Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1879-05-15
ONE house, in fashionable neighbor.

as po>sibie Tor my bride. he SAID, opening
door after door; .this must be Jennie
room. this for EDDY
Then il Is Coralr said. Henrietta, and
IS she spoke her head sank, tor she feared
her Kind friend was courfing diappoint.
ment.
Coral! he cried; "ah, yes Cora will
live here. Of course. Now will you help
mer | must have carpets and curtains
erookery. and thousand things of whose
very names | am ignorant. I am anxious
TO move In time for Thanksgiving din
ner 10 commemorate the day when first
| saw-Cora"
oi course she would help him. They
went from store TO store consulting, ar
ranging and ordering goods. the little lady
feeling all the time As II she was In dream,
and must pinch herself before she could
wake up. The odd. lost feeling lasted all
b. day. and when she came home weary aud
pale, she shut herself up 10 her own room,
and tried 10 face calmly this terrible pos
sibility. To lose Cora. to lose the chill
dren. and above all. to lose her eccentric
boarder' How could she bear this loneli-
ness that seemed threatening her? She
had no claim, no right 10 complain. II
/ Cora married man, whose generous love
extended 10 the children, surely there
! could be no greater happiness for all. Mr.
jameson was noble and thoroughly good,
! that could not be doubted: but Henrietta
/ felt. half sadly, that II Cora married him Il
would be for home. for the sake Of the
Y children, but not from the loving impulse
7 OF her untried young heart.
4 The little old maid had no heart history
I Of her own to guide her misgiyings; she
( had lived a lonely lie Of slavery to a ty-
Y rannieal, invalid father, aud since his death
I the eyentful life OF keeping board. ny
4 house for the poorer class, always having
women for inmates. Yet this woman'-
\ heart. in her little frame, knew by ils own
/ pure true instincts thar this was a marriage
i that would briug misery and di-appoint-
menI.not happiness. Corawas Just twenty
{ MIR. Jameson certainly double the age.
7 She was dreamy g,rl, musical enihusi-
s,i. he was practical, hustllug aud ener.
gctic. Kind as he WAS 10 Cora, he could
never MI her heart, of that Henrietta wa
conStuced. Her forchndings were more
than confirmed few hours later. when
/ Cora came - her room 10 say goodnight.
The young girI vas very pale.
"Auniie,' said she. using the familiar
name To which she had only the claim OF
love. do you thinA. please do not laugh
al ,ne Do you thiuk Mr Jameson isis
wanting to marry the. You think | an un-
maidgnly. she said 10 an agony OF shame.
+hut he has been taking very strangely u
tnr. lie has bought a house. aud ho ha.
been a-siug me how | would Ike To- iui-
nish room. what | thought OF different
household arrang-mrnt>. aud putting odd
questions. that seem u have but one mean.
iug."
And wlia. SAs that -
That hc meant % ask me to share h..
home "
II think he does. Cora Indeed. he told
me the same thing"
BE hts wife" Cora Uill's lace was
y-ry pale a. she said this
Il think b" will Az vou. dear lie will
Pc "a good kind husband. Cora
Too KIND. too good 10 have me rpr
wiie' cnuh .pecr him do now,
can give him gratitude beyond measure.
and could DE dutiful and affect onatr, but
Oh, help me, aIutie, help me-
Ny dariny, no one can help you -
lie T. so good 10 Jennie. To Eddy.
Nnch hrn,her fnr thrm should reconcil.
me e" anything F.r their sake | could
u'nrrE HIN, and be- good true wife,
know that. But he deserves more than
that"
sadly her listener echoed the words He
certainly deserved love for love when he
married
The iriehds talked together far into the
night, bat it was ike a circle OF converse
iinu, returning ever to the same theme
When they separated I, was with A yacu.
. idea OF waiting i'll the words were spoken
Z that would force a decision before the de-
7 cision should be made
( The work Of preparing the new house
( went forward rapidly. The lov.lies, Of
flowers were selected for conservatory
I Jcanle was In ecstscjes a. being allowed
/ to choose ali the thisgs for her own room
I guest chamber was prepared according
/ 10 tora's taste; nursery arranged for
/ Eddy and before Thanksgiving all was
| ready, and the master OF ttr- house issued
/ hls invitations for family dinner party.
/ requesting a. favor that his lady quests
/ would pot aside their mourning for that
+ day still the momenious words were not
| spoken.
Henrietta as In her own room arrans-
! Ing her soft brown hair, and contempia,-
I ing the glories Of new black silk dress
7 with rich blue satin trimmings, son lace
aud pretty ribbons, when Cora tapped at
I the door.
/ Let the come In; l am all ready. and
/ the children have already started. The
+ carriage will come back for you and me.
Jennie looked very pretty in her Grim son
/ dress, and Eddy + a picture In his new suit
/ Of velveteen, aud crazy over his first pair
OF pants"
Your dress Il becoming. too
II wa. six OF the most beautiful viole,
color. With great deal OF soft white lace
about it. In the golden curls. the young
girl had twisted violet ribbons, and the
color suited her fair beauty admirably
But the ladies were very pale, and had no
holiday smiles: they spoke but little. vet
I In each heart was deep, unexpresse
fear and sympathy.
They found their host waiting for them
in a handsome drawing-room, and the
children wandering about, admiring every
thing. especially their own reflections ln
the long mirrors.
But they c"u'l scarcely believe their
own ewes when they looked at Mr. Jane
son. Dressed with care and taste. his hair
cut to the usual gentlemanly length, his
beard gone, he looked like another man
! The disproportionste size OF his head
seemed diminished one-half by the loss of
the enormous mass of halN and his smile
had lost nothing OF It's charm, as he ad-
vanced to meet the ladies'.
''lrs time my masquerading ceased" he
said 10 gentle, courteous tones. "Cors, my
dear. will you read this letter.
This" cried the astonished girl, "this
Is the letter | wrote to uncle James Reed
when mamma died"
Exactly That Is the letter that brought
me from San Francisco, and that you
thought so unkindly left unanswered"
! Aid you are uncle Jamesr'
81 am your uncle, my dear. and now
plead for me. that the lady who has so
long given you an aunt's love aud care,
VIII In truth become your aunt. Can you,
Henrietta, love this queer little MANI
Could she love him7 He must have
read the perfect happiness in her eyes, for
be bent over her hand, and raised it to his
lips.
My whole life shall thank you" he said,
and Cora took the children to the other
end OF the long room to tell them the won-
derful news.
There were no pale cheeks or sad eyes
In the group gathered around the table
loaded with Thanksgiving luxuries. Cora
was full Of gleefnl Hischief-a new ele-
ment in her conversation-and Aunt Hen
rietta iull of blushlng confusion at the new
emphasis the children gave the familiar
aame. Jennie, now young lady, declares
TO this dav that from the very first she sus-
pected there was some secret reason for