The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-10-18

Our hands will strike the vibrant harp Of gold
10 the fiSd ,sng dSstS all thing. VEL
Il.
AFTER DARK.
We used to think, even before we
loved her SO much, that Mrs. Dalrymple
was a representation of charming old
age that might have made poets cele-
brate it instead of youth. Her brown
eyes were still as soft and large, if not
as bright, as ever; and. although the
rings of hair round her smooth brow
were silvery white, her brows and
lashes were yet dark. But it was none
of that, nor the soft skin with the deli
cate rosy bloom that sometimes diffused
it, that made the charm of the face; it
was the soulful expression there, and
the smile sweeter than any young girl
knows how to smile-a smile full of in
nocence and love. Her life had not
been very happy one. we used to fam
cy, she having had some serious cross
in her youth. and afterward marrying
a man whom she did not very tenderly
love. because he loved her, and who
ended by abusing her. She had been
now for several years a widow without
children, spending her considerable
fortune in kindnesses, and making all
the young people in the region her
staunch adherents.
She lived at The Cedars, and some
one or the other of us was always with
her, and it would be hard to say where
pleasanter life could be lived than all
day long in Mrs. Dalrymple's gardens
or behind her horses, and all the even
ings, with the breath of roses and
honeysuckles about the windows, in her
delightful drawing-roOms. listening to
her old cOnteS. or to talk Of by-gOne
days in which her contemporaries in
dulged when they became her guests.
Among these guests occasionally was
MIR. Stephen, an elderly person who
had come into the neighborhood some
years before, and who lived on the
next place, where only hedge divided
the lands-a strange, sad, silent old
man. concerning whom, as nobody
knew anything, everybody conjectured
everything. Some said he was an
Englishman, some that he was a New
Zealander; it was generally conceded
that he had suffered great calamity;
and here and there even it was declared
that in distant State he had been i'm
prisOned under a life sentence, but par
doned out for quiet behavior after fifty
years, taking then the property which
it was in his power to take, and coming
here. Peaceful and gentle as he was,
living among his birds and flowers,
giving freely to whomsOever asked, he
was vet generally avoided, and, as he
sought no one, his life was solitary.
He had had occasion to look for lost
pet on Mrs. Dalrymple's grounds,
which had led to an acquaintance that
he SO little followed up that sometimes
she herself would take one of us and
90 over into his garden, and often she
would tap on the long window, and
saying, gayly, Privilege of an old
womanrf insist on bringing him home
to dinner.
She had done SO to-day; for we had
surprised her-we homeless girls whom
she had at last made permanently at
home with herself-in an unwonted
shower of tears in the morning, tears
that continued with more or less force
all day. Il must have something now
to brighten me,'' said she. LET us
go and get Mr.. Stephen. We will have
an omelette roum. There was Omelette
roum on the table fifty-three years ago
to-day, remember now. It. is one Of
my anniversary days to-day, my dears."
Hinc iUe lacrin,0," said we, WHIP
ing the dear lady's face and trying to
make her smile. Somehow we always
felt as if she were our own age.
"Yes, it is one of my anniversary
days today said she again, after
dinner, as we all sat in the drawing
room about her, Mr.. Stephen not far
away in his armchair. 'It is SO long
ago that it often seems to have been
something I once read of rather than
once lived and felt and suffered-Oh
yes, suffered! l fancy that bright
young happy girl with her lovers is in
a romance. can think of it all with
out suffering now; yet, just for the pity
of it, just as you cry over a novel, you
know, could not help shedding a few
tears to-day"
Was it so very sad?'' one ventured.
"Ah! very. And we were all SO
young! will tell you about it; I al
ways said would. do not mind
speaking of it now; it is all as if 1 were
speaking of some one else. They were
three brothers, she said, after a mo-
ment, "and they were all my lovers,
and IL loved the eldest. He was my
lover, as said; but sometimes have
doubted if he loved me as he loved
those brothers of his, half dozen years
their senior. He had been father and
mother to them, and he comprised
heaven and earth for their wishes. All,
well, well! SO noble a being never lived
before. Greater love hath no mAAs-
hath no man." She paneed n moment
again, her voice trembling. ssHow
strange" she resumed, presently,
''that should be telling this SO calm
ly! Oh, it sCGs stOrm-it sCGs .
Storm and her old hands clasped
and unclasped J nervously. -" Whist
dark and dreadful time Of horror, and
now SO tranquil! But will tell you:
You always do seem 90 like what my
own children might have been-aM but
Mr.. Stephen, / mean" The odd, Bifk !
quick laugh that restored her q her
self. Zone day we wete Id bot to-
gether, alone upon. the little river.
How l remember Il al the green
boughs meetnes overhead tie greer
shadows und6fnea&h, - su1ll IS iiltt
ing through, and His - ~ proud,
pale, passionate face, ~ he 6atd s0lIa(
simple words that let me know, ~
that he loved me, mot that h NisAed "a
know if loved him --a1 Il TIL Nd u
ways been Understood hut 33RE4 oa6
pected me soon 10 be- Ais wife. ~ 4 36lc0
him-oh, how ioyed kimis -
old lady c1aSnfpw aS,s1s s