Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1893-03-14

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Allowing time for the first burst of grief,
he wrote to her, asking her to reply.
whatever her nat might be- begging her
to forgive him and once more promise to
be his wife,
e She never answered me, he said.
She never gave me one word in reply.
It was on my tongue to say that she
had been very vindictive, bat i saw that
that would not do. Miss Nancy was
sainted in his memory, and could be sus-
pected of no wrong.
erred beyond forgiveness, sweet
angel" he said; 'sI erred beyond for
giyeness, = and Bachelor Barclay could
not be moved from this opinion by the
whisper of an angel.
"Auntiet' cried my little nephew;
there's something in the crows nest.
was sitting In the garden, and the
voice sounded above my head. looked
| up with start. In the road outside
arose tall pole, and from time imme-
mortal great crows nest had crowned
it. How little Billy had managed to
| reach its apex cannot say, but there he
was, and, speechless with horror. could
only implore him, in dumb show, TO de-
scend. He answered me with laugh,
flung something to the ground, and came
sliding down after it.
You naughty boyn cried, as I
caught him IN my arms.
- It's not bit like nest. auntie," he
said (" It's all ugly and muddy. There
were some feathers init, black, and there
was dead bird, and there wits that cap
Ia queer cap. Inever saw such a funny
thing"
He picked from the grass the object he
had cast down. It looked like a crushed
leather box, and had been melted by the
sun and soaked by the rains until 1t was
shapeless; but it certainly proved to be u
queer, old. .fashicned cap. with peak.
and lined with oiled silk, and Us Billy
tossed it about and turned 1t inside out,
a square white package dropped from
some secret spot beneath this lining.
which had kept it from destruction
adown the years.
Long years they must have been, for
the letter had been written before the
days when envelopes were used, It was
curiously folded and sealed with a large
seal, on which was the letter e :" and
was addressed In delicate. running
hand to "Alwyn Barclay. ESD The
I Oaks, etc In fact. it had evidently
been intended for the old gentleman we
called Bachelor Barclay. and to him I ut
once dispatched it with a note of expla-
nation.
i His answer was request that and
my husband would do him the honor Of
calling, as he was i'll, and there was
much to explain. And Of course we
went, Bachelor Barclay, bolstered up
with pillows, lny upon lounge, pale Us
yellow wax, his eyes shining under his
grey brows.
Dear friends. You have told me that
the letter you sent me was in the lining
of an old leather capin the crows nest. -
he said. 81 remember seeing the cap
thrown away. Miss Frees little negro
servant Cato wore it. A carpenter who
was mending the barn had snatched it
and flung it in the air. Apparently 1t
never came down again. It was
searched for, and 1 watched the
search from the window, but never
dreamed that it was in the nest The
cap was old. Cato had new one, and
that was the end of it. But now re-
member TINT in that oiled silk lining the
boy put any letters with which he was
sent to the post office, in order to keep
them clean. think it was made with a
sort of pocket on purpose. and in this
lining this letter had started ON its way
to me, when rude jest ended my hopes
of happiness for life. Cato forgot or
never told the fact of its being undeliv-
cred.
{" The letter, dear friend, was an nm
swer to my prayer for Miss Nancy Free g
pardon-a beautiful, forgfving, angelic
reply. Had received It I should have
flown to her. She would have been my
bride. These lonely years would have
been gladsome. might not have been
the last leaf on withered branch.
It was fated not to be. trust she
did NOT suffer also. III fear that Is
possible How discourteous she must
have deemed mel ] never dreamed she
: had written. p"
He paused. Tears filed his eyes.
II am sorry ~ began.
Don't say you are sorry you found
J itl' Bachelor Barclay cried. "If was
foolish enough to faint when the truth
burst upon me, still rejoice. Up there
think she waits for me-there, where
the truth is manifest without words
! and thank yoh-oh, so muchi"
We stayed with him little longer,
! and he talked tons of Nancy and old
times. When left him he kissed my
hand. He died that night; and the let
ter and Miss Nancy's miniature reposed
upon his bosom. 933
Flowers I'm France.
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