The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-02-05

anne first to hand, both since 1t was SUI
uty and since it might prevent my Jul
ain. And the pain had passed AT sn
,ngth, had left only soreness and sor' co
ow, had become sublimated, as it were, IN
nto something would not lose tor Its co
,anp. One bY one, father and mother, m
lister and brother, had left me; but ! OF
till dwelt in the sweet old house, and te
at of summer evenings on the porch &C
lmong the honeysuckles. At first had
houg lit l could never breathe their IN
breath again; but al last it had grown N n
to me; it was my all Of the II
love-. of the life, hoped for. But the a
score and more of years had not been b
unhappy to me; my daily routine had 81
aiken much thought; the poor children a
that | taught, and Belle and Alice =
and all the rest, served in some ne,
gree to keep me young; for, as sald,
hated to grow old; and it any one !
was kind enough to say they would 1
hardly know me for more than the elder
sister of the two young girls about
me. nv skin still so smooth, the color
on my cheek so delicate, the pale gold OF
nv hair still untouched by silver, 1t was
at to move my heart with little pulse
Of pleasure, although knew, in truth,
and for all that, that fifty years must al;
wavs count for fifty years. Now ana
then I heard of Maskelyn in his public
life-I had not exactly thought it wrong,
once when I went to = large city, to Guy
photograph of him, with those OF
some other public people; but l kept it
locked away, and allowed myself to
look at it but once every year: And
when I did look at it it was only with
one hurried glance Of the eye, one
sinned, lest 1 made him sin, and wrap
ped it closer away again. But the DAY
after I had seen that face was always
dav Of mourning. And at last I knew
that he had no longer wife; and year
went by, and year, and year, and he had
not come. Sometimes, in wondering
, and thinking, my heart would beat 50
, loud that it seemed as if only fasting
: and prayer would still It, and l
blushed and burned to think l wasted .
. throb on one who had long ago ceased
to care, who never came to see; and
one day I took his pictures, that OF the
) bovish beauty and that Of the stalwart
= man, and burned them both to ashes,
J. : and prayed that my love might burn to
q ashes with them, and my heart be cold
70 anal at peace in that my fiftieth year.
~ But il l had not learned every line Q!
V the 0ater picture by heart whether
would or no, I might have know
II Maskelyn when he came sauntering b!
n, the gate that night, and gave look q
= the porch, and started as II . bolt ha.
H. l. struck him, and stopped and leaned hi
IL folded arms on the gate, and stared q
Sc me as sat there. =
eo He knew me. In the softly beginnin
nd shadows of the twilight my face SCENE
&C. hardly changed, and dir and attitud
ld' were still the same. He knew me, b,
S. he did not believe in me; he thougl
ca something had happened to his brail
ace or else that he saw . vision In q franc
'ou He lifted his hat and rubbed his for
to head; he half turned to 60 away; tn
70 he wheeled about, opened the gate, 81
It came slowly up the path, with his 81
FOR emn gaze still fixed upon me. All, he
Fo- sweet the honeysuckle breath can
up stirred By his advancing motion!
no: "Livis!" he said.
any, {" Maskelyn!" replied. And I +
IN a. he did-impossible to say whether
wss this world or the next, whether
he'd really saw him, or 1t was, a. it had be
the many times before, that I dreamed
his did. And then said to myself, II
he'd wort has come. Ishall hear presen
ing that Naskelyn is dead" But he '
use. saving to himself and yet l heard hi
own "Can it bep Is it SOP Hersefe In
tho old home! Ny God! II she should
: do be free!' And then . glad cry, and
sub. were In each others arms. And
we're were fifty years old. Too old for q
only 10Y; and I drew back, al blushing
nseH ashamed, only to be taken in those q
that again. He broke Of by-and-by . bra
wish Of the honeysuckle, and twined it In
long hair.
that "What would Belle and Alice %
70 or I murmured.
pres "Who arc Bella and Alioel" said
con- And in the sudden jealous spasm Il
lnder had I realized anew my fifty years
led IN their twenty. 49,
II am 90 old" I said. "apd thsy
80 youngl''
rhad aFof ne yoa have eternal youth,
ID not answered. "Weare going to live b
|ut he ward I'll the years IN which have
10 TO YOU, since You axe o good, my .
lealed 9 % love me saN, 70 refuse 70 repl
then, me, % forgive me. "
- Tor And sometimes ] alk 4 they 70
D alto- lite seems kinder, and give %
It be current Of love IN their early q
what have half tho depth of delight ii I
lily be thew Aud Who q . la&ef day love
d hold th0 concentrated force that, sprea
over. ~ the intervening years,
har,n hayo been shallow and stagnant
lyelsr. Did I lore Naskslyn any bseser q
powyeer. NJ Not any fraction % dearly.
honors he love nj. morep ] can not answ
Senar til. OAe roald hardly love mon
linz % N abiect Worshiper loves saint
North shrine, and 20 lsseens 70 love.
m the And 90 IN %, b q
anean, Etrmoerow. ! Is Aere Y
dlslSst dr., while Balls ~ AVG !