Evening journal., 1891-08-10
never cease to pray EOr his welfare as long

theater with the letter still in his hand.
The streets were at their gayest with all
the action and bright color characteristic
of Mexican city on Sunday afternoon.
Richly dressed ladies, with the Lace man.
tilla thrown over their dark hair; gentle.
men in American cut frock coats and broad
sombreros; female beggars and flower
sellers, each with the inevitable baby fas
tened TO her back by gay hued robozo
policemen, workmen, dogs, horses, car
riages and the great mass Of idle popula
ton crowded the main avenues and rem,
dered locomotion necessarily deliberate.
Edward Payson made his way to his
room in a quiet street, and for the TWEEN
tieth time read the letter he had received
the day before.
GREENFIELD. Va. June - lss--
MY DkAR-M ny do you not come back2 Why
do you stay away 50 long from the old homei
II Is ten years that you have been away, and
only found out last week whore you were
What made you 90 away SO suddenly without
saying goodhy to anybody l ought not t.
forgive you, but do. You should have thought
that perhaps the trouble which made you gC
might not have been 80 bad after all and that
people may not have meant all they said. Nc
one knows that | am writing you this letter
and perhaps ought not to do It. but am long.
ing to see my boy again and do no not care
what folks may say. Do not wait to write, but
come. CHLOE PAYsoR
A week later Edward Payson stood il
the grove Of sycamores, oaks and naples
looking at the stone mansion of which he
had been thinking so sadly amid the heat
dust and noise OF the Mexican amphithe.
ater. IL was just such morning OF which
he had dreamed. The sun was shining
brightly. and the low hum Of insects min
gled VITA the shiver Of the leaves over his
head, as II trying TO soothe him and quiet
the fierce beating of his heart.
How natural the old house looks. What
little change has been made here in ten
years. II looks the same as It did yester
day. wonder what my uncle will say to
me. l wish Chloe had said something
about him. We had n rather serious quar-.
rel, | remember, the day before l left him.
Perhaps he will tell me TO go back again
and resume the yagraat life that know
he thinks / have been leading. No, he
would hardly say that to the son Of his
only brother, after his sacred promise tc
that brother g be as father to me as long
as we both lived.
Besides he was always hot headed, and
no doubt forgave me almost before | was
out of the room. All, well, shall soon
know, and what do ! care, so that Chloe
has a welcome for me? Il was near this
spot that she spoke to me so kindly, and
yet, oh, 30 coldly, when she told me that
we-cousins-could never be lovers. All,
There she is surely"
His breath came short as hecaught sight
Of a white dress at one Of the open win.
dows under the yeranda roof. He could
not see the face of the wearer because
tangled mass of creeper hung in the way,
but he knew it could be no one else save
the girl, as he loved still to think her
whom he had come thousands Of miles t.
see. The white dress moved away, and he
walked slowly across the lawn. noting on
every hand familiar objects that brought
back his youth in a flood Of fragrance.
How weak he felt as he assembled the
steps to the veranda. Where was Chloe?
Would she come 20 the doorl
He pulled the bell handle and heard the
clang that he remembered so well resound
ing through the house. He could see IL in
his minds eye swinging near the rear OF
the long hall that ran straight through
from the front door to that opening on the
yard at the back, where the old cooks cab
bages and tomatoes were carefully tended,
and where it was as much as one Of the
kitchen girls life would have been worth
to trespass. He remembered how the old
bell had, to his youthful imagination, pos.
sessed shostly attributes, and how he used
to fancy it moved of itself in the dusk OF
the evening. shaking its head in mookery
and threatening to swallow him up into
its rusty throat.
Listen There is a step in the hall.
Somebody Is coming. The door opened a
| little way, and the flutter of white dress
caught his eye. Impatiently he pushed the
door wide open and put out his hand 10
take that Of Chloe.
why, Mas'r Ed'ardl IF l didn't t'ink
| you'd come back to 20 poo oil auntie, "
and two black hands, in white sleeves
were placed on Edward Payson's shoulder
I es q pair Of hornummed spectacles fell
with crash to the floor.
Yes, auntie. got letter, and came
right back TO the old place. How are you
and how is my uncle. and how is-is''--
His voice faltered, but the old woman
did not appear to notice it as she answered
"Dey is all well, honey. Dere have beer
few changes roun here. Come in and LEI
me give you something to eat. I've go
some hot con cakes, like yer useter gi
when 20 was boy. Come along Y,
uncle's done gone away for all day."
"Oh. Auntie, want you to- said
child's voice, and little girl with sum,
golden hair came running along the hal
Just as Edward Payson used to run SOM
thirty years before She stopped when shl
saw him and clung close to the lustere'
! old woman while she looked inquiringl,
at him.
"Yo know, Ed'ard, I did not know wher
20 had gone. but colored man wha
works for Mr.. Sherwood, the butcher, b
was here and he tol me he heard as y
was in Mexica. And | thought yo'd ha
a little quarrel with 20 uncle, and p'rap
you'd be too proud to come back il he wrot
to you, and so ! got young Miss Mabe
over to Raleigh's place, who is just as goo
as a angel TO coled folks and who write
splendid, to write to you, and"---
And was the letter from you" gaspe
Edward Payson, as he looked down at tn
golden haired little girl, while terribl
thought ran through his brain.
Course IL was, honey. Want it signe
! Chloe Payson, and amt dat nay namep
! "And-and-who is this little childW
E THAT Why, Miss ChlOe's, OF cou'si
{ She was married Eve years ago to youn
, Mr.. Willard, who dey say, will be jede
! next year. He is away today with yo'r al
Gle. But come up stairs and see Mi
Chloe. What fool I is 20 keep 20 bel
a with my chatterin, and YOU been ava
4 from her for ten years"
: But Edward Payson, with some excuse
I be never knew what-manRged to get ava
from the house and into the sycamore an
maple grove, where, with the stones Of Il
Z old house just visible between the tree
and the fragrance Of the syringa hoverir
/ like half forgotten melody around b
bowed head, he threw himself on u
ground and nerved himself to bear such