Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-09-29

about IL. He began 20 wonder perversely
II tho FELTON, Bank and the shop stock had
anything TO do with IL: indeed, he set
about making himself rs miserable as any
young lover could do.
dare say Harriet was rather frivolous,
and at times she would get into ON excited
state which her staid lover by no means
approved Of. lie was painfully aware that
most Of the old people scornod him and
many Of the young people pitied her. Our
village opinion Is much against all Ill
assorted matches, whether in respect OF
age or of position. Mr.. Simperson ought
10 have married Miss Morris, who was
thirty-fve years old, and whose brother
farmed over q hundred acres at Stubley
Bottom. Harriet RushtOn. for all the fine
airs she had picked up in service. and her
school-English, and all that. WAS only
kinds daughter. and her aunt had
half crown from the parish, as
every one knew. Mr.. Simperson re-
heved the rates Of this latter
sum. and continued TO do so as long az the
widow lived. He took very few people
into his confidence on this matter. Betty
Sheard openly expressed her wonder (she
was buYing pcnnyworth OF snuh AZ the
time and Mr. SimpersOn was looking hard
into his ledger as 10 how Widda ltushton
had come by her bit o money, which made
her give up her allowance. Some folk had
all the luck. But Betty perhaps had no
real doubt on the subject. and the village
nj largo certainly thought that the well-to-
do grocer had done no more than he ought.
Afterwards the moro generous were sur
prised at his being 50 free with his money,
such O close man, too. as he was.
All this tittle-tattle was exceedingly pain
ful % the object Of il. He thought good
deal of the opinion Of bis little world. A
,oa,.,9s.l1o urln IN hG
standing fixed In his own strength of cha
racter and reputation Is often mOrbidly
sensitive 10 what IS said. or even thought,
about him. But Richard SimpeTsOn at
this time was developing great power Of
unselfshuess He cared wonderfully little
for the reflections cast upon himself. His
great love carried him on regardless Of
them. lie felt much more keenly. the re-
marks that We're made about Harriet. lie
heard some; he OWNED many; perhaps be
imagined more.
He cared little. indeed. for certain i'll
natured stories and hints about her flIghtl-
ness when she was a. service; he put them
aside with lofty scorn. But he shTunk from
a suggestion that she was mercenarv IN
marrying him. Perhaps there was little
wound t. his sclf-lovc in this after all.
Perhaps he felt there was only too much
reason for the suggestion.
II came out one dav. His voice lowered
and thrilled a. he told me how-all uncon-
sciously-he dropped hint of IL as they
were together one night. returning from
an expedition 30 Leeds, where his purse
had been freely open TO her how she
turned on him IN the moonlight; how she
dashed down the purchases she was carry
ing how he read truth in every word and
accent how she wept on his bosom; and
from that day TO this" he told me, glowing
with the remom brancc, - have never had
d moments doubt OF it."
SO the time sped bv and the banns were
called. and no one objected, which refuta-
ton of her prophecy was doubtless dis
turbing 10 Betty Shcard. Each SUNDAY she
nodded her head knowingly, and babe her
p0s-ips only wait till next time. What did
Harriet look so sharp after the pOstman
for? Richard Simperscn didn't send her
uo-t-letters. surely! And she had never a
body in the world akin 10 her, without IT
was Widda Rushton. Who should be send
ing her lcttersy They'd see, that was all.
And apparently 1t wac all; for the third
time Of asking came and brought no catas-
trophe. They were 10 be married on Tues
dav. Harriet was dreadfully excited, but
that was no wonder. The pOstman GER
tainlv did deliver her letter on Saturday,
and he made no scTuple about informing
the village at large that the pOstmark was
Manchester; but nothing seemed TO come
of it, Harriets tears surely required no
post-lctter TO draw them just now. They
were quite the regular thing.
She was very afTectionate with Richard
on Sunday evening, but a little shy and
fearful ~ was natural. On the Monday
she was going into Leeds to make some
last purchases. She would be back at
o'clock.
On faithful and tender heart Of forty
five. waiting at the little station for the
O'Clock tram from Leeds
OF what then happened | got only a
broken recital, not unmxed with sObs,
from the stern old white-halrcd man.
There was no Harriet, but the guard had a
letter TO hand 10 him. He took that letter
tenderlv and reyerently from an old
pocket-book and laid it in my hand. IT
was hurriedly written and blOtted with
tears-tcar that had fallen twenty years
ago. As looked at it felt my own eyes
growing dina
She told him how untrue she had been
to him and yet how true. She bad not de-
ceived him She had really thought to give
him her heart she did not know that she
had none to giye--that it was given away
long since. At first she had laughed at
him-she begged his pardon humbly for
that. Then She had thought of the happy
home he could mako for her-and that
other one did not seem able or willing to
do SO for her: 50 she had promised to
marry him, and she begged his pardon
still more for that. She hadn't thought OF
his money-she really hadu't-but she
had SO lOnged for home of her own, and
this had tempted her. Then she had
found him so good and tender and true
(here the tears had fallen FAST, ana had
learned 10 respect him so that she was
ashamed of not loving him better; but she
had hoped that would come. And then,
oh! then she had seen Mr.. -, that other
ones name in paper, and all of a sudden
she had remembered that she had gwen
away her heart before, and he had come
back TO England now. But she thought
perhaps he wouldn't remember her, ana
So She had said nothing. Then letter
had come from him saying he was gong IL
be at Leeds that very day and she couldn I
help it-oh, she couldn't help 1t. lie sand
she must marry him, as she had promised
ever 50 long ago, and she could never
come home again. And 50 the long, stray.
Cling letter ended with piteous appeal
Tor forgiveness.
Il went back to my house" continued
the old man. after carefully folding up the
letter. feeling az hard as bit of null
stone, | didn't feel the least bit kind tC
her. | thought every body knew and that
all the village was laughing ut me. l dare
say they weren't | dare say they were
sorry for me and abused her. | wish some
one had done so before me. 1t would have
done mo vast deal of good. because I'm
pretty sure should have stood mp for hel
then, and that would have taken some
OF the bitterness out of my heart. bu'
| lust shut myself up, and no one came
near me. They all seemed afraid of me-
They hardly gave me good day whel
they came into the shop. | couldn't bear
10 90 near the church, and so | gave NJ
the wardenship next Easter. Mr.. Stock
ton. as was rector here then, was very
kind, to be sure, and wanted me 10 keep 1t
on and take time, but / wouldn't listen t.
him. | got right mean like; Pm sure
used TO give short weight scmetimes---
You went on" / interrupted, pro
yiding for Widow RushtOn :"
He Redeemed. why, yes, you see, sir,
he said. simply and apologetically, u
didn't like 10 20 back on my word because
Sic had gone back on hers" And may
notice that he never once uttered Harriet
name in the whole interview.
Four wears. IL appears, passed by III tii''
way. the disappointed man covering under
his shame and hardening his heart as the
only means, hefancied, of enduring It. =.
Then there came another letter. lie di,
- Oh ou, II IN me lie seemed lOath TO lei