Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-09-12

tie rustic, whom he had feared To present IL
his circle Of fashisnable friends, was bella
who had always been able to shine Id society. N
He went home and wrote her d very humble
little note, asking her to be kind enough to
appoint an hour when she would be at liberty
to see him without her satellites 2
~ He received pleasant reply BY return post
stating The hour when she would be at liberty
and 'spleased to see her old friend. z
+ He kissed the little note rs rapturousIy as
Lisle ever could have caressed his letters In
her lonely days upon the farm. 8
. Yet, when he called it Mas very stately
young lady Whogreefed him, with Mrs. Metcalf at
for one moment. z.-a5 h "a ftIs St4s
Lsle was cordial and gracious, yet Richard
felt as if a thousand miles lay between him
and this girl, whose charm and sweetness and
worth he had been conscious of for many
months, but whose entire suitability for the
station of his wife he had doubted, or at least,
had questioned. TO- = e~gE- :.E ..,j
And new he would have given half bis hfo to
know that he could win her. e as. ls,'a. :s u.
Had he lost forever the golden opportunity
for perfect happiness by his tardiness and
blindness and stupidity? III
proved unayaiing. Some one was always
present when he called Sometimes Senator
Roman, always Mrs. Metcaf. .st45 j5-..
"Has your hostess constituted herself body
guard Of one to protect your" he asked, in an
nngracious aside, one day, when he was thor
onghly irritated by that lady's seeming uncon
sciousness of his restless, eager manner.
Iisle looked at him with questioning surprise
and disapproval. III - EEt -
~ desired Mrs Metcalf to assist me in enter.
tanning all my callers" she said
"You were not always 30 conventional" he
retorted; Sand ! see no need of it now"
Her face flushed slowly. 49,. 80
respond with those in conventional soci ETY.,
you know" she replied Besides, I regret
having disobeyed the strict demands of custom
heretofore, and shall strive to make amends in
the future" '% 5,.,,..[xj5 ".sl% .">-
And then she asked Richard if be had seen
the new painting Mrs. Metcalf had just pur-
chased, and SO changed the conversation. He
left her, wondering if he was the victim Of
some strange nightmare, or if this reserved and
conventional young belle, of whom he stood in
such fear, was one and the same with the sweet
girl whom he had seen picking wild berries a
few months before, and whose tender, heart
broken letters used to bring the tears to his
eyes in pity of himself now.
He heard runoFs of her engagement to SEN
ator Roman as the days wore on, and he made
up his mind to go abroad and to go without
trying to sec her again
He could not bear the confirmation from her
own lips Of the report and vet he should feel
compelled to refer to it if he saw her. =.
So he wrote her his farewell This was his
letter:
LisLe---I am going abroad in few days for
before leaving. My meetings with you are too
painful when contrasted with past Interviews
And now that hear the current report Of your
betrothal TO Senator Roman, do not feel brave
enough even to see you to say good bye. I do
not blame you, dear, for the very heroic treat
ment you have administered to me- I have
Leen weak-aln1ost cowardly--in some re-
spects; no wonder if you are disguised with
me- Yet now in this, the last letter l shall
ever write you, I want to tell you l have given
you the one great, true love of my life time,
and that if I thought could win you for my
wife, would be willing to serve seven years
yea, twice seZen, like he Of old But know
I have 'ssinned away the day of grace and a
better man has won you. May God bless you
both! have in my possession a package o
letters I think you would like returned B
kind enough to state what address. and jus
when they had best be sent. So large parce
may excite comment if sent to you at Mrs
Metcalf's l will send or leave them, carefully
sealed, at any place you designate. And now,
again, God bless you, and good-bye!
Richard Wesrbrook.
Twenty -four hours later he received tiny
note addressed dy Lisle's hand. His heart
grew faint as he broke the seal.
How could ne endure to read the formal
words he knew it must contain, after the warm
sweetness and tenderness of her former letters
How could he go through the task of sealing
and returning those precious missives to theii
author, who might have been his wife if he
had not been fool and knave!
He drew out the tinted sheet from it's sheath
and read:
RICHARD-f you can return the heart which
has been yours since the hour we met, then re-
turn the letters ALSO Otherwise, keep both
LIsLE.
He covered his face with his hands.
"Thank God! Thank God!" he almost
sobbed.
When he went abroad few months later
Esle went with hinl-his wife.