The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1876-11-16

ing, Mildred?"
Evelyn was standing before the glass,
adjusting the pink, foam-like plume Of
her exquisite hat.
"No-Aunt Patience is very i'll, and |
really think some one ought to stay with
her."
"Now, Mildred, how absurd you are |
Mamma will be very angry, and you know
Mr.. Raymond is going with u.s.
Evelyn" said the younger sister,
looking up with quiet determination in her
grave brown eyes, 81 love Charles Glenn,
and him only. If l cannot marry Char
ley, then | prefer to remain single"
Evelyn turned away with an impatient
toss of the pink plumes, and Mildred
went up to the post of duty at Miss Pa
tience Perkins bedside.
you're good girl, my dear-a good
girl" croaked the old crone. at isn't ev-
cry one would give up her pleasures to sit
beside an old woman on sunshiny morn
ing like this. III tell you what, dear, ]
mean to give you that rose geranium in
my will.
Mildred smiled to herself at the impor.
tant tone in which Aunt Patience spoke
81 will take good caie of it, Aunt" she
said.
Il know you will, Mildred,-I know
will Mildred-I know you will, and you're
the only living person I'd leave it t."
She was silent few moments and tn n
spoke.
"Milly, it would be dreadful fate if {
young girl like you were married for hel
money"
Mildred opened wide her brown eyes
vas Aunt Patience wandering in her mind
"But if some good young man love.
you for yourself alone, that would be diff
ferent-quite different Milly, give nae
drink of water of water; my old lips art
parched, and then place my little geranium
where | can see it"
Mildred obeyod, beginning to fear thai
poor old Aunt Patience was very i'll In
| deed.
She was right, for toward evening the
old lady began to grow worse, and the
doctor shook his sage head.
Just at the hour of midnight, Will,
Miss Evelyn Yorke, in golden silk; will
roses in her hair, was floating through /;
languid polkaredowa, Mildred knelt at the
bedside of dying womanl
"Milly, you have been good to me al
ways, and | am very old. Years ago
when | was young"
The words died away into everlasting
silence upon her lips; the gray shadow
of death crept slowly over the the wrin
kled forehead, and the freed soul wen
out through the midnight into the grea
unknown.
Poor Aunt Patience was buried quietl.
and forgotten Even the formal twill" il
which she had bequeathed to Millrec
York her gold-headed cane, her gol,
beads, and a geranium plant, had cease,
to excite laughter or comment.
Mildred was sitting at her work fev
days subsequently, when the door opene,
and an unwonted visitor appeared.
"Charleyl"
at is |, Milly. 1 couldn't keep ava,
any longer, Mildred. Ysu have not ceas
ed to love me2"
81 shall never cease to love you
Charlesl"
"Theu there is no truth in this repor
about Julius Raymonds being engaged t,
you?"
"Not word of truth"
"Thank heaven for that, dearest. Yot
will be true to me always, Mildred?" =
"Until death" she said, softly.
"But it is so hard to wait" he said
passonately, pacing up and down the
room. "Iknow it ia wrong to burden you
with my troubles, love; but If ! only had
little money-there is such q capita
business opportunity open to me now. Oh