Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-05-24

gazed into her face.
"ElIal-don't ask me. Let me
go-I must go"
"Jack, why must you go"
He looked at her, his frame
shook from top to toe ; he tried to
speak, but could not.
The girl had taken him un'
awares.
He had not been prepared for
such a question from her lips.
"Jack ~ reaching a hand up to
his great, broad shO ulder, "would
you not be willing to stop at home
If | asked you to do it ~
"Youl Ella! Why should you
ask mei'
"Because the old home will seem
to me deserted with you gone from
it. Really, Jack, if you persist in
going, believe l shall go, too"
"Ella-Ella No, no, no, no
You no not mean it. Let me go"
Don't be foolish, Jack. Open
your eyes. What is you think l
do not mean ~
A single moment the strong
man struggled with himself, and
then burst forth, "Ella, | love you
I love you with all the love that is
within me; as I have, l believe,
loved you from the first. You are
to me the all.in.all of life. Oh,
how l love you Gould you love
me in return ~
ayes, dear jack" the brave girl
replied, frankly and honestly, at
the same time giving him her hand.
81 love you with all my heart and
with all my strength. Will you
stay noww
He caught her to his bosom, and
held her there a long, long time.
"Oh, Ella This ia no t dream !
Can all this happiness be mineW
"Ahl you share it with me, dear
Jack for in all my life l was never
before so entirely, so supremely
happy as am at this moment.
Oh, Jack l love you very, very
deeply; and fear not to trust my
life in your hand"
"Darlingl Oh, how will strive
for your good! And how devoutly
do l thank Providence for this
crowning JOY and blessin & Of my
lifew
Half an hour later they went In,
hand in hand and when the widow
saw, her overwhelming Joy was
speechIess.
But she found her speech by-and.
by; and then they sat down, and
very soon she had heard the whole
story.
And that evening Harry heard
the story.
At first, he ref uGed to believe it;
but when he had heard 1t from
Elias own lips, he could doubt no
more.
His pride was more deeply hurt
than his heart ; for, in truth, him
self was the only thing on earth
which he wholly and hesrtilly loved
For a time he was very bitter,
feeling that he had been wrong
and defrauded bat his ill-temper
fell back upon himself, having no
power to mar the happiness Of others
and when he became conscious OF
the fact - when he saw that hls
making himself unhappy did not
drive the smiles from the faces or
the other inmates of the cottage
he held his peace, and ceased to
find fault.
Several years had passed the
children of Jack and Ella were
bright. faced and smilling as were
their parents; Harry had found
him a wife, and was the father OF
one child, a pale, dark'eyed boy,
when, one day, as the two chanced
to be for little time alone together,
at Jacks fine residence, Harry
looked upon his hostess, and said
HElla, | never asked the question,
and yet have often desired much
to know when it was that you first
began to like Jack. Are you will
ing to tell mep
81 always liked him, Harry
How could l help it!" .
$50 you liked me? You will
not deny that. l mean. when did
you frat make up your mind that
you preferred him to me |
"Harry, you would be angry If l
should tell you" =,
He promised her that he wonld
, not-promlsed 80 solemny, that she
finally consented to tell HIM.
And she told him Of the scene
with which our story opens she
J told him how she had heard hin
Z answer his mother; and then no y
Jack answered.
She 80 reproduced the scene
that he could not dispute it.
diary" she said, in conclusion
Hln that hour | knew very vel
that / could never be happy "a
you wife. The man who could SO
talk TO his aged mother would b'
likely to speak still more harshlJ
: TO his wife after the glamour OF thu
honeymoon was gone, and business
cares had settled upon him."
Harry did not care to pursue thu
subject.
He had learned what he sought
3 to know, and it had given hin
food for thought, K nothing more
= -PhiIadelpAia Saturday Evening
n Post.
The New Discovery.
n You have hsard your friends ANT
T noI0hbors talking about 1t. fo'