Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-12-02

Z" told him that inc uluersDco "nS
too great that time would bring 1t out.
That for him to marry me would DO
mistake. -,
ale did not believe you ?"
ono. not at the time ; but he might
have come to do so. was right to de-
eide as i did.
perhaps Won we're
had to make this admission because
she WAS so true herself you could not
even ednivocate to her; but L made 1t
unwillingly.
But then, yon see, things changed.
Mr.. Allardyce, you have been so good to
us you have grown so dear to both OF
US; YOU seem so like an old. old friend
that / should like to tell you the rest
but it is 80 hard to tell.
L kept silent knew that just then
INV words would hurt her more than
lone.
Some time after, when he and !
seemed 10 have drifted quite apart, |
met man who knew him, aud be told
me-what you have seen"
"That Ruthven was blinG ?
ayes that no one quito understood
the case-thoy don't now, you know
he had these terrible attacks OF PAN,
and gradually his sight went fret 1t
grew misty, then more dim, then dark.
lt was terrible TO mo to hear IT, III
seemed too piteous TO be borne. But
none OF us can do other than lie down
under the inevitable-fghting is no use.
I thought over 1t all, prayed, wres'led
with myself, and then-I-went to him.
Once more the warm color rose to the
very rippies OF her hair. Deeper tins
tune was that rosy flood OF beautiful
shame than before. We we're both 81
lent awhile. The river, glinting in the
evening sunshine, was smooth as glass
in the still air the tall spears OF the
purple loosestrife, mirrored in the water,
scarcely STREET.-THE current was so still
Now aud then q handy coot slid ont from
tho osiers and darted across 10 the reeds
on the opposite bank, or a red brown
watcr-rat set sail from his hole on one
bank to that Of friend on the other.
4 thrush laughed in the trees, and
uimble little oole-tit ran twittering up
the bole of willow.
How fair. how beautiful it all was-in
such strange contrast to the bhghted,
broken lite Of the nan whose story l had
Just heard 1t was my companion who
broke the long silence:
so, after oil. ours was what We call
here an ANN Hathaway courtship.' You
see. in the Midlands, where every flower
and old custom seems culled from
ehakspesre's pages--which is an,
other way OF saying that his hand
gathered and set them there-every
one is familiar with his life and sayings,
so may say that, like him, my
theory and my practice are at variance
He said the woman should take an elder
than herself, yet married Ann Hatha-
wav. / said the same-yet married NAL
colin after all. " Well, well this with
a passing sweet smile" though my hair
is turning so white, TO him it is always
the same. It feels the same to his hand
now as the first time ne ever smOothed
It lOwn-it viii always seem the same
and. indeed, he Will not believe mevhen
Z tell him It is lined SO thick with gray.
We wandered long by the river, and
through the wood, talking Of all things
in Heaven and earth, so that when we
reached the Farm the cleaning had fall
len ike veil over everything, and a
faint mist, snow-white, stretched out the
course Of the river.
There at the gate stood Malcolm.
"T heard your footsteps ever so far
Off" be said smiling. " am hike the
bats-fond OF the cleaning, you see, .
be added, turning to me with soft
laugh, cit suits my eyes
Then we al three went in together
but me took my arm this once, because
i was gong in the morning So the
long. white hand, with its blOOd-red
ring, lay against my sleeve, and some
how on my long journey next day the
meaning OF 1t haunted nae.
After all we are very like straws or
fallen leaves on a river-drlfted here and
there 10y the wind and stream Of circum-
stances.
! wrote to nv good friends at Orchard
Farm: they or rather Margaret, wrote
to me. The influence Of her pure, sweet
nature left me not, showing itself in
deeper earnestness OF life, in higher aim
OF life. We even planned-in writing
another holiday for mo "amOng the
lavender when the summer should come
again.
And then family affairs Of my own took
me abroad. | travelled far, and from
place 10 place. My name and fame as a
writer we're growing everywhere. | had
warm welcome; and so came spring
and grew to summer, and summer ripen-
ed to autumn, and psled again to winter,
and still was wanderer. But with sum
mcr. like the swallows, came came back
to England-to the hum and stir and
dear delightful sense of life that only
London gives one.
Aly sister was ct my rooms to greet
me, aud had all things fair and sweet set
out 20 welcome me.
81 am so glad you like the lavender,
dear" she said 81 bought it OF poor,
tired looking girl in the street to day. L
bought all she had.
There it stood, miniature grove OF
blue-gray spears, set in wide china
bowl, and its faint, pungent scent filed
all the room.
"Why, Stcvie," said my sister sud
denly. " how strange you look After
al. perhaps you don't like the smell Of
layendery"
J did not answer.
/ was sitting before a pile of letters,
ptOofs-what not all waiting to be
opened; and there, among the rest,
saw small, square parcel like a box,
directed to me IN a dear, familiar hand.
1t had been registered, and the date Of
the stamp was that of three months back.
I cut the string. My fingers trembled.
The perfume OF the lavender had taken
my thoughts back to Orchard Farm and
now, what was this little packet that per-
chance smelled Of lavender too
opened it-almost dropped tut
tered an exclamation under my breath
fell as though some cold hand touched
my heart
Before me lay ring with one blood
red stone (; beneath 1t scrap OF paper
written there these words:
send you this IN memory OF him.