New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1892-04-20
some vague regret that in gaining a.

Osborne. lit WIS dated asWeek before,
but owing to a slight eligibility due to
hasty writing it had made a round
about tour and reached her much
belated. When she received it she
fancied it was an answer to her own
letter but the moment she opened it
she knew it was written before hers;.
the two, of vastly different tenor had
passed each other on the way.
MY darling" it began, 81 cannot tell
you with what strong feeling write You
this morning. / am SO beside myself with
JOY that fear cannot give You q very in
telligent account of what has changed the
whole aspect of my life our lives, mean.
you-my uncle left me several small lots in
a little town i'll Western Pennsy Iyania. I
was only a boy ut the time, and no account
was made OF the legacy-for the property
was worth only few hundred dollars,
and it has lain idle ever since. But now
coyery OF a large oil well on the adjoining
lands has made my poor lots
worth all enormous sum. Today have
sold them to q New York syndicate for a
large sum- am rich man, dearest, and
you know what that implies! am coming
waiting have suddenly grown impatient;
want to be married immediately. There
is no reason why we should wait any long
er. We have lost SO much time. that we
cannot afford to lose any more. Oh, my
darling! ] am SO proud and happy when I
Tor ME all these years OF poverty and sepa.
ration. My heart glows when think OF
it, and thank God heartily for the bless
ing Ofyour love! / shall be with you in a
week. am settling up my business with
view to taking you abroad for several
years. Till see you, then, mn darling,
and through all time to COME. Yours
faithfully, HENRY
Poor Lydia! Every word was a
dagger in her breast. She knew, as she
read it, that her own letter had by
this time reached it's destination; that
Henry had read it, and that he would
not come to her now. She laid her
head down and wept bitterly.
Lydia was not a mercenary woman.
1t did not affect her that she had Just
ruined her chances of marrying a rich
man; but she had passionate thirst
for happiness, a wish to make the
best out OF her life and it's possible
jties. She had always known that as
Henry Osborne's wife, she would find
that sweet content which would make
her always appear the best her nature
would allow. She had not given up
TINS nope without struggle; and now
on, how his generous praise of her
fidelity lacerated her very soul! But
she was not too proud to write to
him-such a letter! 1t must haye
moved Henry Osborne to forgiveness,
SO full was it OF remorse and reawak-
ened love, of passionate entreaty and
desperate fears; but he did not re-
ceive it. Her first epistle had reached
him on the day when he was starting
to come to her Overwhelmed with
anguish and bitterness, he had not
deferred his journey; he went on in
the same hot impatience, but he went
IN another direction-whither no one
knew-and Lydia's second message
was returned to her unopened.
Lydia did not mention this to DR..
Severance. Her own pride would
have kept her from it, even if she had
been less considerate OF her friends
feelings; but both reasons influenced
her to silence. 1t was a curious thing
that Henry Osborne name had never
been mentioned between them There
was no occasion for it, however.
When Lydia had told the Doctor OF
her engagement, it had been in general
terms. So the matter was quietly
dropped between them, and the Doc
tor made poor guess at what allied
LYDIA, who grew very pale and sad,
as time went on.
1t was two years afterward that he
called for her one morning in his car
riage.
II have some news for YOU" he
said, shaking her hand very warmly.
II have succeeded at last in finding
somebody who will marry me'
: congratulate YOU" said Lydia,
smiling. "When is it to be?''
"As soon as possible, the Doctor
replied, briskly. "Put on your hat
and coat. I have come to take YOU to
call on her. am sure you will like
her, Lydia. She is one oflny patients.
| have cured Of a spinal affection, and
she means to repay me by becoming
my wife"
II don't call that such a heavy bill"
said Lydia, thoughtlessly.
slf you had to pay iC you would"
said the Doctor, laughing. "Come,
Lydia, | want you to 20 with me-"
This was how she happened to drive
with the Doctor to an elegant. house
on Fairban Avenue, where they were
ushered into a large room, dusky with
draperies and rich furniture. From
somewhere out OF the shadows came
q slight girlish figure.
Why, Frank" she cried ioyously,
and then stopped, at the sight Of
LYDIA, to recover her shy
dignity. A gentlemanwhow was seated
on the piano stool rose hastily, and
turned around.
Edith, : said the Doctor, taking the
hand of his fancee and holding it
quietly, "this is my friend, Miss Day
ton. Lydia, this is my future wife,
Miss Osborne"
s:I--if | am not mistaken" Edith
said, with great emb arrassment, 1--WE
have met before. =
She held out her hand awkwardly,
but Lydia did not seem to see st..
Back OF Edith stood Henry Osborne,
looking at her with a proud, cold
face