Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1883-09-15

tea 20 the care Of his attorney--the
address he had left when he bid her
farewell 80 long ago. Then as she
sat thinking and in fancy watching
It through its journey, how far it
would have to travel ere finding him,
how long 1t would be before she
held his answer in her hand, there
came knock at the door, and the
warning of the servant reminded her
that it was growing late. With the
missive in her hand she went up
stairs to dress.
II will post it this evening"" she
said, laying it on the table. ssBut
no." a sudden thought occurring to
her, "Iwill 60 with it myself on the
morrow, and learn Of his where
abouts, and how long it will be ere
can hear from him." and the
thought sent a flash of color into her
cheeks, that seemed, for moment,
to bring back her lost youth. When
she was dressed she locked the door
and cautiously crept, candle in hand,
to a large glass and looked long and
earnestly at herself, blushing all the
while at the unusual vanity Of the
action; she peered so close to the
mirror that every line beneath the
dark eyes and about thesweet mouth
every gray thread in the black hair,
were plainly seen. And after q mo-
ment she cried almost impatiently,
turning away: "Ah, why need !
look? Does not the reckon
ing Of time tell me that am
growing old that all the beauty
that | once had is fast fading away ?
Why do I remind myself Of it :
Why does my heart and desires keep
youngp 1t is not in keeping with
myself ~
She unlocked the door and went
below, calm and cheerful, still re,
tanning the sunny smile that had
haunted her all day. That night In
Mrs Lancaster's rooms a pleasant
party had gathered, but that was
scarcely to be wondered at, for Mrs.
Lancaster had a happy faculty of
getting the right people together,
and on this particular July evening
they seemed to enjoy themselves in
many ways, from the audience gath
cred around the grand piano iii one
room, to those listening to the light
est gossip of the hour and it's attend
ant flirtations, about the wide bay
windows, that looked out into the
dark silent night.
"How elegantly Mrs. Tregallas
plays. I" some nesaid, and there was
seeming hum in the animated con.
versation. to listen to one of Han
del's tender, wordless songs, music
that seemed to come from Hazel's
very heart, and that as she played,
seemed to herself and others as being
stamped with her own sweet indi-
viduality.
"Who did you say was playing ?"
a quick voice asked--the voice Of
man who had been standing for a
few minutes behind the player, and
as he put the question he leaned
forward to try and get a glimpse of
the musicians face. Not waiting
for an answer he advanced quickly
to the piano-there was jarring
discord that killed the sweet sounds,
and Hazel Tregallas rose to her feet
and turned round face to face with
Paul Hayne What she saw was
bearded, bronzed man, with the Gag
er blue eyes she had SO often though
of, and seen in SO many a weary vi,
gil, eyes that matched SO well the
young, confident voice, "Hazel !" he
exclaimed, and for a moment looked
at her-a slender dark eyed woman,
attired in dark robes--strings of
pearls in her lovely hair, and ON the
round arms and white throat--a pic
ture indeed fall that was most gen.
tie and loving in woman-kind.
He loved this silent patient wom-
am still-this woman on whom every
hour of these ten years had set their
distinctive mark. A great tragedy
had once divided their lives. They
had gone their several ways, and
now, after every trouble they had
met again. Her own wish and pray
er had been granted. God had been