| Show LOVERS MA DiNESS alias grace farnham was carefully tend ing the finest in her pretty old world garden click clip click clip went her aright with even monotony as s khe robbed the poor bush of half its f are and ruthlessly deprived it of tics of and small unnecessary twigs mis grace had been a fresh pretty coun try girl the darling of her mothers heart nad the irelle and pride of tho whole f tillage but that waa very many years ago before tho bravn eye which had wrought such havoc in their time had grown aided and dim and beni hidden away behind n groat pair of spectacles before tho rounded checks had become sunken and wrinkled before the sunny chestnut hair had demor allred into six fat little gray curls on side of the fica and before alic pretty acl lipped mouth had ceased to mischievously and disclose the even i hite teeth and those dimples jc for which bhe wua rained y grace never laughed now some Y times n vaie patient smile would flit acri her plain worn old face lending it a pathetic beauty which it would assuredly have lacked there is always t beautiful about an old face no i A matter bow homely it may be and it was potent an tie alone which saved miss t gruce being utterly condemned by tl critic world in which she lived a 0 f ugly old maid i 1 elder sister mias farnham a aps vps i faw shriveled perky little body v ho had pretty or in the least dediw p mired hod who did not cherish alie nii af even one love etory of her own r stella bud been absolutely il P L v and above such foolish sentiment tu wn tobo this she prided herself not a he lad been an excellent and absolutely 1 daughter to her mother and had i to bo n good careful sister to misa t jb grace and ft she had temper of her own ci eho waa like tho pro we re taught to la daspro to for his voice than for and ablai graco snipped and tweaked rt r t lt bush pounced upon unsuspecting lent i atler ct claut while occupied W owan mis wras not idle while she K talked her nimble were busily RW huge length of coalso calico she w to be seen sewing calico with want and in view bot even the wisest gossip in the village could disc lobo but it wa i the mysterious s lengths of stun were converted into and up to london to u charitable institution stella miss grace meditatively aa bhe tenderly clipped off full blown rose and half unconsciously interrupted hersi ter in the cf n grave harangue as to the boat and HW if att method of ridding garden of lla I 1 have waited patiently for very many year f grac whispered miss farn ham reprovingly mg some one in the neighboring garden should hear you 1 should feel greatly ashamed there la no one in the next garden an mb ganco no one fab all but I 1 will not mention tho matter again if jov would prefer me not to although it a areu relief to me to speak out nil is in my heart to one who can sympathize biti me grace ind miss parnham laid laer doto 1 aa for brief ment fan 1 l lr L r ekter i di we are both too old ble ourselves ours elvea 11 such matters it ignot a if you acro a silly flighty lovesick girl but with cruel truth we are lust a couple of plain elderly women you and I 1 and bubli hould bo thinking of higher thing than the petty troubles and disappointments point ments of this world I 1 tell you once more tor tho sooth time that oliver deane will never come now why you are let me how old are you grace never mindl miss grace snapped in a manner entirely foreign to her gentle nature then she turned and faced miss fam luini suddenly with a flush on her old withered face and a strange unnatural light I 1 in her byca it was on a day like this t stella a warm glorious summer day and js we were standing together under the lime f oliver and I 1 and he waa bidding me farewell a long long farewell and ho took my hands in his and held bliem firmly and bullied down into my face with his hi s kind true eye saying yea grade yes interrupted miss fam ham more kindly than was her wont yes dear you have told me what he said oh how well bhe knew that old story the poor little atory which miss grace had worn threadbare by algoet constant repetition and worse aban all else how well practical miss farnham knew that all the romance founded on that story had been ft nad mistake so far oliver deane was concerned I 1 she knew too well that out of all miss graces long ago this hand young neer do weel had never or a moment cher shad one serious thought of love for the girl who had all unknown to him given lier young heart into his care lesa keeping she had loved and ho had one away tu la too frequently tho manner of tho arary individuals who people this perplexing world of our sand there most assuredly the matter should have ended but no miss grace through all the quiet uneventful yeara which bad worn away since that all important summer day had still obstinately cherished a calm unalterable belief that oliver acano would come back again to her and this beliet was founded merely on a few tle words which he at least had forgotten soon as they were tittered wait till I 1 have made my fortune he had said ball laughingly and then I 1 shall comeback little village and look for a wife and you gracie must waiting lere for me miss grace for the sake of these t power of keel