Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1884-10-07


post. stating the hour when she would
be q, liberty and "PIea'sd to see hsr old
friend"
lie kissed the little note ss rap,urOu.-
ly as Isle ever could have carcssed his
letters in her lonely day. upon the farm.
Yet. when he called Il ". q very
stately young lady Who greeted him. with
Mu. Me,cAlf At her aide and Mrs. Met
calf never len the room for one moment.
Lisle was cordial and gracious, yet
Richard f,l, q. II thousand miles lay
between him and this girl, whose charm
and .wee,ne. and worth he had been
conscious of for many mon,hs. but whose
en,ire suitability for the station Of his
wife he hal doubted. or At least, had
questioned
And now he would have given half hi.
life 10 know that he could win her.
Had be lo., forever the golden opPor-
,sni,y for Perfee, happiness by bis ,ardi-
ns.. and blindne" and stupidity
SO il seemed. His efforts 10 see her
alone proved unAvailing. Sometimes
Senator Roman. always Mrs. Msiealf.
"Has your hostess constituted herself
q body.guard Of one to protect you he
asked. In an ungraeious aside. one day,
when he Vas thoroughly irri,A,ed by ihs,
lady's seeming Inconsistencies of his
restless. eager manner.
Lisle looked =, him with questioning
surprise and disAPproval.
II desire Mrs Mc,ealf 10 Assis. in en-
,er;Ainiog al my callers" she 'aii
"You are no, always 80 conventional
ly." he rs,oried. and | see no need Of
I, now"
Her face flushed slowly.
Customs In ooun,ry fArmhoases do
no; correspond With those in convention
al society. you know" she replied. BE
sides. | rgrs, having disobeyed the ',rie,
demands of custom heretofore. and shall
.,rive 10 make amends in the future"
And then she asked Richard II he had
seen the new painting Mr Me,eslf had
jus, purchased. And 90 changed the ooa.
versaiion. lie lei, her. wondering II he
va. the victim of some strange night
mare. o. II this reserved and convention
al young belle. Of whom he stood in such
fear. was one and the same with the
.vce, girl whom he had seen picking
-ld berie. few mon,hs before. and
whose tender. hear.broken letters used
to bring the tears to hi. eye. ia pity for
her loneline,. after hi. visits
Nj. tears nigh, better be she'd for pity
% himself now
lie heard rumor- Of her engagement
TO senator Roman as the days wore on.
and he made up hi. mind TO 20 abroad,
and ~i,hou, trying to see her again.
lie could no, bear the confirmation
from her own lips o. the report, aud ye,
be feel compelled to refer to !, Il be saw
her
80 he wrote her hi. farewell This
Was hi. letter
Lisis-I am going abroad 10 few days
FOR prolonged stay. shall not see you
again before leaving. My meetings with
yoa are TOO plinfal when eonirAsted with
pas, interviews. And now that I hear the
current repor, Of your beiroshAl 10 sena-
tor RomAln. l DO not feel brave enough to
see you 10 say even good bye. | do no,
blame you. dear. for the heroic treatment
you have administered me. I have been
weak - almost oowardly In some re-
spects; no wonder II you are dlsgus.ed
with me. Yet now 10 this, the last letter
shall ever write you, want To tell you
have given you the one great. true love
OF my lifetime, and that II ] thought i
could ever win you Tor my wife, would
be willing to serve seven years-yes. twice
seven, like he OF old but know have
"slnned away the day OF grace" AMI q
better man has won you. May Cod bless
you both have In my possession .
package OF letters l think yoa would like
retained. BE Kind enough to state What
address. and Just when they had best be
sent. SO large parcel might excite COM
ment II sent 10 you At Mrs. MeieAifs. /
will send or leave them, carefully sealed,
at any place you designate. Aud now
again, God bless you. aud good bye
RICHARD wKsrBRooK.
Twenty. four hours later he received a
tiny note addressed by Lisle's hand. His
heart grew fain, as he broke the seal.
How could be endure TO read the
formal words be knew ], mus, contain.
after the warm sweetness and tenderness
OF her former letters
How could he 20 through the task Of
sealing and returning those precious mis-.
.iyes to their author, who nigh, have
been his wife II be had not been . fool
and . knave
He drew ou, the tinted shee, from its
sheath and read
RicAard-If you can return the heart
which has been yours since the hour We
met. then return the letters also. Other
wise, keep both. LisIk
lie covered his face with bis hands.
Thank God Thank God be almost
sobbed.
When he went abroad few months
later, Lisle went with him-his wife.
Coon DETECTIVE WORK. .-"Ah |!