Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1871-06-21

"NNeNAtuH ~ rhl TAiAi iAfth VI Hffl tluuHuA
Of him--lii,le dreamed that they were
by a single street only,
How had these long years passed with
Edith ?
YEARLY, sadly, repentanily.
She realized her great loss when the
discovery was made that her lover had
really gone, TO return no more, for then
she knew that he had been truly loved by
her.
1t was a great mistake to triae with
true, noble heart, and great was the pun
ishment aud grief that followed.
Many offered her a heart aud home,
but she rejected all, for she had given her
heart TO another.
An invitation from a friend to visit
Washington brought her very near the
object Of her FIRST affection.
At the opera, one evening, as Cousin
Helen was directing the attention of EAith
to distinguished persons present, she said :
"Cousin Edith, do you see that large
benevOlent-loOking gentleman in the box
uppsite, with rather horid complexion and
blue cravat2 That is new member of
Congress-Mr. Huntington"
Edith raised her lorgnette in the dircc-
tiou indicated, and saw within the field
of glass face she remembered but too
well.
Years of study and disappointment had
wrought changes, but not enough to pre-
vent his recognition by her.
Through the glass he seemed so near,
and the appearance was so sudden aud
unexpected, that Edith droped her glass
and sunk into a seat, pale aud trembling.
Her friends, not understanding the
cause of this emotion attributed 1t to sud.
den illness, and hastened TO comply with
her request to be taken home.
Once the stiffness of her room, the
tloodgate of memory were thrown open,
and events of long ago came trooping
up in her mind, forming pictures Of hope
and happiness, of disappointment and
mistaken action-pictures of what
might have been-and, most prominent
Of all, in the foreground was the face she
had seen that night through her opera
glass, With its sad, intellectual eyes.
She had been in the wrongi in the past
and was honest enough to confess the fact
to herself; yes, more--she determined to
acknowledge the truth to Walter Hunt
ington himself; and, with this resolve de-
termined on, Edith sought forgetfulness OF
past and present in sleep.
When morning dawned, her first i'm.
pressions that all the incidents of the pre-
vious evening were vague dreams; but
calm consideration brought back the scenes
wildly to her mind, as well as the rcsolu.
ton she had formed.
The following letter was found by Mr..
Huntington on his table, the morning af-
ter the opera:
WASHINGTON, ID. G. IA, 1871.
Hon. WALTER HUNTINGTON:
You will be SURPRISED, and perhaps dis
pleased, to receive letter from one who
may have passed from your memory long
ago. My motives, too, may be misjudged
when the circumstances Of your elevated
position are considered /; but | risk the
charges Of indcicary that may be prefer
ed, to make the confession that years ago
when our home was in MyrtleviIle, aud
our lives, innocent of care or sorrow, were
interviewer with many ties of mutual
friendship, | impu!slvely, but willfully,
drove you from home and friends by my
tickle conduct and insncere avowals.
The error have repented of; but a
full confession should accompany honest
repentance. Therefore, although we are
not likely to meet again, | frankly ask
your forgiveness for the wrong of the past,
feeling that this action on my part is but
feeble atonement, but it is no more than
you are entitled to.
EDITH TRACY.
While this letter vas being read by its
recipient, the writer was speeding home
ward toward Myrtleville as rapidly as iron
wheels and the power of steam cold carry
her.
She had the courage to confess her fault
but not the courage to meet her old play.
mate, with his sad face aud his look of
seeming reproach.
Walter Huntington read the letter three
or four times before he could believe that
what he saw before him was reality, and
contained evidence enough to convince
any reasonable individual of the fact that
frankness and desire to atone for the
past error dictated the letter.
Now he was in frame of mind to view
correctly his own position in the affair.
He, too, had acted from impulse. He
had not been willing to make concessions
or ask explanations.
But the letter made him happier than
he had been for long time; and the gen.
tleman resolved that it should not be his
fault if it could not be made clear to a
certain concientious young lady that he
was the person most to blame in the un.
fortunate affair that had long separated
two loving hearts.
The result of this determination must
be Judged from subsequent facts.
The Hon Walter Huntington and Miss
Tracy were married in the sunshine of a
bright May morning, and we're as happy
as if one little mistake had not made ten
years of each life bitter with sorrow.