South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1876-09-01

gone. tie has joined the cnjineerinp
party going from Hilbury to the West
He told me to tell you goodbye for
him."
That was all?" Marcia said it sharp.
~, rs If the words cost her great effort.
Her face was very pale.
"les, that was ALL" answered Mrs.
Stanhope, busy with the milk pans.
HE never cared for me, I'm sure. {"
Marcia whispered to her pillow that
night, and then cried herself To sleep.
n
1t was pleasant afternoon in Oc,o.
Der when Mrs. Stanhopc died. The sky
was full OF dreamy vagueness-a haze
through which the sunshine filtered yol.
denly, and hid the mountains far Off and
made the hills near by seem like the
hills CT some ghostly land. The leaves
OF the old chestnut by the door were
dropping softly and with sllw rustic
that kept time to the ticking of the old
clock in the corner.
Mrs. Stanhope had been failing slow.
ly for years. Her life had faded "a tho
day fades; you scarcely can tell that
The light is going out, but the first YOU
know it is gone. 1t was so with her
The light was almost gone out now. IL
only fllckered for moment: then there
would be darkness.
Marcia" she said family.
"Well, mcther?"
There is something ! want to tell
You. l ought to have told you long ago.
Dick Gresham left letter for YOU when
he went away. i read it and hid il in
the old clock, it is there yet. When |
am gone, find it and read it. But not
till then, Marcia" She looked up plead.
ingly into Marcia's face.
NO not till then" Marcia promised.
with strange feeling OF expectancy,
regret and anger ut heart. What did
the hidden letter have to say? Perhaps
and then she tried 10 put all thought
OF it out other head until the time came
for her to know what Dick had TO say.
But she could not do that.
by and 10y Mrs. Stanhopc said she
wanted to 20 to sleep. Marcia arranged
her pillows, and the sick woman closed
her eyes YEARLY.
She slept long and we'll, for she never
woke again.
The funeral was over. And then came
that awful sense Of desolation which fol.
lows after the burial. Whoever has
passed through this experience of life
can never forget the drcary lonesome.
ness, the solemn silence that is about
the house. The world seems to have
stopped for little time.
Tick, tick the old clock kept repeat
Ing that night, and Marcia went to 1t TO
solve the mystery it held. She took off
the old door, and removed the curiously-
carved front. In the bottom GOV cred
with the dust Of fifteen years. she found
the letter she had never known ofso long.
She read it through with curious
blending OF pleasure to know that Dick
had loved her, and bitter regret for what
she had lost. 1t she had only known
then, Now her life must 90 on as it
had gone so long, but she should have
it To- think of that lie had loved her
She laid her head down against the
old clock and cried softly. His love
would have been so sweet. It would
have made life so pleasant. But It was
lost. 1t had been lost for fifteen wears.
There was knock at the door. She
got up, drying her tears hastily. and
went 10 admit her visitor hardly con.
scious Of what she was doing, but acting
more from the force of habit than any.
thing else.
man stood on the threshold
Marcia" he said, and held out his
hand. You don't know me, guess. |
am Dick Gresham. | came back to.
day. heard Of your mothers death,
and knew you'd be lonesome. and
thought perhaps you'd be glad to see an
old friend, so made bold TO come"
ooh, Dick, Dick ~ she cried. and then
broke down in true woman fashion. II
wonder what sent you here to night
| have just found the letter You wrote
and left for me before YOU went away.
never knew there had been one until
three days ago. You can't blame me
for not writing rs you asked me TO,
Dick and then the face of this woman
whose years were thirty.fvc, and out of
whose heart YOU would have supposed
all girlish romance had fed, grew sud.
denly hot with sweet shame 20 think Of
what her words meant.
God sent inc / guess" Inc said. with
q great glndncss in his face. and he
caught her TO his heart. and kissed her.
II was sure you loved inc, Marcia. but
the letter looked for never came. and
thought your mother hal got You TO
thinking "a she did. SO I gave mp hop.
ing for that which took it for granted
! had lost. and stayed away because
there was nothing TO draw me back
here. a month ago got it into my head
that wanted TO see lIilbury again, and
I came back. They told me That ynu
were Marcia Stanhope yet. and think
that set me TO hoping n little You see.
its hard TO give up hoping. in the FIRST
place, aud IL don't take much TO set a
man To hoping again, after hc thinks
he's given il up, for lac can't forget"
And 80. after fifteen years the old
clock gave its secret up. and two hearts
came together never TO be parted more.
EV'Joseph II. Underwood, an OK.
Senator from Kentucky, died at Bowling
Green. on the 23rd ult,, aged sc years.