The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1893-06-09

TO Slt between NlduBb anu Giucgu III tlic
quiet evenings and talk to them
I In the summer time we used to light
no candles, and the moonlight fell
through the ivy leaves upon MS, and the
old dog lay at our feet and put his curly
head upon Madges lap. We would tell
stories OF fairies and goblins or sing 70
mantle songs written before any Of It's
were born. Now and then Gideon
would steal his arm about my waist or
hold my hand awhile, and wrong though
any one might have thought there was
no more harm in it than though we had
been children.
Just 30 we were sitting one evening,
when grandfather walked into our midst
and clutched me fiercely by the arm
No need to repeat the words he uttered
The insults stung me as sharply as they
could Gideon Lees children. But he
forbade me ever to speak to them again
and took me home with him.
The last glimpse caught OF the broth
er and sister showed them to be stand
ing hand in hand, their fingers clutched
tight, their teeth set, their faces white
with wrath under the moonlight. 1t
was my last glimpse for many years,
for the day after this we sailed for Can
ada. Grandfather was Canadian, and
it was partly to revisit his native land
and partly to put the ocean between the
Lees and me that he took the voyage.
But be could not tear my heart from
them. | loved them better than any
people ever met; most Of all ] loved
Gideon.
But never heard of him or from him
nor could guess whether he lived or
died, remembered or forgot me, for three
long years
At the end OF that time my grand
father died, and |, his heiress, returned
10 my native land rich woman and my
own mistress, though this was the codi
Gil to the will that left me all:
II, Henry Grey. having cause to fear
that my beloved grandchild is easily
misled by artful persons, and is not
guileful enough to understand their
guile, do, for her own welfare, add this
proviso, That, should she ever give her
hand in marriage to the SOD of the mur-
derer of my son, Matthew Grey, all
claim upon the moneysand estates above
beoueathed her shall be forfeited. and
said property 90, without reserve, to the
Hospital Of ST. Martha, to be used by the
trustees of said institution as they see
fit"
| But despite this codicil. | went down
into the valley in which Gideon Lees
homestead stood before / had been at
home a day 1t was sunset when |
reached it, but the light did not as of
yore gild the panes of the upper win
dows to sheets Of FURNISHED gold Every
shutter was closed and the house seemed
to frown upon me. The garden had run
wild; the fields lay desolate; the broken
branches of the orchard trees told
Of boyish depreciation Strange cattle
grazed in the meadow and Rovers ken
mel was empty The sight brought tears
to my eyes, went up the old porch
and found there, wet with rain ana
tangled in the relics of last years vine, a
scarlet ribbon, one Madge must have
worn. put it in my bosom and came
away No one could tell me anything
Of Gideon Lees children. except what
the empty house had tod me-that they
were gone,
| had lost them, and what did | care
that all the country place besides well
coined me homer Gideons smile would
have been more to me than all their
greetings, and Madee would have given
me kiss that had true love in it.
| was not happy; could not be gay.
1 could not care for ANYTHING very much.
/ lived quiet life for two long years,
and, let those call me cold and proud who
would, | was not cold, but those wh1
courted me were Gideon Lees enemies,
and had nersecuted prettv Madge since