The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-10-30

seen. He had la ge. kindly, dark eyes,
and few silver threads mingled with
the raven of his hair. brushed back
from q high, noble forehead; mouth
in which sternness was strangely min
gled with sweetness, shaded by dark
mustache. and when he smiled Ali, Q
man in the world.
He chatted with her little while,
and then walked with her to the gate
of her cousins cottage, but would not
then go in.
II will come soon to see you," he
promised as he left her. But he said
nothing to Martha about this new en-
counter, feeling that q sacred chord of
memory had been touched, and shrink
ing from commonplace remarks upon
it. The next day Miss Martha went to
the city TO attend to her wedding pur-
chase, and to visit relative.
She left most minute directions with
her servants Tor Roberts comfort, and
his heart was moved with a guilty sense
OF disloyalty.
He was man of sensitive refinement,
a gentleman in the truest sense of the
word; while his sister, without being
vulgar, was what the Meadowvillians
called stirring woman" full of life
and hustle, of overlooking energy, and
an incessant talker. Miss Matha had
been in the city but'a few days when q
letter from Meadowville filled her heart
with elation. 1t was from Dorothy
Gaines, and that spinster wrote:
"Your brother comes over nearly
every day. suppose he's little lone,
some while you are away, and he usu-
ally stays to tea. I've got lodger
tins summer-a- daughter of cousin
of mine in the city. She's only a little
girl, but she plays and sings, and your
brother likes TO hear her. He's very
attentive-sends fruit and fowe RS and
brings books though, between you
and me- Martha, I'm no hand for books,
nor ever was. Still, Philips little girl
seems to like to read, and it keeps her
out of mischief. Girls are always in
mischief"
Every week there came long, exult-
ulting letter from Miss Gaines to her
dear friend, Martha, until the time was
drawing near for the elderly spinster's
MtuAtllSs all lltl MtuoiliS Bbi
were made, marked, and neatly packed,
when she received letter from her
brother:
"Wait until Wednesday, and 1 will
be your escort to Meadowville.
ROBERT"
This curt cpistle had been written
after day of great moment to Robert
Alderman. He had gone quite early
to the postoiiice and returning passed
the cottage of Miss Gaines He some
ines loitered little at this house to
chat with the ladies as they trimmed
the garden flowers. but on that day he
p used and caught his breath, as an ex
cited voice rang out upon the air-the
voice of Dorothy Gaines saying:
"You G an impudent little brat,
and I'll send you home! How dare
you set mp to teach me how to treat my
husband?"
A low, sweet voice answered:
You need not be so angry, Cousin
Dorothy. L only said Robert Acker-
man deserved wife who loved him."
Fiddle, PADDLE, love You senti-
mental schoolgirls talk such arrant
nonsense. Robert Alderman is
incoming old bachelor, who wants
wife ito manage him and keep his
house in order"
The sweet voice rang out more
clearly: Robert Alderman is noble,
true gentleman, man to love-a man
to honor! And, If he marries, he wants
wife TO love him-to make his life
glad and happy"
my good gracious!' gasped the as
tonished old maid.
"You think more this minute" con-
tinued Alice, "of his house, of his
money, his carriage, and his table linen
than you do Of him."
well, suppose / do, Perhaps you
would like to marry him yourself?'
"He would never think of such
thing; am only an insignificant school
girl, to whom he is kind But if / did
marry him, it would be for love, and
not for his money" Here the sweet
but excited voice broke in q sob, and
Alice fled from the battlefield.
Robert Alderman walked home
slowly. For many weeks, ever since
the meeting in the cemetery, he had
felt as if his lost love, the hope of his
youth, had been returned to HIM. Every
hours intercourse with Alice brought
back the long-buried dream of happi
ness more wildly. But he had crushed
down all hope.
Never would he link that bright,
just-dawning life with his sad, memory
haunted one But this mornings ex-
perience gave him new hope-a hope
that made his breath come thick and
fast, and his heart throb hopefully. He
could not bear such suspense long, and
in the afternoon he wandered to a spot
in the woods where Alice had often
brought her needlework, and where
Miss Dorothys keen eyes had never
penetrated and there the two would
sit and chat by the hour, of books,
travel, etc Alice was there, but she
was pale and shy-had evidently been
weeping.
He thought he had never seen her
look so beautiful before. She had on
white muslin dress, Topped up with
blue ribbon; her long golden curls were
simply tied back with a blue ribbon.
A few fluffy curls rested on her pure
white brow. She was evidently buried
] :. a. r. Il. -