Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1882-10-13
NO. 16.

had lett oniv soreness and sorrow, mai
become sublimated, as it were, into
something | would not lose for all its
pang. One by one, father and mother.
brother aud sister, had left me; but
still dwelt in the sweet old house, and
sat o. summer evenings ON the porch
among the honeysuckles.
at first | had thought l could never
breathe their breath again; but at lastlt
had grown precious to me; 1t was all OF
the love, OF the life, l had hoped for.
But the score and more OF years mad not
been unhappy to me; my daily routine
had taken much thought; the poor
children that taught, and Belle and
Alice and the rest, served IN some
degree to keep me young; for, as l said,
| hated to grow old and if any one was
kind enou h to say they would hardly
know me for more than the elder sister
of the young girls about me, my skin
still so smooth, the color on my cheek
so delicate, the pale gold of my hair
still untouched by silver, 1T was apt to
move my heart with little pulse OF
pleasure, although l knew. IN truth,
and for all, that fifty years must Away
count for fifty years. Now and then l
heard of Maskelyn in his public life-I
had not thought it wrong, once when
went to large city, to buy photograph
of him with those of some other public
people; but kept it locked away, and
allowed myself to look at it but once
every wear. And when | did look at 1t
it was on,y with one hurried glance OF
the eve, one thrill and spring of the
heart lest | sinned, lest | made him
sin, and wrapped it the closer away
again. But the day after l had seen
that face was alwaye a day OF mourning.
And at last knew that he had no longer
wife; and year went By, year and year,
and he had not come. Sometimes, IN
wandering and thinking, my heart would
beat SO loud that it seemed as If only
fasting aud prayer would still 1t, and
blushed and burned to think wasted u
throb on one who had long ago ceased
to care, who never came to see; and one
day took his picture, that of the boylsh
beauty and that of the stalwart man,
and burned them both to ashes, and
prayed that my love might burn to ashes
with them, and my heart be cold and at
peace in that my tiitieth year.
But if had not learned every line OF
the latter picture by heart. whether L
would or not, | might have not known
Maskelvn when he came saunt9ring by
the gate that night, and gave look at
! tue porch, and started as If bolt had
struck him, and stopped and leaned his
folded arms on the gate, and stared at
me as sat there.
He knew me. In the softly begin
ming shadows of the twilight my face
seemed hardly changed, and air and
attitude were still the same. He knew
me but did not believe In me; he thought
something had happened to his brain
or else that he saw vision in trance.
He lifted his hat and rubbed his fore.
head; he half turned to 90 away, then
he wheeled about, opened the gate and
came slowly up the path, with his sol
emn gaze still fixed upon me. All, how
sweet the honeysuckle breath came,
stirred by his advancing motion.
'Livlap he said.
"MaskeIyn" | replied. And | felt as
he d-impossible to say whether l
was dead or alive, whether it is this
world ur the next, whether really saw
him, or it was as it had been many times
before, that | dreamed did. And then
said to myself: 1.-The worst has come.
| shall hear presently that Maskelyn is
dead But he was saying to himself
and yet heard him: Can it be2 1t is
so? Herself? In the old homel My
God If she should yet be freel" And
then a elad cry and We were in each
others arms. And We were fifty years
old Too old for such joy; and drew
back all blushing and ashamed, only to
be taken in those arms again. He broke
| off bye-and- bye branch of the honey
suckle and twined it in my hair.
"What would Belle and Alice say% l
murmUred
"Who are Belle and Allce2' said he.
And in the sudden jealous spasm that
had, roalized anew my fifty years and
their twenty.
81 am so old" I SAIL "anl they are
80 young'
For me you have eternal youth, he
answered. 1--WE are going to live back
ward ali the years in which have lost
you, since you are 50 good my angel, as
to lcve me still; to refuse to reproach
me, to forgive me"
And sometimes | ask if they to whom
fate seems kinder, and gives smooth
current OF love in their early season,
have half the depth of delight in it that
they find who at later day love with
the concentrated force that spread out
over all the intervening years might
have been a shallow and stagnant pool.
Did l love Maskelyn any better at
twenty2 Not any fraction so dearly.
Did he love me more2 | cannot answer
for that One could hardly love more
than an abject worshipper loves a saint
in her shrine, and SO he seems to love.
And 50 | am to be married to morrow.
| sit here in a daze, while Belle and
Alice are weaving garlands on the steps
| below. 1t does not seem to strike them
as anything strange "We were always
sure you had a romance and hero,
Miss Livia," they say. "Ol, 1t Is like
reading new chapter And you are
going to come back here, after you have
seen the great world, and never let US
lose youP' Aud forget, as | see him
coming up the walk while they weave,
that / can no more ride and ramOle
without fatigue, for now have an arm
on which to lean; and | know that
shall thrill once more to sunset and
sunrise, water scene and Ill )untain view.
for there will be eyes to d )hble all the
beauty and reflect it back on mine. L
forget that any time has been stolen
from me when | look at Maskelyn's face,
that has only grown stronger and more
rugged and noble in the luil light of his
noon. thank heaven, that is letting
me begin this life however short the
life may be, SO blessed. 80 blessing,
although at fifty years.
The Comet and sun Spots.