Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-01-19

minutes since but did not zee You were
YOU sueis SPEAK ,a i I ma youy lo1si5. Edwa16
Gervayse on the stairs. tits well, think,
that h6 has ret0rueds care To ten you
that lave taxed the box ut NE tKS15re fol
to-mo956w Night. and1 hopeyo and CIars
and Edward Gervayse will come. And
now, my dear, as have an engagement 1t
six, | shall leave you. God hless you,
Edith" And Mr.. Jeffery Whs gone.
Yes, he had only been IN the room few
minutes but those few minutes, how much
had they tsh9hs himi He saw hall now.
Fool, blind that he was, only now TO know
what he should have known 30 long before
only now TO have perceived that when
Edith Winthrop had Tromised to bscdgne
his wife, II was gratitude, not love, which
had shaped her ansWersns*O Ned + O,my
love, my love-" Yes, he had heard those
words uttered, he knew all their meaning
Mr.. Jeffrey had uttered q very venial
kind of falsehOod when he had mentioned
an engagement at six. He walked slowly
and sadly home to his lonely chambers
and he spent q cad evening in meditating
with himself. He knew now the happi-
ness which love might bring with t-hap-
of any other kind but it was too late. But
there was other happiness Of another kind.
1t was not too late for that fsiQ Il!
III.
Mr. Jeffery had sent his carriage for the
party from Lily Lodge, with, a message
that be would meet them In the box. They
were all TO- come; indeed they all had
come--the two Miss Winthrops and Ed
ward Gervayse. But when they reached
the box, No. II, first tier, at the Theseum
Theatre, Mr.. Jeffrey was not waiting to
receive them. A note, however, in Mr.
Jeffery's handwriting was placed in Miss
Winthrops hand as she entered the box.
She opened it; IL was short, and ran thus :
"MY DEAR EDITH--1 know now that
was mistaken from the first. God forgive
me, and you forgive me toe. had hoped,
my dariing-I must still call You that-and
thought that you might have been my wife,
and that your blessed bright face might
have cheered my fast darkenlng and clos
ing days. But 1t was not to be. I was
wrong in thinking it ever could be- ]
love you too well, my darling, to stand be-
tween you and your happiness. was
blind. only knew yesterday that you
loved your cousin, Edward 0ervayse. To
your cousin1 give You You will have from
me everything that you would have had
Of worldly wealth had you been my wife.
May God bless you, and have for you and
your husband many happy days in store!
.asas lLea aas sga JAMES JEFFERY.
up. ST. shall Join you later at the the
atre. tonight" s5fas 60 ~
3 That was all. The words were not
many, but the characters were traced In
the blood of that true mans heart. And
Edith well knew the struggle, nay, the
agony, whichait must have cost him; and
knowing this, knew also how to estimate
the nobility Of the sacrifice. She handed
the note to Edward Gervayse, and its pllr-
port was communicated to Clara '"Hs ~
Il always thought he would cry off,
remarked that light-hearted young lady.
"All men are Hts, e re 49,. ~ 80
Not long afterwards, Mr.. Jefery came
into the box lie shook Edward Gervayse
warmly by the hand, and seemed to be in
excellent spirits. But he soon excused
himself, as before, on the ground Of an
engagement.
As may be conjectured, Miss Winthrop
Is now Mrs. Gervayse; Mr.. Jeffrey still
lives in his chambers and this is a true
account of the only love, affair which he
ever had.-EagIish Society. .,,.,.g s.