The Democratic advocate., 1878-06-29

intimacy, | thought him incapable Of ac-
tually of stealing the girl" returned Miss
Amesbury firmly, his taunts having arOus-
ed all the dignity of her nature
"Humph All / have to say is that if
you did not actually plan the match, mad
am, you must be somewhat blind guar
dian of a young girl. But 1 have sent for
you, madam, to give you to distinctly
understand that l wash my hands entirely
of the young couple.
"As if / would give your selfish nature
credit for anything else," she answered
tartly.
"And, madam, permit me to add that
Paul Seldom, the husband, of your manag-
ing niece, has nothing il. the world inde-
pendent of me, and though l may still
choose to keep him in my employ, / will
never see his wife or permit her name
mentioned, and you may as well compre-
hend that despise all flesh in the woman
form. They are nothing but apples of
discord, and ever have been, from Eve
down to the present time
"And permit me" responded Miss
Amesbury, springing to her feet and draw
ing her fine form to its fullest height, ''to
say that l should hate all of mankind
through you, Charles Seldom But L
cannot, for / am satisfied there are very
few who, like him, are capable of winning
the affections ofa young girl only to cast her
off and trample on them upon the slightest
provocatiOn; and that though You, Charles
Seldom, were capable of all that was
treacherous and mean, am led to believe
that Paul Seldom possesses a generous, af-
tionate heart, and that he truly loves Clara
So l shall go to them and at once install
them in the room you now occupy, and
you viii much oblige me by vacating i'm
mediately."
While she was speaking the gentleman
sat as one transformed, never taking his
eyes from the flushed face that was pretty,
despite her five and thirty years. When
she concluded and was about to leave the
room he managed to articulate, but in
voice so changed as scarcely could be rec
ognized.
"Alice Amesbury, is it possible you
lay the charge of treachery and dissension
at my door? You-you, Alice Amesbury,
who had won love as true and strong as
death, and then for hasty reproOf cast
me off with bitter scorn."
at is FALSE" she answered with flashing
eyes "You left me without word Of fare
well, except the eloquent though mute
one of the returned package Of notes and
letter, withered flowers and the glove you
took from my hand when you placed the
engagement ring upon it"
The flashing eyes were dropping tears
when she paused, while Mr. Seldom drew
from pocket in his bosom letter faded
and worn, and with trembling hand gave
it to her, asking;
''Do you recognize that?"
He watched her with eager eyes as she
read. Her cheeks flushed and paled, and
when she had finished she raised her truth
full face to his and answered with white
and quivering lips:
II never saw this before-never sent it
to you. 1t is the handwriting of my cous-
in Stella.
"But so like your own" he answered
"Yes, so like my own that it would be
very difficult for any but myself to decide"
Nevertheless I am not to be blamed
for thinking your own hand penned the
cruel lines. See, it says peremptorily;
"Return all my keepsakes, and consider
that from this moment our engagement is
broken. have found out before it is too
late that never truly loved you" And
BOW after all these years, you tell me that
l have been deceived-that the note which
parted US and sent me into exile soured,
disappointed man, robbed of my trust in
women until this hour was written by an
other"
She lifted her face to him once again
and answered:
GAS God is my judge l speak only the
truth. But she who did us this wrong is
in her grave. Her motive was revenge
for some fancied slight or love of you, it
matters not now"
Again she bowed her head upon her
white hands and wept, while he also shad-
ed his face to hide the tears. But at
length he brokenly resumed.
"Alice, after all these weary suffering
years can you forgive me for being dupe
for being SO blind and unjust?"
"Charles," whispered she through her
sobs, "can you forgive me for cherishing
such little thoughts of you these many sad,
sad years?"
The next moment they were standing
face to face, with elasped hands, bridging
the chasm of time.
GLOW strange said Clara, a week later,
as she was seated upon her husbands
knee, "to find our naughty selves forgiven
and installed in aunty's best room-the
"5lue guest chamber, as she calls it,
"And all brought about, little wife. by
the old lovers quarrelling over us; and
thereby uneartAing an ancient misunder
standing, followed by reconciliation and
n hasty marriage
'And such happy couple" returned
Clara, "and such a changed man as your
uncle-as is our uncle, Paul y
"An' be me troth," exclaimed Nora in
the servants hall. "There be's no fools
like Ould fools. Butther couldn't be after
meltin' In the ould masthcr's mouth these
days. An hain't he ''me darlin" her
an hain't she "me darlin ov him and