New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-29
SO NEARLY WON !

~ NLhiLl w OLN
The carriage WIS just turning tho corner OF the
drive where the tall evorgreens grow thickest, the
fna shower of rice and the last ola satin slipper
we've falling far behind il, when James Grafton
realized for the first time that Lettiv was gone III
de ed and had left him there alone and unprotected
For him the bright June day seemed suddenly over;
clouded. and his OWE little domestic world
strangely empty in spite OF the merry chattering
groups of bridal guests on his sunny lawn. In an
other instant tho carriage had disappeared; the
bridesmaids ana their attendant swaiDs turned
laughingly away, and sauntered oil mostly III
couples for one wedding IS very pioyoca.iVg, a "
another, few things being more infectious thah
lOve-maklng.
lanes Grafton went toward his house with n very
grave face he had been standing Oh the path tDat
he might watch the carrlags 10 the very last, and
OIL the doorstep he met his two slstersin- aw, MIS-
Charles and Mrs. Harry, both widows, and afr'ye1
in differing shades OF irop-gray SILK. IL was AVN
to have to face them alone without that good KIND
brave Lettie who lad hitherto looked so Wen al.or
him and his interests. who had ALWAYS stood be-
tween him and the widows. They seemed 10 nave
cume fearfuliy near 10 him all al once. Were they
going TO crush him cmpletely Would they cat him
up aud pick his bones What would they do to
James Grafton was n bachelor of forty or there
about. LettIe, his only sister, whom he hal a
couple OF nOuTs ago most unseltshly gwen away 10
Colonel RathbOne az the little white church at the
foot of tie hill. although many years Younger than
himself had always fought his domestic battles LOT
hun and had been quite equal TO the TASK oil 1e-
ives. And James Grafton needed protector
badly for he was the only man OF his fan NV VINO
had ever made any Oncy; whllo hls brOtneTs'
alter trying hard to ruin him as we'll a. themselves
had died penniless leaving him thirteen nephews
and niecrs 10 care for as well as Two WIDOWS WHOSE
only io turts were couple OF very different Dut,
TO James Grafton equally oDlecliohaole ten'peis,
A heavy burden truly but he and Lette had taken
il up bravely and cheeriully, and had dOue very
much more than their duty.
But now James Grafton had given Lctte away;
sl,. Upn
the doorstep saying all sorts OF pretty thugs about
the pretty wedding and charming bride. IheTo
was n great blank where Lettie had been. On,
then. surely the widows and the thirteen children
could til II! Everything his friends SAID brought
tins thought TO James GraitOn's mind but that
onl r made the blank look blanker. Mrs. Charles
aud Mrs Harry did not love each other. How
could they being the mothers of two rival clans OF
children THAT woman WAS the term by which
The one indicated the other in a genera way; but
today, as each tired TO exec the other IN dong
the honOrs OF James GraftOns very picturesque
little house. no one, except the keeneSt observer
could have told that open war ragged permanently
between the two smiling ladies' who received 20
graciOusly the parting congratulations oil the "ed
ding guests James Grafton, however. knew
the state of affairs only too well ahd as ne "al,hou
the groups on tho lawn thinning ana carriage
after carriage driving OF he heart sank down ana
down and the blackncss OF darkness settled upon
AT length all had departed except the sisters-in-
law and their elder children. Mrs Charles at once
began to explore the house, which during Letties
reign she Lad never been anne 10 uD lultt w Nv
hearts content; and Mrs Harry followed Eel
stealtliily about. detective might watch sus-
pected thief. As for James Grafton, lie CROPPED ms
melancholy way into bis library.
Uai wiat's tlisi' he exclaimed with sudden JOY,
as his eyes fell upon n note lying upon ms desk
From Lettie, Dear grl! How th0nRhtiul lie
eagerly tore open the envelope. 1t already ap-
peared to MIN as if she bad been gone some cen
lures Tho note had been scrubbed IN desperate
haste and excitement but II brought nope ana
courage " th It, My dearest Old IN, II ran, be
pst | ~
mean TO 90 They must 20. both OF them. Keep To
our arrangement. Don't yield An men. lou
dear lamb, how grleyc to leave you 10 deienccless
If you valGe my peace of mind. speak TO Ennico
Bell tomorrow and know your late. she likes you
am sure Of il. am fond of her; so are You ieT-
hans Won think you are not; but mind what tell
y0n-yon are How happy should he II could
only feel you we're IN her good hands Believe me,
dear she Is a most sweet thng-N iih iondest love
' our own LettIe. James Grafton had always hhn
fair and rather delicate complexion IL was not
much the wUrs' for wear. IL turned vivid scar
let as he read the last part Of his sisters note.
How on earth could shD have guessed What
have said dOne to suggest such an idea " 30
lieve me dear. she Is a most SWEET thing knew
that well enough without Lette's telling me. I'm
lost first love whom the angels call Lenore, or
some other delicious name James Grafton, this
bachelor of forty years. sighed with almost youth
ful fervor for his second. " She likes YOU: ] am
snre of it," Ave there's he rub Likes -lIkcslikes
me lie repeated. but perhaps 81 III loves some one
on the other side e the world. Docs shog Why
]
re read Lettic's ncto through again; it WAS
nspirting; never before had the case
been put before hun clearly, never had he dared
even in his Utmost thoughts 20 put 1t so clearly 10
himself. lie opened his eyes widely.
Have ! been "a fool, wonder mnSt pave
been or | should have But here no was
roughly interrupted. Mrs. Charless girls ana Mrs.
IIarry's boys, who always had the greatest con-
Tempt for each other had como to blows, and now
hurst into the library crying and sobbing aud max
ing the house resuund with their clamurous demands
for instant Justice The mothers. VINO had been
harrying each other until ftail Luiuan nature could
stand II no longer rushed TO the rescue he noise
date expulsion of A" that woman aud her lIl-man-
nered children" Mrs Harry returned the compli-
meut with yigor. James Grafton, unused To such
SCI mes, fled in dsmay. They followed hun to The
shrnbberv. ana when they had driven him thence
they tracked him to tho oUliry-yard where rem
dered desperate by sheer despair, he turned upon
them and declared he would not re-enter the hOuse
until both had left 1t. There was something 20
rssolute in the way IN which he sat down on Some
sooner than yield, thar. knowing further resist
ance was useless. the widows departed. FOR many
hours afterwarl james Grafton felt that ho was the
greatest brute in the world. lle was, as regarded
women and children, q most tcnderhearlod oTca
ture. lie hated himself for his harshncss; 1t made
h IN feel degraded and unworthy even to woo so
sweet being as Euuice Bell. IL was lar IN THO
next day before his self-respect returned.
James tiraftOn's house was pleasantly situated on
the slope of u hill. not many miles from London
Eunice Bell lived with married sister in Tulip
tree lane, within an easy walk of the bachelors
James Grafton. beirg Oh intimate terms
with the family. knew, as indeed al tho neghDor,,
hood knew that about two years.Ggo Miss Bell hau
been engaged TO DO married. Then there had been
quarrel, and ENHANCEMENT. lie. tho lover, ha9
zone abroad [; she -why one day she caught sight OF
her own face in tho looking glass, and repeated to
herself
Charlotte, when she saw her lover
Borne beiure her on a shutter,
Like u well-conduced person.
Went on cutting bread and butter.
Other people said shs went on living the same sim,
Die, helpful, beautiful life that she always had
lived. -,
There was a difference to her in the aspect OF
thinps doubtless but if there were she never made
,fbcrs feel it. But now that broken romance was
al over But there are some events which neverre,
EIDE into the past they live forever In perpetual
low, although one may agree with ones spli 10 De-