Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1889-08-21
THE PARSONS WOOING.

be thoroughly happy if he had only brought
a wife with him to the mission town where
he was stationed. He remembered having
met some time before at a brOther.minis-
ter's house very pretty girl, who seemed
very much interested in mission work, and
Just the sort of companion he needed.
Her name was Lilly Webb, and her aunt
had been his first love before they quarrel
led and parted. He got out portrait of
the first Lilly Webb, painted twerty years
before, ard looked at it-long and thought
fully.
s;She was prettier than her niece" he
said to himself. And he wondered whether
she was married, and to whom. OF course
she was married. He would have heard Of
her death. Well, Heaven bless her! 1t
was more his fault than hers, he saw now,
that they quarrelled.
He sat down and wrote carefully, sedate-
iy, yet not without expression of emotion.
He told her that her face was always in
his memory; that her pleasure in the work
he had devoted himself to made him hope
she would not think him unsuitable; and
he asked her if she could not find him
agreeable enough to think of as husband.
He addressed this note to Miss Lilly
Webb, and sent it by the next mail steam
or, and waited for the answer. 1t came,
and this was ALL
"Your letter naturally surprised me very
much; but who is not pleased to be remem-
beredP I certainly like the work you like,
but let us make no mistake. After we have
correspondent for awhile, you may ask me
{ that last question again, if you by that time
desire to do so, bat at present l promise
nothing. CHILLY WEBB"
sit is a most sensible letter for a young
girl to write" thought Mr.. Dove; and felt
pleased at this arrangement. The CORES
pendence began, and proved most interest
ing. Finally he wrote once more. This
time the reply was an accentance; aud in
the letter Lilly said: "Mrs. Hatton sends
her love-"
Mrs. Hatton was, Mr.. Dove decided, bis
old sweetheart. In his next he asked: SIS
Mrs. Hatton's first name Lilly?"
Aud received an affirmative reply.
And SO she sends her love!
The Rev. Hosea Dove was quite alone,
and he bent over the paper and kissed the
words, and tear fell upon them.
"Ah! there's nothing, after all, like first
love-" he said.
But now his young betrothed was coming
to him. She would leave home under the
care of an old clergyman's wife, who had
been back to visit her children, and they
He looked very often at his old miniature
now, telling himself that it was because she
was so like her niece, his future wife--so
like-so very like. That was why he kiss
ed it, of course-not for the sake of old
memories now.
At last there were no more letters, be-
cause the steamer had sailed, and after the
terror of storm that shipwrecked many
vessels, Mr.. Dove knew that in the vessel
lying Just little way from the shore his
lady-love awaiten him, and knew, too, that
he was not rapturously happy, only content,
though it was really a sacrifice that this
girl had made for him.
He went out in one of the toats that
went to meet the passengers, and a lady ID
gray stood with her veil over her face, look
ing about her.
'Lily," he said, ''this is so good of you,
dear"
She gave him her hand and entered the
boat with him; and they sat silently side by
side, he holding her gloved hand in his IN.
til the shore was reached.
Then she took his arm.
The cool of the day had come, and they
walked toward the mission house together.
Then she said:
SHOW strange it is"
"The placer" he asked.
81 did not meau that. That I should be
here-on yonr arm. never thought such
thing conld be. have never been able to
write a word about our foolish quarrel,
Hoeea; thought we could speak of it best
It was so foolish. so foolish"
"Our quarrelP' gasped Hosea. He stared
at the gray vail. "Our-our''-
lol
me-" said the lady, 81 really felt as if l was
in a dream. Not word all those years
and just as my niece, Lilly, married, and
left my school to keep house for my broth,
er, the letter came. knew you had been
there. Lilly told me before she went away
with Mr.. Hatton. Bnt how did you know
where 1 Was? And not word as if there
had been any past"
mo, believe not" said the Reverend
Hosea Dove. Gas you say, things are best
talked over. And you are Lilly, my own
dear Lilly, that I haven't seen for nineteen
years. And you are to be my wife. Take
your vail up; let me see yon."
''Not until have made my toilet" she
said.
But be pulled the vail up and looked at
her. She was older, she was not so pretty,
of course. She had some little lines in heI
face that were not there when he saw ber
last, and she had few gray hairs in he,
waving brown hair; but she was, as he said,
his own Lilly-his own old sweetheart He
had not dreamt it. He had offered his hand
and heart, as be believed, to her niece; but
Cupid had set grand transformation some
to play part in. and he was changed into
somebody else at the finale.
Yes, he was changed. With the coming
of his old love to his arms life began again
for him. He never told her all. Thai
would have spoiled all; but a happier bride
groom never stood beside his bride than
Hosea Dove, as be kissed his Lilly in the