Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1881-09-06
MIscElLAAEoUs.
HER OLD LOVER.

"Home."
And the neat little brougham drove away.
conveying pretty Mrs. Carleton from LADY
Featherby's kettledrum to her own tipy
dwelling in Mayfair, where she lived alone
with her daughter, Nellie; her daughter
grown up now, though she herself still look.
cd so young and attractive that many people
wondered why it was she had SO long re.
mained widow-whom she hardly knew
how to meet after what had befallen her that
afternoon.
But it must be told, some time or other.
and Mrs. Carleton plunged iIto the subject
at once on entering her own charming little
drawing, room, where Nellie awaited her.
what surprise 1 have had, Nellie"
sho said, nervously. Il have met an old
friend-somebody 1 used to know when I
was girl" and Mrs. Carleton turned aw.y
to take of her bonnet, for she felt conscious
that she was blushing. "And tho idea of
blushing at my age - said Mrs Carleton TO
herself
But Nellie took no notice of her mother'o
blushes-she was pre.occupied with thoughts
of her own, and ''somebody who knew her
mother as girl' suggested something very
middle>aged aud uninterestiug. She was
thinking of Cuthbert Denison, who had had
very pleasant walk with her that afternoon
in hensington Gardens and she, too, father
hoped that her mother would not take too
much notice of her face.
SO the two ladies sat over their books that
evening as though such interesting volumes
had never been written before, and dreamt'
dreams that were not unlike as mothers and
daus shters' are supposed to be.
Mrs. Carleton had been a widow for napv
years, and the old friend she had lust me,
mai h.l
parted, and she had married Mr. Carleton
But now, the old memories came back again.
She wondered whether she had not been too
quick to take ofeuse. However, it was all
over, and why should there not be a pleasant
friendship between them in their later years?
IL had asked leave to call and she had given
it to him.
There lay his card before her--"Austip
Leigh" and he had not altered SO much as
one might have expected-not SO much as
she had herself, aud the widow sighed.
MIR. Leigh called next day, Nellie saw
him. He told her she was her mother over
again, she rather admired him as n man of
elegance and experience, aud soon he was
thoroughly established on the footing of n
family friend.
He came aud went without ceremony he
offered his escourt to mother and daughter
alike; and soon Mrs. Carleton began to hear
on every side, praises of "Nellie's admirer. !"
"a little old for her. perhaps" said the
| iuquisitive friends !" "buS SO elegant. so
distinguished and we'll off, too, is he pot2"
Mrs: Carleton only shook her head and
laughed but to hernelf she said
cit is very probable that these folks aro
right; the thing often happens. Nellie is
ike me. 1t is a compliment to me- cettain-
| ly, and men never know that thoy grow old
as we'll as We. Why should object 2"
But she sighed little, and that day mt
her hair in palmer way.
."More suitable for my years" she said to
Nellie, who laughed. Indeed, Mrs. Carle>
tor felt herself quite old in those DAYS in
which she looked forward to the union of
her old beau with her ''little girl"
One daJ-it was six months from the eve
ming on which Mr. Leigh had renewed his
acquaintance with the widow, Mrs. Carleton
sat alono in her boudoir Nellie was out.
and her mother was sunk in so deep rev.
erie that she did not hear the bell ring nor
the door open. aud started with surprise
when Mr. Leigh stood before her.
"Aloue Z" he asked, looking at her with ,
kindly smile. "NeIle is off ENJOYING het.
self, | suppose. May L sit here, beside
you 7''
She Dado room for him on the sofa.
1T is good many years since we used "a
sit in this way together in your fathers
home" said Mr Leigh. 'Neilie, they call,
ed you. like Nellie better than apT othe,
name know. never saw a Nellie who
was not pretty"
ri wonder whether was pretty, ;" said
Mrs. Carleton.
ooh, yes, pretty; not as handsome as you
are now" said Mr. Leigh.
"Oh, am quite an old wom,n-1 shall
be forty next birthday" said she.
''Aud L forty,fve-bus 1 feel young
said the man. laughing. "Tell me, au toc
old to mend my old bachelor life by marry.
ing Mrs. Carleton Z"
"But ii is different With men," said Mrs
Carleton, sighing. "CertainIy not f; q man
believe is never too old.'
''The French have saying: "a man I.
as old as he feels; a woman as old as she
looks" said Mr. Leigh.
"Tha.'s unjust. Why should not wo.
man be as young as she feels, too? said
Mrs. Carleton.
'Bscause have heard Eot1en talk of be-
ing old when they looked almost like girls, ,
said Mr. Leigh. "HeIen, at least, we ar,
old enough to Know our own minds now. d,
you think should make a woman hspp7