The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1891-09-02

AAAss anu I" "AAt SIC cd4u Il Know not, Dut
! it turned him the tint o. death, and said
he:
"There's ma a drop O. true bluid in a
woman gin she is false" And he turned
to the wall and covered his eyes, an yer
grannie rode home There, It's all l ken
-wull it do ?"
"Ay, Jennie" said I, heaven bless
you"
And had l wings on my feet could
not have come TO the cottage door any
sooner.
stood before my grandfather tremb-
ling and white, and / said "Oh, don't
tell me, grannie, you have cheated and
robbed me Of my true love by lie. Did
you steal the troth ring from my neck
and give it back to Evan, as if from me
You Pve loved and honored all my life
long"
She turned scarlet.
"True love ~ said she you've but
one true love now-'Squire Turner"
a You have done its' cried. ~It's
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. did it to save
him. Could let girls fancy, worth
nothing, stand in my way, and see him
beggar, in his old age Oh, girl, girl ~
And then l fell down at her feet like
a stone. l knew nothing for an hour or
so, but then when I was better, and they
left me with Jennie, bade her fetch my
hood aud cloak, and her own, and come
with me, and away 1 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 a mo-
ment he stood before me in his evening
dress, with his cheeks flushed and his
eyes bright, and led me into little room
and seated me.
Agatha, my love, l hope no mis-
chance brings you here ?"
But stopped him.
Not your love, Squire Turner" said.
"I thank you for thinking so well of me
but after all that has passed, L"
could say no more. He took my
hand.
Have offended you, Agatha ?" he
said.
Not you. The ofFense-the guilt-oh,
have been sorely cheated ~ and all
could do was to sob.
At last strength came to me. 1 went
back to the first and told him all-how
we had been plighted to each other, only
waiting for better prospects to be wed.
and how, when he honored me by an of
fer 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 /, still can never be an
other mans true love, for am his until
die"
Then as looked, all the rich color IA
ded out Of the 'Squire's face, and 1 saw
the sight we seldom see more than once
in lifetime-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-I
thought she did. This comes Of vanity
Many higher and fairer have hearts
to give" said I. mine was gone ere you
saw me-"
And then, kind and gentle, as though
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 1 had ever done
before that night when 1 told grannie 1
would never wed him.
Eli! but he was fit to be a king-the
grandest, kindest, and best of living men.
who rode away with the break OF the
morrow and never stopped till he reach
ed Liverpool and found Evap 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 him
And who was it that sent old grandfa-
ther the deed of gift that made the cot
tage his own, and who spoke a kind
word to the gentry for young DIR. Locke
that helped him into practice No one
but Squire Turner, whom VIC taught our |
children to pray for every night. For
We were married, and in few years had |
boys and girls at our knees and when
the Oldest was nigh two, the thing that |
needed to make me quite happy, hap
pened-aud from far over the sea, where
he had been three twelvemonths, came /
our Squire, with the bonniest lady that |
ever flashed beside him, and the Hall |
had mistress who loved the Squire as
l loved Evan.
En- but it's an old story. She that 1 !
remembered as grill saw in her coffin |
withered and old. And then they opened |
the vault where the squire had slept ten
years to put her beside him; and Tre |
nothing left of Evan, my life and my
love, but his memory, and it seems as if |
every hope and dream of JOY ever had |
were 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 think my we'd
ding ring is likely to outlast us Iall, for L
have it yet, and shall be ninety to-
morrow.
Ninety! It's good old age, and it |
can't be long now before meet Evan |
and the rest in heaven.-TRe Genls1aan's |
Mdgd-ine.
Merit Wins.
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