Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-02-03

ming over with welcome, ana The louth'
lul look flashing back to her lacer giving
momentary glimpse Of her departed
freshness ard bloom.
.Shr must have been beauty" th"'t
Nh Fred, settling himself on the back
seat beside her, sill carefully holding the
odd looking box on his knee. 81 uso'! I"
wonder Mt Stackpolc's choice. but ! can
see now how she must have changed
Are You going back to Portland,
Frcd?" asked Hcpscy, the caroworn look
returning to her face.
Yes; I've ruSticatcd three days. and
that is all can spare. I'm in Stackpolc''
store" added he carelessly. "Aheml
believe he is IN old acquaintance OF
yours happened to mention once that
| had cousins at Poolevillc, and then he
asked me ii 1 knew Il lady there by the
ranlc of Ilepsibah Dillon
"Aht" :"
A queer little sparkle shot out Of Hep.
sey's eyes. 1t might have bceG pleasure,
it might have been pain,
Yes. lie was very particular TO in
quirc Just how YOU were situated. And
the other day heard, through Martha
Jane. that YOU were coming to the city.
! so just mentioned it To him. Shall |
bring him around TO call? Let's sec, |
believe YOU arc II be At DR.. Pond's?"
I-l-it is quite uncertain where |
! shall be- Some of The time over nj the
Cape, perhaps. But you,-ycs, YOU
might call,
A. lIcpScy delivered herself OF this in-
coherent sentence, she twisted her fingers
nervon,ly, but her habilual stailneSS
and self possession did mol desert her. In
spite Of her years of hardship aud loneli-
ness. she was lady still, let the brown
alptca fade Is it might.
At last with the usual flourish and en-
crgctic CRYING out at the horses. the stage
drew up at the depot, and in five minutes
IIcpscv WAS on her way TO Portland and
to her fate The car was crowded that
morning. so Fred Tracy. with his box,
WAS Obliged Ia take a seat beside lIepscy
She wasa person given to thinking rather
than talking. AMI his rattle OF ilippant
com nonplaccS. with IL favor "f Youthful
cgo,iSm. was becoming decidedly tire
some. whom he inciluntIly rem rsed:
'Sackpoe is going tn be miyricd, 80
they say. To Miss Cum1~rltnd. dlugh.
ter OF one OF The richest E,en in the city
dni't know CDr nv oNn part. Is there
i 4 word of truth in i. but that is the
talk among the boys"
indeed" rcrli,d HepScy, feeling call
cd upon 10 sp"ak, and feeling. also an
unwclcomc warmth of hidden life among
The rank c'nbcrS of her heart.
Yes he has beer Known to look Mt
hcr oft the lett corner OF his eye, ne.
lievc, .wo Or three times and am not sure
but Ee WAS seen once tn pick up her scarf
when she dropped il in the store, and rc.
luin it with bow. Bat really, whether
ltcrl i, anything in hi, OF not, haze a
ways wondered why Sucl,pplc has never
married IIc is certainly domealic in hi
tastes" pursued young Tracy, who. quite
unlike every other DIn, had Il grain of
curiosity in his organization, and, if he
had spoken out all his mind, would have
gone on 10 wonder why Mr.. S.ackpolc
nad not married Miss Hepscy dozen
Yeas before" While lIcpsey herself,
with the tokens on her Lace of having
come off victor in great many battles OF
lie. looked, without replying, al the box
that innocenlly he'll the turning OF her
destiny.
"Engagcd," :" thought She. II am not
surprised. The only wondcris, As Fred
says. that such thing has never happens
cd before"
But all the same, there was 4 Sudlen
chill 1T her heart, as if black frost had
crept in upon some tender buds OF hope
that had long been lying undeyelopcd and
unSu>pe cIed in The shade.
Engaged The girl is young, no
doubt, anG beautiful"
Then. as Fred Tracy ratified on, in
time with the noisy wheels, Hcpsss lho'Is
flew back ward 10 the days when she her.
sell had been Young and beautiful Hiram
had loved her then. there could DC no
doubt of that. His looks had said il a
thousand times. and even il looks and
tones. AMI signs ard inlimations had been
all at fault, had he not tod her all lis
heart" in written language, strong and
unmisiakablc
She would never forget that lcttcy. lor
il WAS the last he ever wrote. Not !or
lack of response ou her part No. Sic
had written Immediately, and there had
been no equiyocation in heI answer. She
could repeat the sentences now, with
every comma and semicolon in its proper
place.
And then lhc sweet expectation that
had rested over her through DAYS and
weeks. and even months, until hope dc.
ierrcd had made her heart sick llcne,"
er came; and il her letter said too
much. or if he suddenly discovered he
had mistaken his own feelings, she never
knew.
Some what less than year after this,
Mr.. Stackpolc's si.tel Lucy. who had