Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-11-03

there are better things about to-day than
cakes"
mot better than this one" said Lucy,
!" for made it myself"
"Ah, Welt" said Mr. Lansdcn, on that
score perhaps our visitor will have piece,
though doubt if he has much appetite. !"
:" A visitor" exclaimed Lucy; "who is
it: Are Anna and her husband come after
alls"
No, it is neither of them, but some one
you viii be very glad to see," replied her
father
"I-oh, you must tell me, papa-I can't
guess"
Instead Of the immediate answer Lucy
expected, her father took the knife from
her hand, ond leading her to the couch he
stood for moment looking down into her
face with an earnest gaze which she could
not understand, saying al last, in voice
tremulous with emotion, I" Lucy, my own
dear little daughter, you have been brave
and patient under sorrow, the greatest,
perhaps, that can befall girl. Do YOU
think you could be equally courageous and
bear the excitement if some great good
were to happen to your
| II think / could make that promise,
| papa, quite safely, for / cannot imagine
anything that could concern me much"
My darling, don't say that why, Lucy,
| believe you will be the happiest girl alive.
There, I'd give hundred pounds to have
1t told, and see that it had done her no
harm" said Mr. Lansden to himself, and
then he continued aloud, "Ill tell you
what it is, Lucy, I'll give you diamond
bracelet if you'll guess quietly (mind,
quietly y who it is that is waiting for you
in the library"
We'll, papa dear, you must give me
"Clue," said her father; 81 don't see
how could do that without telling you
outright. Howeyer-now mind if you
scream or faint, or make yourself in the
least bit i'll, you shall be shut up in your
own room for the rest of the day; but if
this;' and very cautiously Mr..
Lansden touched his daughters black
dress.
Lucy looked at her father for a
moment as if in vain trying to understand
him, and then her white face growing still
whittier, she whispered, Papa, it is i'm
possible-it cannot be Georgeg"
"But it can be, and it is, pussy" said
her father.
Almost before the words were uttered,
Lucy had freed herself from her fathers
embrace and darted from the room and
of the intense happiness of the meeting
between the lovers, We leave our readers
to judge.
OF all the happy family parties as
sembled that Christmas Day there could
scarcely have been one as happy as that of
which George Rylston had SO Unexpectedly
become member; and tears of gladness
rose to Mrs Lansden's eyes when Lucy
came down to dinner with face on which
faint flush already appeared, and with
her black dress exchanged for a white one
with blue ribbons.
| Naturally the conversation turned upon
| the mistake that had caused SO much grief;
but of all present Lucy seemed least inter
ested; and when George laughingly child
her for being an Indifferent Desdemona,
and for caring very little for his "hair
breadth 'scapes,' she replied that she could
understand nothing yet but that he was
back again with her; whereupon Mr.. Lans-
den called her selfish little puss at
which George laughingly assured him that
there was very little to relate.
"The time / spent in india" said he,
"was quiet and unintercsting. l had
| good deal Of hard work and very little
pleasure; for though my uncle was kind, he
was just trifle exacting, land besides had
motive for industry, 50 must say | was
surprised when at his death all his property
was found to have been left to me- After
that, my sole thought was to return to
England as soon as possible, and | made all
necessary arrangements for my passage in
the OberOn but the evening before it
sailed-the evening on which wrote that
letter, LUCY was fairly knocked up, and
the next morning when Fred Gordon, the
poor fellow who took my place, came in to
bid me goodbye, was too i'll to move
Much as rebelled against what was in
evitable, l was forced to yield; and Fred,
when he had ragged about like an earth.
quake and when he had tried too late to
! get passage to England in the Oberon,
begged me to let him take my place. Icon
sented; and not knowing how long it
might be before should be able to write,
gave him my letter, and told him your ad-
dress, and left him to explain matters
How true he was to his trust you know
already"
Georges voice had grown somewhat
husky while he spoke of his lost friend,
and it was only after long pause that he
could proceed.
II was dangerously i'll for many weeks
and there was no one with me who knew
anything of my English friends. AS soon
as l was able to write, thought was able
to travel; and-well, perhaps was little
hurt that no one cared enough for me to
answer my letter so / started for Eng
land, and you don't want to be told the
rest"
"Thc part that puzzles me, though" OBJ
served Mr.. Landsen, lis that Mr.. Wheeler S
description of your unfortunate friend re-
sembled you"
swell, said George, 1--WE were sufficiently
alike in height, the color of our hair and
so on, to make a strangers description APP
pear similar. What are you thinking of so
deeply, Lucys",
"Only-only-that my happiness is
bought with some one else's pain"
Lucy's spoken thought hushed the circle
into solemn silence; but so it is that Ma
lures balance of Joy and sorrow is righted !;
and amidst the clash of the Christmas
bells was heard the dirge Of the waves, as
they rolled upon on the shore of the quiet
seaside village, where Fred Gordon had
found grave.