The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1886-10-14
shoulders, and went out. Next day
she broke our engagement and sent
me back my ring.

The next week I left home and
went away to sea. Some one had
told me that Dolly was going TO
marry Ike Robins.
Mother wrote to mo often and
never mentioned Dolly and never
asked about her. / lived with men,
generally on the sea, and had no
thought Of liking or caring for any
woman. always intended to go
home and see the old folks, but they
died OF fever within two days Ct
each other, aud a stranger sent me
the news.
Lawyer Drodgers saw to tho oe-
tate, and did what / asked him to do
with the money. / did not need it
then, but it would keep me from be-
ing beggar in my old age: and still
] pailed the SEQ, until when forty
years old an accident bappenedto the
which came near being my death. II
did not kill me nor cripple me, but
was no longer lit for a sailor's 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 Dredgers, and
get his advice.
1 felt very sad as / walked through
the village My parents were dend,u
one remembered me; had not a
friend in the place.
The lawyer had dono his best to
make my money profitable to me,
au1 | was richer than | dreamed
When all the business was over
took a moonlight stroll through tho
street. II was twenty years since the
night kissed Sally Gray, and lost
my love by it; bat nothing had al
tered in tho outward aspect Of the
place.
People coro oitiing on their porch
es rs OF yore the some flowers
seemed to bloom in the gardens I;
the same loungors to stald about
Tho 'ovey2 a5Ur the same young
men aud girls to hang upon tho
garden gatos. 1t was odd to think
that the girls might be the daugh-
ters OF those | knew.
There stood the church; there the
parsonage. l walked toward it. The
windows Of the sitting room were
open ! diow softly near and peep
cd in.
The old clock licked in the corner.
The old rag carpet was either the
same or another inst like it. There
WAS only one blue vase on the man.
tel | suppose the other had been
broken; but there were tho profiles
Of Grandpa and Grandma Wheeler
over the escritoirc.
There was Domino Wheeler, look.
ing very much older, sitting exactly
MS used to sit beside the table, bis
red handkerchief over his knees, a
emp OF tea in his hands.
Dolly" he said.
And from an inner room came
woman, large, handsome and high
who said:
"Well, father ?"
Could it be my slim young Dolly
Yes, it was. She was very fne-
ooking now and she looked so ma
.ronly that Immediately concluded
hat she was Mrs, Isaac Robins.
Sill could not leave the window
1T was my one glimpse of her."
said to myself, "for years past and
1ears to come"
swell, father!" she said.
And turned smiling toward him.
i've been thinking it over, Dolly"
10 said, 81 think it would be best
or you to marry. l am eighty l
annot live long. You had better
marry Mr.. Braham. lie is very fond I
# you. You like him, l am nure.
s il for my sake yon say no ?" /
She bent over him and put her
lands on her shoulders.
"Father," she said, 81 am going to {
ell you the truth, thing a woman 6
eldom does il these matters. LII
hould not have to leave you so it O
, not for your sake, much as l love t
ou. But ! do not care for Mr.. a
'raham. ] have only cared for one t
,an in my life-my first love, James @
iardner. ! had esut him away from q
10, and he had done very wrong =
ut think now that we both loved |
ach othor l know that, even now, il