for th young and flighty for their a she had suddenly sobered down from a gay and careless girl into a grave sedate woman for their bako she hail chosen to lead a life of single blessedness and now piteous chaa all beside an old faded woman was cutill clinging with rr solute foolishness to tho belief that somewhere or other near or far her truant lover was toiling late and early for her sake just as faithfully as eho watched late and early for his coming she would far far rather have doubted her religion than tho fact that oliver deane was coming very soon to redeem his promise when she was younger she had fretted with all tho natural impatience of youth at the tardiness of her lover her bright face had grown pale and sad as she waited tor tho news of him which never arme and her merry brown eyes had grown dim with tears at the of their useless watching but thee as the years crept on instead of los ingall hope and resigning her self to the inevitable miss grace strange to say grew still in her faith and felt convinced that her lover was close at hand all tho world might be false but oliver deane would never break his word to her so as every hour every day week month and year passed ovir her head he rejoiced or they seemed to bring him nearer sha possessed ono of this supposed lover ot hers a wee painted miniature en shrines in a largo and abominable gold and turquoise locket which showed that oila ver deane bad been quite handsome enough to turn many a girls foolish head it made him out as having a frank manly saxon face with irreproachable features and blue gray eyes and bright golden hair and mustache which might have alone almost explained misa graces otherwise unaccountable weakness and folly this then and a few careless words had fire of her love for years poor miss grace 1 I baill am sure observed misa grace after a long u and with an involuntary sigh that oliver deane will soon bo hero now exclaimed misa farham vigorously orous ly then in nn argumentative tone it is improbable impossible that such a thing should and besides even if ho did como to see us just consider how changed wo should all find each other think what his age must be and how altered he would 10 to when last wo saw himi no matter what his ego or appearance may be stella answered little Miss Graw with gentle dignity oliver deane will be the u to always aini I 1 grunted miss farnharm Farn hara contemptuously but havo not considered whether you may always bo the same to oliver denne yes dear I 1 have considered calmly and as I 1 have trusted oliver all ray life since my girlhood I 1 cannot bring myself to liis faith and the strength of his love now lie will come again and we will be he same to each othar as we were on the day when wo parted in the lime walk the lime v lk w needless to say miss graces favorite ii aunt it ran along bebide tic till gablin wall shut off ach the mis Farn limus il li re the ww roll lo 10 t under ali eliof li of hicl cort csc it or on clr limilo rua lii lach down by the 1 it bilu they sit ono c ani bui j alit the of quick iii ii ft ml upon their r 1 fati p bici icino 01 sil ou allu i 1 iiii nol to 1 hi in mi 1 l 1 01 11 i ill ill r alii t to lir footsteps or t ir 0 lil lia lait work do i babil arnch and x bouly glicr iii al forward nd altri 0 o old 11 ti s lv licini nervously in her in and 01 tc steps abil suu paused bi tin knain yau H it op opeland enand floii tall stalwart young fellow blood hat in handcut hand cud looked down at the tv 0 o little beaded trembling old ladies who rree to greet him tho evening down upon hi golden head and lighted up his bronzed face and handsome bauo yes and mb forward with bands outstretched and ull the love and joy of two boore years shining on tho HW H W coiner from oliver she til a low quivering voice you have come back at last lie took her hands in strong clasp and looked bt raight into her face the suspicion of harrr ins under liis fair mustache my bamo is oliver oliver acano be in alie voice ahr rc sn v ell but I 1 cant imagine how on know it did my father write to you and tall you that I 1 ivah coming itt nice to I 1 welcomed like hi 1 fancied I 1 should auvo to explain icho I 1 was mias liams lia mh moved forward hatm stella with arr arck calico gathered upon 1 arma it is our father we I 1 think sh eald with difficulty sparing him a band out of the midst of the abitu bandl which ahe held my bister bocog you fron your extraordinary resemblance to him we knew an oliver deane many years ago ace ho replied and he told me when I 1 uno to england to be sure to come to his native village look up all his old friend but you are the only one I 1 can und he looked from one to tho other of the old ladles wondering which could possibly bo th e one to whom his father had often laughingly alluded as a pretty lattio flirt who turned all tho fellows heads grace baid miss farnham goins close to her sister and speaking very decidedly this Is oliver deane Is not the likeness lik enesa miss grace was smiling lier own gentle patient smile and did not seem to notice anything but tho tall figure standing before her you have not altered much she said dreamily you aro just the samo as a s you went away all those long