Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-11-08
IN AFTER YEARS.
BY ANNIE holland.

/ shop. Sheeny ribbons, filmy laces and
| such tritlles must be made to look jus'
as tempting as possible. This morning
felt particularly happy in thus dis
| PLAYING my goods, and when all was
done, stepped back proudly into my
/ pleasant sitting room, where had pref
ty lace curtains looped back from the win
| dows, and over them tasteful lambre
quins, made from a rich silk OF my de-
parted glory, and a comfortable lounge
was covered with some fabric from the
same boarded store. Still, as / watched
my goldfish sailing industriously about
| in the globe, around which were beauti'
| full flowers blooming, i thought, "Well,
| am inst as much of a lady as Mrs,
| Ashbrowne, who lives in the mansion
with towers, and drives up to my hum
| bic door in her splendid equipage, and
haughtily handles my boxes OF ribbons,
but seldom finds anything which suits
her fastidious taste. Yes, quite as much
of lady," and | sat down contentedly
i'm my low rocker and hummed an old
familiar song cheerily, as looked out on
a fairy form fitting gaily about beneath
the maples-now all scarlet and gold.
was happy, happier than had been for
a lCny time. | nodded gaily to Daisy
and wondered what could be going TO
happen that / was so unusually bright.
"Oh, nothing, OF course everything had
happened, and was done happening
with me long ago" Then wandered OIL
into the past and remembered the old
heart-ache and heart-break OF long ago.
What If Fred and had married? sup
pose should have been lady then az
ter his fashion, shut up all day long in
some gloomy house with no company
but my servants, fashionable solitude in
a city house perhaps with my husband
away from home most OF the time. Yes,
felt quite Inclined to forgive my guam
dam lover that he never married me,
but went off somewhere and left me. So
| left off loving him and loved my little
self.
I'm fond of color love all things that
are beautiful and graceful. Fred used
TO say | was something of an artist II l
had only had opportunities but then
ne was a great fatterer in those days. |
am delighted when the village girls
come in and view my pretty wares and
glance with arch and bewitching smiles
into the mirror as they try the effect OF
cardinal, orange, blue. seldom dream
OF a higher life now, for the truth is,
Daisy leaves me little time for building
castles i'm Spain. II she were my very
own couldn't love the child more and
that reminds me that l must tell you
the story;
About eight years ago l went to open
nv shutters one morning, when curled
up in basket on my doorstep was
Daisy. Wherever did she come from
| never knew. All the explanation she
made was to reach out her dlmpled arms
and COO something quite unintelligible
to nv untutored ear. Everybody COM
mented. Friendly advice was not want
ING with regard to sending the child to
a founding hospital or orphan asylum.
But | did not take any advice. SIM
plv cared for and loved the baby, until,
/ think, had anybody come TO claim the
child-but that was altogether unlikely,
| soothed myself by thinking. | should
lust as soon think of Fred's coming
back some, and that is one OF the IMPOSE
bilities. Yes, Fred had gone for good, as
the children say. Oh, how happy we
were in the long ago, and | drew a tiny
locket from my bosom, which always
Law there close to my heart, and saw
the bright eyes looking lovingly into
mine and the curly hair clustering
about the white forehead.
eyes, too happy to last, as Fred had
said the very last night We met.
'To last :" said |, "why do you talk
so. Frederick ?" and my heart gave a
great bonnd, for l suddenly remembered
the talk that had reached my ears about
Fred. A fine lady had come that sum
mer to board at orr village hotel, a
beauty, | had heard, with fortune at
her command. Frederick had unduubt-
edly paid her some attention. "Was
entirely too attentive for a man already
betrothed," was soon whispered here
and there by gossipping tongues. But |
had uubounded confidence in Fred, and
never upbraided him upon the subject.
| think he would have said much more
on this our last night together, but see
ing how his words would hurt me, he
remained broOding and silent for awhile,
then taking me tenderly in his arms he
kissed me good night, land murmured
some excuse about leaving earlier than
usual, and was gone.
| never saw him afterwards.
Next morning it was found out that
he and the enticing beauty had lett to-
gether; whittier, no ,one knew, not
even Frederick's parents, who were
| overcOms with grief at the conduct OF
| their once noble boy. Afterwards
| heard of his marriage and his mother
/ death then l worked day and night
and tried to forget my sorrow, and two
years later Daisy came to cheer my
| lonely life.
But sharp tingling Of the bell stop
ped my reverie, and.l fastened into the
| shop where was confronted by gentle
men-a rather unusual occurrence
very tall and very broad, he was dressed
/ in a very good suit OF gray, wore gray
/ hat, and his hair and long beard and
| mustache were also tinged with gray
/ He asked for some tritle, and while
/ making his selection watched me mar
rowly; but he paid for the articles with
/ out saving anything further, and passed
| out lust rs two or three other customer,
/ came in. For some time ! was occu
\ pied when again at leisure happened
to think of the stranger and OF Daisy,
| | fastened to the window to call the
child in, when there stood the gray
gentlemen, talking pleasantly with her
| screamed for Daisy to come in. She
obeved and the gentleman followed hel
closely. | met them inside the store
| door.
Pardon me, ma'am; but whose child
is this p
Il felt my cheeks burn painfully, anC
/ hesitating a moment at the abrubtneSs o
the question, l replied, Mine, sir.
Then to Daisy said, Run up stairs
dear, until | call you
"Gouy child ~ he questioned.
Eyes, sir; Just the same as my own,
said |, trembling violently and busying
myself about the counter. But you
/ are a stranger to me, sir, and | have
something to attend to- pointing to the
| door.
In one moment; but l must know
Wasn't the child left with YOU som,
eight years ago ~
l was looking steadily into the mans
face-sOmething in his voice had be
trayed him, and now the eyes grew
strangely familiar. | reeled forward, anC
would have fallen at his feet, do be
lieve, though never tainted in my life
/ had not his strong arms caught me.
Laura have l grown so old anC
ugly and gray that you have really and
/ truly forgotten me ?"
Yes, it was indeed Fred come bacl
again, His wife had eloped with 1
Spaniard and died on her voyage to Eu
rope less than three years after thei
/ marriage.
and | brought my little motherles
| 49, 80 - - ss:> SSs,.s inc No
man who had loved me, knowing NJ
other to whom i could trust the We,
burden" explained Fred. at ma!
look like a cowardly thing to have done
yet my motives were pure. | knew
our lonely life, and thought could yoI
learn TO love the child, she would save
you many a heartache. Is 1t not so !!