The Newtown bee., 1879-05-20
-Faher Rya
EDITH LEE. .

Heee peoldS ny Stuuy WlndOW, reading magazine by the fast-fading sunlight, and on low chair beside me, little Nellie, my nephew Richards young and pretty wife rocked and sewed and sewed and rocked with the golden sunbeams falling on hel nut-brown tresses, and her sweet thoughts far away in the happy future, builaing air. 1 castles of pearls and diamonds. <
 "Spring and autumn, the rosebud sand the withered leaf," thought, as. II g Nneed at her, so young and hopeful an beAyedi and then turned to my own gravy Nfectiou in the mirror. "My youth and love Ee buried in the past; my future paA is all down life's rugged hill. We are costrast; she the blooming bride, and I the gray headed old bachelor, with nothing arer to his heart than stocks and real estate,
 sighed as this thoughtfuttered through my mind, and let the book in my fand faf1 listlessly upon the table, for my interes4 in the tale was over, and had no Risf to read. At the sound of the cover dropping against the wood, Nellie lifted her eyes and looking at me with that sweet mixture of
 
 any eyes but hers, said, softly! =
 Now that you have done reading, Uncle Edward, I want to ask you ques. ton. May ?o "May youl daAsng. What is. it that you may not do 9, I ssrsieefyslss = 1ss alany questions as you choose, Nellie. Go on.o <
 "Then why did you never marry, Uncle Edward?" said Nellie. "You were never meant for an old bachelor; you are not in the least surly or crusty, and I think you would have been so happy with children about your knee and good loving wife to walk through life beside you. If the right person never came along, dear uncle, I hope she will yet, before you are too old"
 Why was 1t that 1 knew beforehand what she would ask? Why was it that, now I heard her words, the hot tears blinded me against my will, and something at my heart seemed to choke my utterance. I was too old to give way thus, at a mere memory; it was mere folly to tremble and shed tears at the thought of one who had so long since forgotten me, but I could not help it, no1 could l check the utterance of the words upon my lips: My child, she came and went, long years ago, and will never come again on earth"
 Nellie drew near to me. and laid her soft ] hand upon my arm.
 Forgive me. dear uncle." she said. ii was very wrong and thoughtless of ne to ask such a question, but I had no thought >of paining you, and you will forgive me, am sure"
 "I have nothing to forgive, Nellie" l answered. Nay, now that the first pans is over, I am glad that you have spoken for have been thinking of the past to- night, and should like to tell you some. thing which I have never before breathed to mortal ear. Nellie, this is the face which I once hoped to see beside me in my old age; these eyes have looked into mine this round cheek has rested on my shoulder this hand has lain in mine, many and many a moonlight evening, long ago 1 when I was young and handsome as you, Richard is to-day.o And as I spoke ] placed miniature upon Nellie's rosy palm and turned my head away toward the shadow.
 Nellie looked at it until her eyes fillec with tears and she whispered softly, | she dead, Uncle Edward?
 "Dead to me-" answered, !" as she has | been for thirty years; but I love herstili Nellie, and shall until die.o
 We stood silent several moments after l this, and the old clock upon the mante l ticked loudly in the quiet room, as though it were counting the moments between the present hour and that of which l had spoken. At last l put my arm around Mel lie and said, earnestly Iknow, for felt it l ",Neyer quarrel with Richard, Nellie never once; one quarrel will break tn, golden band of love forever; one angry word will turn life of happiness into on, of woe We quarreled. spoke harsh ealous words-long since rep nted-ane she resented them. On the eve of a lons voyage I left her angrily, and have neye seen her since. On my return I searched for her, hoping to win her forgiveness, bu she was somewhere could never learn She may be dead, or married to another l but no other woman could ever have fillet the void which Edith Lee has left within my heart in the youth which has departed or ever will in the old age which is t come.o
 l I put the miniature away again, ant Nellie, with her woman's tact, sat silentl beside me- The flood of memories whicl my words had evoked swept wildly throug my heart; the days of love and joy; tn years of restless search for that which might never find on earth, all were befor ! me, but they passed at length, and, comin