Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1872-11-16

"lt e the most absurd thing In the
world ."
Matte Caldwell spoke as If 1t was as
irritating as II was absurd, this contretenps |
she was apOslrophizlng. II was so nOvtl
a Thing To zee Matte in even an imitation |
ola 1T of temper. that Charlie Caldwell, |
her equally even Tempered husband, put !
down his newspaper 10 gaze at her In
snvei amazement.
''What is the matter ~
edith she wont go TO Newport with us,
and declares her intention OF going down
to the Hill farm for the summer"
'sThe Hill farmi Why thought"
"Of course you did," broke in his Inn
puslye little wife "you thought she and
! had suffered sufficient tyranny and un-
kindness at the lllll farm to make us hate
the very name, much less the SIGHT OF IT,
do"
"And Edith wants to go back again %
'Not 10 stay, Charlie only for few
weeks, Charlie" and here Matte drew
over her pretty face a mask of solemn
mystery ia expression-"I believe In my
heart il is because Douglas Is coming
hOme.'
"Do youl never could understand
why be vert away so suddenly. 80 you
think It was Edith 3"
an tell you ell know about It," said
Matte, pcrchlng heself on her husbands
kn,e. "Beforc you came to Hill farm,
Douglas had been at Seaton for summer
II know that. He sent me there"
ale met Edith at some village gather
ing. and eetaiuly was pleased with her.
You know 1t was not very easy TO court
an, body at Hill farm"
Il should say not" said Charlie with
WHY face.
Uncle James seemed to consider II his
du to Edith and me, after poor mamma
died. to keep us hard at work, and GER
tainly to allow no malc.visitors.
"How many times did he set the dogs
on me 70
~ don't know; but he treated Douglas
after the same fashion. Sill Edith some
times saw him, aud certainly received let
ter, from him. One morning she came to
my room with the last happy face / ever
saw her wear, and asked me II could en-
dure the hard life alone little while-only
little while, and then she would send for
me to Join her in htr new home. She
would say no more but the next day,
with n white set face che told me to forget
her fooli-h words, and lat'r | knew that
Douglas Fisher,had suddenly left Seaton."
"He came to me, Matte, ard told me OF
the farm and Of Edith. Certainly he loved
her but / inferred from his half confidence
that his affection was not returned. He
spokc of some sudden change in her, and
the next news heard he was preparing to
ito Eurpe. lie had written 10 me IRON
Senton, and the next summer too visited
the little village. | conf ss TO you won
deted how Edith's cold, impAssiye 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,
liyelier girl in seaton than Edith, before
Doug us Fisher left her so uuaccount-
ably"
'iYou think she loved him l'
81 am sure of it,"
''And am sure he loved her. sAnd now
after Ave years Of separation, you think
she is running away because my cOusiI
Douglas is coming home I"
81 think go; aud as she has no HON,
but this since we were married, of cOurs,
she has no place to go excepting to HI
farm"
"Matiie try to find out her side Of th'
story. | am suIe there is some mlster!
about it, and we may be able TO set 1t righ
YET"
"Oh, Charlie, would give anything Il
have Hdi h married as happily as we are
Misery likes company ~ she added saucil.
and ran OIL.
She was not very skilful diplomatist
and finding Edith sitting rather forlornl
alone plunged headlOng into her subject
Edith why arc you running away fron
Douglas Fisher i'
The pale stately girl looked at her brigh
Young sister Il moment in naughty amaze
mcnt, but reading truly the love and pit
in the fair face answered;
81 had rather not meet him, Matte"
But why 20 PERSISTED her sister.
sIe Is Charities cousin, and | kno'
they are like brothers, so you see he wi
he here constantly. Matte, / could nc
bear IL could not meet him here da
after day, aud know him SO false as he ha
been. Let me 20, dear. / am woma
now, and Uncle James cann0t tread n
down as he did when we were mere chi
dren."
s'But, Edith, hsw was he false 7"
"You know, darling, how hard our ii
was, how auy change seemed like sunshin
and you know how Douglas tried to W
nv love. l never went to the village tn
he did not meet mo, an urge me to mar
him at once. l loved him, Matte, but
did not give my heart unsought. One
his favorite pleas was the home we cou
make for you. little sister, and was flnal
won TO q consent. Still, 1t remained
set time and form plan for an eloI
menti''
"Why did not you do as Charlie and
did-iust walk off TO the minister and +
married, and then let Uncle James rave
much as he pleased !"
Il don't know. We didn't. You kni
the old gate post, Matte, that had
loose topf"
Yes"
douglas and used that for a po
office. We could slipihe top back a lit
and there was a space under II where
tiers could be secure from rain or wind,
what was more important, prying ey
Just at that time had given my prom
TO Dougl IS 10 be his wife. Uncle Jan
WAS informed of our meetings by some O
cious friend and kept so strict a wa
over me that it was impossible for me
20 to the village at all. The old e
post became our only medium of conn
nicatiOn; aud Douglas urged me still m
earnestly to leave the farm and beco
his wife. He wrote me one day that
must soon leave Seaton, and begged mt
write upon a slip the time and place VII
would meet him, and the train by VIII
we should leave Seaton after became
wife. 'Daring,' he wrote, 4 lm rich
Matte shall come to see us rs soon as
will. Tell me where to meet you, an
will have a clergyman ready TO make
my wife. Trust your life to me, Ed
aud you shall never regret it, dat.i
wrote him a letter, appointing time
place Of meeting. went there. He
not come. Three days | went ain
hourly to the gate post for some wort
explanat on. None came; and wht
xt heard from Seaton, Douglas Fl
had gone away"
"Without writing i''
without one word He had wri
that letter l told you Of was his last
peal. 4 have urged you so often,
wrote, that II you do not reply favor
to this, shall know II is coquetry,
/. /loYe, that makes you smile upon me-