Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-04-08

ing from journal.
"Give IL to me-" said Miss Crimme
=; closing her book, while slight husl
overspread her face.
Elizabeth slowly approached ant
gave the letter, without removing hel
eyes from her mistress.
} Miss Jane took IL, broke tho seal
slowly uufolded the letter and read it
As she did so, strangely bright expires
sion came over her face, and she looked
almost lovely by tho 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, OF
you may sit by the window. il you
eyes, ma a'am-thank'ee miss I" 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 ol
the fire, and q smile played over her
generally sad and stern face.
This was the letter:
"Can you forgive and forget the
past? l have suffered much, but my
feelings for you are unchanged. Write
me but one word. am ill, 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, 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 small writing table,
wrote the answer. And the one word
requested was:
"Come."
One or two days after the letter came,
Miss Jane informed the astonished
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 ar
rived. He came in carriage. He was
evidently al 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 pe-
culiarly handsome. All the features
were regular and finely chiseled; but
there was something, to any one fa-
miliar with physiognomy, painfully re-
pugnant in the face. Utter and intense
selfishness was plainly written there.
to be the necessary companions Of such
face.
Miss Jane met him ct the door.
Edward !" 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 counte.
nance.
"At last, Jeannette-Jeannette - 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 we'll 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-and now that they
are all past, it seems so short-so
short I" she repeated, in dreamy sort
of way, and laying her hand on his
shoulder.
"My true, faithful Jeanette |" re.
turned the gentleman, looking up at her
with his large, beautiful eyes, and TAX
ing her hand III 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 Paris9'
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
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: |,
"After we parted in Paris, and you
returned to your mother, what was there
for me to do9 1 believed that I had
tried your patience too far. I 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
as you remember, were {
French-I led careless life, till 1 met
you, just after you had left school, at 9
your uncle's house. You were lovely, :
Jeanette -
Miss Jane sighed, and smiled sadly.
Edward added, rapidly: "With that q
beauty which nothing can diminish, and
which is the reflex of noble, generous 5
heart. / met you at your uncle's house. :
| need not recall, l think, those happy, i
happy days we passed together, swear
ing to love each other and be true. I q
was wrong, admit it, Jeanette, but +
you have forgiven me. 1t was only, q
however, in appearance. sacrificed 8
myself for friend" Miss Jane looked 6
1t him eagerly-every word of excuse he =
uttered, whether true or false, was only =
too welcome to her.
"I frequented the house of Marie P
with my friend, for he had resolved to =
marry her in defiance of the anger of his Y
father. You supposed it was I who a
really loved her. All, Jeanette, if you 8
mad only been less precipitate, how many /
years of suffering it might have spared !,
Is both p
He sighed deeply as he looked into the I
ire, perhaps for inspiration. o
"You would hear nothing, and you
refused to see me. In vain l called, G
wrote and sent messages. You were y
decided. You left Europe. You left
l. r kss - |