The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-03-03
MIR. JEFFERY'S LOVE AFFAIR.

so absurd y
" 1t is all very we'll, Edith, to say
nonsense but have eyes, and ! can
use them and if ever there was case
Of"
Here the fair speaker was interrupted
once more by her sister, Miss Winthrop
for sisters they We're. When one
young lady informs another young lady
that she is talking nonsense, and enters
protest against her absurdity, it may
be taken for granted that the subject of
conversation is matrimony, proXimate
or remote, in the background and that
the impeachment rebutted with so pref
ty show Of indignation is what some
people arc fond of describing rs the
gentle passion"
son my word, Edith, the match would
be highly eligible one" remarked Miss
Clara, with indefatigable pertinacity.
"The table of prohibited atfinities will
not, it is true, allow young lady to
elope with her grandfather but it says
nothing about the improperly of being
led to the altar by gentleman old
enough to be ones grandfather. Good
ness gracious!" spasmodically calculated
the voluble and versatile young lady,
surfing up 10 VIC NlIl'NON bhNlN
Strephon himself, in the person of our
most respectable and elderly benelactor,
coming up to the door. ! shall be of,
Edith"
"Clara, | wonder how YOU can"
But before the remonstrnnce was spoken
further, Miss clara Winthrop had flashed
from the room.
1t was u pretty little house, Lily
Lodge, Hampstead. and the Miss Win
throps were two very pretty girls-one
fair, thoughtful, with deep blue eyes,
that were all gentleness, who never
spoke a word Of reckless mcrriment,
never uttered syllable which could
wound the feelings of others Clara, the
Younger, a dark, merry brunette, with
laughing eyes and laughing teeth, all
Joy and thoughtlessne~. Never were
sisters more unlike, and yet,
Though both unlike. they still are like in this
They both are roses
"The two roses" was indeed name
which the two had obtained among
their friends. Two years ago the Miss
Winthrops occupied one Of the largest
houses in Hyde Park Gardens, and Clara
Winthrop was anticipating with eager
Joy the delights and designations of her
first season out. But the financial basis
upon which the Hyde Park mansion of
the Winthrop family rested was in the
city, and in an unlucky moment Mr.
Winthrop's city speculations failed and
the Hyde Park mansion, so far as con-
Germs the family in whom we are now
interested, fell to the ground. Mr..
Winthrop himself did not long survive
his misfortune. Long, protracted anx-
iety had told severely upon his system,
and when he was broken financially, he
discovered that he was shattered phys-
cally.
On Mr.. Winthrop's death there was
scarcely any provision left for his widow
and his two daughters, Edith and Clara.
Thew were casting about in sore per-
plexitv what to do, when Mr.. Jeffery-a
gentleman somewhat more than middle
aged, who owed much of his present
good fortune to Mr.. Winthrop's season.
able help and influence in days gone by
came to Mrs. Winthrop, 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 SER
vice he could. Mr.. Jeffrey had, he
said, Just the house for Mrs. Winthrop
and her daughters, his own; but it was
now without tenant; and till Mrs.
Winthrop saw anything which suited
her better, he must request her to occu-
py it, The house in question was Lily
Lodge, Hampstead. And there Mrs.
Winthrop and her two daughters, with
a nephew a sailor who had just returned
tfo,, 70
with the family, were staying.
Miss Clara Winthrop was quite correct
in giving her sister to understand that
Mr.. Jeffrey was approaching. In a 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:
~ am sorry, Mr.. Jeffrey, mamma is
not feeling very well to-day but will
90 and 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 a few words with YOU alone.
Nav have them, Edith p
Miss Winthrop knew well what was
coming 1t was not the first time, if the
truth is to be told, that Mr. Jeffrey had
come to see Edith alone. Clara, as it
happened was quite right; there was a
great deal more in her impeachment
than her sister had chosen or had seemed
to allow. She had known it for long
time and Mr.. Jeffrey had for 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
preast-feelings of whose existence he
had never dreamt. 1t is not true that
sentiments which are long repressed
must cease eventually to exist. On the