Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1879-05-22

Miss Myra suddenly felt, with a shock
that startled her, that her baby was no
more; was this, too, to be taken from
her now?
You, my baby! you, my child, my
Hope! Who has dared to speak of love
to you, YETI" she cried, holding fast
the golden head upon her bosom.
at is ROger-Roger Merton" came
the trembling reply.
As if stung by serpent, Miss Myra
flung off the tender arms about her neck
Again" she muttered, "dOes he again
thus seek to break my heartl'
I'VE are both young, 1 know, sister,
but we can wait. Rogers father says
we had best wait"
"Tell your lovers father for me, that
1 know what his child's waiting would
be, and as long as you live, never speak
to me again of loving or being loved by
one of the name of MertOnp
Every one noticed how Miss Myra
became aged about this time; her smooth
brown hair gistened with gray, and her
pretty blue eyes grew dim, and set deep
under the brows. Roger Merton's wife
sickened and died, that same spring. and,
notwithstanding Myra was no longer of
an age to set gossips' tongues wagging,
the country people in the neighborhOod
nodded their heads and wOve romantic
little theories and speculations con-
cerning 1.-The widOwer on the hill and the
old maid in the holler"
Whether it was because Roger senior
wanted consolation again in the person
| of young woman at the head of his ia
bic, or because Roger junior, would not
wait for his love, not long after Mrs
Merton's death, Hope Wylde wrote pa
thetic little letter of adieu to her sister
and went over the hills with her lover
as his bride.
! Many vain attempts were made by
both Hope and her husband after, tC
meet Myra, and obtain her pardon, but
she was Obdurate to their petitions, anC
kept herself so sedulously within hel
own grounds, that itwas impossible tt
obtain either a hearing or an interview
| Two years passed in this way, and il
was May once more. The moon was up
and the shadows of the vines at the
windows made tremulous bits of MOSAIC
on the pale gray paper on the wall Of
the little parlOr where Miss Myra sat
The old tune still fingered on her lips
there seemed to be a faint echo of the
melody in the air; she paused to listen
but all was quiet; there was no one il
the house but herself. A gentle sounC
as though some one cautiously turned
the handle of the door, reused her again
She rose and walked out on the veran
dab, and discovered hanging upon tht
dOor-knob a curiOusly-shaped basket
She lifted it off and found it heavy
Quickly she brought it into the parlol
and lighted the lamp, and kneeling dowI
beside it read upon card attached:
"a May basket for Myra, from loving
! hearts"
| With trembling hands she opened thu
cover, and there laughed up in her face
a baby, with her little sisters eyes. Sht
/ put her hand to her heart, and gasped
then burst inta a flood of tears. The ba
by reached out both its hands, and shC
lifted it up on to her bosom.
Outside the window three anxious
watchers stood, and there were tear
upon their cheeks as they beheld thu
tableau. With the baby still upon he
heart, Miss Myra rushed to the doc
again, and out on the still May nigh
there came the cry:
"Come to me, Hope; you are forgiv
env
1t was a glad, hushed, happy moment
There were no words spoken in thC
meeting; but when the baby lifted it
little arms to its grandfather, then RO
ger Merton spoke:
''Myra," he said, sit was child tina
separated US, will you let one reunit'
us?".
And Miss Myra put the baby in hi
arms, and laid her hand in his, in tOkeI
of her forgiveness of the past.-Demo
rest for Nav,