Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-04-08

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Elizabeth opened the door carefully,
and squeezing herself in, shut it to
hastily, as though she were afraid the
occupant might escape.
"Please, ma'am, it was the postman,
and he's been and gone and left letter,
ma am !" with two quick courtesies, and
widely opened eyes fixed on Miss
Crimme, who sat near wood fire, read
ing from journal.
"Give it to me-" said Miss Crimme,
closing her book, while a slight flush
overspread her face.
Elizabeth slowly approached and
eyes from her mistress.
Miss Jane took it, broke the seal,
slowly unfolded the letter and read it.
As she did SO, strangely bright express
sion came over her face, and she looked
almost lovely by the red light of the
fire.
Elizabeth stood by, greatly wondering,
till her mistress, suddenly remembering,
said
You may go, Elizabeth and, if you
wish, go out for an hour, no longer, or
you may sit by the window, if you
| choose"
eyes, ma'am-thank'e 'ee, miss |" and
she retired as she had entered, carefully
closing the door, lest Miss Jane might
escape.
In Miss Crimme's lap lay the letter,
while her eyes studied the red Goals of
the fire, and smile played over her
generally sad and stern face.
This was the letter:
"Can you forgive and forget the
past? I have suffered much, but my
feelings for you are unchanged. Write
me but one word. I am i'll, and lonely,
and dying"
Then followed an address.
Miss Crimme was thinking-remem
bering. She was but human, after all.
There are, in the world, a few true ma
tures-weak, they are called-which
neglect, Inconsistency or insult even, can
scarcely change or shake in their allegi-
ance to the object beloved. Besides,
actions viewed through the vista of long
years look wonderfully different.
Miss Jane arose after few minutes,
and, going to a small writing table,
wrote the answer. And the one word
requested was:
Come"
One or two days after the letter came,
Elizabeth that gentleman was coming
to stay with them. and that the best
spare room, which had been her moth
er's, must be prepared,
The room was accordingly prepared,
and toward dusk the expected visitor AZ
rived. He came in carriage. He was
evidently an invalid, Or had been quite
ill.
Elizabeth let nothing escape her as
she opened the door and called Miss
Jane. The gentleman walked slowly
and with the aid of the coachman. He
was quite tall, and, but for the various
wrappings around him, might have been
erect and well shaped. His face was Pc
culiarly handsome. All the features
were regular and finely chiseled; but
there was something, to any one IA
miiar with physiognomy, painfully re-
pugnant in the face. Utter and intense
selishness was plainly written there.
Narrow and contracted thoughts seemed
to be the necessary companions of such
face.
Miss Jane met him at the door.
Edward l' she exclaimed, in voice
tremulous with emotion, as she grasped
his hand, and world OF affection and
pity seemed expressed in her face. She
looked young again, and pretty, with
that beauty which high thoughts and
generous impulses give to a counte-
nance.
cat last, Jeannette-Jeannett p he
said, and his face caught something of
the brightness of Miss James.
A bright light burned on the hearth
of the parlor. There Miss Jane led
him, while the coachman deposited
small, worn and well travelled box in the
hall. The visitor was seated in large
chair by the fire, and Miss Jane stood by
him. The door was closed.
"We meet again, Edward, after so
many years of separation" said Miss
Jane; "and yet it seems but yesterday
since we last met. The long years have
rolled by-oh how long and weary they
seemed in passing now that they
are all past, it seems so short-so
short |" she repeated, in dreamy sort
of way, and laying her hand on his
shoulder.
"My true, faithful Jeanette I" re.
turned the gentleman, looking mp at her
with his large, beautiful eyes, and tax.
ing her hand in his.
There was few moments pause, dur
ing which neither seemed to know ex-
actly what to say. At last Miss Jane
broke the silence.
"And when did you leave Paris 2"
Something of the sweet expression
here seemed to die out of her face, and
she looked away from him, and took
seat near him.
"Ah Jeanette, am at best but a
miserable fellow, but you must help me,
for there was never but one in my
wretched life who really made me feel
what might and ought to be"
The soulless look in his eye belied the
words he spoke; he continued:
CATER we parted in Paris, and you
returned to your mother, what was there
for me to do2 l believed that I had
tried your patience too far. | believed
myself forsaken by YOU"
"Poor Edward !" exclaimed Miss
Jane, looking up at him tenderly.
He continued: "Before 1 met you,
my life had been thoughtless, careless
one. Obtaining position in the army
through the influence of my mothers
relatives-who, as you remember, we're
French-I led careless life, till 1 met
you, just after you had left school, at
your uncle's house. You were lovely,
Jeanette -
Miss Jane sighed, and smiled sadly.
Edward added, rapidly: "With that
beauty which nothing can diminish, and