Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-12-24
AFTER LONG YEARS.
BY ANNA SHIELDS.

apOstrophinng. IL was so novel thing to
see Matte in even an imitation OF fit of
temper. that Charlie Caldwell, her equally
even-tempered husband, put down his news
paper TO gaze at her In sheer amazement.
''What Is the matter2"
edith She won't go to Newport with us,
and declares her intention of going down TO
the Hill farm for the summer"
''The Hill farm why thought"
''Of course you did" broke in his impul-
slye little wife; ''you thought she and had
suffered sufficient tyranny and unkindness at
the Hill farm to make us hate the very name,
much less the sight of it. do"
"And Edith wants to go back again2
''Not to stay, Charlie; only for few weeks
Charlie" here Matte drew over her
pretty face a mask of solemn mystery in ex-
pression-"I believe in my heart ii is because
Douglas is coming home"
''Do you ? never understand why he went
away so suddenly"
$50 you think it was Edith?"
''I'll tell you all | know about II, said
Matte, perching herself upon her husbands
knee. ''Before you come to Hill farm,
Douglas had been at Seaton for a summer. p"
81 know what He sent me there.
Gle met Edith at some village gathering,
and certainly was pleased with her. You
know II was not very easy to court anybody
at Hill farm"
81 should say not, said Charlie, with a
"Uncle James seemed to consider 1t his
duty to Edith and me, after poor mamma
died, TO keep us hard at work, and certainly
to allow no male visitors"
"How many times did he set the dog on
me2"
~ don't know; but he treated Douglas
after the same fashion, Still Edith some
~ toll tnru
from him. One morning she came to my
room with the last happy face ever saw her
wear, and asked me if l could endure the
hard life alone a little while-only little
while, and then she would send for me to
ion her in her new home. She would say no
more; but the next day, with white set face
she told me to forget her foolish words, and
later know that Douglas Fisher had sudden
ly left Seaton,"
'He came to me, Matte, and told me of
the farm and of Edith. Certainly he loved
her but inferred from his half confluence
that his affection was not returned. lie
spoke of some sudden change in her, and the
next news heard he was preparing to go to
Europe. He had written to me from Seaton,
and the next summer too visited the little
village | confess 10 you wondered how
Edith's cold impassive beauty could attract
so sunny nature as Douglas had, especially
with her pretty saucy sister near it;
''But, Charlie, she was not cold and i'm
passive then There was not brighter,
iivelier girl in Seaton than Edith, before Doug
las Fisher left her so unaccountably."
''You think she loved him"
a am sure of It,"
"And am sure he loved her, now after
five years of separation, you think she is
running away because my cousin Douglas is
coming homer
81 think so and as she has no home but
this since we were married of course she
has no place to go excepting to Hill farm. u
"Mattie, try to find out her side of the story,
am sure there is some mystery about it, and
we may be able 10 see ii right yet.
ooh, Charlie, | would give anything to
have Edith married as happily as we are.
Misery likes company" she added saucily
and ran off
She was not very skillful diplomatist, ant
finding Edith sitting rather forlorned alone,
plunged headlong into her subject.
Edith; why are you running away from
Douglas Fisher p
The pale, stately girl looked at her brigh
young sister a moment in naughty amaze
ment, but reading truly the love and pity IL
the fair face, answered:
81 had rather not meet him, Matte.
''But why" persisted her sister.
''He is Charles cousin, and know they
are like brothers, 80 you see he will be here
constantly. Matte, | could not bear 1t
could not meet him here day after day; ant
know him so false as he has been. Let NJ
go, dear. am woman now, and uncl
James cannot tread me down as he did whel
we were mere children.
''But. Edith, how has he been false ?"
''You know, darling, how hard our lif
was how any change seemed like sunshine
and YOU know how Douglas tried to win m
love. never went to the village that he di
not meet me and urge me to marry him o
once. | loved him, Matte, but | did nC
give nv heart unsought. One of his favor
lie pleas was the home we could make fo
you, little sister, and was finally won to
consent. Still it remained to sat time an
form plan for an elopement.
"Why did you not do as Charlie and | di
lust walk off to the minister and get maj
ried, and then let Uncle James rage as muc
as pleased ?"
81 don't know. We din't. You kno'
the old gate post, Matte, that had the looS
top"
eyes"
"Douglas and used that for post Office
We could slip the top back a little, and thel
was space under 1t where letters could
secure from wind or rain, of what was moi
important, prying eyes. Just at the time
had given my promise to become his wifi
II Uncle James was informed of our meeting
by some officious friend, and kept so strict
watch over me that 1t was impossible for
go to the village at all. The old gate post b
came our only medium of communication
and Douglass urged me still more earnest
& to leave the farm and be his wife. He wrO
1 me one day that he must soon leave Seatol
II and begged me to write upon slip the tin
and place where l would meet him, and Il
train by which we should leave Seaton aft
became his wife Darling he wrote,
am rich, and Matte shall come to us as soC
as you will. Tell me where TO meet you, al
n will have a clergyman ready to make "
| my wife, Trust your life to me, Edith, ar
# you shall never It. Matttie, wrote him
81 letter appointing time aud paceof meetin
| went there. He did not come. Thr
hi days went almost hourly to the gate post t
N some word of explanation. None can't
|# and when / next heard from Seaton, Dougl
III Fisher had gone away"
H.