The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1865-11-29

family who would arrive at Pau, in the after.
noon, and lacking any other object for wall
| he strolled through the park to the station
to meet the only train from Paris, and % il
seems, had his curiosity grati6ed BY sigh
Of the party.
"They're bride and bridegroom honey.
incoming, Mr.. Reeye-the courier told me.
At least not quite honcymooning, suppose,
for the mothers with them, and heard
something about q step father coming"
"You'n want dozen Mothers-in-law ia
look after you and your wife when your
time comes for honeymooning, il you 90 on
as you are now" said Mr.. Reeve jokingly
cas- live, believe you've been playing at
guile in your great coat"
mo, l haven't" laughed the boy; "but
will tell you what did do. meant to have
come back in the bus, but it was full, SO
ran all the way and got back in time to see
them get out. The bride was 50 pretty, and
they arc not going TO stay, SO it was my only
way to make suro OF having another look
at her, but I've not had time to cool yet"
!" The most idiotic proceeding" began Mr..
Reeve, looking ut the boy 5 crimson forehead,
then checking himself rs if he thought he
was occurring, he added, "better not do it
again, Gilbert; if you are 50 imprudent you
will do away with all the good Of Pau, and
you are SO we'll now"
Gilbert might perhaps have blushcd, but
he could not grow redder than he already
was; instead, he tried to change the subject.
The bride is really sumner. Such eyes
and such hair. Her mother, if she is her
mother, is quite young woman, not above
forty, l should think. | didn't hear her
name, tho courier only said, Sir Edward
and Lady Lifford.'"
..Sir who!" Mr.. Reeve turned to him
with awakened interest.
"Oh! forgot to tell you, they're Sir Ed
ward and Lady Liford on their wedding
tour. He is to dine at the table d'hote to-
night; the ladies said they would not come
|. down.
Mr.. Reeve turned away. He felt sick at
heart Why should they, Of all people in
the world, have crossed his path? Mildred
he thought bitterly-had driven him out of
England, and now she mrst needs pursue him
here. Before he had recovered himself the
tabled hote bell rang, and he turned in with
Gilbert and took his place at dinner His
neig abor at the table, a good humored
Freedman, with whom he had struck up an
intimacy, found his efforts at conversation
responded to very feebly on this evening, and
soon noticed that his companions eyes were
liked on q tall, rather heavy-looking English
man Of about sixty five, who sat opposite,
making poor work of the thin soup aud
greasy fish placed before him. Edward
Reeve knew the faces at hetablc well enough
to be sure who the stranger must be. That
Mildred's husband! To think of her, in her
brightness and beauty, sacrificed to man old
enough to be her grandfather! To think of
her conserving to such a sacrifice ON the very
eve of liberty Edward Reeve recollected
bitterly all her loving words to him. When
he burnt her lair he made a fond foolish
excuse TO himself for not destroying the lit
tie purse, by saying that he had promised
her to keep it always, but now he thought he
would burn ii AS soon as he reached his
room. What had it been but the frail token
of tickle love. Lady Lifford might be
drinking her tea up stairs, but Mildred-his
Milired-with her pure love and child-like
faith, could never exist again, If indeed she
ever had existed except in his own fancy.
When dinner was over Sir Edward rose,
and, coming round to Gilbert, touched him
on the shoulder
Il beg your pardon, but fancy you are
son Of my old friend Gilber, RlaLe. Do
you know if Your father was at Christ Church
in 30 and '2l! ~
Gilbert colored and answered, and the next
moment he had accepted Sir Edwards inv-
tation to spend the evening in his rooms
Almost before Mr.. Reeve had caught the
purport Of the conversation, he found him
self included in the invitation; which, how
evert he declined, pleading bad headache,
and walked home to his rooms, chatting in
wardly. A headache The Liffords were
only passing through Pau, and that headache
should last until they were fairly gone; he
could not, no, he would not, meet Lady Lif-
ford. He tried, with Indifferent success, to
devote himself to his books till Gilbert came
home, and then retrained from all questions
as to how the evening had been spent. 1t
was rather q relief vlldt Gilbert was disposed
to be great deal less communicative than
usual. Ho volunteered no account Of his
visit, and a few words were exchanged be-.
fore the two gentlemen parted for the night
Next morning, as Mr.. Reeve was sitting
doggedly down to his books Immediately
after Observation-Disclosures studies did not be-
gin till later in tho day-a little pink note
as follows:
DEAR Mr. REEvE-1f you spare the time 1t
would be very kind Il you call here to-day between
VI aud O'CLOCK nave several things TO say to you,
aud greatly wish to you
"Yous very truly,
MILDRED IIyYoRD"
Edward Reeve groaned in spirit. Was it
not enough for Mildred to have wasted the
best years Of his life, that she must perse-
cute him SO! Or was she in trouble. and
some shadow of her old trust made her send
Tor him in her distress! 1t did not signify,
i'll either case he must obey her summons, for
he could not confess himself too weak to bear
to see her.
At half-past eleven he presented himself
at the door of the Hotel do France and ask
ed for Lady Lifford. Aliladi was at home,
Monsieur would find her apartments au pre-
mier, ii he would give himself the trouble to
walk up stairs. The apartment door was
opened by an English lady's-maid who
showed him into the sitting room, and de-
parted without announcing him, closing the
door softly behind her.
On low chair before the fire, sat Mil
dred reading. She had not heard him enter
and for moment he watched her in ST.
lence. The freight was cleaning over her
hair, as bright and luxuriant as ever, but
he could see that the hand held up to shade
her face. was paler than it used to be, and
he fancicd that the lines of her mouth had
u look Of sadness that they were strangers
u on that day four years ago-rcmembcred
ali how vividy-when she had sat at his
feet in the schoolroom at Chaley Hall.