The Sunday tatler and Jersey City express. (Jersey City, N.J.) 1883-1886, 1885-02-08

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when he locked upon the parting gift of
| his darling every throb of his heart was as
| truly hers as it had been when he babe her
farewell, and tenderly kissed her falling
| tears away.
It was many minutes before he could
| control his agitation sufficiently to open the
/ letter.
The date was that of the day previous to
Mr.. Morrisons funeral. In humble words
Leda told him frankly the story already
| familiar to him, and of her own penniless
condition.
ssYou may not care to claim wife who
| knows nothing of her birth" she wrote,
ssand who now stands utterly alone, q beg
gar. But if las my heart whispers hope
| fully-you still love me, you will find me
here week longer. If you do not come 1
shall know you despise me fer my inyolun-
tary deceit, and I shall acsept a position Of
fered me by an old friend, as governess to
her children"
s'Oh, my darling, my forsaken darling ?"
Herbert whispered, ''where are you? Sor-
rowing for your wasted love? Despising
| your lover who deserted you in sorrow and
loneliness? 1t is too bitter!"
But calner thoughts csme at last, and
after long deliberation Herbert decided up
on one more effort to gain his lost love- In
every city, for ono week, one of the leading
newspapers contained this advertisement:
LEDA.--The letter written thirteen years ago has
just reached me. Write again. II.
Waiting, enduring for SO many days be-
came torture after this advertisement ap-
peared, and oEce again Herbert resigned
himself to future uncheered by loving
companionship.
Had he possessed Asmodeus's power he
might have been waited to home in Paris
where sweet-faced woman, loveher in her
gentle maturity than even in her girlish
bloom, was teaching class of girls the
hard words of the English language.
Accepting the position offered by her old
friend, and refusing the assistance grudg-
ingly proffered by her adopted fathers
brother, Leda Morrison had travelled with
the children under her charge for nearly
six years. Then, finding herself in Paris
and able to gather class of pupils in Eng
lish, she had decided not to return to her
old home, earning more than sufficient for
her humble wants in her new vocation.
1t was some weeks after the discovery of
the long lost letter, and the class of girls
were improving their English accent by
reading from newspaper, when one slowly
and hesitatingly read:
LEDA.-Ihe letter written thirteen years ago has
just reached me. Write again. H.
In moment Leda, white and trembling,
was eagerly scanning the lines.
Leda! 1t was an odd name. Could there
be another Leda who had risked her whole
lifes happiness thirteen years before in q
letter to 'sH? ?" Were there two Herberts?
If it should be! If it should be
The young ladies wondered at the perfect
impunity with which they murdered the
English language during the remainder
class hour, but no one guessed the tumuit
of hope and fear in the heart of their gent
teacher-rone saw her, when she was at
last aloSe-write few words only:
If it is indeed Herbert who has put the enclosed
advertisement in the paper, he will find me at No.
~ hue Mont Paris. Ever his faithful, loving be-
trothed, LEDA.
Then she put the advertisement into the
letter, sealed and directed it, and sent it
away over the sea to the anxious lover,
waiting and praying for tidings.
The English classes Eere never neglect
ed; the comfort of the aged widow who was
Leda's companion was never forgotten, the
daily duties of life were conscientiously
performed bat it seemed to Leda as
though her whole life concentrated upon
the arrival of the mails after there was q
possibility of receiving an answer to her
short note. She grew pale with restless
ness at night, when the dream of her youth
came again to keep her wakeful ALI the
old love, the old hope, the long ago con-
quered despair and pain came back to
haunt her as she waited with renewed hope
for tidings.
81 am growing old and worn, " she said to
herself one day. looking at her pale face in
the mirror. 81 am not the blooming girl
Herbert loved, but a care worn, pallid wo-
man."
And her own sad eyes could not see the
rare beauty of her sweet face. But, still
thinking of her love, she twisted her hair
in heavy coronet over her shapely head,
and upon one side put knot of blue rib
bon.
ssHerbert liked it So" she thought.
Then she pinned blue ribbons over her
gray dress under a soft lace collar, and put
on brooch h-r adopted father had given
her, and which was q favorite with Her
bert.
And thinking sadly of the change years
had made, she was summoned to the sitting
room to meet grave, Middle aged man,
changed also, until she read upon his lips
and in his eyes his coastancy and answered
it by her own.
Years rolled back as these two, faithful
through all, met at last to know their hearts
still young, their love still true as it was in
those days when cruel fate separated them
by SO Insignificant an agent as a crack in
in the wall behind q mantle-piece.