The daily gazette., 1879-07-14
FIRST EDITION.
THE OLD LOVE.
BY LEILA EGBERT.

Miss Jane Finch was lonely the sen-
sation was an odd one, and she was at a
loss what to do with it.
She had lived for fifteen years a soli-
tary life, and prided herself for decade
and half on being independent Of and
Indifferent to the rest of the great hu-
man family, and now she grew suddenly
weary Of her self-impose ed solitude.
1t might be that everybody about her
was SO busy and bustling and happy, or
1t might be from many other reasons;
but whatever the cause, the fact re-
mains that, on certain morning in
knowledge that her condition was not
to be envied.
In vain she tried to argue herself back
into her old self-satisfaction.
1t was just as true now as 1t was yes
terday that her brother James had mar
ried Sarah Jones-a girl she thought she
had good reason to hate but, somehow,
there was no pleasure to be gained
from comparing their poverty with her
riches.
She tried to WOO back her old content
by thinking of the seven little Finches
who could be so well-dressed, so we'll
educated, and SO altogether comfortable
with her money, and who should never
get penny of 1t.
But this, contrary to all past expert
ence, only had the effect of making her
more uncomfortable than before.
She tried to picture the "Old Wo-
mans Home" she was going to endOw !;
h.pft tI,xns q .aatv att vxtn <,f
ture brought with it no consolation
whatever.
1t always made Miss Finch's face
burn to think Of Captain Abel Jones'
first cousin to her obnoxious sster-in-
law.
Long ago, when she was in her teens,
they had been lovers, and everybody
knew that, as soon as he got his ship,
Abel Jones and Jenny Finch were to be
man and wife but one evening she ran
over to Sarah's (they had once been
bosom friends), and hearing voices in
the parlor, had stopped a moment to
discover who was there.
In that moment she had seen Miss
Sarah, crying as if her heart would break,
with her head on Mr.. Abel's shoulder.
Quite ignoring the fact that the these
who had been brought up together, and
that Abel had time and again told her
that Sarah was just the same to him as a
dear sister, Miss Finch grew righteously
indignant ; yet she was just-very just
indeed! she would not judge them on
this evidence, although to almost any one
it would have been proof enough of a
very disagreeable fact but she would
l hAry thntr of inn q n
corded with their position.
So she waited.
"Don't cry" said Mr.. Abel Jones,
pleadingly. 81 am sure l can make it
all right. She isn't nearly so fond of me
as you think and you know, Sarah, how
| dear you are to her. III break it to her
gently and I'm sure she'll give me up of
her own accord"
| Now, Miss Finch hadn't a jealous
nature, not at all ! but the most unsuspi-
cious IDIOT in the universe couldn't have
misunderstood that speech.
1t was very evident he wanted to be
free from her.
SO she stole gently out, without letting
them know other presence, walked home
at railroad speed, and, with very
proper self-rcspect, Immediately tied up
his picture, his few presents, and his fewer
letters, and sent them back to him, with
the pretty falsehood that she found she
didn't like him we'll enough to marry
him, and should be obliged if he would
release her from the engagement.
She didn't propose to be Tilted by him
and she wasn't.
Then she went off on visit, stayed
two months, and came home to find her
brother James engaged to her false friend
and her false lover nowhere.
In vain she endeavored to prevent this
marriage.
Her brother would not be convinced
without absolute proof, that Sarah Jones
was not perfect woman.
She begged, pleaded and urged.
But pride prevented her giving him
possessed, and so the two were married,
and she took her fortune Cleft her by hel
fathers only sister,, and herself to an
other town, gradually withdrew herself
ro.e and more from the world, until, al
twenty-six sh. was confirmed misan
thrope, seeing no one.
This sort Of existence she had kept vi
until the time our story opens.
Why Sarah Jones married Jane.
Finch, and why Abel Jones was still {
bachelor sea-captain, were mysteries sh'
did not trouble herself to explain.
Sure of their treachery, what matteret
it to her how they spent their lives?
To-day, Miss Finch, in thinking owe
the past, acknowledged to herself for thu
first time that she might have been hast.
mot so far as the stalwart sailor wa
concerned. but about her brother.
81 don't suppose ought to have ex
pected him to give up his sweethear
without any reason," she thought. "
wouldn't have done it myself. I believ
I'll send them good dinner. From al
can hear, they amt able to do much il
that line for themselves"
And with sudden twinge of con
science, the more from being unusual
Miss Finch hurried on her bonnet AM
shawl, and started off to market.
Oh, the marvellous purchases she made
"I'll give 'em a dinner that will las
the winter" she said grimly; and thel
all of sudden she felt great desire tt
partake of the good things she had gen
erously provided.
, "I've good mind to SO down and ca
dinner with 'em. don't know as I'll b.
welcome, but they can't do more thai
shut the door in my face. l believe III
try it, anyhow. james and l are tn
only ones left, and l don't think it i
right we should live any longer in thi
way. According to all accounts, Sarah
been a good wife to him."
And so that night Miss Finch starte'
, of for a visit to her brother.