The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-12-17

she mad SunereQ he had poured out his
agony and his despair in letters which
had never until now reached her. The
poor lady took them to her room, and
never appeared again that day But
she had ho hard words for hands that
had wronged her. Dear father, he
meant it for a kindness" was all that
she said
Still she grew very restless, and con
| tinually declared that something was
going TO happen. But coming events
often cast long shadows before, and it
was full two months afterward ere Miss
| Ethefs presentment came true. Then
she got letter one day, which threw
her into wild feverish excitement
"Eloise," she cried, almost sobbing with
joy, she is come, he is at the village /;
he will be here in an hour. How am
to bear it ?"
Women seek each others sympathy
in hours like this, and Eloise-perhaps
with just little pang for her own sor-
row-gladly gave it. But when she
joined the long parted lovers at dusk,
and saw her aunt lingering with tender
ears by the handsome dark stranger by
| the ireside, she knew that never again
| would Aunt Ethel want sympathy; it
was easy to see that her lover was still
her lover, and that they thoroughly I'M
derstood the past.
Perhaps the sight Gof their happiness
was little irritating sometimes to
Eloise. She could not help blaming
her aunt, in some measure, for the loss
of Harry, and she wondered if she ever
remembered now any of her old opin-
ions about the folly of marrying for
love. Many women would have remind
ed her of them, but Eloise was not i'll
natured and when she saw the old
lovers wandering about the gardens SO
her own blighted youth might have
some recompense given it; for such
joy it would be almost worth waiting, a
little while, but not twenty-five years
that was too long test of fidelity.
1t was not asked of her. On the
morning of the fifth of June, when the
dew was yet on the grass, there was a
messenger to see her He had with
him an exquisite basket of white roses,
and in their midst was letter which
made Eloise the happiest girl in Ameri-
ca. And Aunt Ethel was just as de
lighted. HE must come here at once,
she said "they would wait breakfast
for him-and he must never 90 away
again"
Then the ladies discovered that Har-
ry and James Early were already
friends. They had met at hotel in
New York, and both having their hearts
in the same little Southern town, they
had speedily become confidential. And
Harry was not long in getting his par
don, though his excuse might we'll have
been considered by less loving mis-
tress as an exaggeration of his offence. |
"You see, darling" he explained be-
tween his kisses, you wanted to test
my heart, and so | thought it only fair
to let you test your own also. Do You
think you would remember me if you
never saw or heard of me for twenty |
two years, as Aunt Ethel did that lover /
of her'sw
Harry ! should remember you for
ever. / never, never would have mar
ried any one else, if you had staid away
altogether. But indeed it was cruel to
try me so bitterly"
And how about you sending me
away 2"
~ won't ever do it again, Harry and /
l never really wanted you to go away |
You ought to have known that"
A few nights afterward, as they all
sat together on the moonlit veranda, |
Aunt Ethel said, very tenderly, "Chil- |
dren, James and viii be married next
Thursday and we shall sail Immediately
for Calcutta. Could the two marriages
be made at once? Then Harry and
Eloise could live on the old place, and |
keep it from going to destruction. 1t
is Eloise's now; l made it over to her
to-day, and Mr.. Green says you are GO /
ing into partnership with their firm, so
| hope you will have enough to keep
love from flying out of your windows"
Little more was said at the time, for
Aunt Ethel persistently turned the |
subject, but when she came into Eloise's
room to bid the new bride elect good
night" the happy girl whispered
ooh, Aunt, how generous you have /
been to us surely Mr.. Early must be
very rich, to let you give us such a
magnificent wedding present"
''NO, dear, he is not, In fact, he is /
yet what he calls a struggling man. |!
He has great ventures on hand he |
may become rich, or he may lose all he
has made. 1t Is something about indi-
go, dear, l know not what, and don't
care. | am going now wherever he
goes, and am very, very happy wO-
man."
Then Eloise whispered, Slyly,
"Auntie, do you remember saying a
year ago that girl was little fool who
married for love ?"
81 remember dear. am wiser now,
and say the girl is a little fool who
marries without it and is the most fool
ish and wretched of women. On the
whole, Eloise, ! am rather proud Of our
good sense-eh, my darling?"
Others, however, seemed to think
differently; for Lizzie Bruoe, meeting
her friend Selma James one morning,
said; "Selina, what do you think! Har-
ry Torrens has come back, and Cousin
Eloise has actually forgiven him every
thing and is going to marry him
never would have done it. Would
yogg
Certainly | would not; but then
Eloise was always on that subject-a
little fool"
~