Middletown transcript., 1882-02-17
COME TOGETHER AT LAST.

COME TOGETHER AT LAST.
Miss Carney walked up the long,
green lane on her way home from a
tea-party. She wore a brown silk dress
and a brown bonnet, and carried a
large brown parasol in her hand. The
browns were of different shades, and
ran softly into each other, like the tints
upon dove. All The lines of her fig
ure We're smooth and rounded.
She was a very pretty old lady in
deed, and must have been very pretty
girl, though she was a spinster; and
people who believe that all unmarried
women were left upon the bough of
single blessedness because they tempted
no one to pluck them, must have owned
that it was not so in her case.
Down the lane, coming toward her,
walked a gentleman. He was tall and
broad, his hair was gray, and his hat
was gray, and his summer suit was
gray, his beard was gray also. He,
oddly enough, was shaded off into
another kind. The green trees were
all about them, the green grass beneath
their feet. The roses nodded over the
fence
If these had been two young people
instead of two old people, one might
have fancied it a lovers rendezvous
but they were old. Of course there
could be no romance about them.
In the middle of the lane, shaded by
great chestnut-trees, stood an old house.
Hnneysuckles draped the porch. There
was an old-fashioned sweep in the well.
1t was altogether thing of the past
no modern cottage Of architectural
mysteries. 1t was so Old-fashioned that
it must have been the same when these
two people were young. Yes, when
their parents were born, doubtless it
stood, by no means a new house, just
as it stood now.
The pretty old lady in brown reached
the gate of this old house first. She
lifted the latch and stood looking down
the road, thinking it must be that the
handsome old gentleman in gray had
lost his way and would inquire Of her,
for the lane was no thoroughfare be-
cause of high fence, and a gate, and
sign, with All persons are forbid to
trespass upon these grounds . nailed
upon it. The old lady's father had put
up the sign the day after the peddler
had stolen all his pears. No neighbor
minded it, but strangers did. So the
old lady waited to tell the stranger
that he might take the short cut
through the orchard if he chose.
He walks like somebody I know.
Who can it be?" she asked herself.
Then she suddenly blushed, and
looked prettier than ever. Yes, GER
tainly it could not be because nobody
had desired to pluck her that she re-
mained faded rose upon the branch
Miss Carney instead of Mrs. anybody
else.
On came the old gentleman in his
coat, and as he looked at the little old
lady he dOffed his gray hat.
=" Madame, " said he, {; this is where
Mr.. Edward Carney used to live, 1
know. Does he live here now ?'
But the old lady looked at him with
a sudden start.
"Oh ~ she cried, and added, "No,
he does not.
:" He is" began the old gentleman.
-" 1t is his tombstone that you can see
under the great willow in the highest
part Of the churchyard, she said,
pointing through the trees. "He was
eighty when he died.
"Time flies fast," sighed the old
lady.
She was not looking at him now, but
at the flowers in the borders at her
feet.
"Mr. Carney was a widower when 1
knew him, and had but one child-a
daughter" said the old gentleman in
gray. {" She is living, is she not p
=" Yes said the old lady.
But she cannot be Miss Carney |
still, " continued the old gentleman.
But she isl replied the old lady,
looking him in the face again.
Their eyes met. Hers were brown
and his were gray.
People alter out of all knowledge
in forty years." said she and how
on earth came to know you | don't
know, for you look like your own grand
father, Mark Turner 2
=" Ask the old gentleman to walk in,
then, Miss Carney said he; s'for he
ought to be more weary than he used
to grow on the same road, a lifetime
ago, coming from the mill, you re-
member, Priscy, every Sunday even
ing.n
" Did you ~ said she, pretending to
forget. "Oh, yes, of course III ask
you to walk in, Mr.. Turner
She turned. He followed her. They
sat down in the parlor-one on either
side Of the polished table. Over it.