The Russellville Democrat., 1881-05-19
FORTY YEARS IN L0yE.

ing his head furlouSly. "l always nave hated those Partridges, and you shan't marry Fanny"
 "A mans affections'-began Horatio. "Nonsense" tried old Tibbits. "You talk like boarding school girl. You are of age, know; but give you warn- ing, if you persist. I'll take that clever little Johnson into partnership instead of you and you may beg or starye as you please, for the sake of a red-haired girl lik e Fanny Partridge"
 Of trotted old Tibbets as he uttered these last words.
 Meanwhile Mrs Partridge and Fanny were ha-d at it-Fanny in tears; Mrs. Partridge n fury.
 "Pd rather see you in your grave, Fanny" cried Mrs. Partridge. "Old libbets' son. Why didn't you choose a chimney sweep? It was Tibbets that cheated your pas brother out of that piece of properly. A bigger rascal never walked No, Fanny, you walk over my dead body before you go to church with him."
 Fanny was seventeen and very sub missive. Horatio, although five and twenty, submissive likewise. Parental authority prevailed. One meeting was allowed in which the two might bid goodbye to each other. Fanny wept. Horatio held her hands in both of his, and kissed them very fondly.
 They may yield ill time." said Horatio, 'or something may happen to alter things, Be true to me for httle while. I shall never love anyone but you"
 "My beart is broken," said Fanny, be- lieving it sincerely. But I shall be true to you all my life"
 Immediately he kissed her. He never forgot how hard it was to take his lips from hers; and their arms encITcled each other. And it was really a wonder that the two young lovers did not die then and there.
 Old Hbbets rewarded his son by mak- ing him partner in tine prosperous firm of Tiobets & Co.,, forth with, while Nam ma Partridge hurried Fanny away to the north of France.
 Horatio did not forget easily It had been cherished plan of hls to marry Fanny. He had mind that was prone to dwell upon detail. All his fancies about the future had been perfectly fn- lshed pictures.
 It was hard to believe that the little round tea,table would never be set with painted china; that Fanny, as Mrs. Tib- bets, would not sit beside him in the third pew from the front on Sunday mor.ings; that she would not go with him to choose the color of the drawing room furniture; that they would not have their portraits painted to hang one each side of the mantlepiece.
 Fanny was his practical or general idea; that they might have walked to- gether forever in the moonlight, was perhaps, strongest with her: But had he been the most perfect hero of TO- nance she could not have placed him on higher pedestal.
 The match certainly would have been a happy one had fate willed 1t to be a match at all. They loved each other too we'll to seek comfort in new lovers.
 Horatio became very steady, and summed ladies' society; and Fanny after refusing an English baronet and Ger man baron, declined going into society any more, and settled down with her mother in little town upon the Conti- nsnt, where tour of five English fami- lies dwelling there exchanged whist par ties, and there were no young English people whatever. There, at thirty, she was still living, and then it was that there came to the place an English tray. eler who called upon her. He was a friend of Mir. Horatio Tibbetts, and had been commissioned to hand her a small parcel, and he was to tell Mir. Tih- bets how she looked and was, and that he was very well quite bald for his years and unmarried. And then the traveller went away.
 The gift was dainty work box, worth great deal of money, and in the little pox where the thimb!e lay was also a ring. Its motto was "Dinna forget"
 "Dinna forget"
 Fanny never showed this gift to her mother, but she wore that ring against her heart under her dress.
 New hope crept into her soul and when few years after a good-looking wealthy widower offered his hand. with genuine love in the bargain, she res fused without hesitation. Forget? Nev erl He had not forgotten. But more years passed, ten of them at least, and the memory of the old family feud still dyelt in the bosom of the two old peo. pla
 At last, at the age of eighty, Mrs Part ridge died; and Fanny, all alone in what had always remained @ strange land. fell misenbly desolate. Youth had depart ed- friends were few. It had been her mothers wish to reman in France; now her heart dictated a return home. The first morning paper she opened there told her of the death of Mfr. Tibbets. aged ninety.
 The paper dropped from Fanny's hand, and sue sat quite motionless for more than twenty minutes. Then she began to cry very softly, and took the ring from her pocket and looked at it.
 "Dinna forget" she sobbed. q am sure he has not forgotten"
 And she began to wonder what he looked like now. He must have altered Perhaps he was so portly. like his father N ell, she was rather stout herself One could not be slender youth forever; and he had probably a streak of grey in his dark halr. Nothing could alter his eyes however. Or. if he was altogether alter ed, she would love him still. Why not since it was heart that loved, and not the flesh and blood.
 And she SO managed that the news should reach him in few days time that she was there. He had heard it. as she had meant he should. He had been all alone and very lonely. He had been an ohadient son and aticctionate one