Weekly Trinity journal., 1877-11-24

lifted tonight. You shall know all, Ell
sic, at once. l will not send you to n
sleepless bed, child, with your heart SO
troubled. But give me a few moments
to think Of your tidings, and tell me how
the message came.to be intrusted to YOU
Mrs. Walton came to me late in the
evening and asked permission to intro
duce Mr.. Carrington. | had noticed n
stranger, who looked at me very earnest
ly."
"A tall, handsome man, with curling
brown hair and pleasant features, wear
ng full beard of waving golden
brown 20
"No. A tall, grave man, with stern
features, smoothly shaven, and hair al
most whi,e-quite an old man."
True ! true had forgotten. He
must be fifty hve."
When he was introduced to mo, he
touched the locket upon my neck. " Par
don me-" he said, 4" if am zoo curious /;
but your name and that trinket are con-
nected with so much Of my life that l
venture to ask you something concern
ing them. The locket first. Did not
somebody give it to you-a lady 2" His
looks were so eager that l told him the
locllct was yours. Then he led me on,
little by little, till told him my whole
life. lie said he had been here two
months seeking you. lie did not look for
wealthy woman, but one poor and soil
tary. Then informed him how poor we
had been and about your cousin, and
how you had lavished every goo d thing
on me. And then, Aunty, he whispered
half to himself, that / had no claim ON
you. What did he mean Are you not
my Aunt ?"
"No, dear, there is no tie of blood be
tween us. Your claim is tho claim OF
love, for you have been the one comfort,
the one sunshine ofmy lonely life. Twen-
ty years ago, Elsie, Ralph Darlington
gave me the locket you have upon your
neck, gift Of betrothal, for We loved
each other and were engaged to be mar
ried. | was a poor girl, making Artificial
flowers for bread, an orphan, too. lie
was assistant cashier Of tho Hope Bank,
where your father was night watchman,
ana Charles Ralston was head cashier
Ralston was in love with me, and purs1ed
me with unwecome attentions.
"One day to rid myself of his importu-
mites, told him l had promised to MAJ
ry Ralph. He left me in a rage. Only
one week later the bank was entered Mt
night, your father shot through the heart,
and Ralph Darlington discovered in the
vault trying to revive him. lie was ar
rested and tried. He told story no one
credited, that Charles Ralston sent him
from bis house to the bank for papers, af
ter keeping him busy there over the book.
all the evening. But Ralston swore that
he had not been Mt home that evening
and proved it ; and tho keys Of the vaul
safe, found hanging in the keyhole, were
stolen from his desk and he had not sen
his clerk to the bank. SO Ralph was con.
victed and sentenced. He escaped I'll
sic, mad saved fifty pounds for my wed
ding garments. / went TO see him in prls
on, and, knowing he was innocent ! gave
him the money to bribe the keeper OF hi
cell. The man took it., and Ralph wa'
free. have never known if he lived Ol
died ntil tonight.
After he was gone your mother wai
taken i'll. Before marriage she had work
cd for the same establishment where
was employed, and | knew her WE'LL The
shock of her husbands death was too Sc
we're for her, and she never rose again
from her bed, though she lived three
months. When she died promised yol
should be my charge, and never know
the shadow upon your life till you worC
woman"
Elsie was sobbing quietly, often lifting
to her lips the gentle hand that had Civ
en- her all she had ever experienced o
life's blessings.
There was long silence after Mis-
Merriman ceased speaking, and the gray
dawn was creeping in the windows when
softly kissing her, Aunt Della told Elsie
to go to rest.
But fol herself, there was 10 rest. Fe
verishly, with an agitation altogether un
like her usual quiet, sh0 waited the com
ing of her lover who had fed from his
unjust sentence twenty years before, bu
who was free now and his innocence
known. The day was young, and Elsie
was sleeping still when he came.
Della was waiting for him IN the draw
ing room. There was no aifectation oi
youth in her silver gray silk, and the
square of black lace upon her soft hair
but instead Of q brooch, there fell upon
the knot Of ribbon at her throat the pear
loc<et Ralph bad given his betrothed.-
She stood up to greet the stern faced, ell.
derly man who advanced to meet her
trying to find traces Of her lover. No'
till he smiled tendery did she recognize
him.
Then, her own eyes din. with tears, she
SAID, softly, " You are more than wei
come. | am rejoiced, the cloud is lift
ed from your life, Ralph !"
And he, holding the trembling hand
fast in his strong ones, answered 81
have found you at last. began to feal
you were dead, Della. My little love, my
darling ~
Ralph," she said, the bright blush
rising to her faded cheeks, "yQu forge
We are gray haired, elderly people ?"
u forget everything but that you ar