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Show THE DESERET NEWS. 38 wrote me that he had engaged an assistant; he has broken his word, he has deceived me, and he knows the penalty he will have to pay. on, of course, do not know me. Iam his uncle. .You may have heard of me. Tell him of my visit and that I have returned home, and that I shall faithfully carry out my part of the agreement, though he has chosen to break his and deceive me into the bargain. He turned to leave, but Myrtle stood before him and with a voice full of tears and love begged him to remain until Walter returned. She took his hat, and drew up to the fire a comfortable chair, in which he seated himself, seemingly The not realizing what he was doing. young wife looked so pleadingly into his face and treated him so gently that he could not resist the temptation to remain and see more of her. Bitter as he felt to ward his nephew, the love he had so long cherished for him could not be efIt was Byron who faced in a moment. wrote: " Love may die by slow decay, But, oh, by sudden wrench believe not Hearts can e'er be tom away." Myrtle seated herself on an ottoman s feet and lovingly pleaded her He loves you as he husbands cause: he is out would a lather, she urged; now for the purpose of selecting a New Years present to send you, and he fully intended to inform you of his marriage in the letter which would accompany it. This was a little stretch of the imagination on Myrtles part, but she would leave no ruse untried to benefit the man she loved almost to idolatry, and so successful was she that when Walter returned he found the table arranged for two, Myrtle before the fire toasting muffins, and his uncle gazing lovingly at her, while she chatted merrily, as though no cloud had ever obscured their horizon. near-hi- Neither had heard Walter enter the the room, and when his wife turned to the table and perceived him she hastSee what a pleasant surened to say: prise I have had during your absence; your uncle came into the room without being announced, and we are already the Come and thank him best of friends. for his kindness to your wife, and for his love lor you; it was that alone which gained his forgiveness for you. it Not so, said Mr. Delacroix; was the tender pleading of your clerk, that I could not resist. The elder gentleman attempted, more than once, to scold Walter, but Myrtle, with true womans tact, drew the table to his side, handed him a cup of tea, and kept up a constant flow of small talk, which left him no chance. During the meal she talked meaningly at her husYou see, dear, we band, as H to say: shall have a happy New Years day after all, though this morning you said it was not possible for you to enjoy yourself away from your uncle. During the evening Mr. Delacroix enquired what name Myrtle had borne beWhen told he said fore her marriage. he knew no one who bore the name of Saunders, still he was forcibly impressed that he had seen her somewhere before. And now a programme must be made for a good time on New Years day-Theagreed with Mr. Delacroix that a quiet dinner at home and a box at the opera in the evening would be just the The dinner could be ordered thing. from a restaurant. Myrtles mother should be their only visitor, and thus a quiet family party would be formed. Mr. Delacroix assented to the arrangement, only remarking that he wished Mrs. Saunders was a man, he being quite out of his element in the society of ladies, especially strange ones. When Mr. Delacroix came into the breakfast room on New Years day, he found Mrs. Saunders had arrived, but he failed to notice that she trembled and became pale when he was introduced to her. She caught him several times looking furtively at her face, and at length asked him if he remembered her. I do not, he said, though your voice and features seem familiar to me. Will you not tell me where I have met you ? It was at Powick, she replied ; and my name was then Myrtle Laynher. It was now the gentlemans turn to When Mrs. Saunders had concluded her narrative, Myrtle embraced her affectionately, saying only, My dear, good, faithful mother and aunt. Mr. Delacroix had sat with his head bowed low during Mrs. Saunders recital, and when at last he looked up his eyes were moist with tears. I loved Mrs. Saunders, said he, and wooed your sister, but we had a foolish quarrel and she left her home to visit you in London. She did not return, nor did I inquire what had become of her. She had taken with her the love and devotion of an honest man, trampled it beneath her feet, and I felt bitter towards her, and have never forgiven her until now. But I will make all the reparation I can for such unchristian feelings by doing all in my power to make her daughter and sister happy. Come with me to my home, Mrs. Saunders ! I am and shall be lonely without my boy. Our children can visit us when they please ; there is room in our hearts and in our home for all, and may this be the worst New Years day we shall ever know. Let us try to forget the past, at least for one day, and enjoy the glorious present! The New Years programme was more than completed, and the next New Years day they were all together once more, this time in the cottage under the shade of the Malvern hills. There was another welcome stranger there, in the person of Mr. Waltei Durant, Jr. He had appeared in their London home three months pre- viously, and this being his first visit to the look embarrassed, but he soon rallied country he was the most honored and and inquired what had become of her petted individual in that happy houseYour parents I hold. Myrtle Durant did not give up her brother and sister. know are both dead, but the other two, position as clerk to Walter, nor did he where are they ? ever regret having advertised for an They also are dead; my brother was amanuensis. drowned twenty-fou- r M. A. Y. Greenhalgh. years ago, and my sister died three days after Walters wife was born. And now, she added, I have a confession to make which ought to have been made before Myrtle was married.' Myrtle is not my daughter, she said ; she is my sisters child. BEAUTIFUL picture of the Hill Lucy (my sister) and myself married Cumorah is presented to the brothers. James Saunders, my husband, readers of the New Year's numwas a good man, and I was a happy wife; but Lucys husband, William, was a vag- ber of the Deseret. News, with wishes abond, he was a drunkard and when for a merry Christmas and happy New drunk a brute. He drove Lucy into an Year to its readers, and to all the world early grave. After her death he left the greeting. This noted hill has been three times country and went to Australia and was killed by a mining accident. It was named and by three distinct and great Lucys wish I should take Myrtle I had nations. For particulars concerning its no child of my own bring her up as historical importance we begin our study mine, and keep her from her father if in the year 1829. At that time there was possible. 1 had no difficulty in doing found in the side of the historic hill, by this, seeing he went away, and she can an obscure boy, a bunch of golden plates. best inform you how I have treated her. These plates were very ingeniously conShe has been to me a most dutiful and cealed in a stone box, and they, bearing affectionate child, and I have no fear that, a record and being translated, supply us knowing who she is, she will ever be with all the earlier information. otherwise. The first name given to this hill and by Hill Guiiioran. |