The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-10-16

One day q lady in black walked into
my Office; when she lifted her veil
saw Aletta Stanton's face, closer to me
than it had been since we parted. Ny
heart gave no wild throb. felt as
though she was mere stranger. N
Cautiously and quiet candy heard
her business. She intended to contest
the will and needed advice. I gave her
what could. I referred her to broth
er lawyer as the one who Swould best
espose her cause. AS for her I told her
truly that my time was too much occu-
pied to undertake anything more, and /
wished her success. es
She looked at me wistfully, with her
great blue eyes full of tears as she rose to
60. -- %%. 9la
"It was cruel Of him." she said, "cruel
to leave me SO poor, but he was never
kind, never-not in the honeymoon
even" ..E ..... r..... ...as.. -. - .l,g..z
II regret to hear it," I said. aa5 @t If
~ could expect nothing more," she
said. ~ did not love him-I never
loved but one-and that one" ..".a
She paused and looked at me. L..
5t "That one I love STILL" she said. VI
8 And Heaven knows no feeling of re-
venge of petty triumph was in my heart
when looked in Aletta Stanton's eyes if
! did not understand her, and courteous
~ bowed her out .. ##
Odd I ever care for that woman2" I
thought, COR Is it all dream2"
I took nv adopted child to theater
that nj ght and we saw the Lady of Lyons
together. 1t was her first playing ex-
perience, and she enjoyed it immensely.
She wore white dress and bonnet and
the coral drops I had fastened into her
ears. could not help looking into her
eyes and touching her hand with mine.
When left her I kissed her. ~ )"
"Good-night my child" said.
And she answered "good-night," with
a cheek dyed on the instant deeper scar
let, and ran away as Betty came out to
chat with me. -...saaa .9"ass.. II.
From that night I dated an odd change.
My adopted child seemed shy of letting
me keep her hand-shy even of chatting
as she did. She was graver, more wom-
anly. fancied she did not care for me
as she did. Perhaps some of these farm
ers who leaned over the gate at sunset,
some of those young fellows who so often
escorted her home from church, had won
her from me. I grew little moody. I
found myself in brown studies when I
should have been at work. At last de-
termined to discover whether I was really
to lose my child, and went down to the
cottage. I found her there sitting at
work with Betty. r..
After all, it was no easy task, Icould
not do as had hoped. I tried testing,
and spoke of one and of the other young
fellows near. 1--WE shall have Nellie
stolen from US, suppose" I said. "There
is nothing so easy lost from family as
pretty daughter. But who is to have you,
Nellie2" 49,, sse.4 @.. ,4-''
She looked at me as children look be-
fore they burst into tears-her chin quiz
ering, her throat swelling then she
dropped her work, and stole from the
room without answering me @ &" ....s
"What ais the child, Betty ~ I asked,
shave offended her2'' @9 as.-s
Old Betty stood before me sturdy and
stern-a look in her face that I had never
yet seen there. ....I. ..... ".,t
"Master Albert" she said, ''whatever
she was when she came here, Nellie is
no child now. Oh, Master Albert, cant
believe you've done it on purpose. You
couldn't such sweet innocent thing
but it's done. All can say is, go away,
or let her 60 away, and maybe the wound
would heal. I ought to have spoken in
time. I was an old fool. Oh, how could
you, Master Alberto How could you?'
"What have I done?" cried. II would
die rather than harm her" -, .- :
sand yet you have made her love you,'
said Betty, sternly. "You who knew you
would never love her. You've been very
selfish, Master Albert" - ~. - -
A new light dawned upon me, radi.
ance brilliant beyond my hopes. ot.5 '.@
Betty" said I, ''you are dreaming
She must think me old enough to be {
grandfather, with my long face and bale
crown, and this crutch. I've had ont
dream broken; don't set me dreaming
again for heavens sake" 3,: "r.7l A.
Old Betty looked at me, then caugh
my face in both her bands and kissed
me. -. '..'. '-...9~ @HF.:5 ~ ii.
"Master Bertie,'' said she, II shan't tel
| you word more; 60 and find out wha
you want to know for youroelf. W,
silly, handsome good for-nothing fellow9
found my child under the grape vine
her face was wet with tears. sat dow
by her. and put my arm about her waist
''Nellie," said ], ''dcnt shrink iron
me. I am your true friend whateve
answer you may give me now. I an
! older than you. I am not vain enoug
to think myself a young girls beau-ideal
! But I do love you dearly, Nellie. Ca
you love me enough to be my wife? I
you cannot, if another claims your hear
do not say yes from gratitude. Tell m
the truth, and still retain q fathers, and
brothers affection, Nellie" -.
: bel Mt over her, and my life seemed i
her keeping. Until that moment I ha
not known myself loved her madly-
felt it now-better, far better than in m
i youth I had loved Aletta Stanton.
"Nelliep' I said; "Nellie2" and
brown hand was laid of its own accord
J mine, and beneath my gaze the dar
, eyes did not dare to lift themselves, b,
t hid their sweetness on my breast. Nell
2 was mine.
I sat with her beating heart SO ne,
my own, and thought it all over, r
membered the child in her cotton gov