The true northerner., 1873-01-10

| get my various packages togetner, when
the unrelenting brakesman shouted,
"Dryden!" in at the door.
"I'll carry these into the depot for
Won. wish could tell you how I've
enjoyed meeting you; our acquaintance
ia Just begun, not ended, feel sure,
he said rapidly, as he moved along the
aisle.
On the platform stood my sister Nettie
and cousin Allegra. They rushed for
ward with 80, Lucille!" and gave me a
rapturous welcome, as we made our way
TO the sitting-room. My wraps were
hastily deposited on chair, and he only
had time to catch my hands III his for n
moment, as he said Good-by, until we
meet again" to touch his hat to the
girls. and hurry back to the already NOV
ing train. -,
/ followed him to the door without
speaking, and looked after the vanishing
train until there was nothing left OF 1t
but n line of black smoke which went
sliding off over the tree-tops.
Who was he 2"
"What was his name?'
"I don't know"
"'Don't know? Why didn't you find
ont ?" came,,in .concertfrom myiquestion-
ers.
"I never thought to, girls.
ooh, Won mortal goose! And don't
he know who you are, or what your
name is?"
"No, guess not; at least hesdid:not
ask me-
"And how in the world are you ever
going to meet again, as he said you
would 2"
The enormity of our mistake came
over me crushingly. How should we
ever meet again, or find each other? L
tried to tell them what little did know
about him, but they declared it simply
amounted to nothing. And, as we walk
ed home, they loudly and mournfully
bemoaned my simplicity in not letting
him know my name.
Il have not the least doubt he would
have written to her, Nettie said to my
cousin, quite ignoring so weak-minded
and inefficient creature as myself III
the conversation.
"Of course he would have written to
her. Did you notice how he looked at
her when he said good-bye?"
eyes, | noticed; / don't think in all
my life L ever saw such handsome eyes,
sadly soliloquized Nellie.
"Oh he was handsome beyond descrip-
tion," answered Allegra.
And so they went on until we reached
home, torturing me by praising what |
had allowed ''to slip through my fin
gers. They had always considered me
hopelessly impracticable, and now they
gave me up entirely. The pleasure of
once more being at home, and talking
over the incidents of my long visit, made
me for while think less of the stranger
who had SO interested me. Still every
day / saw more clearly how much [ had
liked him, and how thoroughly delight
full the two hours spent with him had
been. Probably if | had met him i'll
the usual conventional way in which
had met all the men ] knew, | should
have forgotten him at once; but there
was something unusual-just tinge of
romance so dear to every feminine heart
and so | remembered him.
For week or two the girls, my per-
secutors, talked continually of him, and
took mournful pleasure III listening
to them, even repeating much of the con-
versation l had with him, parts of which
they said convinced them more than
ever that he was greatly interested III me,
and, in the proper hands, might be made
to "come to something" For lack of Il
better name, we knew him rs Mr. A.,
using the initial of his native city, and
many were the plans we made as we sat
at at our sewing. The favorite and most
probable one was that he would come TO
look for me, for that was what he must
have meant when he said we should
meet again.
One evening, about a month after |
had returned home, | had wandered
in an idle and restless state down through
the garden to the gate, where l stood in
the soft twilight listening TO the sounds
of the dying summer. The late insects
were still shrill-voiced and alert, and the
low wind which swept through the trees
had began to take up the minor strains
into which nature seemed to have fallen.
A melancholy chilliness had crept into
the air, which made me feel that the
pleasant, happy summer belonged to
the past. The evening depressed me,
and | wondered why / had come out into
it, and was just returning TO go back to
the house, when | saw, far up the road, !
one of our little neighbor boys coming
whistling along. l waited for him idly, !
not knowing why, perhaps to catch the
time he was whistling. He was coming
from the village, and as he approached !
me he called out: Eve been TO the
postoffice, Miss Lucille" what would you
like to have?"
Whatever you have for me, Jack; n
letter first, and if not that I'll be content
with a paper.
"Well, here's letter for you, and he
put a solid white envelope into my hand.
The light was not too dim to prevent me
reading my name i'll a familiar yet un-
known hand, and in the corner, clear
and black, the post-mark, Albany. l
don't think / even stopped to thank Jack,
but flew into the house and up to my
room, where bright fire was burning
on the hearth.
Like a thirsty person who has longed
for water, and when it was reached adds
zest to the pleasure of drinking by look
ing into the cool depth of the dewy COB
let, so L held my treasure in my hand for
a moment with the seal unbroken. Then,
as / oppned II | said. s'T will not read |