Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1884-04-18
THEIR SECOND YOUTH.

in her fathers castle, looking out Of O
window which overlooked wide land
scape. Her maidens were in little
group at the other end of the apartment
busily engaged at their embroidery,
laughing and chattering and whispering,
just as they might were they alive now
for this was many years ago and they
are all dead and buried. The Lady
Annabel took no notice of them;
she was thinking At last she looked
up and yawned-"Oh, am so sleepy
and thirsty Mabel, bring me some
water"
Mabel obeyed-and as she received the
cupagain, she said Your Ladyship will
not be sleepy tomorrow
Tomorrow What is tomorrow"
"Does not your Ladyship recollect
that tomorrow is your Ladyship's birth
day? and"
"My birthday Oh, yes, 30 it is. I
had forgotten all about it. We are to
have merry time of it, believe; but
I am sure I feel in no humor for merri-
mert now. Lay down your work, girls,
for little while, and take stroll in the
garden"
When she found herself alone, the La
dy Annabel walked up and down the
small apartment, then stopping before
the looking glass she said "My births
day | Am 1 indeed twenty-nine to-mor-
row. Twenty-Five that sounds old !
It is ten years since my father came in
to possession Of this estate, and every
one of those years have passed one just
like another. / feel no older than was
then. l look no older" And she looked
again into the mirror.
81 am no older in any one respect.
How I wish they would let my birthday
pass by in silence, and not distress me
by publishing to all the assembled
crowd that the Lady Annabel is now
twenty-nine !"
Her reverie was here disturbed by the
hasty entrance of her father.
"Why, what makes you look SO down.
cast, daughter? For shame go down
and assist in the preparations DOr to-
morrow's feast, instead of moping here.
But I must not forget to tell you I saw
my neighbor L. this morning. We
passed through his grounds, and he
Joined our hunting party"
At this the Lady Annabels colo,
heightened visibly.
"He says he expects his son back in
few months and he and I were set.
ting, that as our estates touch, and as
he has but one son, and l have but the
daughter-; but I hear my men
they have brought home the stags-ons
Of them has such horns You mus
come down after awhile and see them.
So saying he left her.
I "And Jasper is coming home," con
= tnued the Lady Annabel to hersel
"How well do I remember the firs
time I saw hint was on my birthday
1 was II years old, and, although b
was just my age, was tall girl and h
q little boy. I refused to dance with hir
>, because he was whole head shorte
than but if my father and his hav
t such plans for us"
|. At this moment her companions re
:, turned, and, quoting their laushin
countenances, sat down again to the
$ embroidery.
The next day was one of unusual fes
S tvity. By midday the hall was Grove
ed with ladies and gentlemen of high d,
T., gree, from far and near. The mus
$ was loud, and dancing and feasting WI
the order of the day. The Lady AIMS
s bel, contrary to her expectation, was b
guiled by the joy she saw on every fax
q around her, and entered with great v
vacity into every sport that was pr
posed. No laugh so loud as hers-r
movement SO full of glee. Late
!, night, when the guests had departe
" she threw herself, flushed and excite
into large chair ~ her own room, ar
" began to loosen hRe rose from her hal
So it is all oven, and have been ha
~ Ply, very happy, indeed haye-only I'll
= recollection that it was my birthdi
would intruae itself upon me, to dan
Ie my enjoyment every now and then.
3 heard several people ask if it were tr'
that it was my twenty-ninth birthday
l. they did not know it was my twent
1t ninth And that odious Miss What
Of her-name actually said 1 looked We
well for that, very well, indeed.
g should be glad, I know, to see her lo
half 80 well, though she was, as s
N says, baby when was almost gro,
up. Twenty-nine twenty-ninel O
III I wish I was not so old r. and, covert
lc her face with her hands, she burst III
n tears.
e. Let us pass over few months. I
neighbours long-expected son has col
! home, and Lady Annabel is in q atate
w anxiety, for her heart is true to her fiji
love, despite htr twenty-nine years Z
=, father and his. neighbor are great d
together, looking over papers and
specting boundary lines but, contri
to all expectation, the neighbours
turns out perversec. as neighhors' 81