Oxford Democrat., 1877-10-16

Yes. TO me. james," Patty answered
qnte steadily. though white as the dead.
Mechanically, perhaps instinotivsly,
the colonel held out The sacred memento
without word. Bat the oolenel's wife
bad no such delicate instinct OF the truth.
"What do You mean, PattlP" she ex
claimed.
81 mean, returned Patty with great
dignity. "that | have II better Iight to
Holland Melroes Gordon Glea than any
one else!'
80 Patty! and all tho Lime yon were"
But Mrs. Kings discretion at this point
camo back To her; it WAS too late, how
ever to serve her purpose.
Eyes, Emily al the time | Was en-
gagged to MOitcn + 'm0,! Bat you know
who brought ME in.o that. IL was
scarcely my own doing, aud H2li"od
Melroe never sought ma alter no discuv-
cred that my word was passed 20 another.
But, beiore he discovered this, | tnow
his heart and lac. When got news
oil III; death | brCk" ~ cRs.gumesS tC
Morton. but could Du 60 taih,rs aLvpt
Holland. / bad No !Igbt 60 tell ibe
truth then who could not tell j. br'oIr-
who had to DO told by dcaLh What the
whole truth meant even - 1J sell =
By this time We had all been brought
up, as it were, to Paity's revelstioE--all
but Mrs. King. 1 noticed vaguely thal
she looked disturbed, sud glanced uheas-
ily at Meior Howi'h. But for .h4t !
should have torgot;es his presence, yot
even then he did not seem an intruder,
stranger though no was. Tho colonel.
always fond OF his little sister Patty, ss
he called her. found now cause foF ter
dCrnoss now. Sac had been sielrOc's
sweetheart-Melroe, whom he had loved!
And, leaning forward, he took her IN his
arms and kissed her.
The next morning / got tle meaning
oil Mrs. Kings disturbance. She came
into my room with tao words;
Just think OF Patty's making srch g
mess!"
"What do you mesn?" ipq uirsd Ibos
oughly amazed.
"Oh, deali what do ! mea93 Don
you see tha. Major Howith was immense
ly pleased with Patty ? Aud how, just
ior hat old senlimepisl nonsense belug
dragged up, it will lsIl through, for he
is not the man to pisY seoond-hddic 70
any other man, dead or alive. And II
would have been such match 10, Pat
ty!" wound up the tascln ating bat
worldly Mrs. King.
turned upon cr all tho vials Of my
wrath. Patty had come out most nobiy,
and she ought to be ashamed il she
couldn't appreciate such onbiiity. 1 DO
csred. But did no good; shs only
reiterated her regrets at Patty. mess,
DOT whit disturbed 5y my viaiS ot
wrath. But in this iteration she WAS on,
short by her husbands voice. ~ he came
in from the little library which commnr-
ica..d with the room we occupied.
Emily, you don't know men quite AS
well rs you think you 10. my dear. Wheh
| went into the smohipg-room last night.
Major lIowith ioincd ne; aud what DO
yod ,hink he said to me ="
"Well, whatP" inquired Ars. Emily.
making little impatient movement.
"He said that if Patty was to ba won
by any living man. nc should Try bis best
to via h.r. You see, nay dear, yoar aay
of looking upon things doesn't always b.
the case aud people. Howith is GmSn 10
appreciate just such silent endurance and
failhlulneos AS Patty revealed, and no
doesn't believe That her hvart IS forever
buried in Meiroe', grave, any moro taap
DO. l; was my slocy that msdo every
thing fresh aud living 10 her again. And
now. Mrs. Emily, don't yoe Talk this over
to PATTI not word, mild, or you may
never have Major uowith for . trsther-
in-law -
Mrs. Emily laughed.
.Oh. | can keep secret as well rs
Patty, and III keep this; I'm glad leur
sentiment has ;Grned oat better than my
sense this time, sir" she retorted, gaily.
Her husband laughed. too; but he look
ed at her, thought little sadly as he
replied:
"Ah, En- perhaps you'll see some time
that our sentiment, ss you call it, is bet
ter than your sense"
But she never will.
Seven years ago this conversation TOOK
place, seven years ago this very DAY; and
this morning went down to St. Denis %
call upon Mrs. Felix LuHdy Howith, who
has just arrived from England on q three
months visit. Before | left her, 8 sweet
faced English girl came bringing in a
sweet-faced half English, half-American
baby of two years, though he looked for
all the world as much like young Cas-
tilian as his dark-eyed mother.
.aArA u hnt Ia hic MOI ma pr asked