Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-05-13


hold, looking in.
"Archiel'' the gentle voice faltered
"Archie! You have come-you have
comev' :.
The young man understood. To the ole
ladv before him he was the absent lover re
turned. He came into the room, put hIs
arm about her aud kissed her. The young
girl understood. She remained silent be
hind the roses, and watched the pair si
down together on the prim, old fashioned
sofa. the face Of the woman illumined With
Joy, her eyes looking tenderly into those OF
the man, her hands placed caressingly OF
his shoulders. In her mind the passing
years had brought no thought of change il
him she loved; she had watched for the
same stalwart young figure, the same sunny
face she had parted from.
Archie quickly took in the situation, auo
felt the cruelty of undeceiving her. Better
to leave her shattered mind rest hrm IN tne
belief that her own Archie had returned af
he had promised than to attempt explana
tions, even if she would have understood
them. He determined to act the part al
we'll as he was able.
She piled him with questions as to his
health, the voyage. etc, and ne answered
with whatever apt fiction came to him, tax
ing her hand in his and smiliag back into
her dimmed eyes.
"You seem to have been gone long
| time. Archie. How long" She paused
and put her hand to her head. "a year
was it a whole year? Yes, perhaps as much
as a year. It confuses nae to trv to remem
ber-but therel no matter, you are here.
How long it seems since you gave me the
rose that night and said goodbyW
She arose and took down from shelf be
hind her an old volume in red and gold,
opened it carefully and held it out to him
You remember how you broke it from
the bush at the gate and fastened it in my
hairpr Her voice trembled with excite
ment. "There it 1s, pressed in my annual,
the one you gave me. / have kept it to
show you."
Archie took the book and bent over it.
On the open, yellow psge lay long stem
med rose, withered and brown with age, the
last gift of the Archie Of long ago.
SIT has turned brown while you have been
across the sea and back again."
The young gil listening outside caught
the quivering strain in the voice, and fear
ing the effect of the unusual excitement up.
on her aunt now appeared at the door.
s'Come in, Oracle, come in! l have a
visitor to introduce to you" She took the
girl by the hand and led her into the room.
"This is brother Johns daughter, Mr.
Armitage. Oracle, this is my old friend.
Archie Armitage, who has just come from
England. We have been talking over old
times" In her excited joy all sense of In
congruity seemed lost to her.
The young people exchanged swift
glance of intelligence as they bowed to each
other, and Grace said to her aunt; "Don't
;~1~ frtH Hot irod cC
Perhaps you and Mr.. Armitage had better
wait until tomorrow to continue your talk?
You know you have not been very WE'LL"
The white haired woman looked thought
fully from one to the other. "Yes," she
said slowly, sit is probably somewhat late.
I will send him away shortly. Will yod
tell your father be has arrived, deaf"
sPapa knows Mr.. Armitage is here,
auntie," replied Grace, ''and will 60 back
with him across the lawn. Tomorrow
you'll have long day together"
"Y-e-s, perhaps that is best. seem
somewhat dizzy. 1t has been SO exciting
to see you, Archie" She stroksd her brow
slowly with her hand and sat down in her
easy chair. 'tYou'll come in the morning%
s'Yes, auntie, I'll come in early aud help
you dress; but you must get quiet now,
auntie, dear. Good night"
"And, Oracle, I'll put on my blue fgur-
ed gown he used to like to see me ia, aud
the broad garden hat, and we'll have the
morning on the lawn. / shall have to show
him all the old hooks and corners and we'll
have so much to say, SO much to tell each
other"
She looked up at Archie with look OF
exquisite tenderness, and he bent and kiss
ed her reverently. s'Do not rise," he said:
*you are overtired and we will have SO
much to talk of tomorrow. Good night"
He followed Grace to the door, and as he
closed it behind him on the picture Of the
white head bent over the withered roae, he
thought how much they were alike, the
woman and the flower.
When Grace opened the door Of the old
wing the next morning she stopped abrupt
ly. The lamp still burned on the table, and
bedside it in the easy chair sat her aunt as
they had left her, but with closed eyes, and
an odd, happy look of youth upon her face,
still holding in her lifeless hand the stem
of the rose, its fragile petals lying scatter
ed among the soft folds of her dress cnd o.i
the floor about her.-Charles Edwin Kin
kead in Pittsburg Bulletin.