The daily gazette., 1877-03-26
.e..Then you dId not care for him, Let.


so false p" Yes, I did care for him; but
now, every bond is broken. I shall be q
brave girl, andliye only for you and my
dear mother.''' ssAi' '12t . '.1 nan !
He pressed me close to his heart, and,
in that refuge, I felt that teven Howard
Ashley had lost the power Of making me
miserable, always. - - -
Annie was recalled home. The family
were deeply mortified she said, by Sarah's
conduct, and had refused to see her. She
and Howard had gone to New York, and
were boarding at hotel. He had found
some business there and had given up his
old connections. That was the last /
heard Of them for years. .,s'1i e.'1 f''4,g1 ~,
had even deeper griefs In store for
me than the falseh cod of Howard Ash
ley. MY father aud mother died within
. week of each other, leaving me dese-
late, save for Annie Hale's sisterly af-
lection. She came to me and offered
to live with me always, IL i wished it.
accepted tho offer, gladly. She,
only, OF all the world, knew how Ihad
been treated; for, to, none, out Of the
family, had it been mentioned. We
had had few acquaintance, and had
never been communicative on affairs.
Even the prospect of my marriage
had never been talked of, though per
haps suspected by some of our neigh
bors. 30 had been spared the an
| noyance of being talked to about How
ard Ashly, and l wss truly grateful fer
that. ada oh al lisHett'u. ~. .daal !
l. So Annie andI settled down com
fortably into old>msidenism-contcn-
ted if mot happy. Our life was var
led but little. We had one or two in
tellectual neighbors. and our old min.
ster, Mr.. Stanton, was a treasure to
us, in advice and counsel. We still
kept our pony carriage, and tosk o.
most daily rides for health was posses-
sion that We could not afford to lose,
by confining ourselves to the house.
Annie came home from Mr.. STAN
tons one morning, with some books
and wonderful look Of news upon
her face, which news she declared
could not guess. XVI ..s
"But I can, Annie. Mr.. Stanton ID
going to be married"
"Nonsencelh he marrie,ll Who would
marry that old, old mani"
Somebody would. Perhaps you,
Annie." 1924"
"Don't be ridiculous, Lettice. No,
not married, but you have partly gusss.
ed, after all. He is going to "form q
connections" not with q lady but D
gentleman, and have seen him! What
do you think now!" .,, y. /
"Really, is Mr.. Stanton gsing to
have colleague? I am very glad
1t win give him more times for US.
"6elish Letticel But have yeu nc
curiosity about the new ministere"
! None"
"Well then, shall not spend breath
to describe him." she answered; but
saw that, all day long, she was think.
ing Of nothing else. A bright smile
would light her face as she sat ct work,
and there was gay airness in heI
movements, such as she had shown
years before, when there had been ne
shadow on her life or mine.
The very next morning Mr.. Stautea
called ON us, and brought with him the
Mr.. May: BE was not yeung certain
| ly not less than thirty-six-perhspi
still older. He was far from handsome,
but there was a look, better thar
beauty, in his countensnce. He wai
not of that type of ministers who make
their way by pale. studIous face, tel
ling of midnight studies and hot
stoves. The predominant look wai
that of health and cheerfulness. A
tall, wcll.proportioned fgure-a wide
forehead, rather low kindly beamfng
brown eyes-white teeth, and health-
full, sun-browned cheeks telling of long
walks in the spen air. accompanied by
scrupulous neatness OF attire, without
q single dash of foppishnsss. This
was Mr.. Stanton's colleague. I liked
MIN at the first glance; liked him bet
ter when his clear, musical voice met
my ear, and the serene, honest eyes
were scanning my face, as if they were
seeking to known from it my charac-
ter. 1t was pleasant to see that they
returned from tho gaze with ! satisfied
expression which seemed to say 81 can
trust you Miss Norton"
For the next three months, to Annie'i
extreme discomfort, we saw little
either of the old or new minister. Mr..
stanton almost forsook us, in his task
of making Mr.. May acquainted with
tn other parishioners and establishing
| . friendly rapport between them.
| ''It will not be thus always. Anniel'
1 said, to console her, for L felt thai
she was deeply interested in the stran
ger. On the Sabbath, she listened, al.
most breathlessly, to the words Of
wisdom he uttered. I was selfish in
those days. l felt that Annie might
| be taken from me to bless the home Of
one who, / could not but see, had wor
her sincsrest APPRECIATION. And L
/ should once more be desolate!
1t was in the second year of MI. Mays
pastorate that I first seemed to see the
prophecy which my heart had uttered
approach near completion. There were
many interviews between the the two
many hurriedly snatched words in the
hall, when Annie waited on him to the
door-many glances Of intelligence
which they thought unseen by me.
Trembling for the loss of my sole com
panion, and feeling that could nevel
replace that loss, / had watched all thes,
signs, and was satisfied that they mean
something. Mr.. Stanton, too, fed b,
fear with his continually repeated praises
of the two, and their harmonious charac