Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1891-02-04
Aunt Hilda.

Aunt Hilda.
She is only a little old lady, with a
sweet, patient face, and pair of sad,
gray eyes, which are gazing with a
far-off, wistful expression through the
neatly-curtained window at the winter
landscape without. Could Aunt
Hilda's many friends have seen her
thus, great would have been their
surprise.
Fifteen years ago she came to this
small inland town, and her quiet,
kind-hearted ways soon won for her
friendship of both rich and poor. The
utter loneliness in which she lived
made her an object of much curiosity
at first, but as time wore on, her kind
ly old face and deeds of charity be-
came familiar. and people ceased to
speculate as to her probable past, but
thought or spoke of her as Aunt
Hilda.
But to-day there is no one present 10
note the shade of sadness upon the
usually tranquil face no one to see
the little wrinkled hands folded so
quietly and hopelessly before her.
Years ago, in one Of the side streets
of the busy metropolis, there lived a
retired sea-captain and his daughter.
These two passed very happy time
together. The old man loved his
bright young daughter dearly, not
only for her own sake, but for the
sake of that dead mother whom she
so closely resembled.
Captain Davis saw few visitors, but
one there was who spent all his leis-
ure hours within the little coy home.
This was Jack Darrell, mate of the
good ship Morning Glory. Yes, Jack
Darrell and Hilda we're lovers. The
handsome face and frank ways of this
young seaman had won the maiden's
heart, and Jack had long since learn
ed how necessary to his happiness was
the possession of the captains beauti-
full daughter.
The old captain watched with ever
increasing pleasure the soft glances
and tender smiles which were uniting
the two loving hearts, and when, one
morning, they stood before him with
clasped hands and bent heads, &C
knowledging their love, and pleading
for his blessing, with tears in his eyes
he babe them God speed for he had
always known that the day would
come when some one would claim his
little girl, and who could be more
worthy of her than this manly fellow
beside himI
So they were engaged. A long,
blissful month followed, in which the
lovers were inseparable. But one
thing prevented their happiness from
being perfect. and that the anticipa-
ton of a coming separation. 1t had
been decided that Jack should make
one more voyage, after which quiet
wedding should take place in Captain
Davis pretty little home, and then
the young man should abandon his
life of peril and danger. So, one
cold, disagreeable day, when the
streets was covered with sleet, the
captain and his daughter stood at one
of the docks waving last farewell to
the departing ship which was bearing
away from the girl the man who was
dearer to her than life.
How intolerable were the days that
followed! In vain did she tell herself
that a year would soon 60 by; never
had the weeks dragged so horribly be-
fore. How dull and desolate the
rooms were, now that the tall form
and merry laugh of the young man
could be seen and heard no more with
in their bounds.
Yet, despite Hilda's Impotence,
time moved very slowly. The weeks
passed into months. Spring came,
with its flowers and sunshine, and
then gave place to the long, hot. days
of summer. Six months had passed
since that winter day on which she
had hidden her lover adieu, and Hilda
was beginning to look forward with
glad expectancy to the time when
those loving arms should hold her
once more. But, alas ! for human
plans and happiness.
At the close of q bright, warm day,
Hilda sat in the pleasant sitting-room
awaiting her fathers return. In one
corner Of the room a small fea-table
was spread. As the young girl sat by
the open window, her beautiful eyes
turned in their wistful gaze over the
ocean to where the sky and water
seemed to meet and blend, we'll
known step was heard in the hall.
Before she could rise from her seat
the door onened and admitted the