Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1863-01-09
$l,5O A YEAR IN ADVANCE.

she stole away to her chamber, as was hel
wont, to give vent to the gratitude of her
heart, and an earnest petition assembled tC
Heaven that Charles Chester might have
strength impaired to remain true to his
vow.
"Well, Lita, so this rich, talented hand.
some European, who sued SO earnestly
for this little white hand, has shared the
same fate with your many suitors.
You're an enigma, sis, and I'm afraid if |
do not exert my uthority you'll never be
married.
am sure l shall not unless my heart
goes with my hand and Lita smiled a
quiet smile as she looked up from her
woik. "Now don't leave with that sober
face, for [ assure [ am very happy as |
am."
81 don't doubt it, SIS" was the laugh
ing rooindcr, as Fred closed the door and
and went out through the long hall, hum
ming snatch Of sentimental song.
Two years have flown by, and still
Charles Chester has kept his vow invio-
late Lita had watched him narrowly,
and every day in her heart she had thank
sl God that this was so AID yet to have
seen them, 10 one would ever have mag
incd that they had the slightest interest in
common.
Lta sat alone in the back parlor other
home thin',ing of the past, of the happy
hours sac had spent with Charles Chester
when she was a mere child, wondering why
he avoided her so studiously of late, when
she was arouse by low tap at the door
and before her stood the object of her
thoughts. With heightened color and en-
barressed air she welcomed him, wonder,
Ing at this unceremonous call. A few
minutes of silence followed his entrance,
and then Charlie Chester drew his seat
near her an | said
"Lita-lita, my early playmate, my
boyhood,s love. nov that | haotc and can
trust myself, will you cntrust your life,
your happiness, to my keeping? Will
you be my wife? | owe to you all that |
have, all that am. 1t was through your
influence that abandoned the wlne-cup in
time to save me from the inebriates grave.
o, Lita what, what do not owe you'-
And yet this very fact encourages me, to
ask for more, Say will you trust me, and
become my vile?
The small hand he held nesting more
eoniidngly in his, the brown eyes uplitted
10 his face with 50 much Of truthful love
in them, answered; and, sitting there. she
told him Of all the loug years his image
had been hi den in her heart-of her fears
for his safety when she saw him the wine
cup pressed to his lips, and Of her resolve
to save him, and consequent adoption of
her dJ'a5 dress.
"And it was for my sake, and mine
alone, that led you to this s1criice And
set you did not know half my Danger
loced wine my thirst for it was daily
becoming more intense, and u few months
longer would have placed me beyond the
hope of all but yol were the good angel
commissioned to save me-"
L,ta IS now a happy wife and mother,
bnt she still maintains her plain style of
d.ess. She wore Il drab dress on her bri-
laI day, ana as she passes along the street
She is pointed out as the "lady in drab y
but many there are who know not the
story connected with it, nor that her hus-
band viii not hear to her changing it for
any other color, for to him no dress is so
beautiful as her drQ6 dress.