The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1893-11-15
lCoeraeHT 1854 By Af1klloee uswsaats Co

west to the mountains and she coming
back to her parents. The separation
was not final, my father hoped, but
there was no telling how long it might
last, since Hanley had become extreme
ly uncertain in his habits and it was
evident that he had no love for his
wife.
LEARNED that Mary was cross and ex-
acting with her husband, and that after
five or six years of married life he had
taken to drinking steadily, running
through with all his property, and
at last leaving her in fit of disgust.
So long as my father had money Mary
had called on him for help, and he had
given SO freely that in time he seriously
embarrassed himself, and was, as last
resort, forced to place his home under
mortgage
yearned to comfort my sister, but, re-
membering what she had said about
never wanting my love or sympathy,
was chary OF approaching her. But at
last had an opportunity to speak, and
disregarding what the result might be,
i availed myself of it, and opened my
heart to her as sister should, speaking
to her tenderly, soothingly and sympa-
thetically, but not as one having right
to advise. | avoided all sembance Of
condescension or superior virtue, and
talked as one erring creature might talk
to another.
After awhile my words had cfrec,
with her, and the flush of resentment
that first marked her face faded out,
and tears followed. At last she became
so far reconciled that she leaned her
head on my shoulder and allowed me to
place my arm about her.
"Agnes," she said, when we had
talked a long time, 81 don't deserve
such kindness from you. said once,
you remember, that | never would
want your love or sympathy was
wicked and silly then, and little knew
what was before us"
'We all do and say things" replied,
''that we are sorry for afterwards; but
we should learn to forget them"
"You can afford to be generous and
forgiving, Agnes" she answered, 'be-
cause you are good. 1t is not so with
me. I have been. selfish and mean,
and when | was prosperous | disdained
you. You ought to despise me and re-
joice to see me brought down to what
am"
III would do myself no credit and add
nothing to my own happiness, Mary, if
] eXulted over you now. | was poor
once and friendless, and know what it
is to be so; and for that reason can
sympathize. Let the past be buried,
Mary, and let US begin new life as far
as our relations are concerned. If eth
er of US has done or said aught that was
wrong and injured the other. let it be
forgiven and forgotten"
81 would to Heaven, Agnes, that it
could be so, but fear it cannot You
do not recall all have said to you, how
! misjudged you and impcached your
virtue. That, Agnes, was the cruelest
thing of all, because ! knew it was not
true"
had not till that moment recalled
what she had said of my virtue, and the
stant checked my love and sent pang
of resentment to my breast. But let
it pass directly, and looking down into
her eyes said:
THAT was the cruelest wrong you
ever did me, Mary. but forgive it.
Let it go with the rest of the past and
be forgotten. You regret it now,
KNOW"
81 do, do. regret 1t sincerely, and
I would give half my life to be able to
recall it,"
Mary felt better after our conference,
and appeared much happier. She need
ed sympathy and love, for she had long
been denied them. promised that
Charles and I-would do everything we
could to reclaim Hanloy and bring him
back to her, promise we kept with
such good result that il time he returned.
He and Mary settled down in a
small town where Charles secured po-
sition for viii, and, though cannot say
they are happy, they are better con-
tented and more prosperous than they
had been before.
Soon after my stepmother's death
my father was compelled to give
mp his home, the last of all his poses
lsions. He was adrift in the world, just
las had been years before when was
driven from the same shcltering roof,
but there was difference, for while no
heart beat in sympathy for me, one
heart beat in sympathy for him.
opened my door and took him in; CIV
ing him daughters love, and making
che few years remaining to him as
pleasant and comforting as | could.
Charles seconded my efforts, exerting
himself to his utmost to cheer my aged
father and bring to him what he could
of the feeling of rest and welcome.
And now there is one more whom I
must not forget--one who loved mo in
my childhood when no other love was
mine-one who consoled my childish
Eriefs, and shed tears Of sympathy for
me when was neglected by everyone
else-one who through many years OF
separation kept a warm place in her
heart for me, remaining true and stead
fast in her love through all the changes
time brought. That one is Aunt Mary.
] met her when returned to my
fathers house and it would be hard to
say which of us enjoyed our meeting
the most. Kneeling by her side, put
s,my arms about her neck, just as did
when a child, and she put her arms
about my waist, and together we talked.
and cried, and laughed and were very
nanny.