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Show V.r. rrr- r A GItost at tlic Weddins Ey II. IRVING KING ll :t (CijuyrlKlit.) MISS I-IZZIK ('.AMI HON old M'ss IJy.'.ic tins young people railed iM-r Ihoiigh Kin: was only till y-fotir, mil iniiodlly looking into the hie which burned crackling upon the hciirlh while outside the winds of winter blew ahout the old house, moaning al Intervals as If for Hi" death of a vanished kii er time. There came a tup at her door and n girlish voice asked: "Auntie, may I come In?" "Come In," said (he old lady In a strained voice, fresh anil glowing, her eyes sparkling, her whole face and form the embodiment of youth I health, Iticy Camden came In. "What do you think of lilm, autnleV" she asked with an air of coiilidence that no one could help hut think well of "him." The birange, haggard look which Miss I.h'.zie turned upon her niece Hurtled the girl. "Why, Aunt Lizzie," she, cried, "what Is the matter? Are you 111?" "No, child, I am not 111; I was only thinking," was the reply. I.ucy had recently returned from a slay at one of the beaches where she had been the guest of friends, and where she had met Albert I.ongley. When l.ucy had confided In her aunt that she had met u young man at the beach In whom she had become be-come "deeply interested," Miss Lizzie saw how things were at once. At the mention of the name of the fortunate for-tunate youth the old lady gave a little start. "Longley? Longlcy? Where Is he from, Lucy?" Lucy named a distant city and Miss Lizzie mused awhile and sighed. The Long-ley Long-ley she was thinking of was long since beneath the sod of a grave in the rhilippines. "I am an old fool, Lucy," said Miss Lizzie at length. "Do you really love this young man?" "Oh, yes that is, I think so," replied re-plied Lucy looking down bashfully. And then looking up quickly and smiling brightly, "Oh yes, auntie, I am sure I do." Her aunt embraced her, and kissed her, and hle'-sed her; and prayed that her love would have u happier ending than her own. Lut when Albert had called, when she had bt-en brought fare to face with him, she received a shock; he was so like that Herbert Longley of long ago who lay dead in the far I'acific Isles. She had gone to her room to sit before the fire alone with her bitter recollections. Now, when Lucy came in brimming over with her enthusiasm and love,. Miss Lizzie looked at her out of a past which was filled with the tragedy of her lonely life. She had brought up the orphaned daughter of her only brother, broth-er, had clung to her and loved her as those alone can cling and love who have only one person to love and cting to in all the world. "Lucy," she i.'iid nt length, "what was the name of this young man's father do you know?" "Why no, auntie," replied Lucy. "Albert has told me but I don't remember re-member now. V"hy do you ask?" "Nothing, nothing," said Miss Lizzie. Liz-zie. "Run along to bed now I want to be alone." Lucy, wondering at her aunt's strange mood, went to her bed to dream of youth and love; and the older woman turning, her gaze once more upon the fire, looked hack into the past. She saw a youth, of whom Albert was" the very image, a youth hearing the same family name, worshiped wor-shiped by her as Albert was now worshiped hy Lucy. She recalled the progress of their love-making and the I night of their engagement; and how j happy they were. Then came the re-! re-! morseful recollection of their quarrel and their parting in anger, and Herbert's Her-bert's departure wbh the flags flying and the drums beating for the campaign cam-paign in Cuba. She had never seen him since: hidden hid-den behind the curtain, she had seen I his regiment march hy as they departed de-parted for the war with Spain. After Aft-er Santiago he had gone to the Philippines; Phil-ippines; he had taken his discharge-there discharge-there after the war, married and ser tied down as n planter, she had learned. And there he had died After his embarkation for Cuba Hie had written him a letter full of contrition, con-trition, asking him to come hack to her; and he had sent it back with the words "Ton late" written across it. And here was his son in lovi-with lovi-with Lucy anil Lucy with him. All night Miss Lizzie lay awake, thinking think-ing the situation over. Next morning Hie said to her niece:' "Lucy, I suppose you and Albert wit! be getting married soon?" "Yes, auntie," replied Lucy, "with your consent." The next time Albert called. Miss Lizzie was more composed when she met him. "Did your father die in the Philippines?" she surprised 1 1 1 e young man by asking suddenly in the midst of a conversation. "Oh, no," replied Albert, "father died in California. 1 had an uncle who died in the Philippines. l"nck Herbert. They, say I look like him Did you know Oncle Herbert?" "Slightly," said Miss Lizzie. "How small this world is," was Albert's Al-bert's far from original remark and then they began talking of mliei things. Albert and Lucy were married mar-ried three months later and Ann; Lizzie was at the wedding. And for her there was a ghost there, also; but still she was happy in the happiness hap-piness of Lucy and Albert. |