Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1883-12-20
INTO 4THE UNF0RG0T-
TEN LAND.

addressed Familiarity Dear joe" and over
flowing with sentimental remlniscenceS' 10
was business, not a love letter, eise no Woulo
not have read it. 1t appeared that the
writer's father left Thornton twenty years
previous, owing Joe-who had then just en-
tered mans estate-noney for house,renC
Having but recently discovered this fact inc
lady, being now possessed OF consldelaoie
property, desired in justice to pay both
principal and interest.
Such was the sum and substance OF TINS
letter. read in the golden after-glow OF one Oh
Junes fairest days. There was, however,
one line over which Arthur Okill pondered
seriously. 1t ran thus =,
'"The story so sweetly begun and so sadly
broken Off under that roof you know WE'LL
Yes, of course, Joe Laux knew. When
ouecnly Ermyntrude Southmayd broke her
engagement with Arthur Okill, all the gos-
sips in the village got hold of this racy blt OF
news and rolled it like some toothsome morsei
under their tongues. The elders remembered
it to this day, although the discarded lover
had at different times honorably wooeI ana
won two Of their daughters and had buried
them, and children with them, under the red
and white clover bloom in Thornton's little
green graveyard. Folks seldom forget
things of this sort. More's the pity. From
his roso-draped window he colld see across
the way the moss-embroidered caves under
which they parted SO sadly and so coldly long
ago.
Since that memorable evening he had
written all sorts of hard and bitter things
against this beautiful, imperious creature,
ard had closed and sealed the pages time and
again, only to open them once more and re-
write, although for nearly twenty years her
light step had never crossed his path.
Now at last, as the day died in amber reds
along the gentle slopes of Thornton, he lell
to reading between these fiery lines penlled
with his hearts best blood, and to wondering
whether if he had but refused to have taken
that rash girl at her word she would not bave
been touched and have melted Ike wax under
loves indomtable flame. Sitting there in
the crimson and amber sun-glow, with "hito
and pink rose-lcavcs floating in at the open
window like scented, tinted snowakes, he
wished, vaguely, that this thought had oc-
Cured to him then, and that he had ac'od
npon it. As it was, it was too late. Even
the q she's Of that old love were scattered. Ho
would sooner expect to behold those whom
he had kissed and laid away come forth in
fcshv habiliments than to find that
1890
ins in lis bosom.
"What in the world are you doingF ex
claimed Mrs. Seth Okill, opening the door Of
tho Office from h2r arlor RdJ 1lninS Il
thought you were going out
go. I'm attending to a little business, re
piled her brother-in-av, hurriedly ~izing
some legal documents and making believe to
look them over. ''Say, Cad" recalling her
os vl. ,yos about rplirlnp '.Spu rcnlilllbtr
the Southmav.ls, don't YOU"
'"ro be sure do. What was that bea,iti-
full daughters name? G!enwoois Ellen
hood. No, that don't sound like it either"
"Try Ernyntu H." suggested Arthur,
dIily.
sure enough, Ermyntr,ldc. l nsai to
name all my rlrttsst dolls after her. Nice
family, but awful poor and proud, weren't
they2 What about them!'
Shes written to Joe from Jersey City,
and is coming to see him on business"
Poor Joe! And h2 dead and !mried this
two wesks!" sighed Cad Oki!l. She's
pretty Old now iAat shel I'm twcnty-eight,
and she was grown up when l was a little
girl"
shes tlirty-nine, replied Okill, running
his shaI,ely fingers through his cSn thickly
powdered hair and beard, wondering the
while how "E1npress Erlnyntlude'e" rare
auburn hraids stood the test OF time.
"Thirty-nine and not maI1ici!' exclaimed
Mrs Okill, as if comprising the round OF
human, misery. SIS she after our dear old
bachelor joe"
"Nonsclse! You know all about Joe's love
affairs. Any way, she always held her head
too high for such a. h., OF, ind ned, any one,
for that matter Now that she's rich, she
doubtless holds it higher yet"
eyes, recollect, she was called the Elm
ITess, wasn't shes She was SO beautiful and
seemed to bo 50 grand really thought she
ruled a kingdom, and often wished | could
slip into the house and see her crown and
throne. When is she conins!'
"ro-morTow noon"
The morrow's mid hour found Miss South
mayd alighted at the pretty vine engarlanded
station, and rapidly pursuing her way toward
the well known intersectins streets, on one
corner of which was Joes Office, and upon
another tho rambling tIee-g!rd.ed structure
she once called home.
Despite the changes nearly twenty years
had wrought Empress Ermytrnde," al
though she pulled 1er gray travelling veil
over her face, half determined neither TO see
nor be seen, recognized familiar residence
and bit Of woodland green aud emerald
swarl She had not come with any intention
of remaining even for ono day. There were
PAINFUL memories connected with the
place other than those interviewer with
"Iove's young dream Then, too, there was
really no one she cared or dared see, except
ing Joe Laux. The remaining member OF the
only family whose acquaintance she had kept
up removed some three months previous, and
were now her neighboTs in the city where she
made her home.
Still, strive as she would btter-swect
memories crowded in upon her, and when at
length she met Arthur Okill face to face, hers
was rapt, dewed Like that of rose il the
flush of dawn.
The ripe, red lips still disclosed their see>l
pearl rosary, there was no thread of silver
among those Chestnut bra:ds no trace of a
wrinkle on those rounded cheeks. While far
younger women, such as Cad Okill, aged un.
der the matrimonial yoke, and "child-brth
pain left its traces on heart and BRAIN" sht
retained her splendid hoalth, and,
although she had earned her bread and met
many trials, was even moro regally beautiful
than in the olden time. In early niaidenhooG
critics had pronounced her ''too fat and toe
red The tendency of over-ripeness had
been checked, that tropical richness of color
in. toned down, and criticism Gu that score
was disar1ned.
"Arthur!" she cried, not flushing in the
least, yet with all the light of her countenance
dying out and a strange gloom overshadow
the warm, brown eyes
"Ermyntrude!" exclaimed he.
One instant these two, who had wrecked
each others hope, clasped hands, and eye met
eye in searching, yearning gaze; then the lady
said, quietly enough outwardly:
'1his is an unexpected meeting. I regret
boi,o, u, procraj for t,,o. T nm ph1irnl IN