Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1855-12-28

conceal; to be sure l dc. Were you
not my mothers best friend, and are
you not my own now? Obi / love
you better than any one in the world,
Mr.. Hughes.
Well enough to be my wife, Lena?
She sprang up in her wild astonish-
ment, and her cheeks were incarna-
dined with bushes.
! your wifel You do not mean il,
Mr.. Hughes?
He put his arms around her.
Yes. Lena. | should not Jest on such
a subject. Twenty years lie between
us, and my hairs may be growing gray
while the cheek still keeps the bloom
Of youth. Shall you love me less
because | loved yourmother first;
because shall be oldbefore you,
Lena?
She drew up close TO him.
No. no. / wasnot thinking Of that;
only am so different; know so little.
and am so untitled to be your wife.
| am in no hurry. Lena. You are
right In thinking yourself too young TO
marry now. | will wait for you three
years. / win not trammel your girl
life with any engagement which graft.
tude must induce you tosm AXE me-
You shall be free, and you shall pass
the intervening three years ut one Of
the best schools in the Union.
The pride Of Lena's father. and the
delicacy Of her mother rose in her an
swer.
But to be so dependant before am
married. Forgive me; but | cannot
bear the thought of il. Mr., Hughes.
| have looked out for all that. my
Lena. The gentleman at whose
school / would place you. desires an
assistant in drawing. In two months
you can be this. and yourself defray
your expenses.
How can / thank you? said Lena,
with burst Of happy tears. How |
will study. so you shall not be asham
ed Of me when | am
She did not finish the sentence; but
fore she buried her burning face on his
shoulder there had beamed n glance
through her swimming eyes. which
told Wilton Hughes that she loved
him.
Three years had passed. Wilton
had just returned from their annual
visit to Saratoga. Martha. his eldest
sister. rode up next day TO welcome
them home.
/ hear you've had an unusually gay
season at the springs. said the lady
Was Wilton rs Indifferent rs ever 10
the beauties he found there. Sarah?
Yes, Just, Martha. | have given
him up now. He is a confrmed old
bachelor.
No, he isn't either, said the gentle.
man in question. coming in from the
next room, where he had overheard
these remarks: and to prove this TO
you'll expect to be married, Providence
permitting. four weeks from this day.
To whom? To whom? cried both
the ladies, rs they sat down pale with
astonishment,
Do you remember, Sarah. young
girl, q Miss Arnold, who some three
years ago did plain sewing for you a
few days? She is TO be my wife.
Wilton Hughesl shricked both th,
Mortified ladies'; will you so disgrac,
Yourself and family? We will never
never. receive her--ncyor speak tc
her.
Martial Sarah! be still. The tones
were SO stern and commanding. thai
even the proud women yielded ts
them. Listen to me; and Wilton so
down and told the sisters the story o
his youlh--of his love for Mary Willis
and Of the lie that made her another's
and how his heart had held that ON,
memory in silence and tenderness 70
so many years.
Then he spoke Of the winters nigh
and his meeting with her child. an,
thus he concluded;
Whether you receive or reject m,
wife Is n matter perfectly optional will
yourselves: hut remember. she is new
er TO be insulted in my presence =
And he left them.
Wilton's words had reached tn
woman's heart Of his sisters. Their
was something Of truth and beaut
in this deep, long enduring love which
spoke TO their souls through all tn
pride and false shame which had over
grown them. ssae IA
Mary Willis had been their play
mate. in the days that they nov
blushed to remember. and her swee
face came back to them once more
and in that better moment they said
There is no use in finding faul
with him; and after all. his love ha
been very beautiful. She, will be hi
wife. and we will receive her as such
And they did not alter their deter
mination when Wilton brought Len
to them; and they looked upon hei
graceful and vinelike in ail her. brids
beanty; for she was happy as fe,
wives are in the husband who had frs
loved her mother.