The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-02-17
ghe aa1ieha Daily Eagle gmesdau glormg sbrmary 1891


written on your face"
And she looked down at that and fell
to weeping.
''My own true love was breaking his
heart" she said. MY husband and ]
had loved for forty years. l did it to
save him. Could I let a girls fancy,
worth nothing, stand in my way, and see
him a beggar in his old age: Oh, girl,
girli'
And then / fell down at her feet like a
stone. 1 knew nothing for an hour or
more; but then, when l was better, and
they left me with Jennie, babe her
fetch my hood and cloak and her own
and come with me, and away l went
across the moor in the starlight TO where
the hall windows were ablaze with light.
and asked the housekeeper to let me see
the squire.
She stared at me for my boldness-no
wonder-but called him. So in moment
ne stood before me in his evening dress.
with his cheeks flushed and his eyes
bright, and led me into little room and
seated Inc.
Agatha, my love, l hope no mis-
chance brings you here"
But stopped him.
Not your love, Squire Turner" ]
said. 81 thank you for thinking so well
Of me, but after all that has passed
r
I could say no more. He took my
hand.
Have 1 offended you, Agatha7' he
said.
mot you. The ofense-ths guilt
oh, l have been sorely cheated" And all
l could do was to sob.
At last strength came to me. went
back to the first and told him a1-how
we had been phghted to each other, wait
ing only for better prospects to be wed,
and how, when he honored me by an
offer of his hand, angered my grand
mother by owning to the truth, and of
the ring grannie had stolen from my
breast and the false message that had
been sent my promised husband from
me.
And though never see Evan Locke
again. said l. ''still can never be an
other mans true love, for am his until
l die"
Then as 1 looked all the rich color
faded out of the squire's face, and saw
the sight we seldom see more than once
in hfetime-a strong young man in
tears.
At last he arose and came to me-
My little Agatha never loved me"
he said. ''Ah, me! the news is bad
thought she did. This comes of vanity. ="
Many a higher and fairer have hearts
to give" 1 said. Mine was gone ere
you saw me-"
And then, kind and gentle, as though
l had not grieved him, he gave me his
arm and saw me across the moor, and at
the gate paused and whispered:
''Be at rest, Agatha. The Golden
George has not sailed yet"
liked him better than had ever done
before that night when l told grannie
fnat [ would never wed him.
En-! but he was fit to be king-the
grandest, kindest, best of living men,
who rode away with the break of the
morrow and never stopped till he reached
Liverpool and found Evan Locke just
ready to set foot upon the Golden George,
and told him tale that made his heart
light and sent him back to me. Heaven
bless himi
And who was it that sent old grand
father the deed of gift that made the
cottage his own, and who spoke kind
word to the gentry for young DR.. Locke
that helped him into practice? Still no
one but Squire Turner, whom we taught
our children to pray for every night.
For we were married. and in q few years
had boys and girls at our knees: and
when the eldest was nigh two, the thing
l needed to make me quite happy hap
pened-and from far over the sea, where
he had been three twelvemonths, came
our squire with the bonniest lady that
ever blushed beside him, and the hall
had a mistress at last-a mistress who
loved the squire as l loved Evan.
En- but it's an old story. She that /
remembered a girl / saw in her coffin,
withered and old. And then they opened
the vault where the squire bad slept ten
years to put her beside him; and I've
nothing left of Evan, my life aud my
love, but his memory, and it seems as if
every hope and dream Of JOY l ever had
was put away under tombstones And
even the Golden George, the great strong
ship that would have borne my dear
from me, has moldered away at the bot
tom of the sea. And l think my wed
ding ring is like to outlast Us all. for
have it yet, and shall be 80 tomorrow.
Ninety! It's good old age, and it
can't be long now before / meet Evan
and the rest in heayen.-Gentleman'
Magazine.