The Newtown bee., 1881-01-05

one of unbearable suffering, I had staid
 nere in my home, doing the duty that
 came frst to hand, both since it was
 duty and since it might prevent my
 pam. And the pain had passed at
 Iengtn, had left only soreness and sor-
 row, had become sub,imated, as it were.
 into something would not lose for all
 US pang. One by one, father and mother,
 brother and sister, had left me; but
 still dwelt in the sweet old house, and
 sat of summer evenings on the porch
 among the honeysuckles.
 At first had though could never
 breathe, their breath again; but at
 last it had grown precious to
 me-; 1t was my all of the love,
 oi the life, l had hoped for. But
 ,he score and more of years had not
 been unhappy to me; my daily routine
 had taken much thought; the poor
 children that taught, and Belle and tss. ti9e sad the rest, served In some degree
 to Keep me young; for, as I said, I
 hated to grow old; and if any one was
 kind enough to say they would hardly
 know me for more than the elder sister of the young girls about me, my skin stlll so smooth, the color on nay cheek so delicate, the pale gold of my hair still untouched by silver, it was apt to move my heart with little pulse of pleasure, although knew, in truth, and for ali that, that fifty years must always count for fifty years. Now and then heard of Maskelyn ill his public life-I had not thought 1t wrong, once when I went to large city, to buy photograph of him, with those ot some other public people; but l kept it locked away, a-d allowed myself to look at it but once rrTIn II ,l It was only with one hurried glance of the eye, one thrill and spring of the heart, lest sinned, lest I made him sin. and l wrapped it the closer away again But the day after l had seen that face was always day of mourning. And at last l knew that he had no longer S wife; and year wept by, and year and year; and he had not come. Sometimes, in wondering and thinking, my heart would beat SO loud that it seemed as if only fasting and prayer would still it, and l blushea and burned to think | wasted throb on one who had long ago ceased to care, who never came to see; and one day 1 took his picture, that Of the boyish beauty and that of the stall wart man, and burned them both to ashes, and prayed that ny love might burn to ashes with them, and my heart be cold and at peace in that my fiftieth year.
 But if had not learned every line of the later picture by heart, whether I would or no, ] might net have known Maskelyh when he came sauntering by the gate that night, and gave look at the porch, and started as if 8 bolt mad struck him, and stopped and leaned his folded arms on the gate, and stared at me as l sat there.
 He knew me. In the softly beginning shadows of the twilight my face seemed hardly changed, and air and attitude were still the same. He knew me, but he did not believe in me; he thought had happened to his brain, 1r else that he Saw vision in trance. He lifted his hat and rubbed his fore F v leelea about, opened the ssFFte. thf6a hfla 'ame slowly up the path, with his low sweet the honeysuckle breath anne, stirred by his advancing motion. :" Livia!' he said.
 Maskelyn p replied. And I felt s he did-impossiole to say whether | ! vas dead CT alive, whether it was this | world or the next, whether I really saw | nm, or 1t was, as 1t had been many | ines before, that I d, canned I did. | And then said to myself! 'sThe worst [ as come. shall hear presently that | aaskelyn is dead" But he was saying 9 himself-and yet heard him: Can bep Isit sop Herselfy In the old one! My God! If she should vet be 'ee! And then a glad cry, and we were 1 each others arms. And we were fifty ears old. Too old for such joy; and I rev back all blushing and ashamed, | nly to be taken in those arms again. le broke oil by-and-bye branch of the oneYsuckle, and twined it in my hair. J
 :" What would Belle and Alice saypn murmured.
 Who are Belle and Alicean said he. nd in the sudden jealous spasm that I ad realized anew my fifty years and leir twenty.
 :. I am SO old" I said, and they are } young!"
 " For me you have eternal youth,n he nswered. We are going to live back ard all the years in which have lost ou, since you are so good, my angel, as love me still, to refuse to reproach e. to forgive me-"
 And sometimes ask if they to whom te seems kinder, and gives a smooth aren't of love in their early season. ave half the depth of delight in it that ley ma who at later day love with e concentrated force that, spread out yer all the intervening years, might rye been shallow and stagnant pool. i'd l love Maskelyn any better at venty Not any fraction so dearly. i'd he love me more ? I cannot an- yer for that. One could hardly love ore than an abject worshiper loves int in her shrine, and so he seems to ve. { And so I am to be married to-n;or- ". 1 sit here in daze, while Belle d Alice are weaving garlands on the cps below. It does not seem to strike em as anything strange "We were ways sure you had 9 romance and a ,, TO, Miss Livia," they say. ooh, it is , le reading 8 new chapter. And you going to come back here, after you ( we seen the great world, and never us lose youp" And forgot, as I see m coming up the walk while they :, cave, that l can no more ride and ram Without fatigue, for now have an 1, n on which to lean; and l know that V nall thrill once more to sunset and o arse, water scene and mountain view. |
 there will be eyes to double all the !, auty and reflect it back on mine. 1, orgot that any time has been stolen 7 m me when l look at Maskelyn's . e, that has only grown stronger and r ire rugged and noble in the full light z z ms noon. l thank heaven. that is ' tlng me begin this life, however short ' lie may be, so blessed, so blessing. r nough at fifty years = Harper,s Ba. [,
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