Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1879-07-17
THE GUARDIAN LOVER.

She sat there, my aunt kathcel
plying her knitting needles with un
disturbed serenity.
CHANGING at her now aud then,
wondered whether my days o. white
locks would find me possessed Uf like
cquability.
just then | would have been N.
definitely thankful for some denfDn~
stratIon of excitement on my aunt 5
part; but everything seemed to he
at dead calm, both within doors and
without.
Within there was nothing but the
''click, click, tick, tick of the
exasperating needles, and an equally
eXasperating timc-picce, varied by
the ring Of 80 NRal lqIsiiG2ejc grate.
"11'em"t,i8flch carpet conspir's'' TO
destroy my ease of mint, It's en-
mossed lilies and roses stealing
every sound Of the restless steps
with which l paced the room.
At length it grew insupporta;ole,
and | paused, crying with ncedl ess
energy
Aunt, darling, | am going for 3
walk | cannot wait and watch here
Il minute longer!"
Aunt kathecl looked over the
golden rim of her spectacles with
smile that reminded me Of the white
robed angels, Notwithstanding the
knitting needles clicked relcntlessIy
on.
A dcprecating motion of the head
preceded tie voice almost rs heaven
" rs the smile.
My child, how impatient you
are. But what if Marston should
come whilst you are absent? Your
guardian has right 20 expect YOU
to welcome him home after five
years absence. He might feel hurt,
my dear, he loved you So
''But ! am no longer little girl,
aunt, and he may not care to see
me-" l returned, little chokingly,
rs ! knclt on the footsto tool before her.
Your nephew, Doctor Rail-, may
come home quite indifferent to his
once pcttcd ward
And this time the tears had been
trying to annihilatc rushed to my
eyes, filling them to overnowing.
Aunt scanned my face with
thoughtful interest, and then with Il
curious smile just touching her lips,
she said, quietly
''Iakc your walk, dear, and don't
dim your eyes with needless tears. ="
| was very soon cloakcd and
standing on the terrace.
looked and listened for n minute,
in expectation of my guardians
carriage.
But nothing, save the happy chirp-
ing of few birds, broke the almost
oppressive, though wonderfully sweet
stiffness that often heralds a heavy
fall of snow.
Then, with q doubtful glance at
the leaden sky, hurried away.
extended my walk farther than |
intended, and long before i reached
home a ..bfinding protusIon of snow
flakes filed the air, and my heart
throbbett>as wild response to their
soft kisses as when, in my childish
days, L alternately sang, laughed,
wept, or grew devout under the in
spiration of their coming.
Possessed with q mad delight, |
sped homeward on winged feet; but
night caught me.
AS / reached the door, 1 turned
last smiling glance on the scene
without, and then entered the hall
to be blinded for an instant by
flood of light, and the next to be-
como conscious Of the presence of
gentleman under the chandelier.
My first impulse was to beat an
inglOrious retreat; my second, to
advance rs befitted a young lady of
seventeen.
1 did so, little mortified at my I'M
presentable appearance, and straight
ening, as best could, the crimson
hood which had fallen from my head
in the wild furry of my delightful
flight before the storm, at the same
time making fruitless attempt to
gather up few unruly curls escap-
ing comb and ribbon.
Blinded by the light, was passing
with slight bow, when a well-known
and well-loved voice exclaimed
"Can it be? Paula!''
"Gardie!" I cried, qnite forget
| full of the stiltcd "Dr. Rahi," which
II had inscribed upon nay mental
programme as suitable form of adj
dress, after a separation of five long
years-five years, in which l had
crown from a child to q woman.