The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1871-03-23
AZ ~ FspEEEEsh &

In the farthest corner Of the great hall
quite lost i'm the immense space, Oh
seeming to serve only asa stand fol
statues and fragrant flowers, was the
staircase. And at its head, In a tiny
room, that held only u little CRATE, a
long book case, writing desk, aud two
or three chairs, sat Miss Hepsey, trying,
poor soul, to lose herself in an absorbing
story.
ooh! here you are. Coming down
soon?" said Mrs. Pond, suddenly put,
ting her head i'm ut the door.
"Not again to night, thank you, Mrs.
Pond, If you will excuse me. I am not
much accustomed to company, and as l
shall not be missed, I would prefer stay
ing here" replied Miss Hepsey.
"But you arc missed" returned Mrs.
Pond emphatically. II hope you will
think better Of it and como down again
presently"
Then she disappeared, and directly re-
appeared at Mr.. Stackpole's elbow.
"Yoa find those prints all you expect
ed, do you not, Miss Converse % said
she to the young lady in blue, who was
now looking enthusiastic instead of for
lorn. "And, Mr.. Stackpole, she added
careless'y 'you will find what you
spoke of wishing to see, in the little
green study at the head of the stairs.
You know the room go right in"
Mr.. Stackpole hardly waited for Mrs.
Pond to finish her sentence before he
was pressing up the stairway like man
who had heard fire alarm from his
own box; but he feared all the while he
should open the door at the top into dead
space. '4&s J" dF ".'@ .=-
No, there she still sat, in real, tangi.
BILE presence. She had thrown down
the story in despair and taken up book
of sermons that opened of itself to this
sentence
1--WE should interpret the conduct of
our friends, not by what it seems to be,
but by what, from their character, we
have reason to think it ought to to be-"
"Wise hearted preacher" thought
Hepsey, and raising her eyes looked into
the face of Mr.. Stackpole, who was
standing before her.
'Hepsibah ~ said he softly, holding
out his hand for hers. "Ah, Hepsi-
bah !"
The old name that she had hardly
heard for years The name lie had
called her by; how it thrilled her
bringing to full life again the buried
shadowy host of hopes, and loves, aud
yearnings! They started up; sudden,
unlocked for, and sublime, like the old
dead Incas thrown up in the great earth
quake; but not like them, withered and
past reviving.
"You have not forgotten the letter !
wrote you before l went to Portland
Hepsibah The letter and the question
I asked in it twelve years ago?' Mr.
Stackpole entreated in tone tender
and tremulous, holding fast her hand
in dread lest she should vanish once
more.
"Sir?n
80 Hepsibah it was only this even.
ing | got your answer
"Mr. Stackpole !"
"Only this evening, Hepsibah After
twelve years waiting! Yes, it came al
last; have it; here it isn'
"Mr. Stackpole! My letterw
"Hour precious letter, Hepsibah. II
has been lying all these years in Sister
Lucy's writing desk. Fred Tracy
brought me the desk yesterday, and jus,
before coming here tonight l opened il
and looked over the contents. Away in
one corner, slipped carelessly into an
old package of papers, was this, with the
seal unbroken."
"Lucy must have taken it out of the
office" stammcred Hepsey.
"Yes, suppose so, and in her careless
way locked it into her desk and forgo
it. 1t must have come while 1 was a,
Island Pond. 1t was so like Lucy, the
dear, needless child!"
Hepsibah's face was full Of amaze
but there was also tender light in it
very sweet to Hiram Stackpole's eyes.
II am going to repeat that old ques
ton tonight said he softly, land
shall hold you to the same answer, Hep
sibah. y
"The same answer" repeated she
half unconciously.
The same question and the same an
swer! And the years chat had come be
tween were like tale when is is told
Then the full moon, looking in at tn
oriel window, shone again upon the on
bit Of Eden that was shut outside tn
garden with the first lovers.
Miss Dillon did think better of il, >
and went down again presently" bu
this time she did not stand Ivy the crush
ed curtain alone.
"You did not prepare me to find you
friend Miss Dillon so pretty said some
ton Of face aud manner.
"She is quite beautiful, Think re
piled Mrs. Pond, turning to look at her
but really I had not observed it be
fore" added she to herself.
And really SHE had not had the reaso,
before. A change had come over Hep
sibah. The look of patient pain had fad
| ed away from her gentle face, and in it
place was the radiant peacefulaess of
crowned martyr. And
! "PygmalionS statue never seemed
More changed with life than she with love.
| ----> >------
/ k4En .s.-r..f ..tss-a r
A little girl ip West Virginia, busil.
engaged in working pair. Of slipper