The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-12-10

many a time-and answ cred in ;
sweet, bird like Voice:
"Mary Moore Chester"
NY heart sank down like lead. Here
was an end TO all the bright dreams
and hopes OF my youth and manhood
Frank Chester, my beyish rival, who
had often tried in vain TO usurp my
peace beside the girl, had succeeded al
last, aad he won her away from me
4 This was the child, his child aud
Mary's.
sank, body aud soul, beneath this
blow. and hiding my face in my hand.
[ leaned against the door, while my
heart wept tears of blood; the little
one gazed at me, grieved and amazed
and put up her pretty lips as if to cry
while the perplexed servant stepped
to the parlor and called my sister out
to see who it was that conducted SC
strangely. heard light step, and a
pleasant voice saying: s'Do you wish
to see my father, sir 2" | looked up,
There stood pretty-faced maiden of
! about twenty, not much changed from
the dear sister used to love so well.
! l looked after her a moment, and,
stiIIing the tempest Of my heart, by a
mighty effort, opened my arms and
said:
''Lizzie, don't you know me?"
t.Harry oh, my brother Harry y
| she cried, and threw herself upon my
breast and wept as if her heart would
break.
| could not weep. drew her gent
Iy into the lighted parlor, and stood
with her before them all.
There was a rush, and cry of joy,
and then my father and mother sprang
toward me, and welcomed me home
with heart felt tears.
Oh, strange and passing sweet is
such a greeting to the worn traveller.
And as L held my dear old mother to
my heart, and grasped my dear old
fathers hand. while Lizzie clung be-
side me, felt that all was not lost !;
and although another had secured
Iife's choicest blessing, many joy re-
mained for mesin the dear sanctuary
of home.
There were four inmates of the room
who had risen at my sudden entrance.
One was the blue-eyed child whom
had already seen, who now stood be-
side Frank Chester clinging to his
hand. Near by stood LiZzy Moore,
Mary's elder sister, and in a distant
corner, to which she had hurriedly re-
tired, stood a tall and slender figure,
half hidden by the heavy window
curtains that fell to the floor.
When The first rapturous greeting
was over, Lizzie led inc forward with
timid grace, and Frank Chester
grasped my hand.
welcome home, my boy" he said,
with the loud, cheerful tones / re-
membered SO well. "You have chang
so that never would have known
you; hut no matter about that-your
heart is in the right place, | know"
GLOW can you say he is so changed" !"
said my mother, gently. "To be sure
he looks older and graver and more
like a man than when he went away,
but his eve aud smile are the same as
ever. 1t is heavy heart which
changes him. Tie is my boy still"
"Axe, mother" l answered, sadly,
81 am your boy still"
Heaven help mel At that moment
felt like a little boy, and it would
have been blessed relief to have
went upon her breast, as | had done
in my infancy. But kept down the
tremor of my lips, and answered quie-
tly,. as l looked into his full, handsome
face: ~ ..f,.f,
"You have changed, too, Frank, but
think, for the better" a..e
"Oh, yes, thank you. for the compli
ment," he answered, With hearty
laugh; ''rny wife tells me grow
handsomer every day."
.sMy wifeI" Could hear that name
and Keep silent? r i..-I
land have you seen my little girl q
he added, lifting the infant in his arms
aud kissing her crimsonod cheek. Il
tell you, Harry, there s no such other
in the world. Don't you think she
looks very much like her mother used
TO
every much" I faltercd.
"Halloi' cried Frank, with a sud-
denness which made me start violen
tly. 81 have forgotten to introduce you
to my wife Il believe you and she
used to be playmates in your younger
days-yes, Harry" and he slapped me
on the back-"for the sake of old times,
and because you were not at the we'd
ding, / will let you kiss her once, but
mind, old fellow, you are not to re-
peat the ceremony. Come, here she is.
I want to see how you will manage
those ferocious moustaches of yours
in the operation"
He pushed Lizzie, laughing and
blushing, toward me. A CLEAN of
light and hope almost too dazzling to
bear came over me, and cried out be-
fore thought ''Not Maryl"
must have betrayed my secret to
every one in the room. But nothing
was said even Frank, in general so
obtuse, was this time silent. l kissed
the fair cheeks or the young wife, and
hurried to the silent figure looking
out of the window.
s4Mary-Mary Moore!" I said, in a
low, eager tone, "have you no well
come for the wanderer ?"
She turned, and laid her hand in
mine and said, hurriedly-
81 am glad to see you here, Harry"
Simple words and yet how happy
hey made me. l would not have
; ieided her up at that moment for an
emperor's crown. For there was the
happy home group, and The dear home
firside, with sweet Mary Moore. The
eyes l had dreamed of day aud night
were falling beneath the ardent gaze
of mine, and the sweet face l had so
long prayed to see was there beside
me. knew not the meaning OF hap
piness until that moment.
Many years have passed since that
happy night, and the hair that was
glossy is fast turning gray. | am now
an old man, and can look back to a
happy, and hope, a well spent life.
Aud yet sweet as it has been, would
not recall a single day, for the love that
made my manhood so bright shines
also upon my white hairs. 5t.tif
An old man! can this be so? At
heart l am as young as ever. And
Mary, with her bright hair parted
smoothly from brow that has a slight
furrow upon it, is still the Mary OF
other days. To me she can never
grow old or changed. The heart that
held her in Infancy and sheltered her