Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1866-06-08

say yes - asked Milly. stealing another
of those timid glances at me.
My yes will go with yours Milly,
dear"
God bless you, Hester my darling,
my dear, dear sister r cried Milly, fer
vently; and for along time both we're 81
lent, Nor, indeed, did she mention Mr..
Sutherland's name again, nor recur IN
any way to the subject, till about the mid
die of the next day, she suddenly sPrang
up from her place by the window, and
glancing at me with vivid blush and
smile, ran out of the room, and I heard
her fly up stairs.
Then I knew who was coming, and /
sat still, because to move would have been
out of my power. So, when be entered
the room, [ sat. and though 1 held out
my hand and tried to utter a greeting, /
knew that my lips only murmured mar
ticulately. He looked at me as he held
my hand IN a mOmentary grasp, and /
thought there was both pain and shocked
surprise in my face. Then he began.
Il have not come unexpectedly, I
hope? Milly promised to ask yOu-tO
tell you"
''She did tell me; I expected you"
1 strove to say and hope l said it
quietly.
did you not guess why I wanted to
see you2' he asked, with that directness
of speech I remembered so we'll.
Yes, [ even went so far as that" l
answered and smiled-oh what a wintry
smile. if it did not belle my heart.
''Of course, could only have one pur-
pose in asking to see you again, he went
on quietly; but, ah Hester, what will
you say to me this time p
'What does Milly say?'
"Miliy! always Milly still But Hes
| ter 1t is for you to answer me first, he
said; and abruptly walking from his po-
sition on the hearth, he came and sal
down beside me.
"Hester-I must call you so-did your
sister tell you what l said to her yester-
day?"
''She let me infer it,
Infer fiddledee Nothing like plain
/ speaking to express plain meaning, he
/ spoke out rather ImpetuOusly. But you
| are so cold so unlike your old self, Hester
/ that [ could not just take it for an answer
| to what [ came to ask Did MillY tel
you that yesterday-for have learned tC
| love the little girl dearly-Hester Hes.
| ter What have l said? What is the
matterl
hated, despised myself for the weak.
ness, but the mortal struggle Of yesterday
was not done yet. / could not hear this
man, whom I had loved so long, so deep
| ly, avow to my face his transferred affec-
| ton to my sister and be unmoved. Invol-
UNFAIRLY I grasped the arm of my chaiI
/ for support for my life seemed fading
| from me in the struggle. He bent over
me, he lifted my faint head on to his
broad breast, but l shrank from him
feebly.
1T is nothing I am often faint ]
am quite well again. You were saying
yes. 60 on Mr.. Sutherland.
II was saying-ah, Hester. think
| need no-go -on-You are so changed, my
dear" he said, looking down at me with
sorrowful perplexity. We'll, we'll, Milll
led me on to hope; but ought to have
! known better. You never cared for ms
| in the beginning as / did for you"
Surely, surely, that bygone ought tC
be bygone new, I cried bitterly,
If you say that, it ought indeed" h
| answered turning from me but l tOlC
you then, Hester, that l should neve
forget you aud from something Mill.
said, and your remaining unmarried,
was wild enough to dream-to hope
Something light that dazzled n.
poor eyes-was breaking in upon me a
Marx !' said I, what did you eomt
here to-day to ask me ?'
''The same question that [ asked eigh
years ago by the stream in the marshes
Hester, I have dGne with India ; I am n
longer a poor man, and I want the wo
man have always loved Hester. is thi
true2 Is she mine at last p
For long time, I think, after this, "
forgot the existence Of any one besiG
ourselves. Then [ told Mark the littl
game of cross purposes we had been play
|, ing. His incredulous wonder that
could imagine that he had ever though
ofany one but me, touched me to tn
heart.
have put her off with the reversion of tn
/, heart No, when she marries, may sh
{ be what you are, Hester-her husband
first love and his last"