The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1873-03-14

own heart she knew that to talk with /
him one hour was better than a whole |
day with all the others.
''The poor fellow evidently had no
eyes for any one else, but he was very
reserved and sensitive, and did not go
in boldly and make love to her, as any
other man would have done, but stood
and worshipped afar OIL. They say he
was a very fine musician, and sang
beautifully, and not only that, but he
composed songs for Annie to sing; for
She had a lovely voice, and would sing
sweet old ballads to US in the long sum-
mer evenings with wonderful pathos
and feeling.
"As the days went by, the time drew
near for Robert to join his ship.
Early in December his orders came,
and he was to leave the day after Christ
mas.
"He loved Annie so dearly that he
felt he could not 20 away from her so
long without asking for some assurance
that his love was returned, and yet he
could not bear to think of hearing her
say she never could love him. Some
times she treated him so eoldly, almost
rudely, and yet again, when they were
alone, he could have sworn her eyes
spoke different language.
still no word had been spoken. On the
morning of that day Robert wrote
note to her, and enclosed in il a little
song he had written, and in the note he
said''-"But stay" said my grand
mother, al think l can show you the
very note ITSELF" and going to her desk,
she took from it an old yellow piece OF
manuscript music, so faded as TO be al
most illegible, and a little sheet of pa
per. "These," she said, "were found up
in the little attic among other old let
ters and private family papers when we
came back, and though l destroyed the
rest, kept these" and taking up the
note, she read it aloud. 1t was very
short, and read thus:
"Annie, darling, will you be my wife?
and may go away with the hope warm
at my heart that when 1 come back l
may claim you as my own? Little one,
if it Is to be, and you can love me, will
you sing my song for me tonight when
l come? If there is no hope for me you
will sing something else, and l will
know my fate at once, and it will be bet
ter to learn it so than to give you the
pain Of telling me. But somehow / feel
hopeful, and shall come with a brave
heart in spite of the fact that your
sweet voice is to sing me into life or
death.
''Forever yours, in this world and the
next. RoBERT.r
"He sealed the note inclosing the
song, and sent it over by his servant.
As the man was going into the gate he
met Annie's youngest brother, Harry, a
little fellow ten years old, who snatched
( the note from him and said, oh I'll
take il to sister Annie, TOm,' and ran
Oft. So Thomas walked away with an
easy conscience, thinking he had deliv-
cred the note safely, at least to a mem
/ Der of the family
"Harry trotted off with the best in
/ tentiOns in the world, but was diverted
on the way by some important business
with n small boy of his own age, who
suddenly " turned up, so by the time he
did go home all memory of the note had
vanished from his youthful mind.
Evening came, and the younger chill
dren were all in bed, and Harry lay
sound asleep, while on a chair hung his
+ little jacket, and in the pocket still poor
/ Roberts note undelivered. Annie, with
cheeks like twin roses and eyes bright
with love and hope, was waiting for the
company.
"All the young people were coming
from the neighborhOOd to have frolic,
but she only thought of Robert He
must speak to me Tonight she said TO
herself. 4 am sure he loves me, and in
spite of my bad behavior to him some
times, he must know my heart
"Early in the evening Annie's father
according TO his custom, asked her for a
song, and as she rose and went to the
piano she caught sight of Roberts pale,
handsome face. He was near the door,
where he had just entered, standing
with his arms folded and his eyes fixed
upon her with a look that TO her dying
day she never forgot. As she sat down
to the instrument an unaccOuntable
feeling of depression came over her,
some unseen influence seemed to hold
her hands so that she could scarcely
strike the notes, but with an impulse
she threw it of, and dashed into a gay,
nOnsensical song that was popular at
the time, and sang it through TO the
, very end.
"When she looked up Robert was
/ gone, and she never saw him again i'm
this world. He left home that night
and never returned, for his ship, with
all on board, was lost on the way out;
and he went TO his grave thinking her
cold and heartless. And she-all the
next day she waited for him, wondering
that he did not come. That night, as
she was wearily going TO her room, a
little voice from the nursery called her
and going in, she found Harry wide
awake.
" 90 sister Annie said he; don't you
scold me, but / forgot your note yester-
day, and there it is still in my pocket
And he pointed to the jacket, which
hung on a chair.
Mechanically she reached and took
IT, but when she saw the address in his
hand she grew pale as death. She only
} stopped and kissed the little fellow, who
was sobbing bitterly, and no word of re-
proach passed her lips.
"FrOm that day she was 4 different
being. Her whole life seemed TO be but
a period Of waiting-waiting for news OF
him.
"Nou must remember, nv dear,n
added my grandmother, "that in those
times there were no such conveniences
for communication as we have nova
days, when lovers can change their
minds three or four times a day by
mail, and can telegraph yes and mo-
sixty times minute (more or less, il
they please.
"And when at last the news of Rob-
ert's death came, il was as if some
blight had fallen on her, for she seemed
TO fade away, and grow weaker and
weaker, until il got 10 be so that she
never left her room. Then her piano
was moved up there-the very room
YOU were in last night-for her music
seemed the only thing left in which she
/ took auy interest, and often at night