Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-04-03

linen look OF pain and apprehension
came into his face, and he looked eagerly
and wistfully after the vanished girl
May, May, come back !! he cried
don't leave me SO =
But sho did not turn, aud he would not
follow. And so, for moments anger,
these two who had loved each other we'll,
We're parted.
She will be sorry and come again to-
morrow, he said to himself, as he reluc-
tantly turned homeward. May is proud,
but she loves me too we'll to cast me of
like this
So the next night found him an anxious
watcher by the river side. But no slender,
graceful form, and proud pale face was
there to meet him, and though he came
night after night, be never saw any more
fitting down The path to the old tree.
Then his pride gave way and he sought
her at dreary boarding house in the vii
lage, that had been her only home since
she came there two years before, a home.
less orphan.
No. Miss Strong replied, in answer to
his inquiry, May Ashley amt here. She
| gOU rI..o.,u uTcse-naNiny LOT Mrs. Camp
bell three days ago, and went on She
didn't say where she was going, and as
long as she paid her board didn't care.
She's stuck-up piece y with toss of the
head. which showed that May WAS no IA
vorite.
He went from there to Mrs. Campbell, q
stylish young widow. She met him with
her most charming smile, but it changed
when he made his inquiry.
! Miss Ashley did not tell me where she
was going she said coldly; She left with
! out a cause. should have been willing 20
employ her longer, for she was good
seamstress, though too independent in her
way. But as she left without consulting
me, l did not choose to inquire into her
| affairs
| He turned away with a despairing pain
at his heart. She had gone,-gone to an
ger and bitterness, jealously, that he might
so easily set right, but for a teasing impulse
and Is passing touch Of resentment. Gone
without leaving single trace to tell where
he might find her. Gone without kindly
word Of forgiveness or farewell out in the
wide, wide world, with only her fair face.
her proud, tender heart, her slender, child
ish hands to fight the stern battle Of life
| alone.
Il have lost her-my little = he murmur-
ed. rs he stopped at the tree once more. L
never knew how much l loved her until
now
Six years later, one November afternoon,
May Ashley tolcd wearily up the long
stairs to the lawyers office, where she
worked at copying. She glided into her
accustomed seat but paused little before
taking her pen into her tired fingers, and
rested her head upon her hand.
Six long years And The fame and the
fortune were still SO far away. The girl
OF seventeen who had looked tho r-'1r1 Ia
tho f,ca ,nd rueL-I Forward so eagerly TO
II, mad learned some hard lessons
since then.
II carur over h1r with O. hood of Ieool
lections, as she looked out through the dusty
windows from her high seat, over the tall
house tops to the far blue sky beyond. The
parting by the river-slde from the one true
love of her lifetime the anger that burn
ed fiercely for little time, then died out,
leaving only pain and regrets the long,
ngle-handed fight with poverty, with dis
couragcment, till the brave heart nearly
broke the lack of appreciation for the best
endeavors the years of want and toll ; the
passionate longing for the love and tender
ness she had so hastily thrown away the
slow wasting of the years, that, after all
her glowing dreams, had only brought her,
at last, to place where the grinding heel
of poverty no longer pressed her where,
by patient, constant effort she could be
sure of livelihood of telerable comfort
nothing more.
Was it nothing more? Yes, the years
had taught her worthy lessons, the fiery
heart and passionate will Of youth, had
given way to womanly sweetness, and
strength the pale face that bent over the
books, had won from these stern teach
ing, n better meaning than the sparkle and
glitter of youthful beauty for the olden
willfulness, it spoke now OF patience for
the olden restessness it told now of peace.
She took the pen in her fingers and began
to write, but her thoughts were far away.
Spite of all her efforts, there would come
between her eyes and the paper, the sha-
dow of face looking at her through the
stiffness of the September night, with love
and surprise and reproach in the honest
| brown eyes. For the thousandth time, the
lover of the girl had seemed to come before
her, looking as he had looked when she
turned from him in anger to see him no
more. A sigh rose to her lips: 'Of course
he has forgotten me He has married no
doubt l will not think of him again
She resumed her writing, but the sound
of voices in the inner Office disturbed her.
The employer was there talking with some
gentlemen who had come IN with him.
Usually, May did not mind this, though
she could hear their voices distinctly, but
this afternoon she was in different mood,
and that she might fix her attention more
closely upon her work, she rose to close the
door. As she did SO, a name dropped from
her employers lips, caught her ear and
held her spell-bound.
There, Harry, you will find these pa
pers all right Quite nice little property
for a young man like you. You're lucky
fellow
sTbat,s what l tell him y said another
voice, but he don't seem to appreciate his
GOOD luck. He locks as if he were going to
the rallows instead of coming into nico
fortune
Nhn In ~ vn