Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1884-11-20

| they were, she had been more than satisfied
with them at the time, ana one day they
had ceased, and silence as painful as
deaths had fallen about her. Only through
the columns of the daiies she had gathered
later that Colonel Breton led the forlorn
hope in such place-was she not leading
the forlornest Of forlorn hopes at Newton?-
that Colonel Breton was in the hospital at
Washington, wounded for the second time
| (she had never heard of the first y that he
had gone abroad for health. And here he
was again. But they no longer sat to-
gether in the moon-lighted garden, nor
swung on the rivers Indecent tide. Ii gave
her strange sense of Gesolation to over
hear her Young ladies, who digested their
lessons with difficulty, whispering together
about Colonel Breton. Il am going to sit
to him. giggled one rosebud "dont you
envy me ?" Lefty remembered when she
had sat to him, and how slowly the picture
grew. To-day they met here and there, at
the houses Of her pupils, on the neutral
ground Of a neighbor's lawn he neither
avoided nor courted her society they talked
about common places if they happened to be
stranded together; ne gave her his arm to
the supper-room on occasions.
moment Of confidence, twas Colonel Bret
ton ever in love with ANYBODY ?"
Colonel Breton How should know !?
1t IS of no consequences to you and me Miss
Helen"
"Oh, should like to know about it," she
pursued. You see. mamma was talking
over Mrs. Dunn's dinner party and there,
must tell you your compliment. Do YOU
Il. ID ii
out waiting to know They said YOU looked
like flower in YOUR lavender silk; and
mamma went on tc say, Il wonder if that
old love affair of Colonel Bretton's will ever
burst INTO a flame again And asked,
What old love affair ? And they found |
was listening and they laughed, and said
Nonsense But should ike to know it
is 50 romantic. wish dare ask HIM
Miss Helen. You never would II
would-it would be objectionable"
Bu, the little mink took the first occasion
10 sati>f, her curiosity She Sas posing for
him as Maud Muller.
"Now look a. if you saw the Judge. Miss
Helen" said he.
III had ever been in love" She began,
II should know The proper expression. But
yon-yol can tell me; you have been in
.o,c. Colouyl Bretton.'
The Colonel dropped his brush.
"lou seem to know al about it, he said.
NO don't | just heard whisper, and
| asked Mis- Sayer about it."
Miss So,er'''
Yes she always lived here, YOU know.
and thought she might have heard"
And what did Miss Soyer say ?"
"She said. 1t is of no consequence to YOU
or me. Miss Helen fei, snubbed."
One day Miss Soyer felt stifed in the
school-roon. all the pupils were taking
their pleasure the Lawn was too damp for
Walking she got out her boat, and pulled
fol- Half-tidr Rocks When nearly there,
she observed that some one was before her.
Ii was Colonel Breton. She turned her
boat about and rowed back to the shore.
Why vas he there Thus a wear went BY
Col. Breton and Lefty met almost daily
passed word of greeting, cOnyrrsed about
he affairs Of to-day. exchanged opinions and
sentiments as II they were merely friends of
Years acquaintance. Once oH'y did he
ever refer 10 the past. when b : me upop
her standing 10 the grass, pulling daisy 10
pieces.
The same old story 2" he asked. ".He
loves me, he loves me not Have you ever
found out? p
Il wasn't trying any charm" she SAID. IL
leave that TO my pupils"
The Young ladies and teachers Of Miss
Soyer's establishment had gone home al last
for the Christmas vacation, even little Miss
Gregory had somebody glad TO see her. and
lover TO welcome her. Lefty wondered
how il seemed, as she sat alone IN the great
81 ~
in the river, and svooping down with an
awful voice Of thunder, ard the Wind sigh
ing through the great pines. Ii she and
Breton had been married years ago, how
different it would all have been, But here
she sat alone, with gray lines in her brown
hair. and Wonder on the hill he sat alone, too,
smoking his pipe. while there we're jollity
and happiness at other iiresides.
"A letter, ma'an.," said Betty, at the
door.
Miss Soyer had no letters nowadays eI-
cept business ones. She took il up careless
y-a heavy letter in a strange script; some
new scholar for the next wear. She laid I
down aud pursued her sad thoughts Til
Betty brought III tea and lights and re-
minded her.
Laws. Miss Lefty you amt read your
letter yet Some folks set their eye-teeth
by letters
Lefty looked at the mis,iye again, and
br ke the seal without a shadow OF curiosity
DEAR Miss SoYEK." lit began,)-.I
wonder if YOU are alive. or ghost, or If
you've married somtbod, else, or if YOU and
AMBROSE Breton made II up after all. or if
he was killed in the cruel war Ii Is all so
funny-l mean 80 queer. 50 romantic, YOU
know took the liberty OF reading your
letter. Papa was in the confederate army ;
YOU would call HIM rebel, | suppose. But
the war was-let me see-oh, ages ago
How Old YOU must he. my dear Miss Soyer
fyou should happen to be alive wonder
if you are pretty. La says you've brown
hair and curling lashes, and little color on
YOUR cheeks like opal but don't see how
she should know. Well, the other day
was rummaging in the attlc-we were going
to have theatricas-and | unearthed an old
leather bag full Of letters. The mice had
gnawed them; some were in tatters. What
a time Lu and | had erhauling them Lu
said it was United States mail bag we
rebels had seized during the war-it was
spoils of war, don't you know and then we
came TO your letter. and said, Let's send
it TO her. and Lu said, No, she's married
another, and il will make him cross, and her
sorry But would have my way so if it
is all right, please return thanks to
AMY WooD,
Woburn, Virginia.
p. 81 am engaged to be married my
self, and | knew you would want it, wEeth-
er or no. Lu isn't"
Lefty opened the enclosure slowly; the
paper was yellow, the ink faded but she
could read as if IN characters Of light, that
on that day, fifteen years before, Amboise
Breton had said he loved her. 81 have
been wounded, and the surgeons send me to
Washington to be treated in the hospital"
he wrote. 81 leave tonight. Meet me
there, my darling, and if live long enough,
and you consent, on New Years day our
wedding bells shall ring, l cannot live or
die without YOU we will begin the year to-
gether. though leave you to finish it
alone"
Fifteen years he had called for her, and
she had not replied-and his life hanging by
thread. What had he thought Of such love
and devotion What must he think of her to-
day and always? Should she consent to such
false estimate of herself? Alive, and living
side by side, the chances Of war had es-
tranged them almost as efectualy as if that
wound Of his had proved fatal. Would it
seem like begging for his love if she should
tell him the truth now ? No doubt he had
outlived it. She sat lost in thought, where
the letter had found her. The fire went out
in the CRATE, the candle burned low, the