The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1886-12-02

ceased and she was beautiful again.
You mustn't say nothin' about IL"
Fidelia had said; but amt goiu' to put
on them good dresses an tag 'em right out.
!.ist @sbb, the time'll come whom I'll want 'sm
"Mr. Leunox II think that black silk is
beautiful" said Lily, "an' that white
Il had that jest after he wont away, an
adm muslin put Son. = Gp ook hs sHOsGs so nice
after the new look gifts OF IT,"
So Lily waited alt through her childhood.
She watched her aunt start forth on her
daily pilgrimages to the .post-office, with
the confident expectation that one OF these
sss would sSs return With S ,,crd
loaf OF plum-cake which was always kept
on hand, and believed that he might appear
to dispose Of 1t at any moment. She had
the sincerest faith that the time was com.
ing when the herb. medicine would quiet
tea Woud trrn a sse Srsy hairs so
and the dew would make her yellow,
seainy cheeks smooth aud rosy, when she
would put on that magnificent black silk
or that dainty girlish muslin and sit In the
parlor with Mr.. Lennox, and have the
covers of the chairs. and the manteI-piecs
the woman lived happily with their beau.
tiful chimera, until gradually he vanished
into thin air for one Of them.
Lily could not have told when the con-
viction first seized her that Mr.. Lennox
would never write, would never come; that
Aunt Fidelia's gray hair would never turn
gold nor her faded cheeks be rosy; that
her nodding head would nodd until she
was dead. Il was hardly until she was .
woman herself. and had lover Of her own.
II is possible that he gave the final over
vanished before, She told him all about
Mr.. Lenuox She scarcely looked upon 1t
As secret to be kept now. She had ascer-
tanned that many people were acquainted
with Fidelia Almy's poos romance, except
So Lily told her lover ssGood Lord I"
he said. "How long Is IL since he won't"
"Forty years now" said Lily. They were
walking home from meeting one Sunday
SForty years! Why there amt any more
chance CHI, Of bearing any thing from him
''No. He was clerk in store here. He
fell in love with Aunt Fidelia, and went of
TO California to set some more money be'
"Didn't anybody ever hear any thing
from hint"
s.Aunt Fidelia always said not; but Aunt
Sally told me once that she knew well
enough that he got married out there right
after he went away; she said she heard II
pretty straight. She never had any pa.
thence with Aunt Fidslia. If she'd known
half the things Poor Aunt Fidelia! She's
getting worse lately. She goes to the post
Office Sundays. can't stop her. Every
single Sunday, befors meeting. down she
goes"
"Why, she can't get in."
Il know it. She just tries the door and
comes back again."
"why, dear, she's crazy, amt she."
HNn Sna amt Sha'a ratinna
enough about every thing else. All the
way can put it is. she's Just been pointed
one way all her life. and going one way
and now she's getting nearer tho end o
the road she's pointed sharper and She,
going faster. She's had hard time. I'm
going to do all I can for her, anyhow. III
help her get ready for Mr.. Lennox as long
as she lives"
Fidelia took great delight in Lily's love
affair. All that seemed to trouble her wa!
the suspicion that the young man NIGH
leave town and the pair be brought tc
You mind Lily" she would say; .'tlon',
you let Valentine settle anywhere else be
fore you're married. II you do, you'll
have to como to writin' letters, an letters
amt to bo depended on: There's slips
l amt minded it much; but you're young
an it would be different"
When Valentine Rowe did find employ
lnent in a town fifty miles away, pool
Fidelia seemed to have taken ON herself 9
double burden Of suspense. In those day.
she was much too early for the mails, and
waited, breathless, in the Office for hours
When she got q letter for Lily she wsnt
home radiant; she seemed to forget hel
own disappointment. Lily's letters came
regularly Tor q long time. Valentine came
to see her occasionally, too. Then, one
day, when Lily expected letter, it did no
emma Har amt dra poed heraalf hOru,
feobly.
at amt come, Lily" ssid she. eth,
troubles begun. You poor child, how oil
you goin' through with itl"
Lily laughed. "Why, Aunt Fidelia y
said she, what are you worrying for:
happened so Valentine couldn't write Sun
day, that's all. 1t don't trouble me mite.
However,. evon Lily was troubled a
length. Weeks went by and no lette
came from Valentine Rowe. Fidelia tot
tered home despondent day after day
to shuddsr, watching her. She felt as i
she wore looking into her own destiny.
I'm going to write to Valentine" sh'
said suddenly, one day, after Fidelia hat
returned from her bootless journey.
Fidolia looked at her flercely; I'LL,
yourself on any Teller, when there's
chance you amt wanted. Don't you d,
anything that amt modest. You'd bette
live the way I've done.''
HE may be sick," said Lily, pitifully.
1.-THE folks he's with would write. Dom
you write q. word. ! didn't write. An
better sweep the parlor to-day"
This new anxiety seemed to wear OF
Fidelia more than her own had done. Sh
now talked more about valsntins Row
than Mr.. Lonnox. Her faith In Lily's cas-
did not seem as active as In her own.
II wouldn't 60 down, to the po:t-office
seems to me" Lily said one morning-Fi
don't look tit to. III 60 by-an'-by."
~ can 20 we'll enough" said Fidelia, /,
her feeble, shrill voice. : You amt goin
to begin as long as ! con help it," And sh
crawled slowly out of the yard betweel
her her head noddins, her asbby black bn,
hanging at her side. That was ths las
time she ever went.to tha post-ofics Tha
day she returned with her patient, disap
pointed hoart for the last time. WheI
poor Fidelia Almy left her little hous
again she went riding, lying quietly, he
out Of that strong wind Of Provldenc
| which had tossed her SO hard, into tn
eternal calm. She rode past the post offlc
on her way to the little green graveyard
and never knew nor cared whether ther
was letter for her or not But the bel
tolled, and the summer air was soft an
sweet, and the little funeral train passe
by; aud may be there was one among tn
fair, wide possibilities Of heaven.
The first day ON which Fidelia gave u
going 20 the -post-office, Lily began goin
| in her stead. In the morning Fideli
looked up at her pitifully from her pillow
whom she found that she could not viss.
you'll have to 60 to the office. Lily,
she whispered; 'an' you'd better hurry, q
you'll be late for the mail"