The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1878-02-06

don't know. rather think there's some
thing in what you say, though" "a
Well then, to come TO the point; here
is an opportunity Of treating yourself to
a great pleasure, by conferripg much
happiness on two people who deserve it.
You must consent 10 this marriage"
"That I'll bel mean to say, I've
fully made up my mind that I won't do
anything of the sort. r.....
"You will consent, assure you. You
have told me your objections; and by
means OF those very objections intend
to convince you. Benjamin Bradbury,
how old were you when you married ?
and what was your wife's fortune2"
Bradbury thesS64 Of the second Mrs.
B., upstairs, and fancied he saw a
loophole.
"I was ty-three, / believe; and she
brought me thirty-five thousand
pounds"
Bradburyl" and the bright eyes OF
the sylphide were fixed on him with
threatening glance" Bradbury, you're
prevaricating Wien you married your
first wife, Kate's mother, you were three
and-twenty; light hearted lad like that
portrait; aud she was good little girl,
with bright, loving face for her only
dowry. And you, sir, what was your in
come then ?"
"Twenty-eight shllings a week, said
Bradbury, patiently
"Not princely, Mr.. Bradbury; but
you made it enough, didn't you ?"
cay, that we did," said Bradbury,
"and were as happy as the day is long. !"
"You're condemning yourself, you
see," said the sprite. "This young
couple are older than you and your wife
were then, and have good deal more to
keep house upon; and you know your
self they love each other dearly"
"Love fiddlestick said Bradbury;
call boy and girl nonsense"
"You're quite above that sort Of thing
yourself, sir, 1 suppose ?"
~ should rather think / was," said
Bradbury.
"Very good, said the lady, ave. y
good. Now, do you think you would
know your own handwriting ?"
And she looked searchingly at Mr..
Bradbury, with her head on one side,
and mischievous twinkle in her eyes,
like an Old Bailey barrister who is get.
ting witness into fix, and intends to be
downupon him tremendously in aminute.
Perhaps You will be kind enough tc
take any one of that bundle Of letters,
and tell me what you think of it."
Bradbury did as he was ordered. The
first paper that he laid his hand Hpor
had b Ell enclosed in the envelope from
which the sprite had emerged. 1t wat
yellow with age, and sadly frayed at the
edges. lie opened it, and recognized
it as valentine sent in years long past
to his dead first wife, in the happy days
of their courtship. A strange sensation
futtered at Bradbury's heart. and q mist
seemed to come before his eyes, as he
read the long forgotten lines. They
we're his own, and exhibited faults il
plenty both in metre and phrassology
but they breathed warmth and light t.
which his heart had long been a stranger
And Bradbury thought of one TO whom
those lines, rough and irregular as they
were, had been the perfection of poetry
who had read them over and over agar
with unfading pleasure, till like th,
frayed edges of the paper they wer,
written upon, the gentle life had won
away, and he had been left alone. Ant
then came bitter thought of his secont
marriage; marriage made for money
only, and of which,.c cold indifference wa.
the most pleasant phase. And with
sharp pain at his heart, Bradbury cover
ed his face with his hands.
''You do not scoff at love now, said th,
sprite. "The tears which steal through
your fingers show that there is yet som,
life in your frozen heart. Weep on
Benjamin Bradbury. Every one Of thos'
tears is worth thousand of your colder
coins. Benjamin Bradbury, for the las
half of your life you have tried to shak
off all loving human sympathies; ant
you have well-nigh succeeded. AM
what has your life been? Have 20,
once known, in all your later life, thrill
of pleasure equal to that produced in tn
old days by the gift Of penny in rea
loving charity? Have you ever had tn
happiness of receiving poor man
blessingP Have yod ever had the pleas
of seeing, in your own home circle, O
among those you call your friends, face
gladden. or eyes grow brighter at you
presence? You know that you hav
not. You know that in your heart @
hearts you would be glad this momen
to exchange half your wealth for on
week of the old light-hearted feeling, tn
pleasant inward warmth which you ha,
in those boyish days. lis it not ss?"
at is indeed it is."
"H such is really your feeling, th
realization of your wish is in your owl
power. You cannot be young again il
body, but you can be young at heart
and regain much, very much of the feel
ing Of those old happy days. But th
act must be your own, and you ma
make beginning now. You were gen
: erous then you must be generous now
Would you condemn your child to love
} less life, and sell her for gold to an exist
ense such as your own second unio
hoe haar 9u