Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1873-02-15
AFrER LoNG YEARS.

1t is the most absurd thing in
the vOrld"'
Matte Caldwell spoke as If il
was as irritating as il was absurd,
this cOntretempS she was apOstrO-
phiZing. Ii was so noble a thing TO
see Matte in even an imitation of a
fit of temper, that Charlie Caldwell,
her equally even-tempered husband,
put down his newspaper TO gaze at
her in sheer amazement-
"What is the matter!'
Edith. She won't 90 TO New
port with Us, and declares her in
tention Of going down 20 the Hill
farm for the summer"
ssThe Hill farm! Why thought
"Of course you did" broke in
his impulsive little wife; "yOu
thought she and had suffered suf-
fcient tyranny and unkindness at
the Hill farm TO make US hate the
very name, much less the sight of IL.
do"
"And Edith wants 10 so back
again?"
mot TO stay, Charlie; only for a
few weeks. Charlie"-and here
Matte drew over her pretty face
mask of solemn mystery in express
sion Il believe in my heart il is be-
cause Douglas is coming home"
'Do you? | never could under
stand why he went away so sudden
Is. SO you think il was Edith!"
on tell you all l know about it,"
said Matte, perchiRg herself on her
husbands knee. "Before you came
TO the Hill farm, Douglas had been
at SeatOn for 4 summer"
81 know that lie sent me there"
"He met Edith at some village
gathering, and certainly was pleased
with her. You know il was not
very easy to court anybody at Hill
farIR."
81 should say not, said Charlie
with wry face.
Uncle James seemed TO consider
il his duty to Edith aud 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
dogs on me!"
81 don't know; but lie treated
Douglas after the same fashion,
Still, Edith sometimes saw him, and
certainly 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-and then she would send for
me to join her in her new home
She would say no more; but the
next day, with a white set face she
told me TO forget her foolish words,
and later l knew that Douglas Fish
! er had suddenly left Seaton."
ale came to me, Matte, and told
me of the farm and of Edith. Ger
tainly he loved her, but inferred
| from his half confidence that his af-
fection was not returned. He spoke
of some sudden change in her, and
the next news | heard he was pre-
pairing TO go to Europe. He had
| written to me from Seaton, and the
next summer l too visited the little
village. / confess to you L wonder
ed how Edith's cold, impassive beau
| ty could attract so sunny nature
as Douglas had, especially with her
pretty saucy sister near it."
"But, Charlie, she was not cold
and impassiVe then. There was
not brighter, livelier girl in Sea-
ton than Edith, before Douglas
Fisher left her so unaccountably."
"You think she loved him?"
al am sure of it,"
''And ] am sure he loved her,
And now, after five years of sepa-
ration, you think she is running
away because my cousin Douglas is
coming homer"
al think so; and as she has no
| home but this since we were mar
ried, of course she has no place to
go excepting to Hill farm"
Matte, try to find out her side OF
the story. / am sure there is some
mystery about IL, and we may be
able to set it right yet"
"Oh, Charlie, l would give any
| thing TO have Edith married as hap
PLY as we are. Misery likes COM
pany?'' she added saucily, and ran
| off.
She was not a very skillful diplo-
matist, aud finding Edith sitting ra-
ther forlOrnly alone, plunged head
long into her subject.
Edith. why are yOu running
| away from Dou glas EisherI'
The pale stately girl looked at her
| bright Young sister a moment IN
! naughty amazement, but reading
truly the love and pity in the fair
| face, answered
ii had rather not meet him, Mat
tie"
"But whyg'' persisted her sister.
"He is Charles cousin, and
| know they are like brothers, so you
see he viii be here constantly. Mat.
| tie, L could not bear IL! i could not
meet him here day after day, and
| know him so false as he has been.-
/ Let me 90. dear. | am a woman
now, and Uncle James cannot tread
me down as he did when we were
mere children"
''But, Edith, how was he falseH
"You know, darling, how hare
! our life was; how any change seem
! ed like sunshine; and you know how
! Douglas tried TO win my love.
never went TO the village that b,
did not meet me, and urge me Il
marry him at once. / loved him
/ Matte, but | did not give my hear
unsought. One of his favorite plea
was the home we could make 70
YOU, little sister, and | was FINALLY
won to a consent. Still, il remain
cd TO set the time and form plal
for an elopement."
why did not you do az Char
lie and l did-just walk of Il
the minister and get married, ant
then let Uncle James rave as mucl
| as he pleasedI"
'I don't know. We didn't. YOl
know the old gate post, Matte, tina
had the loose tOp?'
"Yes."
douglas and 1 used that for
postofice. We would slip the TO
back a little, and there was a spac
under il where letters could lie sc
cure from rain or wind, or what wa
more important, prying eyes. Jus
at the time had given my promis
to Douglas to be his wife, Uncl
James was informed of our meet
, ings by some officious friend, an
: kept so strict q watch over me tina
it was impossible for me to go I
r the village at all. The old gate pos
/ became our only medium of con
2 municatiOn, and Douglas urged m
l still more earnestly to leave th
5 farm and become his wife. II
] wrote me one day that he must 500
| leave O6dIOu, auu DceSSu me l
! write upon a slip the time an
E place where 1 would meet him, an
! the train by which we should leay
! Seaton after / became his wife
t Darling he wrote, i am rich an
4 Matte shall come to us as soon &
: YOU will. Tell me where to me'
= YOU, and | will have a clergyma
: ready to make you my wife. Tru
4 YOUR life to me, Edith, and you sha
t never regret it, Matte, | wrot
: him a letter, appointing a time an
}, place of meeting. L went there
: He didnot come. Three days wei
c almost hourly to the gate post f
T some word of explanation. MOI
came; and when l next heard fro
Seaton, Douglas Fisher had goI