New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1885-12-23

dag gll 70 have to BE busy, 10 81
moving "a felt quietly sitting still
would bean impossibilit Iobuld not
even. think. Those words, The HeeIa
hasordefs to sail, seemed. to, deaden
everything else, and to render every
other idea q blank. Charlie was to 20
with. us as far as London, and after
ward to join his ship at thaport whence
she was to sail.
lean not describe our parting; though
1t Is now so many years ago, it is the
one event in my life dare: not dwell
upon.
Hewent, and I saw the vessel gradu-
ally recede from my sight, as stood
with my father on the pier,and watch
ed the cold mists of an early February
morning gather round the departing
ship like a thick white shroud, and
hide the huge masts and spars from
my aching eyes. Then my father took
me home.
And so l lived on IN the old daily
routine Of life; living as SO many 9TH
ers have to do, as if it were in a dream
and devouring with eager haste all the
shipping news, to see whether the Hec-
Ia was mentioned. My patience was
at length rewarded, and then when
the long expected letter from Charlie
made it's appearance, I felt as if the
world was nothing to me, and my
heart went up in gratitude to God for
having preserved him.
Ipaid visit to the Grange again
during the Summer after Charities de-
parture, and again occupied the Red
Room. It was called my room now,
and even the servants had got to look
upon it with far less awe than formerly.
l had, in fact, broken the spell.
When l left promised to repeat my
visit at Christmas But ah! how diff
ferent that Christmas gathering would
appear to the last!
News had arrived in the Spring that
the Hecla was not to return to Eng
land until the following year, in No
vember or December; nearly eighteen
months before l could see my darling
"Will the time never 60 by?" 1 used
to cry in my impotence; as ifmy long
ing and wearying could make the hand
of times great clock move faster. My
only comfort was IN my dear one let
tiers, which were always with me, and
which l Literally knew by heart.
Summer waned into Autumn, Au-
tumn to Winter; then to Spring and
Summer again; and the joyful news
came at last.
Charles ship might be expected
about the end of December; so early
in the month l went to spend a fort
night at the Grange, intending to re-
turn to town week before the Hecla
was due. / had been there about a
week, and was counting the days in a.
state of feverish happiness as they
passed slowly but surely by, and the
period of my happiness grew nearer
and nearer.
It was my birthday, I remember,
and in a day or two. after 1 was to
leave for town. Wehad merry party
assembled to celebrate the event, and
many were the presents / received,
and many were the good wishes show
cred upon me that evening as they all
drank my health at supper in the old
dlning-room.
"Ah, Nellie, DEAR" said Uncle Aus
ten, eve must make the most of you
now, for it is the last Christmas you
will spend as Miss Charters, so we
had better say good-by to you now
forever in that character.
How often since then have recalled
those words swords said in jest, but
which were to become so fraught with
terrible meaning!
At any rate, they were true
words; the Nellie Charters of that
night they indeed said good-by to for
ever.
My aunt followed me up stairs, as
was her custom, in order that we
might have one OF our usual onversa-
lions before retiring TOR the night.
We talked longer that night than we
had ever done before. I had so much
to tell OF my future plans and the
hopes expected so soon to be fulfill
ed.
Chow comfortable it all looks" she
remarked, as at length she arose from
her chair. "You have certainly laid
theghost, Nellie dear, and we ought to
OOAAuCAAOOAlSCu w yOu.
Then we wished each other good
night and she left theroom. After the
door had closed upon my aunt, still
sat dreamily gazing into the fire. My
spirits appeared suddenly to sink, and
| felt strangely cold, as If had just
heard some terrible, news. I tried to
rouse myself by walking up and down
the room. j even laughed, and tried
to hum tune toshake off, as HOPED,
my unaccountable nervous feelings;
but it was no good. My laugh sounded
forced and unnatural, and the song l
suddenly recognized as one Charlie was
always whistling the last time we were
together, and somehow that made me
even more dismal. Then l took out
his letters which never before failed to
give me comfort.
II shall soon see him; he will be here
in less than fortnight" / kept on
repeating to myself. But somehow
the sense Of the words did not seem
to enter my brain.
Then arose and went to the win