The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1884-02-22
ssMY
Lenned TO Herman StacY?"

seat beside which she nau Oeen at WCfK.
and looked helplassly up at her niece.
Miss Mabel Hanson was a maiden lady,
as her name betokens. She was quite five
and thirty, if the family register on the fly
leaf of the great family Bible in the best
parlor was to be believed; yet her eyes
were as blue, her color was as bright, her
figure as trim and neat, and her chestnut
hair as soft aud pretty as when Herman
Stacy, then a poor young lawyer, just on
the point of leaving their native village for
the great city, had wooed and won her. in
that very garden, fifteen years ago.
Beside her stojd her orphan niece, Pat
ricia, "a girl or the period" just seventeen
in years, but, oh, how much older in
thought and feeling, and in practical knowl-
edge Of life than her lit Q aunt.
Patricia was the only child of Miss Han
sons only brother, who, dyinga penniless art
ist in New York, had given the baby, with his
last b leath, to his sisters care.
For the child's sake Mabel Hanson lad
refused to marry the young lawyer--to i'm
pose such a burden upon him at the begin
ming of his career. She had devoted her.
self ever since to Patricia, had labored for
her, taught her, boarded up her scanty
means 10 give her ~luxuries and pleasures,
loved her, idolized her; more and this was
her reward!
Standing there in her fresh young beau
ty, and her pretty fashionable summer at
tire, Patricia carelessiy told the story that
seemed so little to her, while it quenched
the last light. the last hope, that unknown
to herself till nowJ had shown over the
lonely Gpinster's path.
Five years before that day, Herman
Stacy had returned to Ctnptown, and Ie-
turned Us he had vowed o do after her re-
lection of him), its wealthiest and most in
huential man.
On the hill where his fathers farm
formerly stood. he built O princely man
sion, and filed it with the pictures and
statues when he had collected during q
two years tour in Europe.
Thither he cane for four months every
summer, spending the rest of his time be.
tween Washington and New York, whittier
a double interest, as q politician and "a
railroad man, drew HIM with magnetic
force,
Mabel Hanson had heard marvellous tales
of the splendor Of the great house on the
hill. But she had never entered IL, nor, to
her knowledge, had Patricia ever done so.
And now, in her bewiiaerment, her first
question was:
g" ut where did you ever see Herman
Stacy, Patricia? Not in Camptown, l am
sure.n
ooh, no., auntie; it was last winter-tha
is, the first time-when l went to New Yon
with Lucy Hale and her parents, you know.
Mr.. Hale knew Mr.. 5tacy, and they ht
something to do with each other about bus
ness, I believe. And so-and so, thy
went out with as to places of Amusement;
and in fact that was the way it all cane
about, auntie, dear"
LAST winter! And IL is now late autumn
very aearly winter again-and you hve
but just told me-"
Ills SO awkward to own to any luch
thing" said Patricia, looking very hnd-
some as she blushed aud laughed. I'm
not sure that / should have made the con-
fession even now she added, "oniy that
Herman is coming to night or to-mrrow,
and of course he will call on me here.
And You must BIO ready to gee him ad say
yes hike a dear soul as you are. Won't
it be delightful, auntie. when Fe can
all live up in that magnificent house
together and 20 d won't have to IVORY yoar
dear old brains any longer to mike both
ends meet OF the end Of the year Love
may be all very wei, Auntie, but IN own
that / do love my Herman dearly but love
with plenty of money and q PAIGE to hive
in is far better than love IN o cottage, viii
an empty purse, whatever those geese OF
people may say. Aud now III go AND
make myself lovely, on the chaice OF Her
Nuns coming out on She evening train, In
stead of the morning one"
Patricia kissed her aunt ouboth cheeks
and ran up the garden wax toward tne
house singing as she went.
Miss Hanson leaned bak against the
grape arbor, among the yelbw leaves,
closed her eyes.
GThrak I'LL \ 49, 80 la4Yo vod rnVgalf
In spite of the surprise" she th7ught.
@Poor child she would bewretched IL she
knew 1t ell. And I have ben idiotic enough
to hope that he night remember
how l love him-that he might come and
ask me to share his last vars. /, h ara
thirty-hye, and sere and faded in his eyes,
no doubt, as these are in mine. Bat
what am / to do? Whep am / to go2 Live
here IN see her happyss his wife. Q nd IN
that home, 7 can not2 oh, Herman. my
love for you has beef the curse OF my
whole lifei"
Miss Hansonl / leg your pardon! said
avoice near her-a vdce she had not heard
for fifteen years, and yet her heart recog-
nized and ~respondedto it at once.
She sprang to herfeet. blushing crimson,
and trembling fromhead to foot.
A tall. portly, fhe-:ooking man. with a
touch of silver In his dark locks, but With
all the fire of youth in his large, dark eyes,
stood In the glrden path, looking at
her.
pray pardon this intrusioni' he said.
IN q tone that vas apitated, in spite OF his
apparent composure. your charming
niece. Patricia. told me that / wxuld Ind
you here. suppose you guess my errand
have come to ask your permission
Iou have i'll" said poor Hiss Maoei: