The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-03-03

old mans eye than any form which he
had ever beheld.
edith, my dear, you know what
am going to say TO you p
And Edith Winthrop bowed her head,
for she knew full well.
If YOU wish me not to speak, |
promise you / will never speak it
again"
But Edith wished him, she said, to
speak.
"You know" he went on, show dear,
how inexpressibly dear you have become
to me. God knows, my darling, if you
| become nv wife, | will do all that NOR
tai can for your happiness. When |
spoke to you last, you asked me to wait
fortnight. That fortnight is passed
it is two weeks ago to-day. Am | too
punctual, Edith Nay, | will wait till
you tell me-"
"Mr. Jeffrey" was the reply, in low
voice, "nothing | can do can ever sufii-
GENTLY thank you for-can ever show
how grateful | am-for all your more
than kindness. We owe it to you that
we still have mother living. The
! shock which came upon her at poor
papas misfortune first, and then his
! death, would have utterly overcome her,
had it not been for what you have done.
! You ask me, do | love you? You know
that we all love you very, very rauch,
! indeed But"
And here Edith was silent. What was
she to say? How was she to proceed =?
She had said she loved Mr.. Jetery, and
she had spoken the strict truth but
was il a love which a wife should bear
toward her husband? And yet could
husband ever be found more noble,
more selfdenying? And as she thought
of this, the burden OF the old song
"An old mans darling," same into her
mind.
"Then. Edith, will you be my wife :?
This is the question | came to ask you
to-day; will you answer it now p
Then came the answer in a low tone
at is not much Of a return, but such
as can give you | do give you
"Thank you, my darling" was the
answer. And the old man kissed the
forehead of his fair young love. " Do
not talk about return you have given
me more than ! can ever deserve You
have made me, Edith, happier than |
ever was before in my life"
1t was all settled between Mr.. Jeffery
and Edith-had, indeed, been under.
stood from the very frst-thero was to
be no break up in the family at Lily
Lodge. The Lodge they were, indeed,
to leave; but they were all going to be
together at Mr. Jeffery's new house in
the country, about twenty miles from
London.
The young sailor cousin, Edward Ger
vavse-Ned, as he was always called
had been called suddenly away from
Hampstead the very day after the
events Just mentioned had occurred
before Edith had time, or perhaps the
inclination, to proclaim the new rela-
tons which she and Mr.. Jefery mutu-
ally occupied. Ned Gervayse was once
more at Lily Lodge to spend his Christ
mas. Since he had been away he had
come in for a slice Of luck, to use his
own expression. The commandership
of post guard station had fallen va
cant, and the post had been offered to
him.
Mr. Edward Gervayse arrived at Lily
Lodge in the very highest spirits. He
was a young gentleman of impulsive
temperament, and he determined that,
on the strength of his promotion, he
would make certain declaration, in
terms as explicit as the English Ian.
guage permitted, to certain young
lady. Practically he considered that
declaration had already been made.
Edward Gervayse had never told his
cousin Edith Winthrop that he loved
her; he had deemed such an expression
of sentiment to be superhuous but
Edith, he felt convinced, was per-
fectly we'll aware of the real state OF
the case.
1t was the day before Christmas Eve
and they were busily decking the small
rooms at Lily Lodge with holly and
mistletoe. Edward Gervayse had only
Just arrived; Clara was out, but Edith
was awaiting his arrival, up stairs.
There was little struggle carried on
underneath a piece of shrub which the
ancient Druids used to-as the modern
housemaid does-worship. But Edward
at once saw, from the serious look upon
his cousins face, that she was in a seri-
Gus humor.
Edward, DEAR" she said, :" ! am so
glad have been the first to see you for
| should not like you to have heard
what | have to tell you from any other
lips than mine"
"Stay," said Ned Gervayse "let mo
tell you first what have to say"
And Ned attempted to repeat the
cousinly salute; but his lips paused in
mid air. He was sorely puzzled at
Edth's strange, absent, fearful look
but he went on, told her everything
told her of the luck which had befallen
him, and why he esteemed it luck
told her how often he had longed
plainly to ask her, as he did now, to be
his wife, but how till now he had de.
layed, because he felt it would be wrong
) told her
But Edith Winthrop burst into tears
Ned, dearest" she said, ait cannot
be-"
And then Edith Winthrop told Ed
ward Gervayse everything.