Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-05-28
VOL. 74.-37S9. NO. 33.

TO my great satisfaction and astonishment,
after agreeing TO its strong resemblance TO
Richard, whom inwardly held to be much
better looking. .l...
The pretty figure Of the nurse was bend
ing over some fannels by the fire, and 10 re-
ply TO Richards introduction she merely
turned and bowed, and almost instantly re-
sumed her occupation. My eyes rested on
her neat figure and fingered there, and,
strange TO tell, found myself thinking Of
her, after we had left the room and were at
supper together. am ashamed at my age
TO tell Of such folly, but it is true that the
next day caught myself making an elabo-
rate toilet, brushing my whiskers carefully
before the glass ere | entered Nellie's room.
Whom was dressing for Not for Richard,
or for Nellie; they were used to seeing me
in my morning gown and slippers. at
must be for the baby" said "yes, I'm
afraid Of alarming the precious infant
and then remembered the pretty figure and
blushed crimson TO the roots Of my gray
hair, as well / might.
Mrs. Blair bore acquaintance well. She
was no longer young, il is true, but she was
still pretty, and certainly had a mind. At
first she would not talk to me, but ere long
we grew quite sociable and as the baby
grew older we were often left tete-d-tete over
its cradle, while Nellie was ont in the little
carriage with Richard. These quiet hours
grew very agreeable to me, and in little
while strange fancies stole into my brain, and
began to imagine that If Edith and had
been married we might have sat together
over the cradle of some favorite grandchild,
as Mrs. Blair and / sat by Nellie's baby.
reasoned with myself in the silence Of my
study; I called myself an I" old fool" but
without avail; began to realize that was
in love with Mrs Blair-I who had vowed
eternal constancy to Edith Lee; l who
had made Richard my heir, and never in
tended to marry; [ who was fifty years old,
and considered myself man Of sense i
was absolutely ashamed Of myself, and al
most hoped that should awake, and discover
that had been dreaming. In love or not
in love, / determined not to make an idiot
of myself by proposing and being refused,
as was sure should be, and yet the ide of
stout old bachelor letting concealment,
like worm in the bud, prey on his damask
cheek" was utterly absurd. Not 80 absurd,
however, as the fact that he should start
and turn pale when it was announced one
morning that nurse was going away that
afternoon. Not so nonsensical as that he
should wonder how he could live without
those tete.d-tetes over baby's cradle.
Yes, Mrs. Blair was going. Her trunks
were in the hall, her bandbox on the trunks,
and she, already attired in her travelling
dress, was singing to her infant charge for
the last time. l wondered whether she was
happy, but / dared not trust myself TO go
and see. The time wore on, and the hour
of departure came. The carriage was at the
door, yet still l sat in my old study, with my
face hidden in my hands, repeating, over
and over again, "At your age, Edward
Weldon, at your age, nonsense"
A rap at the door aroused me. / called
Come in !" and it softly opened, admitting
Mrs. Blair in her travelling bonnet and veil.
She did not raise her veil, but held out her
hand, and said:
Goodbye, Mr.. Weldon"
took it, and those little gray gloved
fingers sent thrill through my whole frame,
myself, and l only said, "Good-bye Mrs.
Yet, somehow, when | had said it, it was
hard to let her hand loose, and harder still
to see her turn slowly and sadly toward
the door.
"Mrs. Blair" 1 said, "willl you stop q
moment ?"
/ handed her a chair as | spoke, and she
seated herself, still with her face covered by
her veil. sat beside her. was nerving
myself to speak, and the words were just
upon my lips, when the study door was
dashed open, and Nellie ran in with little
crimson-covered book held at arms length
toward us.
"Oh, uncle I am so glad" she said
"Oh, Mrs. Blair why did you not tell me
before might have known it. You are
like the picture still, though you are older.
Uncle Edward, have you never guessed ?"
"Guessed what ?" gasped.
"Oh, take off your bonnet, pull away that
ugly veil, do not be ashamed of what you
should be proud Of cried Nellie. "See,
uncle, here on the titlepage of this book is
the name you uttered in this library six
months ago, and she has often told me it
was given to her by the only man she ever
loved, although she married another who
was cruel to her. Oh, if you had not left it
behind you. Uncle uncle that is Edith
Lee who stands beside you"
The truth rushed through my mind at
once. turned toward the trembling figure
at my side and clasped it to my heart, and
with one long kiss blotted out the cruel past
forever