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Show WOMAN'S EXPONENT. 74 iining he "Aunt Jane will write for Mr. "In India, Auntie, well. if that isn't fine,.a 1 to come this" very day but even then can't reach here for the party"," "Have you any Objections, Esther?" her rich uncle, from India for thefholidays after all. Can't you invite him Jo come here, Aunt Jane?" ' That must be as my sister Esther says,' sister inquired. "Just as you please, Jane, she replied.. "I slioultriikc.it very much." "He is not your uncle, Alice," said Aunt this is your invitation, not mine," said was disEsther, "and it's very improper for you to Esther emphatically. The letter -but-rememb- i er Jane-recalle- d . ; face. Christmas eve came, and the house was profusely decorated, for the party was to be quite an elaborate affair for the country town, and everyone seemed in the gayest of. spirits, except Aunt Esther, who went from room to room, seemingly without any object in view. Later on in the evening, when, all the guests had arrived, and the refreshments had been served and abundantly partaken of, a sharp ring from the knocker, vibrated through the house, and startled the company. "Who can it be at this late hour?" said two or three in a breath; but they had not long to wait.- A stranger muffled to the chin in furs, and covered with snow, stood in the hallway; and in every adjacent doorway, the guests crowded to see the newcomer. Mr. Wetherell guesed who he was and took him into his room, a sort of office, or what would be styled, a den. Some explanations were made by the stranger and he excused himself for being muffled, by saying he had been so long accustomed to a hot climate. Mr. Wetherell treated his guest to refreshments and after partaking coffee, etcJ, he was introduced to the come friend pany assembled there, as an of the hostess. This was a great relief to Aunt Esther when she heard of it, afterwards; as she was suffering:, meantime, not knowing what excuse had been made for his unexpected appearance. Mr. Manning'was very affable and dignified in manner, and a perfect master of language in conversation. His extensive travels abroad had given him ease and grace in society, and he took "the castle by storm," so to speak. girls were charmed with him and the. young men were gracious-andeferential. Little he cared for all the rethese warmspect lavished upon him,-frohearted country people ; he had only eyes and ears for one, his lost Esther. And she was nowhere to be seen, she had fled to her room at the sound-o- f his voice; she could not meet him in the presence of others. the dancers Finally Jhe music ceased,-anstepped from the scene of the festivity and rejoicing, and the. family gathered around the great blazing fire. The, night was cold, and the wind howled outside, and yet within there was peace arid hospitality and good cheer. When tire young people .hadleft the room, Sidney Manning ventured to inquire of Jane, whom he had known well twenty years ago, where her sister ;Mrs. Danforth was keeping herself, while all the jollification was going on. "She is very nervous tonight," Jane replied, "and extremely sensitive. She cannot endure much excitement and retired to her alout herself. The party Aunt Jane had intended to give in honor of her visitors, had been postponed from one time to another on some pretext, and the night before the arrival of Aiint Esther's queer letter, the host and hostess had come to the conclusion it should come oil on Christmas eve ; it was to have been discussed at the breakfast table when all the family were together, but the unfortunate letter had put it entirely out of Aunt Jane's mind, and upon rising from the table Aunt Esther had gone to her room, presumably to read her letter from home. Poor Aunt Esther, here was another dilemma-Polly uncerewrote that Mr. Manning had come moniously to the Wren's Nest, and finding Mrs. ..Dan forth absent, had inquired' of her whether her mistress had received a foreign letter recently ; and she had answered truthfully that she had; then he wanted to know if any message had been left for him,, and sue told rum there was none. iNext, wnen she had gone, and when she was expected home. She had gone to M , in Frank lin County, to her sister's, Mrs. Wetherell, and as to her return, it was indefinite. Then Polly said, "he asked me to let him write a letter, and would I write one and enclose it in mine, and I hope, my dear mistress, you will not be offended, for he seemed so sad an disappointed that you were not here," ahd having ,finished Polly's letter, which contained little else, Esther Danforth broke the seal of the other. There, is always a sort of charm about a pretty seal and it adds to the interest o'f a letter's contents. But this letter was a "love letter," indeed. He accused her of running away from him and warned her that He should follow her to the .ends of the earth, if need be: reminded her of walks and rambles they had taken together1 