The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1858-06-08

cision with met"
Certainly"
VI have reasons for preferring this town
TO any other I know Of"
81 can think Of no pleasanter place."
replied Eleanor, "and on ono condition I
shall be willing TO make it our home"
"What is the condition 2"
"That we don't live near enough to Ar
temus Carkley to have imm for neigh
Dor. / am afraid my feelings towards him
would not be such as I ought to cherish
should often see him in my old familiar
haunts"
81 should be as averse to living near him
as you possibly can be-"
Tho rich purple which stepped tho dis
tant Hills was now fast failing to a cold
grey, and Eleanor accompanied by Stat.
ford, at last turned her steps towards the
fino old mansion, which she was to leave
early in the morning, and which she ex.
pected never more to enter.
"Three weeks from to-day you may ex.
pect to SEQ me-" said Stafford, as lie un.
closed the gate which opened on garden
"No place would seem exactly like homo
to me without flower garden" said FL
eanor.
"You shall have one," was Stafford 8
reply. "Therc's rosemary-that's for ro.
memberance. I pray you love, remem.
ber," he added, quoting from Hamlet, as
he presented her with a sprig Of the fra
grant herb.
Though the pale blue flowers had been
wi:hered and gone for months, the green
leaves were still fresh, and there aroma
floatcd around them on tho dewy air.
"But you told me that we were not to
live in the neighborhood of Artcmus Cark-
ley's estate" said Eleanor, as the carriage
ip which she was seated by her husbands
side approached the broad avenue which
led to the stately old mansion which had
been her former home.
81 told you we shouldn't have Carkley
for a neighLor, and We shan't."
Just as he finished speaking, they ar
rived at spot where light, previously
intercepted by the out-buildines, could be
seen beaming chcerfully from the front
windows Of the grey-stone home.
"Lookw said Eleanor, "Carkley has
arrived"
II think not" replied Stafford, and the
next minute the carriage turned into the
avenue.
"What docs this meani' tskcd Flea
nor.
"Yonder fine old mansion is TO be our
home, and not Artemus Csrkley's."
"How can that be7 l can't under
stand"
"But you will, when tel you that l
am your late uncle's adopted son."
"Youi Impossblc!"
"Not at all. Did it never occur to you
that my name ia the same as his was
previously to Lis taking the name of Her
bert? 7"
II knew that his name was Stafford,
but, then, though in most places it isn't a
common name, within half a dozen miles
of here almost every other house is in
habitcd by family Of Statfords, while ma
ny of them are so remotely connected by
ties of kindred, that no account is made
of the relationship. And then, bis name
was Hollis; yours is Frederick"
ayes, Frederick Hollis Stafford, or rath-
er Herbert, for according to the will, l
must resume the name your uncle gave
me, which, by bis command, I rclinquish
ed when we parted"
at seems strange that no one among
those who knew you at the time you left,
should have suspected who you were."
"Not SO very strange. The man of
twenty.four seldom bears striking resom-
blance to what ho'wa at the age of twelve.
AS the mind natures, it not only changes
the expression Of the countenance but in a
measure monlds the features. My uncle
and aunt, with whom have boarded since
became q schoolmaser alone knew that
was tho late Mr.. Hcrbert's adopted son.
had not heard of his death when / first
arrived here, and ween l was told that he
died without remembering me, and that
the whole Of his property would pass into
the hands Of Carkley, decided to leave,
never more to return. I saw you and al
tered my mind. l knew that / ought to
go, but / couldn't resist the inclination l
felt to remain. So l looked round for
some employment, for / couldn't afford
to be idle, aud was so fortunate as to OBJ
tanned the situation Of district sch Dol teach
er."
"And Carkley--have you seen himl"
"Yes, he arrived the next day after you
left, but found, such a serions obsta-
Gle to his taking possession Of the estate,
that, aftcr heaping upon me many op-
probrious epithets, and thrsatning to con.
test the will, he took the advic, Of his
lawyer, and concluded to let tho matter
drop"
BY this time the carriage, which had
been slowly advancing, stopped at the front
entrance Of Eleanor's old homo. Elsie
Weld, who had been the houskeeper for
a score ofyears, with face radiant with
smiles, stood ready to welcome them.
"Thero," said she, "if l had had the
orderin' myself couldn't have been bot
tor suited. When l was expectin' every
minute that Art. Carkley, (that, do my
best, though spose twas unchristain, /
never could like,) was going to take poses
sion here, 10 and behold my bright.eycd
Hollis, that l and every body sposed was
drowned in tho salt sea, dozen years ago,
proves to be alive and well; while at the
sanna Tina N will comes 10 l;oht ebowip,