The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-07-17

SAID Aunt DESIRE, WIFI d SiSu'
got our different ways of viewin' things,
and one of us hain't no call to Juogs
another. Only there's time lot al
things, as the scriptur' says, and uon =
want you to forget other folks's mournin
in your own rejoicin'."
"Well, | don't mean to, answered.
Laura. "Of course know as wen as
you do that it was lovely OF Margaret 70
give me her own wedding-dress, IL Is
just like Margaret. But it isn't like ner
to want me to spoil her beautiful GIT ~
crying my eyes out over it, SO l snan ~
show my gratitude by making 1t iook
just as nice as ever can. So now go
away, Aunt Desire, and make that vislt
to old Mrs. Wilkins you've been talking
about all day. Margaret has the ]eliy
ready, know, for l tasted OF 1t an nour
ago on the pantry shelf"
"Well, well, l don't know as can
do any BETTER" assented Aunt Desire,
and with a parting caution to Laura
concerning the wedding dress, she Went
off on her visit of charity to SICK
neighbor.
Left alone, Laura began matching the
breadths and running them together.
But presently step was heard in the
porch, and Arthur Dayton came In.
Laura gave little scream at sight OF
him, but he advanced nevertheless, full
of embarrassing curiosity about call
those miles of white sikh Then he
very improperly wanted to hold the
scissors and thread the needle, till finally
I To i'd 1f III eL- l..
impertinent questions" sent him b4zsk
again with book to the porch. After
which she settled 10 the work in hand.
1t was warm, languid afternoon,
still with silence made up of those
many little summer sounds with which
earth and air are instinct, and which
seem to blend into the drowsiest still
ness of all. The hutter of bird among
the leaves, the buzz of bee in bios
som, the drone of locust in the grass,
came in an irregular mingled murmur
to her ear. Through it all she could
hear the rustic of Arthur's book as he
turned leaf, and more distantly, the
tinkle of notes from the room where
Margaret was running through some
melody on the old piano. Laura listened
with sort of under-accompaniment of
thought of her own, as the sounds stole
in and out
For thee pine and sigh, Aileen Aroon.
How can people live and wait on so,
I wonderP-Dear me, how quickly Ar
thur has read that last page? There,
that is humming- bird in the honey
suckle, HIM !''-The buzz pro-
longed itself, and seemed to come from
the needle in her hand, which grew into
a long, slender bill darting in and out of
the silken folds, her head bent lower,
the hum crept up into her brain-and
Laura was asleep.
Not for the space of forty winks, how
ever, for when she woke with a start
Ailee,a Aroon was still on the air, and
outside was the rustic of Arthur's book.
Arthur But who then was this that
held her close, his breath on her cheek,
his voice in her carp Not Arthur,
surely, for at the scream Laura gave,
Arthur came with one bound in through
the porch window. Another step
brought him to the intruder, but the lat
ter, a tall, powerful man, caught and
held him in vise-like grasp, though
without offering him any injury.
"Come, sheer off, messmate," he
said with frank smile, 'swhen man
comes to see his sweetheart after six
years out of Christian country, you
needn't jump at him like tiger out of
a Jungle"
But we will look for your sweetheart
presently" answered Arthur, humorino
what he supposed the mans crazy fan
cy. "This is my sweetheart, youknow. -
"Your sweetheart" repeated the in
truder, dropping his hold and facing
around. "What, my own girl false to
me after all these yearsP Didn't find
her making her wedding-dress, that |
brought her home so long ago? All,
my lass, we little thought, when we
kissed good-by, that it was for so long F!
And did dream tell you was coming,
after all, Margaret"
Margaret" cried Laura, with a lit
tie scream, as he caught her hand again
:" Why, Arthur, it is-He says Mar
garet!'
"What is it, LauraP Did you call
mep" said Margaret, opening the door
upon her name. "Arthur, is any thing
the ns4tterP" she continued, seeing the
third figure, and the signs of excitement
upon all.
The stranger turned around and faced
her fully. She gave one start, then
stood, dead-white, but without word,
looking at him So they staid for what,
to the two watching them, seemed a
long time .motionless and speeches.,
gazing straight into one another's eyes.
Then the newcomer, with one glance
around at Laura, said, ~ don't know
who you are, but this is my Margaret, :"
and, putting his hand on her arm, led
her through the door into the next room,
leaving Laura and Arthur with the
closed door between.
"Oh, Arthur gasped Laura, " isn't
it just like novel? to come back after
all these years."
''But what is it all about?" asked
Arthur, little impatient of the mys-
terry.
"Oh, don't you knowP why, it is Mar
garet's sailor-lover. that was drowned"
answered Laura, simply. Arthur
laughed.
'sDon't talk nonsense, child" he
said, with fond superiority. sis it a
common thing in your experience for
drowned men to come back againP"
L l. 4