Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1890-02-26

well as her daughters.
What God bless my souli' cried the
old gentleman: 1T can't be; and yet /
could never mistake that facel Are you
not Lily Payne?'
Lily Payne, indeedI What a life
N IN mt on of that name recalled
Their old love, their happiness. their
castles in the air, their foolish quarrel
all then rushed ack to the memory in
an instant. And tEen he thought of
bis journey out to that distant land far
away; and of all his toll, and how it
was rewarded; of his simple, aimless
life, and then of her to whom his old
heart warmed again as he saw her
standing before HIM, bearing only too
plainly traces on her thin face of pri-
yatiOn and anxious care.
Keep up, Lily; keep up, my darling;
don't give way!' pleaded III old man,
rs he placed the poor woman in chair,
in a half-fainting condition. why,
after all, you look exactly as you used
long ago
Mrs. Neal mournfully shook her
head.
Not quite. Bertie,' she answered. 4
was a willful girl when you left me,
years ago; but l am poor widow now.
1 have had hard time OF it, Berthe,
God knows; but, after all, His Will lie
donel'
LES get out of this horr'd place,
said the old gentleman. L want TO
have a regular good talk with you
And SO you are a widow, eh9' he
went ON, as they walked toward Mrs.
Meals lodgings. We'll, what's to
prevent? Suppose we make believe
aud forget all about the past. I've
been an old bachelor all my life, and
had made up my mind to die one. But
things have altered now. Shall we re-
new the old bargain and get married2'
The old color flushed in Mrs. Neal 5
face, which lighted up with the Old
smile again.
But L have daughter, Bertiel'
Bless her darling heart; and what
care L? l can't marry you both, that's
| quite certain. But 1 can support you
! both. No more photographs, or any of
that trash We will find the little one
a husband; AMI, meanwhile, she shall
be our own We dear child
God bless you, Bertie!' said Lily,
/ through her tears. You always had a
kind, good heart. Well, we'l talk it
over tonight
And so they did. Never had such
laughter been heard to echo from the
! little, dingy lodgings which contained
that evening three of the happieSt
! hearts in London.
They all sat up until an unheard-of
hour, and did not separate before they
had concocted what they were pleased
to call IAN enormous PLAN
! Miss Lloyd, the heiresS-we beg par
don-Mrs. Arthur Mesham-was sit
| ting IN state all smiles AMI orange
| blossoms, in a magnificent drawing
room, receiving the congratulations of
her friends. The ceremony was over,
and nothing remained but that ridicu-
lous farce called the wedding breakfast,
a Latch of very lilo gical speeches and q
hasty departure for the Continent.
1T was very strange that Uncle
| Richardson was not at churchl' said
tie brides father to that elegant
young lady. Il can't quite make it
out, after his having promised so faith
fully he would he present.
You don't mean to say he is not
here?' said the bride, with an undis-
guiSed agitation. Arthur, darling,
what can have become of unclel'
My dearest, | haven't the faintest
,dea. Perhaps he oversight himself,
suggested the exquisite, with an ele-
CANT drawl.
Two minutes afterward there came a
loud knock at the door. Every one
started.
My Uncle richardson calculated
the bride, putting her hand 10 her
heart theoretically.
Her suTmise was, however, incorrect
Nobody entered tie room but a pow
dered fOOtman, who made his way to
the bride, whO handed her a jewel-case
and letter. Her hand trembled per
ceptibly as she tore it open, and her
voice certainly shook as she read as
follows:
MY DERAEsT NIECE: - Here s
something pretty to put around yUuI
neck-a bridal pTesent-which [ send
with my very best love, and every hope
that your married life will be most
pleasurable.'
How beautiful whispered all the
bridesmaids. Did any one ever see
such lovely locket? Oh, what a lucky
girl you are 20 have such kind old
uncleI'
Mrs. Mesham smiled genteelly, and
continued:
! Il should certainly have been with
you this morning, had not circ um.
stances occurred which rendered my
presence absolutely impossible. The
fact is, my dear girl, l have followed
your example, and got married myself
The late Miss Lloyd, heiress, drop
ed the letter with a faint scream; and
Mr.. Arthur Mesham turned suddenly
| pale, and looked as if he were going 10
faint.
Read on, my dear child. You must
have made mistake whispered heI
mother.
She did read on, and as follows:
4 have found out LILY Payne, "A cir
whom / knew and loved long before
you were horn. l am sOrry that we
could not have arranged in time FOR
! Ethel Neal--ttat is Lily's child, and now
my adopted daughter-to be ons OF
your bridesmaids. | hope to see YOU
soon, and TO introduce you to my wife
and her pretty girl.
Your affectionate uncle,
III. RICHARDSON
The whole party looked at one an
other with blank astonishment, and
then gazed on the bride, who was nc
/ helTess after all.
The exquisite Mr.. Arthur Mesham
was certainly not in comfortable frame
of mind.
Why couldn't tlat detestable letter
lave come two hours earlier?', thought
he.
! So Ethel Neal was to be the inherit
ress of Mr.. Richardson's vast wealth:
the girl whom Arthur had treated
with scorn only two short months be-
/ forel Retrlbution comes to US all,
sooner or later. 1t came to Arthur
Mesham on his wedding morning, and.
! perhaps, served him right.