Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-09-30
knob; he springs toward her and catches

knob; he springs toward her and catches
her arm.
aRose Lagrangel Is it possible 9' he ex-
| claims in CONSERVATION.
sat your service" she returns trying to
speak lightly, but sinking wearily in chair
"Has it come to this2' he asks, looking
around the room.
81 am not ashamed to work." she says
proudly.
"No, no! no! ashamed tol Oh, but that
yon should be obliged Will you tell me
about yourself and how you came here?"
"Be seated, please. Ifyou care to hear,
| will tell you,o and she resumes her mend
ing involuntarily. "There is not much to
tell, F." she begins. She has been sewing a
button on Harry's trousers; something
drops out of the pocket and falls on the
floor, and as she discovers hole in his
pocket she empties it, in order to mend it.
She takes out some twine, marbles, an old
key, nails and many other old traps, and at
the very bottom, a bit of crumpled dirty pa
per. She lays them on the table, and-resumes
her sewing and her story.
He picks it up mechanically and absently
smooths it out 1t is letter sealed and
stamped. Suddenly he becomes aware that
he is reading the name of sMiss Rose La
grange" in his own handwriting. He
hastily tears it open and reads his own let
ter to her written over a year ago.
| She is surprised at his behavior. ssMr.
Lawrence, you forget yourself p she says.
"Will you be kind enough to read that
letter" he exclaims, excitedly; SIT is evil
dent it never reached you."
She takes it wonderingly, reads it slowly,
then looks wonderingly into his eager face.
s'Do you underestimate" he asks implor-
ingIy. :
Hardly" she returns; then reads it over,
light seems to break upon her: for the
| tell-tale color rushes into her face and be-
| trays her.
"Had you received it when it was due,
what would you have said?"
"Come," she whispers.
my darling! my darling!' be exclaims,
catching her in his arms.
| She falls limp upon his breast.
"What have done! have 1 killed her?''
he cries, in alarm.
"No," she answers, family. s'I am only
faint and weak, it will pass presently"
"What is it! what is the matter?"
"Nothing, nothing! I have had nothing
| to eat since yesterday, and have been work
ing all day, and am little dizzy, that is
all"
'Great Heavens! that is enough you
shall go to my mother tonight, 1 will not
leave you again alone. Oh, that you should
come to this through me. Fool that was
not to have spoken when I saw you, not to
have trusted to luck -
| She smiled at the vehemence.
"Do you know, darling, it was all ruse,
my going away? lust told you that to see
| if you cared, and I thought you didn't"
"Do you think would let you see, if /
did care?''
"And you missed me?'
SIT almost broke my heart"
'Oh, what an idiot I have been.''
81 am strong now" she says, releasing
herself from his embrace.
"And you will go with me?'' he questions.
"Yes," she answers confidingly. ''But
wait, will wake Harry, we must take him"
II suppose so,' he returns, laughing,
''the little heathen, keeping that letter,
hidden away in his pocket for over year."
When they are going homo they question
Harry about the letter, but he remembers
nothing of it. After much thinking he does
recall one morning when the postman gave
him letter to take into the house and he
put it into his pocket and forget it.
eff we had not been so poor" says Rose
laughiugly, "those old clothes would have
been thrown away long ago and the letter
with them. ."-Arkmsa 1raveler