in the beautiful past, and of the kisses he had stolen from her sweet lips. He seemed to have forgotten that she was a matronly woman now, and he jio longer the young lover, nor the "little sweetheart." The longer Esther stayed and pondered over the letter, the more bewildered she grew. She could not see him there, it would be worse than beirig at home ; there, so many would not be looking on. She had half a mind to pack her trunk and go back, but that seemed impratjjcable : :and wavering between this and lhati she knelt and prayed for wisdom. A sweet peace came with the prayer, and she joined roQptTsometime since.!' ..r9- -. ' -- the tile family group in sitting rdom. Alice "Indeed," replied the gentleman "and explained, as soon as her aunt came in: shall I not be able to see her until tomorrow? old-fashion- -- , : I ed I - now-a-da- - old-fashion- ys old-tim- -- e . . d e, : . :T-- 'I. ed w T-h- j ; : patched, and Alice was eager to see t hat this old sweetheart of her auntie's was like, and asked numerous questions; but as no one knew much, more than she did, she did not get much of an idea.. Aunt Jane had said though, that to the best of her recollection he had a' very fine figure and a handsome call him so, and your Aunt jane's house is full of visitors already." At this Alice subsided for a few moments, but there was very little breakfast eaten by any of the ladies that '"morning. .Aunt one remembrance after another, of the days when Esther was a child, and it was all very interesting for the young folks. Alice declared it was just what she always had thought, from fragments Polly had dropped now and then, though how she had found it out no one could tell, and now it had come out accidentally and just what, she had begged Aunt Esther to tell her and I have come so far across the sea, up here into these rocky hills, for that purpose. I must see her for a few merits; she must no refuse me; will y '..v. tercede for me Jane? You, who have such peaceful, quiet lives, know little ur turbulent restlessness of one tossed upo:. fateful sea of uncertainty; at one mo:: ready to sink, and then a fair sail in k taking courage once more."" .:. Mrs. Wethcrell's heart was touched compassion, ahd she promised to try persuade Esther to meet him that night morning, for it was now past midnL: Jane was as good as her word. She treated Esther to see him for a few minut-ithe hour was even so late; it would 1... a pleasure for him. "Jane,"' said the woman in pitying iw "you are mistaken; he will be disappoints! he thinks to find me the romantic girl he left when he went away. I am Old beyond n years, and I shall not please his fastidim taste. It will only be a trial for me, that shrink from enduring." "Oh, Esther, do go and let him see that " you are notafraid to meet him "Yes, Jane; I will go," said Esther, "tor am not a moral coward." And she went down, as calm and placid as a summer morning. Mr. and Mrs. Wetherell left them to meet alone, and Aunt Esther walked quietly into the great, parlor to meet her he fate her old sweetheart, expecting knew not what sort of reception. But lie, hearing her soft footfall, turned quickly and reached out his strong arms and clasped her to his bosom, ere she had time to elude hi grasp. Neither spoke for some minutes, for their silence was more eloquent than speech, however daintily fashioned. At last Sidney Manning repeated her name, but she answered not. "Esther," said he again, "we meet once more, and we are both free. I have waited long for this meeting; have you nothing to say to me after all these long years of constancy?" Esther felt there was a barrier, even now, but she could not introduce the subject tonightit was too late to enter upon untrodden, ground. So she only said, in the mot indifferent tone, "You must be very weary, is waiting to show and my brother-in-layou to your room ; tomorrow we shall have time to renew our acquaintance; good night, Sidney," and she hurried from the room. He stood by the mantel and leaned his head upon his. hand in a maze of bewilderment. He was as much in doubt whether she loved hiin or not as any young, inexperienced bv could be. And yet she did love hipi passionately, but she kept the secret in her own determined to prpve lun!. soul, woman-likthough she "might stake her all of earthly happiness and find herself the loser. During the following day and days after, Mr. Wetherell opened up conversation with his guest upon "Mormonism," of which he confessed he had never heard before, nor or Joseph Smith, nor the Book of Mormon; lie was indifferent, he acknowledged, torall reHe had busied himself with men, ligionsmoney and schemes to accumulate wealth while abroad, and left religion for an after consideration. Such is the way of the world in all ages, except in rare instances. Esther heard his remarks without comment, but feared a wide gulf was opening between them, which it would be difficult to r bridge ; and she became more and more . . |