Show 1 6 11 t k 01 A il to a ar 0 if if i I 1 r 4 V FASTER ASTER da D alice chesemore Ch asemore it HETTY waa was t only tty six tj t J when I 1 camo came to idt live with her 3 there vaas aa only a 0 difference 0 of two years between us but somehow she always seemed middle aged to me ehe she was so quiet and serious and so from my restless excited belt sell is s so sad at timea times bilat I 1 could wondering on dering it some time in eho she had not experienced come some borrow orrow tor for she bad had means and enough to make her life worth lid d should have been happy acy y I 1 found her weeping quietly we red book in her hand I 1 M tred ed to calm her to find out th ion on for her borrow sorrow and then 0 me this story tory I 1 opened when I 1 was only elgh bo waa was engaged to be married br r waa was tour four year years older than he was a mate of a ship and a phing hing young fellow named ed the jetke ke wo we had been engaged six 0 rand nd were to be married a it ater ter the day was fixed and ha bad ad arranged to give up the sea ii a situation on land we were as two young people could ibe be but unluckily juet just a before afore the time fixed for our day a picnic was waa gotten up nai of our friends and edward that re of the party there was a inea e young fellow there named 00 dys the son of a neighboring in n he waa was fresh from col I 1 it 1 full of fun and frolic I 1 Ps to be placed next to him at 9 i and not knowing pas as I 1 aft discovered Is covered that I 1 was enlie ties e waa was specially attentive to not care for bis his attentions in tent but I 1 was in high spirits and be t t or the enjoyment of the mod I 1 did not check him as per ree aught to have done presently 0 eight of edwards face and he was looking terribly cross ry rr foolishly I 1 thought it food fun to make him jealous I 1 purpose to tease him I 1 pre take all the more notice of hen lya ya when we finished lunch ive party scattered and strolled e woods in various directions r I 1 illy ily expected edward to acme but he rather rudely ae as ada I 1 held aloof and to punish laired aired oft off with mr sandya I 1 a ie e party got together again tah looked so savage that I 1 I 1 of it better not to provoke him by t her er ta R oft mr sandys and walk m or with edward began to scold his unreasonable jealousy of did not think I 1 myself was in I 1 co body ever does A loving the ild ill have made me penitent dl day Bin fortunately he waa was white 3 jer er ind began to reproach me renit rennet that roused my temper too P quick enough to tak take of B those days ruth though I 1 I 1 OP P arned bettor better since I 1 can re esell Rs a it it yere were yesterday the rhe he where we stood the or ort fB glinting through the trees iber ing UP edwards flushed face ucb eyes e reproached me PI more bitterly I 1 think than it he ile called me a he heartless artles and ani I 1 called him little mind 77 t tl oll id him he had made himself P 5 by br his unreasonable jeal inbe e got hotter and hotter and e declared that if I 1 dl all I 1 not ired at I 1 had been wrong and 1 als Is to ehe differently for the r int 11 must be over between us I 1 the df the stat r CO did not care a straw for mr nir sandys and would fifty times sooner hivo h ivo bad hall edwird with me but I 1 bould have hane died booner than have told him hini so then so I 1 save gave him a bitter answer and we ve bott grow angrier still his ills last words uttered with ill all the intensity of pis slon ring still in in mv ears I 1 can tell oti thim word for word diett ett it ou let me go now understand clearly ou will never iee u my face again I 1 did not quite believe him perhaps if it I 1 had I 1 should till hivo hive let him go at any rate I 1 was tar too angry to give ghe way may then go go by all means if vou a wish it I 1 said and in another moment he be was mas gone I 1 had b bian cn tearing to pieces in my passion a little spray of hawthorne bo he hid given nio mo earlier in the day I 1 had pulled off the leaves leases one b one and i when he left me the bare stem was left in my hand with one leaf only remaining see hero here it la Is the last relic relle of M mv first and last love lose god grant that in bour our whole hole life my huth you may never v N beep such teara tears as I 1 have wept nept over that one faded lea lek she opened the little red prayer book in her lap and showed me hidden in a kiestie paper pocket the yellow liaw hawthorne thor e leif lef this little book she said was edward a gift to me and this old dry leaf eat Is my only relic of the day when we parted in the wood never to mee meet again in this world sta I 1 have on one 0 more treasure see she drew from her borm bot om a quaint old locket and put it in my hand it wae mas a miniature binl iture painting representing a afung 3 oung man in an old nas naval al t it was var a handsome face but stern and proud looking and I 1 could ver well believe that the original would have behaved as aunt hetty had described but did you really part like that auntie I 1 said I 1 did ou never see him again never he lie did not go back to the picnic party but joined an outward bound ship the next day leaving a brief note for my mother stating that we had fortunately found out in time that we were unsuited to each other and had therefore by mutual consent put an end to our engagement but that was very cruel cruet auntie 1 I thought eo so then perhaps it was a little but afterward I 1 blamed myself far more than him I 1 had bad given the provocation and I 1 knew la in my heart beart of hearts that one word of regret on my part would have made all right between us but I 1 was too proud to ay bay it I 1 let him go with my eyes opened and arid I 1 have been justly punished I 1 but have bave you never heard from him since dear auntie once or twice lut but only indirectly GO IF YOU WISH IT he ile had no relatives in our pa t t of the country I 1 know that he lie gave up the sea and obtained a COMM in some indiana regiment regi mert when last I 1 heard of him be he was a captain but that Is many years ago and I 1 do not know whether he la is alive or dead so ends my poor little romance there la Is one thing I 1 should like to ask ruth and that Is partly why I 1 have told you my story vou you have seen my relics they have base been my greatest treasure in life and I 1 should like them put in my coflin coffin when I 