Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1886-11-05
to ask the servant if Dolly left any
message for me.

She was at home, the servant girl
said, and | found her waiting in the
parlor for me. We had it to ourselves
Mrs. Robins never came in, nor any
of the other boarders; indeed, it was
now growing late in the season, and
they were almost all gone away. If
never knew how to flirt before. Sally
Gray taught me how that night, and
when took leave of her | was inn
prudent enough to tell her | should
like to kiss her.
'Do it, if you DESIRE" said she.
And then. Yes, | kissed her; and
AS | did it the door opened, and We
started apart, and there stood Dolly.
She had seen it all.
81 left my bonnet here" she said.
'Mr. Isaac is going home ith me,
and | came to get it. Sorry to dis
turo YOU"
She was cool and contemptuous. She
tied her bonnet on at the glass, threw
her little mantle over her shoulders,
and went out. Next day she broke
our engagement and sent IN. back my
ring.
The next week lett home and went
: away to sea. Some one had told me
that Dolly was going to marry Ike
Robins.
Mother wrote to me often and never
mentioned Dolly and | never asked
about her. | lived with msn, gener-
ally on the sea, and had no thought Of
liking or caring for any woman. al
ways intended to 60 home and see the
cd folks, but they died of fever
within two days of each other, and a
stranger sent me the news.
Lawyer Dredgers saw to the estate,
and did what | asked him TO do with
the money. | did not need them, but
it would keep me from being beggar
in my old age; and | still sailed the
sea until hen forty years old an acci-
dent happened to me which came near
being my death. 1t did not kill nor
Icripple me, but | was no longer fit for
a sailors life, and there was nothing
left for me but to settle down on land
and live on my money, and so | went
home at last to talk to Lawyer bred
gers. and get his advice.
felt very sad as walked through
the village. MY parents were dead,
no one remembered me, had not a
friend in the place.
| The lawyer had done his best to
make my money profitable to me, aud
was richer than | dreamed. When
| all the business was over | took a
moonlight stroll through the street.
1t was twenty years since the night |
kissed Sally Gray, and lost my love
/ by it; but nothing had altered in the
outward aspect of the place.
| People were sitting on their porches
as of yore. the same flowers seemed to
bloom in the gardens; the same loung-
ers to stand about the tavern door; the
same Young men and girls to hang up
on the garden gates. 1t was odd to
think that the girls might be the
daughters of those | knew.
There stood the church: there the
parsonage. walked toward it. The
windows Of the sitting room were
open. drew softly near and peeped
in.
Tha old clock ticked in the corner.
The old rag carpet was either the
same or another just like it. There
was only one blue vase on the mantel.
| suppose the other had been broken
but there were the profles of Grandpa
and Grandma Wheeler over the escri-
| toire.
There was Dominic Wheeler looking
very much older. sitting exactly as he
used to sit beside the table, his red
handkerchief over his knees, cup of
tea in his hands.
dolly" he said.
And from an inner room came
woman. large. handsome and high COL
ored. who said:
"Well. fathsr?"
Could it be nv slim young Dolly?
Yes, it was. She was very fine look
ing now and she looked so matronly
that Immediately concluded that she
was Mrs Isaac Robins.
Still | could not leave the window
1T was my one glimpse Of her, |
sid to myself. ''for years past and
years to come
"Well. father.:" she said.
And turned smilinglv toward him.
"lve been thinking it over, Dollv,"
he said. 81 think it would be best for
vou to marry | am eighty. Icannot
live long. Yon had better marry Mr..
Brah am, he is very fond Of you. You
like him, am sure. Is it for my
sake you say no:'
She bent over him and put her
hands on his shoulders
! Father. she said. am going to tell
you the truth. thing woman sci
dom does in these matters. | should
not have to leave you; so it is not for
your sake, much as | love y,u. But |
do not care for Mr.. Braham | have
only cared for one man in ny life, my
first love. James Gardner. had sent
him away from me. and he had done
very wrong; but | think now that We
both love each other. | know that
even now | cannot forget him while |
live.
There were tears in her eyes; she
brushed them away. In another mo-
ment I was at the door; she opened it.
| held out both my hands. Those
were Dolly's girlish eyes that looked at
me. and caught her in my arms.
IL have come back to be forgiven,
Dolly" | said, and | saw that / had
/ not come in vain.
"Do the Tudors live here ?' "No,
they live Tudors below here"