Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1872-01-09

was very sick. In three days was To have |
letter. at tao end Of that time, | went
to the Post Office, and sure enough there |
was the letter expected. | carried it in
my hand and hurried 10 my room. There |
were two sheets closely written, a longer |
letter then hail ever received before, |
for wasn't much used TO writing, and Il
love letter never had before. 1t COM
menced "My dear lIetty," and closed.
Yours, lovingly, Arthur"
One letter week came after that, and |
sometimes two, sometimes paper or 4
magazine also, and once pretty little !
gold pen and pencil case. Father brought
the tiny package from the post Office,
and when he handed il to me his face
WAS very dark, and knew storm was
coming.
"Iletty, what are thy plans I? Does
thee intend to marry this man, despite
all our warnings? ?" he demanded stern
ly.
wanted to make soft answer, Tor
since bad known Arthur, it had seemed
easy to he religious and wanted tn be
good, but hardly knew what to say, SO
| simply said, Father, You know love
Arthur, and Arthur loves me, aud wish
that YOU liked him to. don't see how
You can help it,"
Father shook his head and sighed.
Thee is easily carried away, child.
Sarah. cant thee persuade her TO think
less ot this young Episcopalian They
are IN ungodly set, and wish not thai
one OF my children should be yokcd with
them Take calc child, or he'll prove
thy ruin"
My cheeks burned like FIRE. | don't
know what said, bui poured forth II
,oncy of words, for had a quick, inn
pulsiye temper, despite my Quaker blood.
and was ordered to leave the room.
So it went on for six weeks The let
ten, were The only bright spots, for was
prosecuted continually about Josiah.
Then tho letters ceased to come. The
first week | did not think it vciy strange.
for he might have gone away unexpecl-
eddy, and SO was unable to write, bu,
/ two, three, four. five. six. seven weeks,
three months passed away, and no letter,
and then gave up looking for any.
1t was hard to believe that alter ali he
had boen trining with me. and that he
cared for me only while was in sight.
but ono evening argued m, self into the
belief that father and mother were right
and that he was unworthy OF thought.
They knew | didn't have any more
letters, and that didn't write any more,
SO they said more then ever about my
marry ing JOSIAH Said We could all live
together. and so forth, and at last | yield.
ed, for didn't care what became Of me-,
But | never married him. for. two
weeks bclole he day appointed Tor The
wedding he fell from ladder and was
killed God forgive me, If for one mo.
mcnl thong only that was Tree.
After thai, somehow. mother failed
rapidly and in week she was dead.
Then father was taken very sick. took
turns with Aunt DorcaS and Uncle Lem
uc in watching him. One warm after.
noon. a. sat by his bedside thinking he
WAS asleep, glanced at him, and he was
looking straight 4, mo.
"Do You want anything. father ?" |
asked.
His lip, quivGrcd and his forehead
wrinkleI as if in pain. He looked so
weak and sad that involunlarily leaned
forward ami laying my cheek against
his, passed one hand caressingly over
his face. as | have sometimes seen one
soothu child, but he mutioned me away
and said
"Hctty. we have been hard with thee,
poor child" :" and then he broke down and
Your good We took your letters, yes,
took them; o. God, how could we be SO
mean and cruel We told the postmas.
ter TO let us have them, and he did. But
we never read them. They are in the
secretary in the center drawer" and he
turned appealingly to me, "Hetty, thy
old father has been very harsh. Can
thee forgive him ?"
81 forgive you father" said
Alter u moments silence, he asked.
do you know where he Is nowP"
II do not, father"
20, if | could only find him, so az to
undo this wrong"
Don't cry, father, It'll be all right, !
know, and you shall come to live with
us. and Wen have nice comfortable
time"
found the letters, five CT them, and
read them through Then ! knew he
was not tickle could not think hardly
OF mother, she was dead, and with faith.
er, poor man, / could not be angry.
was very happy then, far l knew
Arthur would come back sometime. |
looked for him evely day, every moment
almost; and one evening wh en- there
came q knock at the door, | thought it
was he. but il was only neighbor with
the weekly paper. | was terribly disap-
pointed, but thought AS | opened the
paper mechanically, he will come to.mor
row ran my eyes over the columns Of
news and advertisements and then read
what l seldom do read, the Marriages