The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-04-19


erty and honor you stand flt In my friendship and
esteem. | desire to see you In person, that may
thank you with words instead OF with my pen We
have invited few choice friends TO spend some OF
these beautiful autumn days with US, and would be
most happy 10 welcome you as guest In our home
the home that you worked 30 hard to regain FOL
Us. Though We have never seen each other, yet
think We shall meet old acquantanccs Ny besi
wishes and prayers for you always, and hoping tC
lam your yeT true friend.
MABEL HARVEY"
The letter was folded and put in deli.
cate envelope, and Mabel Harvey said
softly:
al hope he will come, and | so hope he
will like llettie. don't believe in match.
making, but it would please me so much
if he and Hettie should love each other
Hettic is little wild now, and | think
she would settle down after marriage aud
make good wife. | feel almost sure she
will win his heart; she wins all nearts !"
Aud Mabel drew little sigh, and she
thought that her time OF winning hearts
was over, for she was 30 years old.
The freshness of youth had faded from
her face, but the earnest and beautiful ex,
preston of her splendid brown eyes was
even more enchanting than in the days oI
her childhood; and though no roses bloomed
in her cheeks, her lips were full and scar
let, and her teeth like shining ivory.
With the letter she had Just written in
her fingers, and her eyes half veiled by
white lids aud long brown lashes, she
thought upon her past life. 1t had been
varied, mingled with thrilling pleasures
keenest pain, with luxury and want She
had been an only daughter, petted and
gratifed in every wish, and star in the
society in which she moved; but her father
had died in the midst Of prosperity, and
her mother had married in few years a
man who was father to little fair haired
girl of six years, the Hcttie, to whom she
had ever been like tender mother. Then
misfortunes came. The property that had
supported them in luxury and case was
swept away through dishonest management,
aud poverty, stern, relentless poverty,
stared them in the face Then her mother
had died suddenly, and her step-father,
who had long been victim of consump-
tion, grew moro feeble, and poor Mabel,
whose delicate white hands were entirely
unused to labor, worked early and late with
her needle to keep cruel want from her
door.
For year her father had fingered, as
it were, on the brink of the grave, and pa
tient, noble hearted Mabel supported and
nursed him, wearing ever in his presence
a cheerful face, aud pettiDg and caring for
little Hettie as though she we're her own
child.
After the death Of her step-father she
obtained a situation as teacher in an acad-
emy and Hettie was well clothed and sent
to school, and Mabel grew hopeful, and
some of the gaiety of her brighter days re-
turned Then happy change had come.
A young lawyer, who was the friend of a
loved cousin Of hers, who had died away
from homo in the buoyance of youth, took
the care Of the fathers lost property in
his hands, and had at last restored it, plac
ing her beyond want, and forever the uu-
changing friend to the man who had be-
friended her. The two had never met
nor spoken to each other save through the
medium Of the pen; but the meeting was
near at hand, and Mabel smiled as she
thought of it, and raised her dropping eye.
lids, and looking away over the autumn
tinged woods, and half praying that Hettie
and he might love each other, for Hettie
was always first in her thoughts aud plans.
The invitation which she extended to
Wesley Dartmouth, the young lawyer, was
accepted, aud every day Mabel watched
the stage couch as it came lazily up the
road, hoping it would it would stop at her
door. 1t stopped at last, and tall, beard
ed man stepped from itand walked through
the white gate up the gravel walk, and
smiled tcnderly in Mabel's face as she
stood in the hall to greet him. In one
hand he held his hat, and in tho other he
clasped Mabels, bowing his head grace.
fully toward her, receiving her words of
welcome, and speaking brotherly words to
her.
Then fairy footsteps came tripping TO-
ward them, aud Hcttie came forward in
her white dress, with bare arms and shoul-
ders, her checks glowing with health and
loyclness, and her yellow hair falling on
her shoulders like shower Of golden rings.
The glory Of youth was upon her, and her
blue eyes shone like twiukling stars. She
came forward shyly and stood by Mabels
side, aud Mabel looked at her fondly,
proudly, and introduced her ia loving,
tender tone, and looked into the young
mans face to see the expression there as
he gnzcd on Hctties loycliness. He took
the white, plump hand in his, and gal
lantly kissed it, making some little hatter-
ing remark about her fairy like beauty, and
calling up rosy flush to tho bright, young
face. II had commenced better than Ma
bel had hoped, and thought what hand
some couple they would make.
The days that followed were days Of