Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1866-08-18
MOKELUMNE HILL CALAvERAs COUNTY, CAL

In their own hearts that we can't COM
fort them. Going? Well, then, good
night I'm ready for the child when
you will. Pm ready for anything that
Will cheer you, Master Berthe | ought
to say Master Albert always now, I
suppose; but the old times do come
back so-!'
| LETT her leaning over her gate look
ing wistfully after me, knowing as a
mother might the grief which l had
buried in my heart And if her words
bad given me pang, it was like some
ointment which makes the wound smart
in its very healing 1t was something
to be loved SO even by my old nurse
Late the next day [ led my young
charge from her erandfather's grave to
Bettys cottage. She kept my hand
upon the road as little child might.
| had no thought but that she was one,
until old Betty's cry of Goodness, Mas
ter BERTHE, | thought you said young
child! Why, this is grown girl ?
startled me into consciousness.
1T doesn't matter, does it, Betty?' |
asked. She turned to the girl.
Take off your bonnet she id, a
little grimly. 4 want to look at you.
What is your name?'
The girl obeyed. 'Pm only Nelly
Hay said, and stood to be looked at.
Betty looked sternly at first, then pity
ingly.
La, mol Master BERTHE, it don't
matter, she said Il don't see any harm
in her. There's peg behind the door
child. You can hang your bonnet on
that And left the two together
Not long, though; every day found
some new GRAND to take me to the cot
tage. put on elderly airs, and gave
advice. had her sent to school, and
went through grave examinations on
Saturday afternoons. | told old Betty
that when | was man of middle age
should take my little daughter home,
and she should keep house for US. And
l began to fancy, very soon, that there
could be no such happiness as that
parent felt. The girl was growing tall,
it is true, and | was only ten years old
er than she was but when she checked
her light tread to keep pace with me,
when the childish laugh bubbled and
rippled at something which could only
make me smile, l felt that years are not
the only things that age US.
l was working hard at my profession,
too | had hands and heart full. In
year I found that | could pass Aletta
on her husbands arm without pang.
In a year more wondered whether she
had really changed, or whether fan
cied black curls more than I did golden
bands, for | found myself thinking MY
little daughter much the prettiest.
In the sultry summer evenings [ used
to leave red tape and parchment and go
out to Betty's cottage to have tea with
her and my adopted child. Then, while
she polished up the cups, Nellie Hay
and | used to walk down to the river
side. Tall as she was growing, l had
way of holding her hand still and we
had such pleasant talks such odd, un-
worldly chatter Those walks and sim
pie tea drinkings rested the brain, wea-
ried with law business, quarrels and
bubbles, and stratagems, more than |
can tell
The rough hands had grown softer
now, the waist taper, and the bust full
The sweep of woman's robes, the tread
of woman's lig -,ly-shod feet had taken
the place of clumr ing leather boots and
seant cotton skirts.
[ knew this, but Nellie was a child
to me all the same. Was [ not by
adoption her father? Had not my early
grief and the staff on which l leaned
aged me before my time? Of course
she would always be young to me; and
why I felt so angry if by chance some
gay young farmer chatted with her over
the fence, or some neighbor saw her
home from church, could not tell
AN old mans temper, suppose 1
said, and sighed like young one.
So three years passed. AT the end
of that time Aletta's husband died -
They had quarreled and she had made
him wofully jealous, it was said; and all
his property, save mere pittance, was
willed to strangers.
One day a lady in black walked into
my Office; when she lifted her veil I
saw Aletta Stanton's face, closer to me
than it had been since we parted My
heart gave no wild throb. felt as
though | were mere stranger
Cautiously and quite calmly heard
her business. She intended to contest
the will, and needed advice | gave her
what could. | referred her to bro
as the one who would best
her cause. As for myself told
her truly that my time was too complete
" occupied t undertake anything more
and l wished her success,
She locked at me wistfully, with her
great blue eyes full of tears, as she rose
to 60.
1T was cruel of him. she said, very
cruel to leave me SO poor; but he was
never kind, never-not in the honey
moon, even
4 regret to hear it, I said.
4 could expect nothing more, she
said; did not love hint never loved
but one, and that one
She paused and looked at me.
That one | love STILL she said.
And Heaven knows no feeling of re-
venge or petty triumph was in my heart
when I looked In Aletta Stantnn's ewes