit . ' mi3 "No, Mrs. Ifdntforth, I .will stay take rnrt of the house while you're absent, nJinIr-iiiA"in1 an L'en, of course vou'll retain him lor :,t. 1. ...... .. ......1 and turned and come again to take his fill" of outside work; we twoeando very well, t,; prrv .mv ri Hhmi it will save sojie expense. "All right Polly. It's very kind ol ou to cnt,. tn Amiti and her countenance then I think would lighten to a glow, as she repeated be so careful on my account,nd Kaway some of Harry's witty and shrewd com: we shall pack. up tomorrow good night, lolly. Aunt Esther the next iitioh his college life. "Alice." said her aunt when Uey were rt,, nf fiw,.,.fn!i,rfvtMK ni shall go to my sis them alone .anain. "I think tn ,ihr;hf. .Do you rtniembtr the ,rf,t ttidv" small in figure, dark, v ler in M almost olive complexion, purplish or blue famous, rambling old country house uith ? It was cailed black hair, large ?ray eyes; many ieople the great, wide pastures considered her plain, but she was attractive, 'The Meadows.1 "You mean Aunt Jane's. I remember it possessed of that indescribable charm which for want of a better term we call magnetic. a little, we used to play under the great asn t there a lot oi cnnareu r This evening she wore a gray dress of elm trees. "Seven, I believe, and they are none of some soft material trimmed with scarlet them married; you will j.ot be lonely with velvet, and bending over her letters as much a picture as the young girl all these young people; at any rate we'll who sat 'opposite; and Alice, chancing to try it- I have not been there for many notice it, astonished her by saying, "Aunt years, never since my widowhood." And Ksther, you look 'so charming1 tonight, Aunt Ksther paused for a moment, the "It's a your very soul seems to be looking forth word seemed to stick in her throat. out of your eyes. I 'wish you had a sweetlong way off, and we need not wait to send heart, it's such a lonely1 lifeMo live; how long them word,, I am sure of a welcome, for since Uncle Herbert died ?" your Uncle William is one of the most hos "Ten years and over, " replied the little pitable men I have ever known." "Then, Auntie, that's settled, and I woman, without once lifting Jier eyes; Somehow her voice sounded strangely to want you to tell me that romantic story of Alice, and as she looked she saw tears fall your own lite. Polly knows something about it, so of course there is a story." treading-upon the letter her aunt "What nonsense has Polly been filling but which seemed to have dropped from her hand. Alice knew her aunt was un- your foolish little head with, some servant's I suppose?" demonstrative, and would not inquire what gossip ' "Oh no, Aunt Ksther, this is quite differ-enmade her sad, but thought it was her and if you don't promise to tell me I allusion to her uncle's death; little she kne.v the-- chord she had touched,, that shall ask Polly to tell me before we go to made such discord in the heart of this staid Aunt Jane's, because one day she said to me long ago: 'Alice, you're a lovely girl, and deuiure little woman. The letters wtre finished and both ladies Cut not so attractive as your Aunt Ksther and I wonder was; she 1ms a history drew nearer to the fire and resumed con Auntie that I never have teased you to tell versation, as all do who love each other, J me the. story." just before separating for the night. "Do you see," said her aunt, to "Alice, my dear, was your unknown the clock on the mantle, "it is pointing after midletter from some rich unclean invitation night, and we shall have. a great deal to do Tor the holidays ?" tomorrow; you really niust go to bed nouy it was from Mr. old Brown and forget all this foolishness' about your "No, Aunt, whom we met at the seaside last summer, Auntie It .is quite enough for you to and .funniest of all (for you remember liow, know me as I am now and to judge me I snubbed him) contained an offer of marreal and not listen to merits; upon my first I the one ever riage, had; (audacious Polly's insinuations; she's over fond of me, fellow !) tells me he loves 'me, and that lie's and her imagination carries her away .worth half a million, all hi one paragraph. .sometimes." 