The National tribune., 1880-11-01

practical to make successful farmerhad died suddenly
leaving his affairs in very embarrassed state and the
farm burdened with very heavy mortgage Then Jack
good and brother that he had thought t best to
go the city taking advantage of situation offered
him by distant relative until the mortgage be paid.
Only two weeks ago he had written cheerfuy, saying
that the matter would be speedily settled to their salts
faction and now just they expecting to hear that
their home their again. came this cruel letter
AS Marion had said to her mother not the loss of
their home went to her heart with sharp pang as did
this evidence of the change in her only brother.
That Jack should have grown worldly and heartess
consider his pecuniay advantage before the gr
cation of his mothers corno that he should allow them
be actually turned Of the dear old house and go to
reside in strange city where they could never feel at
home-oh, this was the bitterest pang Of all
So Marion had thought upon first reading the letter. and
was until hearing Miss Melia words to her mother
that she awoe to the that fate could have
even greater than this in store for her
One year ago she had parted from her accepted lover,
Wat Hinton, in mutual anger on both sides. Wat had
become Jealous and had spoken sharply to her. and in
manner which she considered herself justified in resent
Wat too proud apologize and Marion too proud
as well as too delicate to make advances reconclia
ton and they had dfted apart miserable until Wat
had broken the last link by going TO the West
She heard of him from time to time through his family
but word message to herself ever came In all this
while she had looked forward with faint yearnng hope
to the possibility of his time returning and of all
being made up between them
But now this last hope was rudely stricken to the
ground. Wat going TO be married lie had forgot
ton her, and was lost TO her forever
II ssOh it is hard--so hard to hear " thought Marion,
with hands unconsciousy tightly casped, she passed
slowly under the apple boughs of the old orchard Life
is bitter 1t has taken all from 1t can have no more
to give Only my dear mother and yra For their sake
| must be strong and try to bear it all
On the verge the orchard where the high bank sloped
abruptly to the meadow, she to mass of tangled
honeysucke fashioned into a rustic arbor Wat had
made it for her. and here In fact that they had last
parted.
Down in the meadow ran little pathway, leading by
short Watts home, couple of miles away. How
often she had sat here evening and watched for
She could scarcely look back upon any object be
fore her eyes which not connected with some ssoc
There was the walnut tree which he and Jack used
climb and there the clear laughing brook IN which he
had taught her to steer the little boat which he had made
for her, laden with grain, down TO Jacks famous water
mill at the roots Of that old willow
Further up the real "grist and mill, which
Jack had always been desirous of owning and which
everybody said would be such good investment for one
who could manage it properly.
. And then Marion, seated the bench the arbor,
turned and looked long and yearnngy at the old farm
house peeping from the great beeches the orchard
No other place earth could be home 10 her And
her mother? Oh ii would be harder still for her whose
whole life of fifty years had been spent under that roof
! A sudden sound aroused Marona sharp whistles as OF
calling to dog, and she saw with her tear
dmmed eyes the figure Of man hurrying along the path
way in the meadow She drew back behind the screen
The path led past the abor but the foot of the steer
band she would be discovered in Der retreat So she
thought but moment or two after there sound o
y footsteps ascending bank, rustic of honeysuck
branches Marion standing in the entrance of th
% arbor the figure Of tail Young man. looked almost
as much startled as herself
Il For an instant they gazed each otherMarion pale
and the stranger wthia flush rising his handsome face
e Then he said he held out his hand, Marion, don
you know me n
y She gave him her hand in silence. 1t was Wat. Ant
suddenly, with the sight of him the full bitterness
= of her sorrow, in the consciousness that he was lost
y her forever. She nothing him now, aud he mus
be nothing TO her.
81 am glad have unexpectedly found you here il
= this old spot lie said " arrived at home only hou
! ago and could not rest until had seen You.
She met his eyes, bent her with strange earnest
NJ butSh The NJ
i have spoken word.
Marion, said he suddenly, :. have you no wecom
- for me Is it possible that you cannot forgive me p?
If Forgive you "
Ie Yes for all my absurd Jealousy and pride and folly
rs have had happy moment since parted from
:, you Marion and have come back at last to beg you
forgiveness and beg for the love which forfeited
~ but which cannot live without"
# 81 do understand you, Wat do not know VIII
ia you shoud speak Ihus 10 me- yo orc Soii
II TO be married
: Who told you that of me, Marion "