The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1877-07-25

please TO like the gentleman To call
! tbibk ms'au. fo- oil be feigns 10
bsts US, he's about dying to eoms
up"
Mrs Arlington fairly laag he'd aIsad
al the partnership 10 ihs c1mplim-nt
a-rnmsd by Der 60 ,d-aatarsd landl.-
dy "WhAs do yas s.y. Fsri
-he ia9a.red, appsalias 1. BE. -
as though ceclIoi-g ne Dluer t.f
herself
BY oil aesas ha.s LiD " We
should be u 'ths Z, seee.r bi- papers
aud say No, thank yoa,' tv bimself"
"You can tell him, theo, Mrs. Grif-
6.hs, that We shall be pleased to see
him this afternoon.
you will you neaa," said Fred
"fou know 1 Promised Catbeart to
go oas with him, at Yesterdays exam.
and spend the afternoon upon the
Serpentine, after our weeks fag.s
Very well then | will receive
him. Tant nsieur. can judge if
be is likely to prove desirable friend
for you, Fred"
With the afternoon came Mr.. Mere.
dith's servant with hls masters card.
requesting to know if Mrs. Airing
ten could receive him.
Having granted the permission.
her face betrayed unwoated agitation.
which il required all her nerve to
control before the door opened and
be entered He had advanced half
way up the room to where she stood
waiting to receive him, when their
eyes met and flashed one mutual
heart-stirring glance of recognition,
which she was the brsvest TO bear, as
ne started exclsiming Gertrude
Bancroft -
"Firman Meredith ~ she cried. but
with ealmuess, for she at least was
IN q measure the more prepared Of
the two. They shook hands nav
more they met as we meet the low
ed and mourned after years OF part
ing and then she whispered, as she
held his hand. II am Gertrude, bat
not the proud, sonIless, imperious
girl whose portrait yoe have 40 faith
fally preserved. am now Gertrude
Arlington, whose life hope has not
been altogether spent in vain. And
yet mine was not the whole wrong,
was it Firmaa ?"
mo my poor girl /; God knows it
was not. To myself alone
take all blame"
Nay; | cannot allow that
But it is the truth all the same, ("
he sighed.
Had you yielded to my will, |
might have slain you with my cruel,
stony heart; when you resisted, as
you must have done, the matter might
have ended know not how. In-
deed. might have destroyed you, as
surely as he who takes weapons of
steel or drops of poison to rid him.
self OF her of whom he has wearied
A merciful God saved you from such
a fate, and me from the worse one of
causing it,"
You judge yourself TOO harshiy,
Firman; i have no such thought
about youn
"Not 80, Gertrude, believe me.
There are many gone 10 their rest
who, it they could return, would tell
you he speaks truly , poor souls
who have gone to their graves thank
ing God for their release from e life
which left them nothing to hope for
but death,
Then, Fifmsn, there is nothing to
regret between US; for across the
gulf Of precious years, wherein we
have each learned 80 much, we can
clasp hands faithfully as truest
friends May | tell you. il was for
this | remained for recognized
the sting | had lef. in your heart
when | saw the pencil sketch Of the
portrait you had made, and thought
that if we could meet once more, and
leave happier impressions than those
remaining, il would be wise and
right TO thus overcome past evil with
future good. And now oace more
you are my friend, are you not ?"
"And nothing more? Ah, Cert
rude, have you no desrer name to
promise me, after all these years Of
sorrow and loneliness without you
be pleaded.
YES; my whole life shall be yours.
if you think can make you happy"
she murmured "but not unless
have no misgivings, Firman."
Happy That is poor word to
express the intensity OF my gratitude
for this meeting, and your promise
that we shall never part a again.
Oh! too have past to repair, Of
which | hope your future life to be
the witnessl Your are my Gertrude;
and yet, now look well at you. you
are not mine, for your face is altered,
aud wears q softened look, different
from the old Gertrude"
LET US forget her altogether, and
paint me afresh az / ana woman,
who for years has prayed for naught
else but what is born of humble,
tender, loving heart. If you find i
possess it, then, FirmaB, our long
parting has not been in vain But
have we not much to tell each other
of our past lives?"
IL shall feel more interested in
planning our FUTURE be remarked
smiling
"Ab, well, whatever we may ar
range about that, I shall consider II
q point of hoEor not to rob Mrs Grif-
Gths of her pet lodgerl 1t would be
base Of me to requite the good Ss-
maritan by running Of with the ass :"
she added merrily $50 we must
keep ber rooms for the present"
"I'il take the whole house, il tb'lt is
oil, and you will be obliged 10 stay al
together, for where / an there you
must be ALSO
And ! leave it to you to tell Fred,
my boy" she added, with pretty
blush, .'ior / feel q guilty cheat to-
ward him be has looked upon me
as his mother, l may say, for 80 many
years, ! shall seem like q deserter- :"
Say rather you hare been one,
and are now returning to your cob
ora ~