The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-08-15
A FADED LEAF.

can haruly DeueVe IL even row. Ii
there was ore person in this world
whom ] should have thought safe from
the remotest chance OF matrimony, that
person was Aunt Hetty-dear, placid,
m~iddle-aged Aunt Hetty. And yet 1
have Just seen her drive away from the
door hand-in-hand with her handsome
husband, and looking as sweet and
bonny as any young bride of 10, not
w~ithstanding her silver hair. It has
all happened SO quickly and in such a
wonderful, fairy-tale kind of fashion.
that I feel as if it had taken my breath
away, and as if I must really sit down
and rest q bit and think the matter
over.
I have lived with Aunt Hetty ever
since mother died. When / came to
her I was quite a little tot, and now l
am six-and-twenty, so you may imagine
it is a good many years ago. Auntie
mist have been u young woman then,
but somehow she has always seemed
middle-aged to me. She was always
so calm and gentle and did everything
in such q quiet, business-like way that
l regarded her as q different kind of
being from my restless, excitable self.
I have had my little firtations now and
then, but Aunt Hetty seemed too
grave, too wise, too good altogether ever
to have been mixed up in anything SO
frivolous as q love affair. It only
shows how we may live with people in
the same house, almost in the same
room, for years together and yet know
little r nothing of their feelings. I re-
member. almost as if it were yesterday,
fancying one day, about 4 year ago,
that auntie was dressed more carefully
than usual. I don't know what the
difference was-only an extra bit OF
lace or ribbon or something of that
sort, but I said to her in fun:
"Why auntie dear, how smart you
are! One would think you we're going
to a wedding!"
"No dear" she said, sIa am not going
to q wedding, but this should have been
my own silver wedding day" And the
dear lip quiyered for a moment and a
tear came into the soft gray eyes.
"Your silver wedding, auntie! For.
give me !; I did not know."-
"No dear" she said, "of course, you
could not. It is a very old story now,'
"But, how was it then, that you were
not married after all, auntie?" 1 in
quired. "But perhaps 1 ought not to
ask. Don't tell me if it pains you"
"No dear" she said; sit was q pain
full story once, but the pain has gone
out of it now. And I think I should
like to tell it to you. Perhaps it may
save you from making such a mistake
as I did. 1t is a very simple story Just
q lovers quarrel, a few hasty words all
said and over in five minutes; but they
altered my whole life"
A lovers quarrel, auntie! Then I am
sure the fault was not on your side!"
"You are wrong, dear. The fault was
on my side. [ was proud and angry and
obstinate; a word would have given me
back my lover, but / would not say it.
We parted i'll anger and we have never
met again!"
"You, auntie!-the most patient OF
living beings, you proud and angry and
obstinate! I can't believe i'll"
eyes, Ruth, it is true, nevertheless.
Sit hora IN fhn hosona1y ~ ~ Ed o-l
| will tell you my story. It won't take
long"
sat down accordingly and with her
hand resting on my shoulder and now
and then wandering lovingly over my
hair. she began:
cit happened when I was only 49,
younger then you, Ruth, and full of life
and spirit-very different from the faded
old maid you have always known me
l was engaged to be married. Mylover
was four years older than myself; he
was a mate of a ship and a fine dashing
young fellow named Edward Blake.
We had been engaged six months and
were to be married amonth later. The
day was fixed and Edward had arranged
to give up the sea, and take a situation
on land. We were as happy as two
young people could possibly be; but,
unluckily, just a month before the
time fixed for our wedding-day, g
picnic was got up by some of our
friends, and Edward and 1 we're OF
the party. There was o hand
some young fellow there named
Percy Sandys, the son of a neighbor-
ing clergyman. He was freshfrom col
lege, and full of fun and frolic. ]
CHANGED to be placed next to him at
luncheon, and not knowing, as [ after
wards discovered, that I was engaged,
he was specially attentive to me-, 1 did
not care for his attentions in the least,
but l was in high spirits and only bent
on the enjoyment of the moment, and I
did not check him as, perhaps, I ought
to have done. Presently L caught sight
OF Edwards face, and saw that he was
looking terribly cross and angry. Fool
ishly, J. thought it rather good fun to
make him jealous. and on purpose to
tease him, I pretended to take all the
more notice Of Mr.. Sandys. When we
had finished luncheon the party scat
tered and strolled about the woods in
various directions. I naturally expect
ed Edward to accompany me, he rather
rudely, as | thought, held aloof and, to
punish hun, I paired off with Mr.. San
dys. When the party got together
again Edward looked SO savage that !
thought it better not to provoke him
any further.
II shook off Sandys and, walking
away with Edward, began to scold him
for his unreasonable jealousy. OF course
I did not think myself was in fault; no.
body ever does. A loving word would
have made me penitent directly. I'm.
fortunately, he was white hot with an,
ger and began to reproach me in a way
that reused my temper, too, for I was