The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1872-11-13
Aftcr Long Years.

Harrisburg TELBsRArH.
After LezE Years.
1T is the most absurd thing in the
world. -
Matte Caldwell spoke as # it ives
: as irritating as it was absurd, this
coafrefemps she was apostrophizing.
= Ii was so novel q thing 10 see Matte
: in even an imitation Of a 6t Of temper.
that Charlie Caldwell, her equally
, even-tempered husband, put down his
newspaper 10 gaze at her in sheer
amaZement
What is the matter p
Edith She won't 20 10 Newport
, with rs, and declares her intention Of
going down TO the Hill farm for the
summer
The Hill farm Why, I
. thought"
-0f course you did, !" broke il his
inpulsire little wife: YOU thought
she and / had suffered sufficient ty-
ranny and unkindness at the Hill
farm 10 make US hate the very name,
much less the sight Of it / do
And Edith wants 10 go back
again:7
Not to stay. Charlie; only fer q
few weeks. Charlie here Mat
tie drew over her pretty face mask
of solemn mystery in expression-"l
believe in my heart it Is because
Douglas i coming home"
"Do youl ] never could under
stand why he went away 20 sudden
ly. So you think il was Edith :"
"Ill tell You all i know about ii,
7 said Matte, peTching herself On her
husbands knee Before you came to
Hill farm, Douglas had been at Sea-
ton for summer
Il know that He sent me there.
He met Edith al some village
gathering, and certainly was pleased
with her You know it was not very
easy to court ANYBODY at Hill farm.
Il should say not, said Charlie,
with WY face
1 Uncle James seemed to consider il /
his duty 10 Edith and me. after poor
mamma died, TO keep Us hard at
work, and certainly to allow no male
visitors
How many times did be set the
dogs on me =
Il don't know; but he treated
/ Douglas after the same fashion. Still,
Edith sometimes saw him, and certain
1 ly received letters from him One
morning she came to my room with
the last happy face | ever saw her
wear, and asked me if | could endure
the hard life alone little while-only
a little while, and then she would send I
for me to join her in her new home !
I She would say no more but the next
day, with white set face she told ne
TO forget her foolish words, and later
knew that Douglas Fisher had sud
denly left Seaton"
He came, Matte, aud told ne of
the farm and of Edith Certainly be
loved her. but | inferred from his half
confidence that his affection was not
returned He spoke of some sudden
change in her, and the next news /
heard be was preparing to 90 TO Eur
ope. He had written TO me from Sea-
ton, and the next summer | too yisi-
ted the little village / confess To
YOU | wondered how Edith's cold.
impassive beauty could attract SO
sunny a nature a. Douglas had, e.
peeialiy with her pretty sauey sister
near it"
But, Charlie. she was not cold and
impassiye them. There was not
brighter. livelier girl in Seaton than
Edith, before Douglas Fisher left her
so unaccountsblyn
you think she loved him p
Il am sure of il"
"And | am sure be loved her. And
now, after FIVE years Of separation,
you think she running away because (
NV cousin Douglas is coming home - I
Il think go: and as she has no {
home but this since we were married, T;
of course she has no place to go ex-
cepting 20 Hill farm" i
Matte, try to find out her side of |
the story. | am sure there is some !
mystery about it. and we may be able ;
to set it right yet"
@0b, Charlie, | would give any |
thing to have Edith married as hap {
PLY as we are Misery likes com ]
psny p she added saueily, and ran
of. il
She was not very skillful diploR- {
atisi, and finding Edith sitting rather |
forIornly alone. plunged headlorg in I
TO her subject.
Edith, why are you running away |
from Douglas Fisher -
The pale, stately girl looked at her |
bright young sister moment in I
naughty amazement, bat reading tTu- |
ly the love and pity in the fair face, c
answered: &
Il had rather not meet him. Mat /
tie S
"Bat why p persisted her sister s
He is Charles cousin, and | knew c
they are Ike brothers, so YOU see be :
viii be here constantly. Matte, /
could not bear it, | could not meet l
him here day after day, and know him c
so false as be has been Ler me 90, Z
dear am a woman now, and Uncle 5
James cannot tread me down as he ]
did when we were mere children" /" L
But, Edi.h, bow was he false - a
You know, darling, bow hard our !
life was; how any change seemed
Ike sunshine: and you know how Q
Douglas tried to win my love, / rey-i /