Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-09-12
AFTER DARK.
From IIarper's fazaar.

From Harper's Fazaar.
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 celebrate it
instead of youth. Her brown eyes We're
still as soft and large, if not as bright,
as ever; and although the rings of hair
round her smooth brow were silyery
white, her brows and lashes were yet
dark But it was none of that, nor the
soft skin with-the delicate rosy bloom
that sometimes sutfused it, that made
the charm of the face it was the. soul
full expression there, and the smile
sweeter than any young girl knows how
to smile-a smile full of innocence and
love. Her life had not been very
happy one, we used to fancy, 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, spend
inc her considerable fortune IN kind
nesses, and making all the young peo-
pie In the region her stanch adher-
ents.
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
a 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 honey
suckles about the windows, in her de
lightful. drawing-r rooms, listening to her
oldYcostes, or to the talk of by-gone- days
In Which her contemporaries INDUCED
when they became her guests.
Among these guests oc, asionally was
Mr.. Stephen, an elderly person who had
come into the neighborhood some years
before, and who lived on the next place,
where only a hedge divided the lands
a strange, sad. silent old man, concern
ing whom, as nobody knew any thing,
everybody conjectured every thing.
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 a distant
State he had been imprisoned under a
life sentence, but pardoned 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
soever asked, he was vet generally
avoided, and as he sought no one, his
life was solitary. He had had occasion
to look for a lost pet on Mrs. Dalrym-
pies grounds, which had led TO an &C
quaintance that he so little followed up
that sometimes she herself would take
one of us and go over into his garden,
and often she would tap on the long
window, and saying, gayly, Privilege of
an old woman p 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 :" | must have something now
to brighten me, )" said she. :" Let us go
and get Mr. Stephen. We will have an
onaelette qoune. There was onaeleHe rouna
on the table fifty-three years ago to-day,
[ remember now. 1t Is one of my ami
versary days to-day, my dears."
:. Hinc alos 1acrinao," said we, wiping
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
to-day" said she again, after dinner. as
we all sat In the drawing-room about
her, Mr. Stephen not far away in his
armchair. 20 1t is SO long ago that it
often seems to have been something |
once read of rather than once lived and
felt and suffered-oh, yes, suffered! [
fancy that bright young happy girl with
her lovers is in romance. | can think
of it all without suffering now; yet, just
for the pity of it, just as you cry over
novel, you know, could not help she'd
ding few tears to-day"
Was it SO very sad, then" one of us
ventured.
All very. And we were all SO
young! / will tell you about it; I al
WAYS said [ would. do not mind speak
ing of it now it is all as if were speak
ing of some one else. They were three
brothers, she said, after moment, "and
>they were all my lovers, and II loved
the eldest He was my lover as said
Dub SO1IlcllHlto ldfc uOuDIcet III lie
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, we'll SO noble
a being never lived before. Greater
love hath no man hath no man." She
paused moment again, her voice trem-
bling " 7. How strange she resumed,
presently. /" that should be tett1f1gg~this
SO ealalyI. Qhdtasassa storseSt aods,a
storm " and hef,Q hapdS eMps and
gnelasRsf W What 81 daEk
SO tranquil But / will tell you. You