Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1872-03-05


but referring her always to Johns diary
letters Tor the details of interest. ! used
to study Mrs. Longs face while these
letters were being read 10 her. Johns
animated delight, his enthusiastic pride,
must, il seemed to me, have been bitter
To hei But never saw even a shade OF
such feeling in her face. There was
nothing base or petty in Emma Longs
nature, and, strange rs il may seem, she
did love Ellen. Only once did ever see
trace OF pique or resentment in her
manner to John, and then | could not
wonder at it. A large package had
| come from Ellen, just alter tea one
night, and we were all gathered in the
/ library, reading our letters and looking
at tue photographs-(she always sent
unmounted photographs of the place
/ from which she wrote, and, if possible,
OF the house in which they were living,
and the children often wrote above the
windows, "Papa's and mammals room"
etc, etc. hour alter hour passed. The
hall clock had just struck ten, when the
d0or-belI rang violently. Good heay-
ems !' exclaimed John, springing up,
"that mus, lie Mrs. Long; | totally for
/ got tihat had promised to 60 with her
| To- Mrs Wl,is's party. said | would he
there al nine; tell her am up stairs
dressing and he was gone before the
servant had time 10 open the door Mrs.
Long came in, with n flashed face and
anxious look is Mr.. Gray ill.," she
said "Hc promised to call Tor me ut
nine, to 60 TO Ms Willis. and have
been afraid he might be NJ
Before could reply the unconscious
Alice exclaimed
"Ob, no; papa isn't i'll he is so sorry,
bat he forgot all about the party till he
heard you ring the bell. We were so
busy over mammals letters
John will be down in i moment" "
added /. "lIc ran up stairs to dress as
soon AS you rang"
For one second Emma Longs face was
sad TO see. Such astonishment, such pain
were in it, my heart nched for her. But
then u look OF angry resentment succeed
cd the pain. and merely saying. Il am
very sorry but really cannot wait for
him Il is now almost too late 10 go
she had lett the room and closed the out.
er door before | could think OF any words
to say.
Iran up to Johns room, aud told him
through The closed door. He made no
reply lor u moment, and then said
"No wonder she syexed. 1t was un-
plydonablc rudeness Tell Robert to III.
at once Iora carriage for me-
Ia ieW moments he came down dress
el for the party, but with no shadow oI
disturbance on his face. He was still
thinking Of The letters. He took up hit
own, and putting it into IN inside breast
pocket, said as he kissed Alice, Papa
viii take mammals letter to the party, i
lie cant take mamma :"
she'd grateful tears that night before
wsut 10 sleep. How longed to write
Ellen ot the incidents but had resolved
not once To disregard her request that
/ h. l., I.. ~ 4 N
trusted that Alice would remember tC
tell it, Wen might At breakfast A lice
said -
30, papa, told mamma that you car
ricd her to the party in your breast peck
ct; that is, you carried her letter 4"
Ifncied that Johns check flushed {
little as lie >ail:--
You might tell mamma that papa car
rios her everywhere in his breast pocket,
lillc grille, aud mamma would under
stand.
thinE from that day / never feared
for Elcu's future. | iancied too, that
from that day there was new light in
John Grays eyes. Perhaps it might have
0een only tho new light in my own; buI
| think when when . man knows that he
ha, once, tor an hour, Forgotten a wo-
man whose presence has been danger
ou,ly dear to him, ne must lie aware oI
hi, dawnIng freedom.
Tnc winter was nearly over. Ellen
had sail nothing to Us about returning.
"Dl. Willis tells me that, from what
Ellen writes TO him Of her health, he
thinks it would be safer for her to re-
main abroad another year." said John to
me one morning ut breakfast.
"Oh, she never will stay another year,
exclaimed |.
Not unless 60 ont to stay with her,
said John very quietly.
ooh, John, could you?' and, "Oh,
papa, will You take me ?" exclaimed Alice
and in one breath
Yes" and eyes" said John, laughing.
.'and lily, too, il she will go"
lie then proceeded to tell me that he
nad heen all winter contemplating this !;
that he believed they would never again
have 50 good an opportunity to travel in
Europe, and that DR.. WilIis's he.tancy
about EIlen's- health had decided the
question He had been planning and de
liberating rs silently and unexpectedly
as Ellen had done the year before. New.
er once had it crossed my mind that he
desired it or that it could be. But
found that he had for the last half of the
year been arranging his affairs with a