Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1883-02-21

brute enough to NEEDLE with, and it has
descended to her. But / have been a
rolling stone, gathering no moss all my
life, and we havenever staid long enough
In one place to make friends. Will you
be her guardian? 1t is a dying mans
last request.
And the resHlt of that letter, and an
other from a lawyer who had Annie
Hunters little fortune In charge, was
that one soft spring day found me on
board a great steamer which lay at rest
after her voyage in the protecting arms
of Liverpool, with two little hands in
mine, and pair of great brown eyes
lifted to my face, and a sweet voice
choked with sobs, saying something of
"poor papa" and of how much he had
spoken of me, and of the lonely voyage,
and the green leaves left behind: and I,
who had gone to meet a child found a
woman, looking at her and feeling to-
ward her as [ had never looked upon nor
felt to any other.
Not to Elsie Hall. 1t was not the boy
ish love dream again.
Analysing my emotion, / found only
great longing to protect and comfort
her-to guard her from every pain and
i'll, and said to myself, ''This is as
father must feel to daughter; l can be
a parent to George Hunters child in
very truth" And l took her home to
the old house and to my old mother. [
thought only of them; somehow [ never
thought of Ashton.
Shall [ ever forget how she frightened
the sombre rooms How, as her sad
ness wore away she sang to us in the
twilight How strangely something
which made the return home and the
long hours of evening seem so much
brighter than they had ever been before,
stole into my life. [ never went to
sleep in church now; kept awake to
look at Olive Hunter-to listen to her
pure contralto as she joined in the sing
ing. Sometimes l caught her eye--her
great unfathomable brown eye-for she
had habit of looking at me. Was she
wondering how face could be SO stern
and SO grim? I used to ask myself.
Ashton used to look at her also. He
had been away when she first came to
us, and when she returned, he was a
grand surprise to him.
so, how lovely she is p he had said
to me.
'She is very pretty" l replied
Ashton laughed.
"May I never be an old bachelor if it
brings me to call such girl very pref
ty,'" be said, and [ felt conscious that
my cheek flushed, and felt angry that
he should have spoken of me thus,
though [ had never cared before
They liked each other very much
these two young things. They were to-
gether great deal. A pretty picture
they made IN the Venetian window in
the sunset. He is fair-haired, blue
eyed, Saxon-looking youth; she so ex-
quisitely dark and glowing.
Every one liked her. Even my old
clerk, Stephen Hadley, used to say her
presence lit the Office more than dozen
lamps, the nearest approach to a poet
zeal speech Of which old Stephen was
known to be guilty; and | never knew
how how much she was to me until one
evening when, coming home earlier than
usual, I saw in that Venetian window
where Ashton and Olive had made so
many pleasant pictures for me one that
l never fOrgOt-that l never shall forget
as long as | live.
She stood with her back to me. Ash
ton was kneeling at her feet. The sound
of the opening door dissolved the pic
ture; but I had seen it and stole away to
hide the stab that it had given me.
sat down IN my own room and hid
my face in my hands, and would have
been glad to hide it beneath my coffin
lid. knew that loved her not as an
old man might love child, but as
young man might love the woman who
ought to be his wiie-better than [ had
loved Elsie Hall; for it was not boyish
passion, but earnest, heartfelt love.
l IN lovei ] arose and looked in the
mirror, and my broad-shouldered refec-
ton flashed before my gaze. The
spring time of my life had flown, and
my summer had come and gone, and in
the autumn had dreamed of loves bud
and blossom. I knelt beside my bed,
and prayed that [ might not hate my
brother-that L might not even envy
him. His touch upon my door startled
me. He came In with something in his
manner not usual to hun, and sat down
opposite me. For few moments were
silent. Then he said, speaking rapidly
and blushing like girl, Med, old fell
low, you-you saw me making a fool of
myself just now, suppose ?"
81 saw you on your knees" SAID.
And thought me silly fellow, Ell d?
But you don't know, Ned. You can't
understand-you've been so calm and
cool all your life through, you know.
She's driving me mad, Ned; [ do believe
she likes me, but she won't say yes, I'd
give my right hand for her love- [ must
have it, and [ think you can help me,
Ned. From something she said, I be-
heve she thinks you would disapprove;
perhaps you are one of the old fellows
who want every one to marry Tor money.
Tell her you're not, Ned, dear oic fell
low; tell her you have no objection, and
I'll never forget it, indeed I won't"
Tell Ler [ have no objection ?" / re.
peated, mechanically.
You know you are master here, and
as much my father as if you were really
one, instead of brother" said Ashton.
IF I did not know how kindly you had
always feft to us both should not con-
ide in you, for it is a serious thing to be
in love Ned and Won NAV thank heaven