Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1883-02-15

had another. and the time Of her lovers ab-
ssnce wore on YEARLY until six months had
| passed. and then came letter which made
Heiiy hold her breath while she read IT, and
I burst into tears as soon as she had read Il.
Dear Hetiy," it said. IAN unforeseen thing
has happened. Ny employers desire ne to
remain IN China for some wears. II do SO
they will make me partner, and shall be
able TO live well and comfortably. and to
grow rich IN time; but will YOU be willing
to live here with me' viii YOU come out
to me under safe protection and spend the
Years Of your Young life in this strange land
Think II ever, darling. The case stands Just
thus: If you refuse will return, but shall
then have no prospects whatever pennl-
less man who must take any position that
offers will be your husband IN that case.
The choice is in your hands; or perhaps il
would be honorable in me to set YOU free.
The thought almost breaks my heart. Dear
Hetty. what shall | say' think could
make you happy. even here. II you are
wiling TO come. write to me. II YOU desire
that should return and seek nv fortune in
our native land, write that frankly, but If
YOU feel that neither alternative pleases YOU
and desire your freedom-do not write at
all let silence be my answer confess
that have hope that even under my altered
circumstances YOU will still be true"
More followed-loyer's talk-with which
We have nothing to do. and Hetty cried over
the letter and was sorry. but she wrote at
once. and the last words Of her letter were
these
Il will come 10 China whenever YOU send
for me-
The mailbag was nearly ready a, the
pos'otfice. which was also the grocery store
Grandfather Hope stopped his wagon at tn,
door At that moment.
"Hullo'" cried he. here's another letter
for ye. NJ, niece has written to hei beau in
Chlny. and you've got to send that
The postmaster laughed and took the sill
Yer coin from Grandfather Hopes out
stretched hand
Seems a. Il there was a resumption Of
specie payments. got a FIVE dollar gold
ptccc ihls morning"
And then the tao old men fell IL talking
politics. while iie;fy'. letter vas carried to-
Wards the ppsrottce BY the clerk Onl, to-
ward II. for the train va. not set due. and
Miss Candor wanted four pound, u coffee
sugar crushed IN great hurry. The clerk
pushed the parcel towards Miss Candor and
between the top and side Of the counter. and
into tha, the letter slipped unseen Other
things had slipped down the same crp,Ic.
befpre-penn.rs and hairpin.. skrins Of silk
and piecv- of tapc-but no on, knew il.
4, for this letter, the clerk never rrmem-
bercd 1t again. The postmaster believed Il
9" be IN the bag, and Grandfather Hope
acui home and told Hcuy tina, BE- had seen
Hsr he. i.fF.r s.f. .I 81
no idea tha, he was not telling her the hon
est truth.
ilarl waited al the antpodes for HI. let,
Ter IN vain. and Heity waited 70 H.. sent for.
An, other two friends. relatives. strangers.
would nave written again. but lovers are al
NAY, Iuci.ned to be suspicious. L. doubt, To
fear they are drserted and forgotten. and
with the world between them these two
piurd for each other. grie,ed. grew angry.
never forgot. aud never wrote any more
''she has broken our engagement" said
he
+" He wanted to break our engagement"
said She
And soon the village began to know that
hetit Hope vas not going to marry Harry
Hunt.
Helty married nobody. She refused ali
her offer, and lived on with her grandfather
Aunt Mara died. lilly married He'ry
kept house for the old man still She was
not Young an, longer Girl. called her Al
old maid. She had left of caring much
about her dress, though she was nnw rich
woman, for the father she was almost
stranger to had lefI her an heire,s when he
died IN iar-of land.
Inc farmhouse was prettier and more
tasteful and she had one or two chosen
friends. but her life was woflily quiet, AMI
over her heart she always wore locket
With Harry Hunt. hair IN 1t, and underneath
the locket lay regret too deep for utter
ance. One saw It sometimes IN her heavy
eyes. or guessed il from the tone Of her
voice. that was all.
IL was bright autumn day, twelve wears
from tina, on which Grandfather Hope had
carried the lost letter TO the pos,office
The mail bag being made up again.
and the carpenter was at work at the count
rr.
"Hullo 50 rried he
We'll" replied the postmaster
''lou seem to have been hiding things
mere, said the carpenter live a mind to
Keep all | find. See here, WHAT'S been
dropped in the cracks' You needed new
counter bad.
80 We did-so we did," said the post
master, putting on his glasses. well,
want TO know Cake of beeswax, paper OF
pins, har-pin.. sheets of sticking plaster
hullo a letter, Here put this in the bag
its stamped; some one has left il on the
counter. Hulloi let's see what else you've
found ?"
He tossed the letter to his little grandson.
This time 1t went into the post-bag-this
time, after laying in the Sark for twelve
years, il was actually on its way to China
man Of forty, with his hair already sill
vered. stood amongst his employees in the
great Canton warehouse. Silks, and strange
rich, gold-threaded stufs. fans, umbrellas,
screens, cabinets, were being packed under
his supervision.
.Misser Hunt" said small, shrill, Chi
Hese voice al his elbow. "Ship come in
bring letters
"Very WE'LL" said Harry Hunt "Put
them down, Chi Foo. and see to those fans.
My yankee boy there doesn't understand
them"
Chi Foo went to work at the fans. Harry
Hunt turned over the letters.
These were mostly business missives /; in
structions from his senior partners, replies
10 letters he had written concerning sales
and purchase; highly perfumed note hear
ing a monogram and coat Of arms from
cousin who wrote occasionally to borrow
money, a newspaper, a magazine, and last,
but not least. dirty, time-yellowed envel-
ope with a corner bitten off BY hungry
mouse, with the subscription half obliterat-
ed. A thrill ran through Harry's frame as
he looked at the handwriting. He tore it
open; within lay letter fresh as though
written an hour before, dated September 4th,
1866, and ending thus
81 will come to China whenever you send
for me-"
Harry Hunt read it, understood what had
happened, though not how it had happened;
and leaving his silks, shawls and Chinese
bric-a-brac to take care Of themselves, rushed
to his office, and there iDdited strange, in
coherent letter to one who for all he knew
might be dead or married to another-but
who must know the truth If she lived.