South-eastern Independent. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1871-1871, 1871-07-28

e had risen and was sauntering toward
him, when the door was opened and a
n familiar face looked in upon u.s."
: "Pennie, Pennie, darling Fancy never
] coming to meet me-" Walter cried,
throwing down his hat and coming for
!, ward, grand and handsome in the glow
s ing sunshine. 'Pennie, darling, here /
9 am" And he was close beside her, his
arms open to receive her.
! She gave one look into his face, so swift
that she only seemed TO have moved her
eyes from the garden into the room.
5 Where areyou going, Scot?" she said:
Q PLEASE don't go away. This is your
? room, not ours. l am going myself when
5 l have spoken to you and Walter"
r "Pennie, are you angry, darling?" whis-
pered Walter.
"No, not at ALL" she answered, moving
from him and standing beside the table at
which Scot had sat down again. "I can
not now make myself feel even angry
with you, Walter"
THANK you. Thank you, DEAR" he
said, joyfully. "CoRe out with me. 1
want to tell you how it was"
"Tell me here" she answered very
quietly.
That's hardly fair" he complained
with reason, tho ught,, but, of course,
L
was really so ILL.," -.s-
al told you," replied Pennie, still more
buietly. ...t --
"Yes, you did say So" replied Walter,
looking for the first time little nervous
and anxious; but knew she was always
fanciful, and thought this was one of her
false alarms. You ought to be sorry for
me, Pennie. Thought you would feel for
me in this grief"
She did not look into the face, where |
was shade of real grief; and he went on |
passionstely in her silen:e.
"Pennie, want to speak to you. Come |
away. Why do you stay here"
Because" she said, moving little, and |
laying her hand on the back of Scots
chair, because would rather speak here.
Scot will listen to me; and teach me once
again-teach me what to do"
She paused for few moments. Walter,
leaning against the table, looked down
upon her in astonishment.
"Scot, if l have learned that have made
great, great mistake in thinking that /
loved your brother more than-any one
else, isn't it best and kindest to tell him so
now, before it is too late"
Scot did not answer her, and she repeat
ed the question, her beautiful eyes child
like in their pleading.
Would it be right 10 tell bin so, Scot,
OF go on in the falsehoodT
Fright to tell him So" answered Scot,
in tones low and quiet.
"Then Walter" she said, raising her
face to him as it flushed and paled rapidly,
I" / will tell you of my mistake now, before
your brother and my own. There were
once two gifts of love within my reach
and the one which my eager, ignorant
hand gTasped, because it seemed most
bright and winning to my dazzled eye, was
not the one which could satisfy my heart. ,
l did not understand either then l was as ,
powerless to feel the deep self-forgetful-
ness of the one as the shallow selfshness ,
heart, Walter, cannot hide its disappoint-
ment Some day myself shall be old and /
suffering, peIhaps-fanciful, too, dare {
say; those who give much love, to win
but little in return, often are-and / should ,
not like TO feel that when summoned you {
to my dying bed you would not heed the J
summons ! should not like all through /
my life to pour out a wealth of love on one :
who could laugh at me for the exacting !
intensity of the gift. And so l am very, :
very grateful have read this in my heart :
before it was toolate." /
"This is nonsense, Pennie," interrupted
Walter, with aforced smile. Come and I
let me explain to you" t
"You have done so,' Pennie said, still d
with her hand on Scots chair, and still @
with her eyes clear and undrooping "You
have explained 1t all to me during the last a
few weeks. Now 1t is my turn, and l am u
trying to do so only it seems as if could I
not say much even now of what is in my a
own heart. Your mother had a faithful, t
careful nurse, Walter, in all her illness; v
and by him no duty was neglected, no
pleasure sought. Charlie, did Scot seek n
his own pleasure? did he fail in any of O
his duties, through all the time that Wal Il
ter was securing his own pleasure cease .
lessly, and failing in this one chief duty?' G
"Not one" she repeated, the little hand
tight on his chair, but her face never
turned to Scot. {" Not one. Did any re-
membrance of this pain weaken his
hand, or chill his heart? Did it, Char s,
liep ....- ii
"Never," 1 said again, looking for v v
into Walters vexed and moody z
face. e
"Never," she repeated. "Did any one n
thought of himself make him shrink from il
his duty to you, Charlie, because made it A,
better to him? or from his duty to his 81
mother, because she blamed him always &
lie alone" W
"Not one
"Walter, the love of such heart is a is
prize to be grateful for through all years oI
ind through all years will be grateful !"
hat once this prize was mine. Scot, dear h,
Scot, you have taught me all the little
hat know; teach me what to do now
hat my heart is hungering wearily for cl
iuch love as that from which turned In
Iway not long ago" feT e -' to
Not word did Scot answer, while his SC
ace was hidden in his hands. W
al am waiting for your answer, Scot" lii
The hand that had been on his chair m
oosened its hold; the little standing tr
igure slipped down and kneeled upon the st
lOor beside him; and both hands were "
aid upon the tremulous white fingers la
PRESSED so tightly in his hair. ht
"Look, Scot, how l am waiting for ht
our answer" she breathed. az have ds
lever been obedient to you before, much pt
s you have taught me; but / am waiting pl
o obey you now"
What face il was that her gentle touch th
I could hardly bear to look up W
N it in its wondering, bewildered Joy for la
t told so plainly of the anguish that had
'een lived through. Pennies low cry
,urst involuntarily from her shaking lips
Fhen she saw it.
40, Scot, forgive me for it alll'' mi
With the angry scarlet burning in his GO
ace, Walter left the room. 1 have pc
ot seen him since. He writes to nj
ne occasionally-short,g gay, selfish letters; tn
ut month after month he delays his COM mi
1g home, and the house at Easter Hill re- ca
lains without its master. For some time an
cot lived there alone, settling Walters su
fairs for him, and still coming to me for gr
Id morning studies, but Scot has won his ws
ONE now. Yesterday he was chosen for ge
be new headmaster of the Essterwood WI
irammsr School; and it is the youngest CO
eadmaster who had been elected for ful
entury, they say. Tonight We are ex.
Getting him back from Cambridge, and of
'ennie is standing at the window watch tai
,g for him, the evening sunshine hnger- tn
lg on her bright head, and another rest sci
Il, happy sunshine in her eyes. Earnestly ar
o 1 know that the restive little pupil who de
sed TO give him so much pain has given -
i'm now a deeper and more gladdening