Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-03-15
Mr.. Jeifery's Love Affair.

NVhaehsc NlaIa HOW can You be e
absurd ?"
" 1t is all very well, Eltb, to say non
sense" but have eyes, and can use them
and if ever there was a case of --n
Here the fair speaker was interrupted
once more by her sister, Miss Winthrop, fol
sisters they were When one young lady ia.
forms another young lady that she is talking
nonsense, and enters a protest against hen
absurdity, it may be taken for granted thai
the subject Of conversation is matrmony
proximato or remote in the background
aud that the impeachment Tebutted with SC
pretty show Of indignation is what some
people are fond of describing as the gentle
passion
&" On my word, Edith, the match would be
highly eligible one" remarked Miss Clara
with indelatigablc pertiuacity ." The table
Of prohibited afinities will not, it is true
allow young lady to elope with her grand.
father but it says nothing about the impro-
priety Of being led to the altar by gentle.
man old enough to be ones grandiathcr.-
" Goodness gracious - spasmodically ejacu
lated the yoluble and versatile young lady
STARTING up to the window there's Strephon
himself, in the person Of our most respecta-
bic and elderly beuefaetor, coming up to the
door. shall be off, Edith
Clara, wonder how you can -
but before the remonstrancc was spoken
further, Miss Clara Winthrop had flashed
from the room.
1t was pretty little house, Lily Lodge
Hampstead, and the Miss Winthrops were
two very pretty girls, one fair, thoughtful
with deep blue eyes, that We're all gentle.
ness who never spoke word Of rockies.
merriment, never uttered syllable which
could wound the feelings of others Clara,
the younger, dark, merry brunette, with
laughing eyes and laughing teeth, all JOY and
thoughtessness. Never were sisters more
unlike, and yet,
Though both unlike, they .tl are like in this
They both are roses"
1.-The two roses" was, indeed, name which
the pair had obtained among their friends.
| Two years ago the Miss Winthrops occupied
one Of the largest houses in Hyde park gar
dens, and Clara Winthrop was anticipating
with eager JOY the delights and dissipations
of her first season out. But the financial ba.
sis upon which the Hyde park mansion of the
Winthrop family rested was in the city, and
in an unlueky moment Mr., Wnthrop's city
specuations failed; and the Hyde park man.
sion, so far as concerns the family in whom
we are now interested fell to the ground.
MIR. Winthrop himself, did not long survive
his misfortune. Long, protracted anxiety had
told severely upon his system and when he
was broken financially, be discovered that he
was shattered physically
On Mr.. Winthrop's death there was scarcely
any provision left for his widow aud his two
daughters, Edith and Clara They were cast
ing about in sore perploxity what to do,
when Mr.. Jeifery--a gentleman somewhat
more than middle-aged, who owed much oil
his present good fortune to Mr. Winthrop
seasonable help and influence in days gone by
came to Mrs. Winthrop's, and claiming the
privilege Of an old friend of her husband, and
one who owed more to her husband than he
could ever repay, begged to be allowed to be
of what service he could. Mr. Jeifery had,
he said, just the house for Mrs Winthrop and
her daughters, his own but it was now with.
out a tenant and till Mrs. Winthrop saw
anything which suited her better, ho must re.
qnest her to occupy it, The house in qucs-
tion was Lily Lodge, Hampstead. And there
Mrs Winthrop and her two daughters, with
a nephew, sailor who had just returned from
five years cruise, great iavorte with the
family, were staying.
Miss Clara Winthrop was quite correct in
giving her sister to understand that Mr.. Jef-
fiery was approaching. In few minutes he
was announced and as Edith rose to receive
him, blush came across that fair face, and
there was a slight tremor in her voice, as she
said
i am so sorry, Mr. Jeifary, mamma is
not feeling very well to-day; but will 90
aud tell her you are here"
And Edith Winthrop was on the point Of
leaving the room.
my dear" was the reply, "do not
trouble yourself. Glad as | always am to
see your mamma, came here to-day to have
few words with you alone. May have
them, Edith o.
Miss Winthrop knew well what was COM
ing. 1t was not the first time, if the truth
is to be told, that Mr.. Jeh'cry had come to
see Edith alone Clara, as it happened, was
quite right; there was great deal more in
her impeachment than her sister had chosen
or had seemed to allow. She had known it
for long time add Mr.. JeiTery had for a
long time, too, taken no pains to conceal what
his feelings were toward the daughter Of his
old friend. In all his life, till now, he had
never known what it was to love. Perhaps
he had no time for love. His years had been
spent in work, work, work. He had made
for himself no home he had no family
And now that he could allow himself some
pause, he had suddenly discovered well.
spring of new feelings in his breast, feelings
of whose existence he had never even dreamt.
1t is not true that sentiments which are long
repressed must cease eventually to exist. On
the contrary, it is this mere fact Of repression
which often causes them to assert themselves.
though late, as strongly as they do, Mr.. JEFF
fiery was what some persons might call an old
man yet no youth, not that lad Of fve.and-
twenty who had just come from sea, could
have been more heart and soul wrapped up in
Edith Winthrop. Gradually she had be.
come part and parcel of his very exist
ence, the sunshine and gladness of his life
When he left her, he felt blank in his OK.
istence, and that blank was not filed up till
he saw her again. And Edith knew all this,
knew Of the old mans love knew, too, of
other love for her, and of her love for some
,ne else. Not that she did not indeed love
MIR. Jeiiery. " For tho matter Of that"
Edith had said often enough to herself so
love mamma"
On this afternoon, bright December
lay, Mr.. Jeiiery took chair close to Edith
Winthrop's side, Yes, she was very beauti-
'ul, more beautiful to the old mans eye than
my form which he had ever heheld.
" Edith, my dear, you know what am
,oing to say to you Y
And Edith Winthrop bowed her head, for I
he knew full we'll. u