The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-07-22

words could tell, wrote to Jack again-my
fourth le,,er-brgging him, implorinE him,
to answer me, il but to tell NE he was weary
of his promise and wished to be sc. free; ana
then, making Il superhuman effort over my
self | waited, waited, month by month, tor
al answer, though l knew that It must DC Al
least six months before one COuid come.
had gwen up expecting one IN the Intc-
| rim, and | was too proud 70 send to hi, re.a-
tlvcs-distant ones, whom had never seen,
and who had probably never heard & me
The thought had taken roo, now and grown
TO feeling Of certainty, but waited for my
answer
Three mnnths-siX months-nne months
passed away, and hope was dead within my
heart. They said had grown much older
and more carcworn. Madame said worked
too hard and the sharp business woman be-
came quite mOtherly in her attentions to me
Blu. would not take any change, Tor WORK
was like balm 10 me; il b!unted my thoughts
and knowing that | vas daily growing pa1e
and thin, still waited.
knew the girls used to whisper together
about me and think me strange, but no one
knew my secret-nOt even Madame, who had
more than once sought my confidence; and
so twelve months passed away-tour years
since Jack had left me.
II was not to a day, but very nearly to the
time when he had parted from me, ana II
was almost two years since had heard from
him. was trying hard to grow patient and
con,ented with my lot, for Nine. Granger had
gradually taken TO me, and trusted me, max
ing me more and more her right hand, when
one glorious spring morning, when was
coming out OF the breakfast room TO 90 Up
stairs to work, she called me into her little
snuggery, where she sat as a rule and attend.
/, 1nt,ars for Chp had
extensive clientele, and carried on business
in a large private mansion in Welbeck street.
Grace, my dear" she said, taking me in
her arms and kissing me, "it worries me to
see you look so i'll. Now what do you say to
a fortnight in the country
A fortnight in the country and at her busiest
time, with the London season coming on.
| thought OF that, and then, as glanced
round at the ilowers and inhaled their scents,
the bright fields near TemplemoIe Grange
foatcd before my dImmlng eyes, feeling OF
suiiOCatOn came upon me, ana Inc room
seemed to swing round. | believe that Tor
the first time in my life should have tainted,
so painful were the memories evoked by her
words, when a sharp knock and ring at the
door echoed through the house, following
instantly upon the dull fall Of letter ana
the sharp click of the letterboX.
II was like an electric shock to me, and
without word darted into the hall, pant
ing with excitement and my hand at my
throat to tear away the sitting sensation.
But it was letter | could see it through /
the glass in the letter.bOX, and | sclzed II ,
with tremb!ieg hands, inspired as it we're by {
some strange power.
Jack dear Jack at last!' l gasped as L
turned il over and saw it was a strange blue,
official letter, formally directed to NE.
Even that did lot surprise me. 1t was
from Jack, | knew, and tore open the blue {
envelope )
Yes knew it. The inner envelope was
covered with Australian pOst-marks, and IL. ;
nOrant as | might be Of its contents, was I,
raising il to my lips to cover Il over with
passionate kisses, when I saw it was open.
Then mist came over my mental vision '
FOR "a moment, but only TO clear away as, half q,
stupeted, | turned the missiYe over and over !
held it straight for a moment, and then with :
/, sigh of misery and despair, | stood mute
and rs if turned to stone. :
Grace my child! ia mcrcy'S name tell !;
ne" :
1t was Madame who passed her arm around /
ne and looked horrorstricken at my white "
ace and lips. The next moment | dimly re- =
she had caught the letteT-hls
etter--my letter-frOm my hand, and read 1t .
Aloud: MT. JOnn DrayNOOu, MaTIcOOIO, H.
county, Melbourne" and then, in her great
excitement, the great official sentence-like
Jrand upOn il, Dead
That was the beginning of my first and f
,nly Illness, during which Madame tended /
ne like a mother, even To giving up her bust fl
less aftcrward, and retiring TO live with me s.
lere in this quiet street where She died, and fl
eff me wcllto,dO, AS you see. | have grown Il
id since then bat am not unhappy great n
5 was the trial, and it has led me into what, II
hope, has been Il useful life. And, besides, o
Why should sorrow, knowing as do, that t,
Which came to me years and years alter II
hat Jack died with my name upon his lips p
died true to her he loved? and | am but s.
rafting till We shall meet again.-CdsSelES C
iog3-iAG. C