Weston weekly leader. [volume] (Weston, Umatilla County, Or.) 1878-189?, 1885-10-02
Minnie blushed crimson.


"hliss Minnie and are engaged, sir. !"
''Ah, indeed. The task I have set you
should be labor Of love, then. Set
about it at once. Do You love hin. tra-
ly, Minnie?" he questioned, when Harry
had lett the room.
'.Indeed do" she answered honestly.
'tAnd if some older, wealthier lover
tempted you with gold, do you think
You could be true to loye?'
''Love is far better than gold, tniak,'
she answered simply.
80 thought not your mother when
she was betrothed to me, he muttersd
bitterly as he turned away. Then
aloud: "Well, child, l wish you all
the happiness that constant love de-
serves. Not such as it too often aeceives,
little Minnie. | have been constant to
one love all my lite, and the wages of
nay fidelity have beea loneliness and
paia. Al, here comes Harry. Give
this paper to your mother from me, and
say to her, the past is past!'"
''Ihe past is past, indeed" said Mrs.
Morrison, few hours later as she stood
in her lovers presence again for the first
time In twenty years. ''But suffer the
present to explain it, Horace, suffer tho
future to atone. My father was on the
verge of ruin, could L deny HIM when
he appealed to me? You were poor,
absent; bankruptcy, disgrace, perhaps
a prison, threatened the father l SO
loved. Yet | wrote to you explaining
my cruel position, and imploring you
to forgive the falsehood to which [ was
compelled"
81 never received one line he cried,
approaching her for the first time and
taking her trembling hands. Not
ene!"
81 know that WE'LL" she sighed, cal
though | never learnt it till long after.
ward. waited vainly for your reply,
and concluded, with broken heart,
that you refused rae even your for
giyeness. 1t was not until my father
died-two years ago-that 1 knew he
had suppressed nay letter.
She put her hand upon his lips as she
spoke, saying softly:
"Pardon him.
He caught that still beautiful hand
and kissed it again and again.
"Oh, how l have mourned for you,
my lost love, my false love, as be-
lieved. How have cursed your inf.
deity. But l never wished you harm
or did you wrong, dear; my love was
too true a. love for that. / never
dreampt that it was gow whom l was
depriving Of the house until your little
girl came here: God bless her for it
l will see that her love, at least, shall
be happier than my own. Could you
think that l would wish to injure you,
to punish you, when you were suffering
and sad? All. Emily, how much YOU
wrong me!''
She placed the deed of gift in his
hand.
81 cannet take it. Horace, indeed
cannot, unless you will let me pay tol
it, as should have done at the sale.
have fifteen hundred dollsrs -"
He shook his head
"Not enough-not near enough
| Take it as free gift, my life long love
or pay me higher price for it.
She was looking into his eyes, bu
she drew back suddenly, blush and
smile together swept over her face.
What price:" she said.
''Yourself," he answered eagerly, ant
caught her to his breast.
She lay there happily.
4'But will not pay your price," sh
!: whispered presently. II will take tn
house as free gift, and pay ysu moth
ing at all. There shall be no buyin
and selling between you and me. Al
that have, all that 1 am, is yours
, My heart, my life, myself all yours fe
r loves sake, dearest, free gift forever!