The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-02-21

she drew her hand qulcSly away iron
my arm and stood quite still before me.
''NIe o, did you say me?'
And then | saw the moonlight falling on
her face, ani it was not the face Of girl
shining with happy confusion when she
hears the story of his love from the man
whom she prefers. 1t was pale and shock
ed, and then she hid it from NE in her hands
and burst into tears.
1 needed no other answer. I knew my
suit was hopeless.
''Don't cry, dear r said l. 81 never tho't
to wound you"
81 thought you knew" she went on sob
bingly 81 thought my uncle might have
told you l am to marry Mr.. Norris. I got
letter from him to day. o, can yOu for
give me?"
She stretched out her little hands i'm
ploringly. l took them in mine, aud kiss
ed them-they were sacred to me they
belonged to another, and l kissed them
while my heart was breaking.
Forgive you my darling - 1 said, II
would forgive you if you killed me, I think.
Don't grieve Annie, l will try to bear it."
We parted at her uucle's without anoth.
er word, and l went home to the motheIlY
heart that | knew would suffer with mo
! but whose tender sympathy would uphold
me in this hour of bitter trial
The next day l sent off my resignation
to Washington, for my mother and agreed
/ to leave the village where wo had passed
! so many quiet years. 1t was in the after
noon of the same day that the letter of
which had spoken, that l now knew was
for my rival, attracted my attention. I
took it up reluctantly-I felt l would as
readily lave touched a poisonous snake
and was just about to put the postmarll on
when | saw that the stamp upon it, Instead
of its being postal one, was a revenue
stamp, and that the letter, instead of
speeding OH the wings of love to New York
must be consigned to the dead letter Office
at Washington. With thrill of savage
delight flung it into the box appropriated
to the reception of such castaways and
went on with my evenings work.
With that work went on mechanically,
but my thoughts were not agreealy en-
ployed. That then was the answer to the
missive which she had received. But it
should be long before he would get it-get
i too late perhaps for an explanation for
misunderstanding between lovers had Of
ten arisen from slighter cause than the
non arrival Of an expected letter. l pic
tured him waiting and longing for the letr
ter that would not come, and she, poor girl ,
how her tender heart would be tortured by
his imagined neglect, when no answer
would be forthcoming. She, | knew,
would suffer in silence, and fondly hoped
that he would do the same. So locked
the mail and waited for the messenger to ,
carry it to the station. The express would
pass i'll an hour and a half
And then struggle began in my heart.
This mis- stamped letter seemed to look re-
at me from the box where had ,,
thrown it, and seemed to whisper to me g.
that one little act Of mine could send it un- !,
impeded on its mission.
No one, I believe, unless he was in my :
actuated by the same despairing :
selishly hopeful feelings that were over
me, could understand what a
base impulse | conquered when at last, at
ter an hours temptation, l took that letter
from its resting place, substituted postal :.
stamp for The revenue one, opened the mail !.
bag and let it 60. Then after it was done
some hot tears rushed to my eyes. 1t was +,
my last hope, and l could not help indulg- r
ng some weakness over its grave. Il
The next mail from New York arrived a
hree days after. | had the poor satisfac- g
ion of seeing the result of my good action a
II the handwriting Of my rival, addressed D
% Annie, making its unwished for appear II
lnce, as [ knew it would, and shortly after "
DR.. Merrill took it away with him as he
'alled for his mail. Loungers came in and p,
'ut of the Office and went away finding me
little disposed for conversation. Nothing b.
ret was known in the village of my acqui. HI
i:ion, so | was spared the pain of listening Fl
o congratulations that | was in no mood
o hear. When l went home that evening k
was surprised to find my mother absent, o'
nd still more surprised when opening a l
Iote she had left for me, learned that she !"
vas with Annie at Dir. Merrilrs and tina, l
vas to follow her there. Hopeless as l felt ~,
he prospect, seeing Annie again promised ac
De oulY painful pleasure, but still the a,
houRht of being near her had a sweet aud n:
ad fascination that ! could not resist h;
When l reached the doctors found him al
nd my mother seated in his office, 80 in.
ent on .he moves of knights gambit, that III
mere nod on my entrance showed their 10
Consciousness of my arrival. Annie was sc
OF there l found her in the parlor stand ("
lg upon the hearth rug, the glow of the ".
relight shining on her golden hair aud a -,
low of eager, happy expectation in her -
,ok tina: was new to her sweet face. a..
81 am 50 glad to see you,' she said, st,
living me her hand. II have been impa- be
ent for your coming-and / will tell you all
hy. There is a question l want you to co
Dswer. II perplexes me and somehow l
link l eau look to you for it's solution.
ou remember a letter l received in the ha
sTly part Of the week ?'' OK
She hestated aud cast her eyes down. ed
81 have too good reason ever to forget
)" | answered bitterly. of
| saw her face flush. She went on.
I answered that letter the next day. 1t iEt
as of vital Importance to me that it should
} then, as there would be no other mail for fat
Yeral days. | was troubled when | wrote do
and stamped it at unce's desk while the at
essenger was waiting to take it to the
fice. l found, too late, that I had mis- su
amped it. | have been utterly wrecked wa
T the past few days on account of that til.