1 die will you remember this dear I 1 could not answer for tears but I 1 kissed her hand and she was content two months ago tired of our humdrum country life auntie and I 1 resolved to visit foreign parts according we went sent to boulogne and took up our abode in a quiet bo aiding house in the rue dee there WM a good many visitors staying in the boure but they were ino in families or parties and we did not mingle with them our via vis a via vis nt at table was a tall gentleman of soldierly appearance who alas algava shoken of as the tho major N hen he to addrena an order to the waltin wal tIni maids in french tho the difficulties be he gut rut into were mere dreadful and he alwa always a ended by gattnig angry with ith alms t f and them I 1 ventured to help bin hlin out ot of a difficulty once or twice and la in this mannar a blight slight ic acquaintance ipoung up ill beraten us it had how gone no farther than a tritt idly ua nol I 1 or i remark romark across tho the dinner 1 ith other he lie fraternized P n lens lets bo so matt ra rs stood until the i ht ut of haster aster sunday came cattle when hen we me vent bent to the he 11 4 ae e Ingli sli church in an adjoining sti shut L t ae e were ushered into one ot at the pt aws ws for strangers ind a i minute or two later tin tal major A in biown into the samp pew and bit down dosu beside us during the berice ua the major by an acci accidental ni of hia his arm throw down s little red prater book ho lie picked it lip p and mib about to replace it but an as he held it in full view slew under the u 01 his ills c aei chanced to fall fill upon it and li started is is though he had lind seen a ghost 11 he e laid the book down but he be glanced from it to aunt hetty as it if trying to satiety himself on some point the b u er mon came to an end and the be beneal tion fOllo followed Ned but I 1 fear the major lia had d no part pirt in it ho lie took adian advantage tage ut of the moment when alien all heads were baked to do a very ery unmannerly aly thing he ile slyly put up his eyeglasses and read reid the name inside auntee aunties a book it was mas quickly done and might have escaped notice but I 1 watched him closely I 1 could even esen read the name aselt it was in a bold manly band hand to hester ilester june 28 18 I 1 was aghast nt at buch tuch an act ot of and mid glanced at auntie to see if it she would mould resent it but she bad had probably pro bibly not noticed it for she made no sign the congregation began to disper and we me went out but we e were scarce P will you tell me how you came by the red prayer book you use ly in the street when tho the major spoke to auntie madam I 1 am going to aeh aak you a very singular question but let me as sure you that I 1 haac a deep personal interest lb it ascii g it will you tell me how you came by that red prayer book you use I 1 shall nes never er forget aunt aunties les quick ly teven answer but I 1 could tell by the faint flueh flush on her usually pale face ace bow how deeply she was moved you gave it to me major blake years ago surprise te light and incredulity struggled tor for the mastery in the majors face he took off his bat hat and stood bareheaded bare headed and that one little gesture told more plainly than the meet most passionate protestations could have done that the old love lose had been kept a treasured and sacred thing I 1 think from the smile on her mouth as she looked at him that the same thought came to auntie and you are hetty yes I 1 know you now be he said you had forgotten the eight years major blake I 1 knew you from the first aud and would you really have let me go without a word why not how could I 1 know you would wish to be reminded of old times reminded Remind edl I 1 have never forgotten I 1 tried my hardest to forget and although you preferred another An Anol otherl beri what other you marry young sandya 1 I have never seen him since at this stage of the conversation it struck me that I 1 was as de trop major blake side by side with auntie was walking slowly homeward and on reaching a convenient street corner I 1 went off for a stroll in an opposite direction when I 1 reached home I 1 found auntie and the major bitting sitting in the courtyard under the trees tree tho major lifted bis his hal hat at my approach and aud said bald miss danvers your aunt and I 1 are very old arl triin ads ds indeed many years ago we were engaged to be married but an unfortunate misunderstanding separated ue us we have base lost many happy years but I 1 hope some still remain to us I 1 trust we a shall have base your good wishes I 1 looked from one to the other you dear darling auntie then you really are going to bo be marled maried ma sifter all of course 1 I ali 11 ou joy and major blake too from the very ery bottom of my heart 1 I dont know hoi how the serret omed out but before another day bad had passed every one in the house knew that tho handsome english major lud hid met an old love in the person of 0 the gentle little lady ft ith the sweet smile and I 1 the soft gray hair and that alter after a it reparation ot of tight kirs airs they aare ft ere enraged engaged to be married and ind they nere ft ere accordingly promoted to all the privileges of loera losers I 1 must murt pass 0 our t r the journey and anti the astonishment of at our friends at bairn id when ft hen antle returned to be married somo sonia few of them bad had kluun major blake but to most of them be ft is a atran ger er man acre ft ire the questions and explanations b pla nations bufore was accounted for or tu to herbol ter Ler bol bols s tion but it was mas done at list and anil then came tilt preparation of the arous beati and it lat la the happ pair h bavo ive been made one an I 1 auntie la is ort off to tho the klo a of N ight to lid her hone moon defore before going rhu she mo 1110 to clr room ant an 1 sill it 1 kuth ruth lc tie ir I 1 nm am going to glo gi 0 5 iou ou little rel priar book as a parting C not oi know hoai how I 1 ila have e tree ined ed it in ml I 1 YOU ou mon wont t value it the less I 1 ini in sine sute foi lot hiving been so dear to me and if it ft hen mr right comes ruth ou aro ate tempted to be ls willful oi 01 or to pain a inart in art that loses iou trula think of our aunt hetty and the it filed led liaf for not every enery mistake mist ike it in life ads aa as mine did on caster easter ia dal |