Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-07-02
THEIR SECOND YOUTH.

The Lady Annabel sat in small room
In her fathers castle, looking out of
window which overlooked a wide land
scape. Her maidens were in q little
group at the other end of the apartment
busily engaged at their embroidery,
laughing and chattering and whispering,
just as they might were they alive now
for this was many years ago and they
are all dead and buried. The Lady
Annabel took no notice of them ;
she was thinking. At last she looked
up and yawned-"Oh, I am SO sleepy
and thirsty! Mabel, bring me some
water"
Mabel obeyed-and as she received the
cupagain, she said Your Ladyship will
not be sleepy tomorrow
Tomorrow What is tomorrow? ?"
"Does not your Ladyship recollect
that tomorrow is your Ladyship's birth
day? and"
"My birthday? Oh, yes, SO it is. 1
had forgotten all about it. We are to
have merry time of it, I believe; but
I am sure feel in no humor for merri-
ment now. Lay down your work, girls,
for little while, and take stroll in the
garden"
When she found herself alone, the La
dy Annabel walked up and down the
small apartment, then stopping before
the looking glass she said: "My birth
day! Am indeed twenty-nine to-mor-
row? Twenty-Five that sounds old !
It is ten years since my father came in
to possession of this estate, and every
one Of those years have passed one just
like another. I feel no older than I was
then. look no older" And she looked
again into the mirror.
''I am no older in any one respect.
How I wish they would let my birthday
pass by in silence, and not distress me
by publishing to all the assembled
crowd that the Lady Annabel is now
twenty-nine !"
Her reverie was here disturbed by the
hasty entrance of her father.
"Why, what makes you look SO down.
cast, daughter? For shame go down
and assist in the preparations for to-
morrow's feast, instead of moping here.
But must not forget to tell you I saw
my neighbor L. this morning. We
passed through his grounds, and he
joined our hunting party"
At this the Lady Annabeps color
heightened visibly.
"He says he expects his son back in
a few months and he and I were set
ting, that as our estates touch, and as
he has but one son, and have but the
daughter but hear my men
they have brought home the stags-one
of them has such horns You must
come down after awhile and see them"
So saying he left her.
"And Jasper is coming home," con-
tinued the Lady Annabel to herself.
How well do I remember the first
time saw hint was on my birthday {!
1 was II years old, and. although he
was just my age, was q tall girl and he
a little boy. I refused to dance with him
because ne was whole head shorter
than but if my father and his have
such plans for us"
At this moment her companions re-
turned, and, quieting their laughing
countenances, sat down again to their
embroidery.
The next day was one of unusual fes-
tivity. By midday the hall was crowd
ed with ladies and gentlemen of high de-
gree, from far and near. The music
was loud, and dancing and feasting was
the order Of the day. The Lady Anna
bel, contrary to her expectation, was be-
guiled by the JOY she saw on every face
around her, and entered with great vi
vacity into every sport that was pro-
posed. No laugh SO loud as hers-no
movement so full Of glee. Late at
night, when the guests had departed,
she threw herself, flushed and excited,
into large chair in her own room, and
began to loosen the rose from her hair.
So it is all over, and I have been hap
Ply, very happy, indeed I have only the
recollection that it was my birthday
would intrude itself upon me, to damp
my enjoyment, every now and then. I
heard several people ask if it were true
that it was my twenty ninth birthday
they did not know it was my twenty
ninth. And that odious Miss What's
her-name actually said I looked very
well for that, very well, indeed. I
should be glad, I know, to see her look
half so well. though she was, as she