San Andreas independent., 1858-02-27

must have been the darling mouse to
whom it was addressed; it still breathed
the same old song of love and trust which
is never out of date, and sounded as true
as earnest passion ever does: There were
seven letters with the date from that
vicarage amongst the Cumberland Falls !;
the last spoke of aspeedy meeting in words
that thrilled all our maiden pulses.
90, Francis Lucas, | hope you were
happy with your " faithful heart cried
Lettie. Il hope you live yet in green
old age together amongst those wild bleak
hills"
The next letter was written after an
interval of two months, in May IL.
Francis Lucas was then volunteer in the
army of Flanders; and his bright glad
words reflected the high courage which
he knew "would make his darling love
him more" Those were his words. There
was but one other; it was very short, writ
ten on the eve of battle, and it was the
last.
20, Minta, [ could weep for that faith
full heart, said Lettie, with tears in her
eyes. Look at the list now; it is no
longer sealed page to us; there is his
name-'Francis Lucas, killed There the
story ends
But the sdear mousse the faithful
heart who is that?' asked Minta, turn
ing the yellow paper over, while Lettie
| idlxr +urictod +ba r;bbo, +b,+ H. a.; a. .
letters together who can it be 2 The
moisture cleared from our eyes slowly !;
more than one great tear rolled down my
cheeks.
1t is Aunt Jeanie, Aunt Jeanie sud-
denly exclaimed the second sister, who
had read in silence. you remember, he
says darling Jean in the first letter
Aunt Jeanie, echoed Lettie. 20, l
wish we had not been 50 curious; it was
very wrong of usl
But who could have thought there had
ever been a love-story in her quiet life p
said Minta. 'TIow beautiful and how
nice she must have been dare say she
might have been married over and over
again.
[ am glad she was not; shall like to
think of her as Francis Lucas faithful
heart better than the richest lady in the
land.
'And so shall 1 /; and O, Minta, how we
have plagued her Help me off with this
red thing said Lettie, pulling at the
crimson sacque. Itwould be proclamation
to 90 to her jesting, after what we have
just found out. Dear Aunt Jeannie IF
she has had faithful heart, she must
have had a suffering one too
The door opened softly, and Miss Fern
ley looked in. Children, you are so quiet,
| am sure you must be in mischief said
she, in her gentle voice. She came
amongst us, and looked over Minta's
shoulder as she sat on the floor with all
the papers scattered in her lap; STOPPING,
she took up the strip of newspaper, and
gazed at it through her spectacles; | saw
her lip quiver and her hands tremble.
where did you find these letters, chill
dren? You should not have opened that
black trunk, said she hastily. Give
them to me; have you read them?'
yes, Aunt Jeanie, replied Lettie, pen
itently. The old lady took them from
Minta's hand without another word, and
left us to our researches; but we had seen
enough for one morning, and quickly re-
stored the old dresses to their dusty recep-
tacles, and left them to the moths and
the spiders.
When we descended tothe parlor, rather
subdued and ashamed of our curiosity, we
found Miss Fernley rummaging iii an
ancient Japan cabinet; she brought out
two miniatures, and showed them to us
one was Francis Lucas, young, gay-look-
ing soldier, the other was herself. The
latter bore amarked resemblance to Lettie,
only itwas softer and more refined in ex-
preston. Then she told us her love-story,
how she was to have married Francis
Lucas on his return from that fatal cam
paign, and how she had consecrated to
him, in life and death, her faithful heart
20, Aunt Jeanie, may be like you in
the face, but if [ were to live to be
hundred | should never be as good or as
kind as you are!' cried Lettie as she
finished. And this was the romance of
old Miss Fernleys youth.