The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1883-03-08

sll.sufacicnt II parents remained immor
tally YONG. bat il loses weight al sixty
1 Az the seventh year drew 10 close
Dors's heart grew light within her Jos
had mentioned scvan years As il be meant
10 comc home then. q, any rate. She wor'
out the frs, day Of the "elad New Year.
with busy carcs till late in the afternoon
when an old man, spent With much walk
ing, stopped 10 rest himself 10 tho farm
house kitchen. Prudence bestirrsd her
self 10 give him hearty luncheon, and
when he WAS warmed Aad fed be began te
talk OF his travels. He had been 10 seek
his fortune all over the West, and never
finding II had come back to die at home.
He mentioned Colorado and Denver, and
when Dora found herself alone with him
for moment she said; did you ever sec
Joseph Raymond in Denverf"
joe Ray .nond' Oh yes; knew him we'll
lived with l. m nigh on to month. HIS
wife WAS real good cook; couldn't be
beat nowhere in them parts
"You say he was married."
ITO be sure; right smart fellow and
mighty fond Of bis wife. Women are
scarce out there.
Prudence came in then, and the old
man went on his way, all unconscious oi
the great stone be had cast into the still
waters Of Dora's heart.
whats the matter?" said Prudence.
you're as white as o sheet.
Dora's only answer was TO start out and
run as for life down the frozen orchard
path, by which she could gain upon and
overtake this terrible old man. She might
have said with "holy Herbert:
My thoughts are all case OF knives,
Wounding my heart
With many SMART
only misery must have time to crystallize
into memory before it can take the form
Of poetry. She stood before the old man
ut the turning, bareheaded and breathless
"How did the Joe Raymond look that you
lived WITH" gasped Dora.
II never said Joe Raymond said the
old man peevishly. II said Jim Ray
mond. They had big boy named Joe
Who" but Dora was off again before he
could finish the sentence.
She ran back through tie orchard, CIV
ing thanks with all her heart that she had
not suffered herself to be persuaded Of
Joe's faithlessness on one hearing. Her
feeling Of grateful awe, as il she had es-
capped from sudden death, kept her from
mourning much over the passing away OF
the seventh anniversary Of Joes departure
with no sign Of his return.
His letters had wholly ceased, and there
was nothing left for Dora but to possess
her soul with patience. When another
New Year dswned upon her she put on
the old red dress, more from habit than
from any CLEAN of hope in her heart, and
did not care to look in the glass La the
twilight she walked slowly down the or
chard path and leaned on the gate that op.
ened into the road. ~sa,A
Suddenly a man sprang out from behind
the wall "Theodora, my gift OF God I"
he said, and Dora, though she recognized
no mark OF the lover who left her eight
years before, knew that no other knew that
password, and suffered herself to rest 81
lently in his arms in the ineffable content
that comes after long waiting.
When Joe and Dora went into the house
and she looked at him by candle-light her
heart almost misgave her; his lnxuriant
beard and the manly assurance Of his man
ner we're not at all like her Joe OF beloved
memory, ai a terrible barrier seemed to
rise up between them, while Prudence re-
NAMED in the room with her company
manners, which sat more awkwardly upon
her than her Sunday gown.
When Dora tiptoel softly by her sisters
door at very late hour that night Pru-
dence was lying awake for her. Don't
tell me, said she, that you have been
waiting for that Joe Raymond all this
time"
Il won't tell you if you don't want to
hear it," said Dora.
"Do you know whether he came home
any better off than whep he went awayy"
II really haven't thought to ask, re-
piled Dora. Prudence groaned and turned
her face to the wall.
Joe waited only till the next day to tell
Mrs. Hall OF bis success, which looked
very moderate in his Travelled eyes, but
seemed q noble fortune to her homely
ideas.
II never thought before" said Dora's
father at the wedding, that a woman
could keep secret, and ! guess it ain''
much more common than snow in dog
days.
"i,ow long would you have waited foi
me?" whispered Joe in Dora's ear.
Forever" said Dora solemnly.
And Mrs. Prudence Hall, as abe over
heard the word, thanked her stars tha
Dora's foolish notions had not wrecked
her at last on poverty stricken marriage
| -Lippinooafe Mudgastae.
The Age Of the Earth.