Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-10-04

weakness over lts grave.
The next mail from New York
arrived three days after. l had the
poor satisfaction Of seeing the re
suits of my good action in a letter
in the handwriting of my rival, ad-
dressed to Annie, make its unwished
for appearance, as / knew it would,
and shortly after DR.. Merrill took
it away with him as he called for
his mail. Loungers came in and !
out of the Office, and went away,
finding me little disposed for con
versation. Nothing was yet known |
in the village of my acquisition, so
/ was spared the pain Of listening
to congratulations that / was in no |
mood to hears When / went home
that evening | was surprised to
find my mother absent, and still
more surprised to find when, on
opening note she had left for me,
/ learned that she was with Annie
at DR.. MerrilPs, and that / was to
follow her there. Hopeless as l
felt, the prospect of seeing Annie
again promised me only a painful
pleasure, but still the thought of
being near me had a sweet and sad
fascination ] could not resist. When
] reached the doctors found him.
self and my mother seated in his
Office, so intent on the moves of a
Knights gambit, that a mere nod
on my entrance showed their con-
sciousness Of my arrival. Annie
was not there; l found her in the
parlor standing upon the hearth
rug, the glow Of the freight shin.
ing upon her golden hair, and a
glow of eager, happy expectation
in her look that was new to her
sweet face. e C1ad3h
~ am glad to see YOU" she said,
giving ME her hand. 81 have been
impatient for your coming-and |
will tell you why. There is a ques-
tion | want you to answer. 1t per-
plexes me, and somehow think |
can look to you for its solution.
4 You remember a letter l received
in the early part of the week."
She hesitated and cast down her
eyes.
81 have too good reason ever
to forget it," ! answered bitterly.
! saw her face flush. She wen
on. q4
4 Il answered that letter the mex
i day. 1t was of vital Importance t.
me that it should go then, as ther
5 would be no other mail for severa
(, days. | was troubled when | wrot
it at my uncle's desk while th
, messenger was waiting to take it t,
the office. ] found, too late, tina
/ had mis-stamped it. | have beef
utterly wretched for the past fey
a days on account Of that mistake
{, 1 knew too we'll what the fate 0
my letter would be. Judge the
b how relieved | felt when my uncl
0 brought me this'-taking from tn
v mantelpiece the letter that ha
Q come that morning. '1f it escape
e your keen observation, how did m
letter pass the eyes of the Ne
!. York officials undeteeted? This
Y my question"
Q Her eyes searched my fa,e,
oI brI Itook her hands in my own.
e "Annie," said l, 81 believe
. could make no one understan
L what it cost my jealous heart
= rectify that mistake, but l did
II | knew it must be in answer to thG
3 letter that you spoke of a fe
IS nights ago. 1t ought to prove
It you how unselashly / love you, n
" darling, when re.stamped it an
g sent it on its way to him. ney,
?, thoughtyou would find it out.
l. did 1t to spare you q moments vi
W easiness. II the man You lo'
le cares for you as much as LIDO h
Q: will make your life a happy one
4 slow can repay your generos
I'd typ she said in a voice tremulo
IS. with feeling. "You could not ha'
= acted better if you had had a PEI
IN at the contents of that letter. b
re your reward may be claimed wh'
al you read this,
We She handed me the letter al
be glided out Of the room. ! took
~ over to the shaded lamp and re-
a. the Following,
@. h''DBARANNIE: When beside 70
m fathers dying bed we entered in
", an engagement Of marriage, ! f,
ed as be did, that the interests Of t
ne firm Of which hp and Iwere pal
nd ners would be best sustained by o
rt union, uwwt gbnv8
,d 81 wrote yon notify ing you Of |
oe readiness to fulfill my part of t
"a agreement, and requesting you
ed be ready to return with me on S
Cd Cd urdag as hay wife, You say to
he that / must not come. There is
m. one explanation to this refusal, a
ar that is that you have seen some O
yle who pleases you better than yo
ss7 humble servant. It is but natur
re- child. | cannot blame you. I
IN, young should mate With the youI
pd and as ! pm too much your sen
me to expect to awake in your you
n Iaa.a. N A1..N l.