The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1881-10-15


thinks look like her."
The explanation was given with
childlike frankness and simplicity, and
gradually the suliocating throbs of
Roberts heart became quiet, and his
voice was natural, and had its habitual
gentleness, rs he said
II knew your father we'll before he
left Meadowville, and | knew your
aunt You may have heard of Robert
AckermanP
"Who was to have married Aunt
Suse?"
Eyes, dear child. You are like her
very much like her. Are you staying
in MeadowvillePn
Eyes. | have been III. Not very,
very sick, butt she gave a little
gleeful laugh-"the doctor says won
too many school prizes last term, and
that must 90 to the country, and not
open book for three months. So |
am boarding with papa's cousin, Miss
Martha Gaines"
"Ah,' yes. Well, you must let me
come to see you sometimes, for your
fathers sake"
81 shall be very glad to see YOU"
said Susie frankly, thinking this was
the dearest old gentleman she had ever
seen.
He chatted with her a little longer,
and then walked with her to the gate
of her Cousins cottage, but would not
then 60 in.
II will come soon TO see you," he
promised as he left her.
But he said nothing to Dorothy of
this encounter, feeling that sacred
chord of memory had been touched,
and shrinking from commonplace re-
marks upon it.
The next day Miss Dorothy went to
the city TO attend to her wedding pur-
chases, and 10 visit relative.
Robert was a man of sensitive refine
ment, gentleman in the truest sense
of the word, scholar and a philsn-
thropist, while his sister. without being
vulgar, was what the Meadowvillians
called a stirring woman full Of life
and hustle, Of overlooking energy, and
an incessant talker.
Miss Dorothy had been in the city but
few days, when letter from Mead
owville filled her heart with citation.
1t was signed Martha Gaines and
that maiden wrote;
"Your brother comes over nearly
every day l suppose he's lonesome
while you are away, and he mostly
stays to tea I've got boarder this
summer, daughter Of a cousin Of mine
in the city, She's only little girl, but
she plays and sings little, and your
brother likes to hear her. She's been
sick, and he's sent the carriage over
for us to drive every pleasant day"
Every week there came long exult-
ing letter from Miss Gaines to her dear
friend Dorothy, until the time was
drawing near for the elderly spinster's
wedding.
All her wedding garments were
made, marked, and neatly, packed
when she received letter from her
brother:
''Wait until Wednesday. and I will
DO your escort to Meadowville."
This curt epistle had been written af-
ter day Of great moment TO Robert
Alderman.
He had gone quite early in the morn.
ing to the post-oifice, and returning
passed the cottage of Miss Gaines. He
had sometimes loitered little at that
hour to chat with the ladies as they
trimmed the garden flowers, but on that
day he paused and caught his breath
as an excited voice rang out upon the
air--the voice of Martha Gaines say
ing:
"You are an impudent little thing,
and I'll send you home tomorrow.
How dare you set up to teach me how
to treat my husband"
A low sweet voice answered:
"You need not be so angry, Cousin
Martha. only said | thought Robert
Alderman deserved u wife who loved
him.
"Fiddlesticks- You sentiment
tai schoolgirls talk such arrant non
sense. Robert Alderman is amooning,
dreamy old bachelor who wants wife
to manage him and keep his house.
Robert Alderman is noble, true
gentleman--a man to honor, man TO
loyel And if he marries he wants awife
to love him, to give him tender service,
to make his life glad and bright"
"My good gracious" gasped the as
toniShed old maid.
"You think more this minute" con-
tinued Susie, "of his house, his money,
his carriage, and his table-linen than
you do of him!
"Well, suppose / do! Perhaps you
would like to marry him yourself"
''llo would never think of such a
thing; am just an Insignificant school
girl, to whom he is kind. But If ! did
marry him, it would be for love, and
not for his money or his houseN
Here the sweet but excited voice broke
in sob, and Susie evidently fled from
the battlefield.
Robert Alderman walked home very
slowly.
For many weeks, ever since that
meeting in the cemetery, he had felt u;
If his lost love, the hope of his young
manhood, had been restored TO him
Every hours intercourse with Susie
brought back the long buried dream o
happiness more wildly. But he hat
crushed down all hope Never coulc
he link that bright, just dawning life
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