The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1886-06-09

storied farmhouse, with the huge butternut
trees bending above and The little cataract
roaring down the glen behind, and, strange
to say, Uncle Timothy Trotcombe's " old
lady" fell in love with the pale, sweet
stranger at first sight
:" made sure you wouldn't like her, y
aid Uncle Timothy.
That shows just how much mans
Judgment is worth" said Aunt Betsey.
g To be sure she hasn't had much expert.
snce in doing Homework, but she's quick to
learn, and handy in the kitchen, and, de.
clare, her hands are that soft and her ways
that gentle and coaxing as it's pleasure to
havo her wait upon one"
And by degrees Aunt Betscy wiled til,
strangers sad story from her with womanly
sympathy and anifcc.
Poor lamb. She's got n husband some.
where, but she don't exactly know where, u
said Mrs. Trotcombe. There was med
dim friends, and he was jealous without q
reason"
/" Or with onc," said Uncle Timothy,
shrewdly.
Don't tell me-" said Aunt Betsey.
" And she ran away to her own folks; and
they was dead, and she was too proud to &C
back and tell her husband of all she had
uttered; and finally she fell sick, and
nearly died in hospital And when she
came back to life, as it were, she saw every
thing in such different light and she beg
ged and worked her way back to her hus-
bands house and when she got there, 10
and behold, the house was shut up, and he
was gone to Europe And she wrote to him,
ana she never got no answer; and now, poor
child, she's supporting herself as best she
can wish you could a-seed her cry. with
her head on my lap. l cried, too"
." I'll venture you did, said Uncle limo.
thy.
Well, nobody could a-helped it, And
then told her the story of our nephew
Tom, as we brought up just like a child of
our own, and how he went West and mar.
ried young girl, and how she ran of and
left him, aud broke his heart and how he
was wandern' around now in Switzerland
get her. And Mary looked up at me with
her big eyes, an' says she, %, dear, dear
Mrs. Trotcombe, don't judge the poor girl
too hardly. Look at me, and think what
she, too, may have suffered And ! declare
to you, Timothy, it never occurred to me
before that there might have been two sides
to that question, too
Humph!" said Uncle Timothy Trot-
eombe; and he took snuff "Did you tell
her as Tom was comm back this week ?"
No." said Aunt Bctscy Why should
II"
g Did it ever strike you es possible that
he might come to-day p
No." Aunt Betsey answered, wondering
more and more
Uncle Timothy wheeled the old lady's in
valid chair step or two forward, so that it
was on range with the window, and then no
pointed out towards the garden gate, where
the crimson honeysuckles were just burst
ing into bud and a white lilac waved its
crests of bloom back and forth in the soft
spring wind. A tall figure, bronzed in the
face, and bearded as to the chin, was strid-
ing through
g It's Tom !" said Aunt Betsey, spasn.odi.
,ally clasping her hands.
81 Yes, it's Tom," said Uncle Timothy.
81 Hush I"
For at that instant slight figure, which
had been STOPPING over Aunt Betsey's white
lilies rose into the bland May sunshine, and
the two young people stood face to face.
Tom! Oh, Tom"
MY Mary"
And the next moment they were clasped
in each others arms.
Uncle Timothy and Aunt Betsey stared at
one another
Old lady," said Uncle Timothy, "did
you never suspect this 7"
Never" cried the old wife, with mist
fast gathering on her spectacle glasses.
~ did," said Uncle Timothy; long
ago. Well, it's oil right now. Pull dowr
the shade, old lady. 1t amt hardly fair foi
old folks like you and me to be peeping
And Tenn will hardly think of us now"
"well' said Aunt Betsey, huskily, " I'm
glad of 1t. For always liked that girl"
80 did l." said Uncle Timothy Trot-
combe.