Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-08-15
TOO LATE.
{ BYlcnARLoTrE MELLEN pAcKARp.

/
sently. what could / have don,
with that letter poor Henry's last
I must search the attic carefully ; anG
rising, she took her way up the Ions
flights of stairs to that treasury o
odds and ends which is the glory o
houses with a pedigree. The incur
tanned windows permitted flood o
wintry sunlight to warm the large
low chamber, and the suppressed at
mosphere (as ofvoices only heard i.
check which broods over such a spot
was hot unpleasant.
| Acurious Japanese desk, once thu
ornament of her own chamber, wa,
quickly unlocked and spread open
while its varied contents mutely ap
pealed to the memories of past years
1t was the season for recollection, and
though by no means given to senti-
mental moods, I think Mrs. Griswold
breathed light sigh, the unconsciou.
tribute of substantial comfort to I'M
substantial sweetness faded like hel
June roses in the garden parierres.
A quaint looking.glass, swinging
from the wall opposite, gave back the
image Of a comely and fashionable
woman beyond forty 6ve--a woman
whom care could not burden, who
drank the pleasant wine of lite calmly
never lacking the quantity or the fla.
vor she preferred. ss~A 7aeT
Parcels were disarranged and re.
tied, and general review carried on
while the lady reflected: 1T is well
to make thorough work for once.'
From something which her hand
touched, she recoiled at last with a
cry OF dismay-only a bit Of yellow
paper, inscribed with name not her
own, the drop of sealing. wax which
secured it unbroken;a but the swift re.
membrance it evoked sent her back
to Christmas bali at Eversdale, her
fathers home. lsa
Never had the incense of fiattery
been more grateful, or her triumphs
more abundant, than on her first ap
pearance as the betrothed wife OF
Martin Griswold, a rising man in the
business world. Once, between the
dances, gentleman had slipped this
note into her hand, saying anxiously
You will deliver it to night?' And
she, asserting gayly, put it by, and
thought no more of the matter, until
the name of Philip Chartrand ap,
peared in a list of foreign passengers,
and her sister, Helen, dropped as il
chilled and stricken, though no con
fession crossed her lips.
'How stopped of me to forget = was
the secret comment upon her own
carelessness Il shall never hear the
last of it If | confess the blunder.
And with the moral cowardice of a
selfish nature, she kept silent, hiding
the billet in her private desk, and per-
hitting the fact to drift out of mind.
The prolonged absence of Miss Erland
at that time aided the design, and
seventeen years had INTERVIEWED but
the witness which wrong doing leaves
behind it rose UP even now to convict
Mrs. Griswold. While she unused un-
easily, facing the array of facts to
which she could not deny that had
given rise, a distressed sound from
the nursery below summoned her
hastily to the rescue. Lillian, the pet,
had fallen and bruised badly her fore.
head nothing less than her mothers
devotion would sooth her laments.
and it was an hour before Mrs. Girls
void was at liberty again.
Some one passing along the CORR.
dor, just after the attic door CASUALLY
locked) was left wide open, was
seized with desire to explore that
region, and her noiseless steps carried
her quickly there.
'Gratia must have been at work.
she thought, glancing at the grand
upheaval of papers that Mrs. Girls.
void held sacred, and was moving on
toward the window, but detached
fragment, fallen beyond its fellows,
tempted her to stoop and lift it.
Helen Erland. ee.a
The writing, peculiar and elegant,
was very dim, the paper 30 yellow
but the touch of a vanished hand
thrilled her as she read, the Sound OF
voice. for which the emptiness Of
her days seemed in waiting, sang
sweetly in her ears. For moment
her only thought was of supreme
thanksgiving, that the honor and
truth in which she had kept her blind,
womanly faith, were INDICATED at
last.
A slender, delicately moulded wo.
man, she stood erect in the crimson
glow which gave transient bloom to
her lips and cheeks. She had walked
the round Of limited sphere very
patiently, choosing the shade where
Gratia would push forward to the
sunlight, accepting the duties, and
grateful for the pleasures Of to-day.
1t was difficult for those nearest
Helen Erland to say just what her
life lacked; probably the aroma Of
happiness. For many years her home
had been with Mrs. Griswnld, who.
in her way, looked we'll to the materi,
al wants of her one sister. 1t was
pleasant and convenient to have an
unmarried sister at hand, ready To
act as housekeeper in dilemma to
amuse and pet, the children (they
clung instinctively to Aunt Helen),
and to share the burdens and gayeties
of existence, which, to tell the truth,
Mr.. Griswold was too absorbed in
business to succeed in doing.
Society said: 'How charming 70
think of Mrs. Griswold and Miss Err.
land-such devoted sisters! quite like
twins, assure you,' and the utter
lack of heart sympathy did not inter.
fere with this theory None but the
actors in this small drama knew to
what separation of aims and hopes
their lives tended. ae -
Far back in her girlhood, Helen
Erland like other girls, had dreamed
her beautiful dream from whic.. the
whole future took form and hue. No
matter if it came to no earthly frni-
ton but erpetual loss perhaps she
was richer and better than the faith
less beings around her who were in
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