years ago gracel this time miss Fum hams voice tell harshly on her senses and made her attentive go to tho house grace and ask jane to bring out some wine and cako for mr deane and miss grace went willingly enough upon the trotting nimbly away over the smooth well kept lawn to the eldo of tho house enero their youns servant by appearing suddenly in tho little kitchen and announcing briskly quick jane mr oliver has come back and wo wish tor the port wine and the fresh seedcake id three wineglasses the best ones mind eo bring them all on a tray to the lime alk at once like good girl jane stared curiously wondering who on earth mr oliver could be and why miss grace looked eo liappa then back again very the old lady returned to the ilano walk where miss farnham was their guest and tearfully explaining something to him something connected with miss grace and her forgetfulness and how much she had aged of late and what queer mistakes she was apt to make after this young oliver deane did not allude to lla father again but sat on the rustic bench between his hostesses and stoically drank abo eject sticky port wine which they hospitably piled him then at law when he roso to go a pair of ncr voc winking brown ayea looked up at him from behind ft pair of spectacles and an old quavering boico when will you como again oliver yen will not stay away tor so long again no ho replied telling the llo will praiseworthy promptitude 1 I will coma very ho was bulling tor bla homo in australla Aus aa a 10 elored him with u vague fear which she had ell at once bran forced to entertain to humor her sister on the very spot where year before oliver daane had bidden farewell to pretty grace farnham ilia eon stood and held the old maide quivering hand tn his it seemed to her as if she acro young once more if nil the weary waiting of tho past had been a sad dark dream and aa if the present alone was true and sweet and real so she lived in the anshine of her little ro more and when ot lat oliver daane passed through the gate and away out of sight ivl hearing down the highroad bliss grace turned back quietly to her stater 1 I nm puzzled stella she said thoughtfully he docs not seem changed in appearance pe arance at all but somehow ho is different cold and strange and not like himself graciel miss farnhams voice was shrill and her face white and drawn grade surely you can not believe that this young man was the oliver deane whom wo knew when wo acro girls then very gently dear what has como to you can you possibly think that he would be just the after all theo years it puzzles me dear stella was miss graces gentle answer it all so very strange and nl though I 1 have been expecting his coining for so long and felt certain that he would keep his word to me yet still tho meeting seemed to come upon me very suddenly I 1 am thankful I 1 had the strength and courage to trust him so thankfully thank full and ns she spoke thero was a new brightness in her dim brown eyes and the vague patient smile on her lips it has been hard sometimes stella to believe that be had not forgotten me particularly when I 1 saw how foolish you considered me and then oh the years have been so long dearbo longi but yet something always seemed to tell that some day he would come and stella stella you now that I 1 was righta come grace said miss farham hoarsely dr iRving her sisters hand within her arm the sun is going down and it la chilly out here let us go back into the house and and you must rest after all this excitement together the two lonely little old maids left the shadowy lime walk where this last terrible blow had fallen on them and miss farnham passed by her sisters side over tho bavm where the last rays of the glowing red sun were resting she realized fully how deep were the cruel wounds which the weary years of waiting bad made in miss graces gentle heart and to what they had brought her poor little old maids all through the summer they humored her miss farham and good hearted jane and sometimes the doctor ho would come again in the autumn they said and miss grace watched the leaves in the garden grow red and gold and brown and even when they fluttered to the ground and were blown hither and thither by tho wild winds and when she knew that winter was close at hand he never came they told lier that ho would come in the springtime and they used to move iier great armchair close to the window where she could see down to tho lime walk and the rustic bench and the old garden gate and she saw how the snow all melted away at the caressing touch of tho bright eun shino which to glint and sparkle everywhere even in her dark gloomy bedroom and oven when she saw the welcomed buds and leaflets on the lime trees in the old walk she asked and no even then he had not come the verc fill in bloom once more and jane gathered nis of them and carried them into miss grace and minn farham laid them on her bosom and in her thin folded fiands she had trusted nil through the long springtime aul then at lit when the scent bov or HS tw up floii the pretty in and she knew that enother summer as come ehe smiled her old beutle patient and elored her tired vaul reeled for oliver deane never come all the year round |