1 wouldn't marry him if he were worth Alice was sleepy, and therefore bade her three millions; he's a scoundrel, been in aunt good night willingly; and Ksther society thirty years or more and divorced Dauforth sat there 'alone brooding over the a wife. Marry old Brown ! I'd rather be past that had been so vividly recalled to an old maid and stay with you all my days her mind tiTat day. For years there had Auntie; you'll never marry again, I don't not been such a sealed fountain opened in ..5Uppose,jliough-y)u:remuch, more fasci- n er soul as on That particular day.; It nating, than most young girls, and know a seemed that letter had brought great dal more. Is that the reason they the past with it, not only to Esther herself, call widows dangerous, I, wonder ? I've but and Alice Polly seemed full of the often7 heard" the expression', and couldn't same reminiscences. She would not acimagine why it was used, for you are the knowledge to herself that she had been only young widow I have ever really been to for marry, money, though the I'm sure you are the persuaded auajted..vilh, fjiud lnonensive- - an i reserved n nrf f h votvea; ana ton'ght as she sat 'thinkintr.she very best little Auntie in all. the world drew the letter from her pocket, the letter the ct ,.-rfc- prcM.T.1; shall sail for AnuYiea in a f. ar ;; i. .; ::ts; ha' ' !.;.'.: Lo'idnn tu trai.Saet s :;u hu.i:iess t:a:c .h.-::';i- . -- j th-,- t.-r- t ti:.. .t' ! ia vef!-- if yci I trs !,h-,- i 'A - n :!d K r !;. ;..h. .i!S !x.ar b :rnii)t4 .v.rds. ' ' ; ; ..-- .. ,r ', j'a-t- '' y.-- '.' , Ct!!:Ti ):. , -- .. . t the j . , t vu htt'vr; JnJI'iw I - . .. ;.,.. : ',. s- --. :..r s- ', ,; .;?.' i, 3 t re a'l ;.;:': ; ' U, rv-.'- v!;;r!: h.U ha):; :vef r di:''7i al! !!:. V(..r, ,. i l;a:':i!nk !it. Whv :t lainbuw. oi 'v. r y-:still t! e ;'..'!.; d, v.;tir,.Nu-:- liV th '.w ;!:h!vd t ir May ::i.ra'i:. g f shall '.'. r v r a; pie b'i;:gi:s. a;;d - ... " r -- t- - '1 he lai wnti' ife'aee rie r..e titP . - e;-- 1 ha e - . .' . (. hf c ! . r .ir ta'.e ywi; f his f'.'!Ver ? itxv. s.a:et lijis ' ;.: : ..- fi'i" a .;:r p.';.H..ah" .Ml.st. date to' t' :.:; i. ut i br .i.u r o'vvt-- detur v t the iti'the.pUdKv of. jl.ar tht. who has .vaited all h- you mi- . ;:k-::- en.r.:rai:r:r.e!i: hh the i hihlren '.Vai; hre heart and :?.. .: ir--- I .'. i-- hv.' ' li.a!;.-iih-- Iu-r vu;: ht il:-.- am eotm:;. a::-- t;i.:n v.i.r I must hear the' vord t!:.t dvei le :nv late, mv future life. true sell as you rs.ir m yur V'i'.i eairiwt Uw:vc hv mv ;vn strc.:; ' Kst-a-r- av-etio:- I i I . mva-ur- e vwurs. will I t a:;s''er me here, il vould Ik- ti.o .shoa'd you sayes; at;d so fare-.e!sliall rr.ee.t, swect. dearest. - Your old sa a-- '...:; k l.-:- i : rn:! i ..rt. i. , n ill-tim- Poor Aunt Ksther, she read the letter again and again, and her tears poured hot and fast--ssobbed as if her heart would break. "What shall I say to him 'when be How can I meet him again aittr comes? all these years ? I dare not' confess ev I vii love, that has outlived everything. not see him, I will go away. I shall net he able to withstand his pleading!" Notwithstanding her mental resolve, she folded up the letter that had caused all this Jtttanit of feeling and put it. in her bosom, ami as she tne passed out of the room and ascended staircase she moaned, and every. now; ar.d then she leaned her head upon the strade and would have fallen but for support. Little sleep, for her that nig while Alice, who was wholly . the sweet sleep of youth and he t, ed - . . . , -- as-thoug- . ' ; vch-.-- she-looke- d had-bee- vt v.v i.;:! V'T.: o'vii f ! n-.o 1 j t.. ' fi- , (! ln-.i-- I ' . i:--- ng; v. , ':' , u-nrn- : In a ivv: h'.ujs ai';.. r i.iiand learn . my ("ate. I vi tc y.'ti. eiiti.ire :his dv, adful susjenso: it. i ii:i'as-!'iiH-w :' th.it !var:i--e n: ft ee ' frvi; 'th.it ' .i '' y"i thf !!.. !a.;e - m-rui- - ia.st-.n- ! i nn-nt- s :V;ul it t,V,. 1 n . ' . vi iw tall ami Woud in com-..- ; slewlcrin fisutc--; a ni,.v;M,i om.I tiiK i.ri.nin(r sht wore a dress of soft, pale blue melius, trimmed with dainty lice, and as she sat reading, one rk-.Mii- her?,!-...- suddenly. "Shall I burn it?" she said to krv(... what "I scarcely dare keep it. I am Mlre p7.": ULiUIC IC. her IlllstrfSS iKUi tO nr VT" - rv...r.u r,.,u;,.d "V,th 111?o recognized the. writing," and s- !- y ; 'tnniirlit. but we are uoini; awa m a In' or (piized thus,, sht 'opened the letter, and vT' ! u which seemed to have change! neck threw her arms around Aunt Esther's and deluged her with kisses. ' to have been alone for a few heart-slep- t inao--cence- How true the poet's words: :'Tirel nature's sweet restorer, balmy ' like the world, His ready visit pays-- when forUine smiles: wretched lie forsakes; Swift on his downv pinions. Hies from grid. And lights on lids unsullied with a tear. , 1 sleep; l- -e ... ' v The household were early astir 4he cJ morning:, for Pollv. the faithful friend, c been almost as wakeful z$ her mistress, the day was a busy one with prepay for the journey and the necessary trunks were packed and strapped traveling bags made ready, and Esther. like one in a dream,.; went xwm iu uee uiat .an .ww-?- "- f JV-fort- was Tt iiisJiomeshautled and a coia- breath "mv husband's;" ran through her veins; "and I wasi. - my g persuaded to leave it 'once, but- |