The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-08-31
Hal have extended to me heals many a

hal nave extended TO me heals many q
wound of time" '
"And I am far too old to indulge in
rancor," said the old lady, tears coming
into her eyes. "Now that u fearful
war is over, l can regret the violence of
Lance! l am glad your poor dear father
I think it would have killed him. Blu
let by-gones be by-gones. We must
agree not to talk about tho war. 1t was
kind of you to come SO far to sec us once
again, and we will make you comfort
able. though times arc not as they were
ut Chcrrycote. | nm sure you arc glad
to find Hal married aud settled so hap
PLY. Poor rs we are, his little wife is
such a manager I have given up the
housekeeping entirely into her hands.
And those sweet chl!drenl Dear
me! here am forgetting that
Kate wants you to come out to the
garden, Hal. She wishes to consult you
about her flower beds. Don't tell her
Lance is here for she has not the least
idea who it is. The children said it was
Mr.. Lewis come to sec their papa about
the sheep. They have gone with their
auntie to pick strawberries for tea, but
you shall soon see them all. Lance, you
must be taken to your room. But here
comes Hal again with Kate. Dear boy
he is so aiTectionate, and though you
never knew her intimately, l believe,
Kate knows you we'll by reputation"
At this point, when good Mrs. Barks-
dale paused for breath in her flow of
cordial greeting, Lancelot felt his tenn
his eyes. Through the open door of the
veranda Hal hurried, followed by q lady,
and in n single brief and blissful moment
Lance.ot became aware of the fact that
Halls Kitty was not his own ''bride OF
old dreams, whose spell went with him
still" In plain words, Mrs. Barksdale
the younger was the cousin with the
dimples-also q Kate Morris-whose
given name had long ago departed from
Lancelot's recollection of the lady, had
he ever thought of it, indeed. In tbs
confusion of his ideas during the mo,
ments that followed this discovery he
was absorbed with a longing to satisfy
himself at once about Kitty. "The only
one worthy of that sweet old-fashioneC
name," he said, in his joyous heart, 1ol
lovers, as we know, glorify everything
even the homely nomenclature of ances
trail days.
She came in soon to answer for her
self, the little girls, as before twinine
around her waist and cliuging to he,
skirts.
"Iwonder, Kitty dear, if you remembe
nv oldest son. Lancelot. said good Mrs
Barksdale, with an accent of pride in he,
presentation OF the stranger.
The evening sunlight slantcd through
a western window Of the old oak. pm
elled dining-room. Lancelot stood will
his back to it, his face in shadow, bu,
the searching radiance brought out ever,
expression of her changed face mort
lovely than he remembered it.
"iou have not done INC the honor ia
Ian'e n lady," lie said, taking he,
and in has.
still Kitty Morris, though a create,
belle thar ever" cried hearty Hal. 1T.
Just occurred to ms, Lance, hat you and
Cousin Kitty used to be famous friends
till you qlsaSreled about the war. What
an idiot 1 WAS to forget itr'
'ihuve forgotten nothing, said Lauce-
lot, for the second time that day, and
Kitty understood him.-Harper's Basay.