The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-10-11

.Oh rs said ID; and her "Oh" was q mostfm-
preestye monosyttable. 81 see the meaning of
your smile now and though the implication
Of the story IL not very. complimentary to all
parties concerned, II is very just and very
She paused a moment, then went on with
scf,ened voice and earnest mien:
eYou think am n blind and selfish creature.
So am bu Il not so blind and selfish as nave
been; for many tears have cleared my eyes, ana
much sincere regret mas made me number
than was. have found better BOOK tnan
any fathers library can give me. and l have
road IL with a love and admiration that grew
stronger as turned the leaves. Henceforth
take Il for my guide and gospel, and, looking
back upon the selfish and neglectful past can
only say, Heaven bless your dear heart, Nan J"
Laura echoed DIS last words +; for, with eyes
as full OF tenderness, she looked down upon
the sister she had lately learned to know, say
ing, warmly
Eyes, Heaven bless your dear heart, Nan =
never can forget all you have been TO me;
and when i am far away with Philip, there
Will always be one countenance more beautiful
to me than any pictured face may discover,
there will be one place more dear to me than
Rome. The face will be yours, Nau,-always
so patien. always SO serene; and the dearer
place will be this home of ours, which you have
made so pleasant TO me all these years of kind
ness as numberless and noiseless as the drops
OF dew.n
"Dear girls, what have ever done, that you
should love me SO I" cried Nan, with happy
golden, bent to meet the lowly brown one, and
her sisters mute lips answered her.
Then Laura looked up, saying, piayiuily,
"Here are the good and wicked sisters j.
where shall we find the Prince ~
There ~ cried Di, pointing to John; ana
then her secret went off like rocket; tor, win
her old impetuosity, she said.-
II have found you ont, J0nn, nm, AL an nsri ann
| the past. Girls, you know, when father aled,
| John sent us money, which he said Mr.. owen
| mad long owed aud had paid at last IL
\ was kind lie, John. and a generous thtng 10
| do. for we needed IL but never would have
taken it as a gift. know you meant that we
| should never find this OUT but yesterday
met Mr. Owen returning from the west, ana
when thanked him for piece OF Justlce we
| had not expected OF him, he grufhy told me ne
| had never paid the debt, never meant to pay II,
| for il was outlawed, and we could not claim
farthing. John, l have laughed at you.
thought you stupid, treated you unkindly,
but know you now, and never shall forget
the lesson you have taught me. / am proud
as Lucifer, but ask you 70 forgive me, ana
seal my real repentance so-and So"
With tragic couutenance, Di rushed across
the room, threw both arms about the aston
ished young mans neck and dropped an ener-
getic kiss upon his cheek There was a mo-
mentary silence; for Di finely illustrated her
strong minded theories by crying like the
weakest of her sex. Laura, with 1.-The ruling
passion strong in DEATH still tried to draw,
but broke her pet crayon, and endowed her
dimness of her own And Nan sat with droop-
ing eyes. that shore upon her work, thinking
with tender PRIDE
"They know him now, and love MIN Tor ms
generous heart"
Di spoke first rallying to her colors, though
little daunted by her loss Of self control.
Don't laugh, John,-I couldn't help it and
don't think I'm not sincere for am and
will prove it by growing good enough to be
your friend. That debt must all be paid, and
l shall do it; for I'll turn my books and pen 10
some account, and write stories full OF dear
old souls like you and Nan and some one,
know, will like and buy them, though they are
not works of Shakespeare" I've thought OF
this before, have felt had the power in me !;
no,c have the motive, and notc Ell do it,"
If Di had proposed to translate the Koran, or
build a new Saint Paul's, there would have
been many chances of success; for, once moved,
ner Will, like q battering-ram, would knock
down the obs tacles her wits could not sur
mount. John believed in her most heartily,
and showed it, as he answered, looking into
her reSolute face
II know you will, and yet make us very
proud of our Chaos Di Let the money lie,
and when you have made fortune, I'll claim 1t
with enormous interest; but, believe me, l feel
already doubly repaid by the esteem so gener-
ously confessed, so cordially bestowed, and can
only say, we used to years ago Now let's
forgive and so forget"
But proud Di would not let him add to her
obligation, even by returning her impetuous
salute she slipped away, and. shaking OFT the
of old freedom and new respect
mo more sentimen {, please, John. We know
each other now and when find friend, l
never let him go. We have smoked the pipe of
peace so let us go back to our wigwams and
bury the feud. Where were we when l lost
my head and what were we talking about!'
"Cinderella and the Prince
AS he spoke, Johns eye kindled, and turning
he looked down at Nan, who sat diligently or.
namen ting with microscopic stitches great
patch going on, the wrong side out.
"Yes,-so we were; and now taking pussy
fer the godmother the characters of the story
are well personated, all but the slipper
said Di, laughing, as she thought of the many
times they had played it together years ago.
A sudden movement stirred Johns frame,
sudden purpose shone in his countenance, and
a sudden change befell his voice, as he said
producing from some hiding place little
WORKOUT SHOE
81 can supply the slipper who will try it
firstl'
Dis black eyes opened wide, as they fell on
the familiar object; then her romance.loving
nature saw the whole plot of that drama
which needs but two to act it. A great delight
flushed up into her face. as she promptly took
her cue, saying
"No need for US to try it, Laura, for it
wouldn't fit us, if our feet were as small as
Chinese dolls-our parts are played out;
therefore 'Exeunt wicked sisters, to the music
of the wedding belis.'" And bouncing upon
the dismayed artist. she swept her ont and
closed the door with Il triumphant bang.
John went to Nan, and dropping on his knee
as reyereutly as the herald of the fairy tale,
he asked, still smiling, but with lips grown
tremulous-
"WiIi Cinderella try the little shoe, and
if il fits-go with the Prince :"
But Nan only covered up her face, weeping
happy tears, while all the weary work strayed
down upon the floor, as if it knew her holt
day had come.
John drew the hidden face still closer, and
while she listened to his eager words, Nan
heard the beating Of the strong mans heart,
and knew it spoke the truth.
"Nan, Il promised mother to be silent till was
sure loved you wholly,-sure that the know
edge would give no pain when l should tell it,
as am trying to tell it now. This little shoe
has been my comforter through this long year,
and have kept 1t as other lovers keep their
fafrer favors. It has been a taiisman more ele-
quent to me than flower or ring; for, when /
saw how worn it was. always thought of the
willing feet that came and went Tor others
comfort all day long; when saw the little bow
you tied, always thought of the hands so dill
gent in serving any one who knew want or
creature who had worn it last, l always saw
her patient, tender, and devout-and tried to
grow more worthy of her, that might one day
dare TO ask IL she would walk beside me all my
life and be my angel in The house, Will you,
deara Believe me, you shall never know q
WEAKNESS or grief have the power to shield
you from"
Then Nan, as simple in her love as in her
life, laid her arms about his neck, her happy
face against his own, and answered SOFTLY
"Oh, John, never can DO sad CT tired any
more!'