The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1881-12-11

into his face (he was now oppositc), "She
died" he said, and Lucy felt miserable
81 do so beg your pardon she STAN
mered.
mo, no; it is altogether my fault, or
would be if there were any fault. II does
not hurt me to talk about her. like it,
1t does me good-now, | mean. Twenty
years ago ! did not much like to speak
Of her; forty years ago could not have
done it for the world; but can talk well
enough now. Why, consider, 1t won't be
long before ! see her.
Lucy wondered il he were mad. She
was afraid he was-almost sure that he
was
"No, lady," said he, IL am not mad
don't start or be vexed II is because
you are so like her--so truly like her, that
| know what you are thinking-other peo-
pie may think what they like, or do what
they like, it makes no difference to me.
know and care nothing about it; but old
as am, know your thoughts-you are
Of her sort"
81 do so wish were not" was LuCy's
first thought, for he oppressed her; then
she was ashamed of herself. ut must
have been a great grief" said she, and
then she despised herself for her COM
monplace and inadequate sympathy.
"a grief! Yes, Of course it was a grief,
but it happened fifty years ago"
Fifty years ago! Lucy sighed Fifty
years hence where would she bel Now
she was whirling away TO pay pleasant
visit, and her life had known no sorrow.
When she looked backwards her thoughts
dwelt on happy, tranquil days, unclouded
by any shadow--w when she looked forward
there was prospect Of happiness with
out end, for she was going to her sisters
at Lakewood near Litchfeld, and when
there she would have two balls, and some
plcncs and archery meetings, and best of
all, she would often see Robert Merivale,
and she sometimes yentured to think that
Robert Merivale cared very much to see
her. While enjoying these anticipations.
she remembered the old gentleman oppo-
site and his lost love of fifty years ago,and
that there was much pain and misery in
this world of ours-what il some of it
came to herr She felt very sorry for him
and said kindly, "Will you tell me some
thing about herr" Whereupon he told
her in perfectly simple words the story Of
his love and loss.
AS he spoke she liked him more and
more, and before he had finished she
found herself wishing she was his daugh-
ter, or anyone who might have the privi-
lege Of comforting him. She was very ST.
lent, very quiet, but two or three big
tears rolled down her face. He made no
apparent demand on her sympathy; he
told his story quietly, but he knew that
she felt for him. So said he, "all that
was left for me to do, was to 60 patiently
through lie, trying to make some other
lives happier than mine had been,
spend most Of my time in Cumberland
like being there Then he described his
home there, until Lucy felt as il she had
never seen such scenery before; and then,
and by this time they were quite good
friends, he said, "Now tell me something
about yourself"
~ seem to have so little TO tell,' said
Lucy. II live with the aunt you saw
We live at Highgate. l have neither ia.
ther nor mother, nor anyone but aunt Is
ther and one sister. My father and my
mother died in India when we were ba.
bies and aunt Esther brought us up. Let
tice married three years ago She is very
nice; not exactly as you would expect
though, for she says such very odd things,
just when you think she is looking on ev-
erything just as you do"
What kind of things, lady' | like to
have everything explained"
~ hardly know worldly things, or
worldly-wise things-she has what she
calls tact too; but she is older than am.
and knows all about what the world or So
ciety, or whatever it is which makes itself
so disagrceable sometimes, expects you to
do on all occasions, / like her husband
immensely"
"And does he know all about the
worldl" asked the old gentleman, smiling
81 daresay he does, but he does not go
on about it so, and he is always trying
to be kind to everyone, He knows am
dull at home, so he has beer planning all
kinds " pleasures for me-"
But are you dull at homer he asked,
for this was the very first sign Of dissats-
faction with the world as it was that Miss
Lucy had shown.
81 DUH Certainly mott Lettice and
her husband are always telling me /
must be duh, and when | stay with them
and find dances and piCnics and garden
parties going on every day, | begin TO
think myself must have had very duh
life at home, but when go back have
no time TO think Of such thing"
"But what do you dor
81 draw and paint and garden--for we
have great big garden, three times the
size Of our drawing-room--a and practice
and work, and we have books from Mu-
die's-I can't tell you what do, but am
very happy"
"And you have no anxictics, no dssp-
pomtments"
~ was very anxious week or two since
when we lost our dog, but il came home
three DAYS afterward with a bit OF rome