The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-02-09

| dhO INV ttSl nun u bdhc uiHficT Win
! her.
Two hours later, as Alice, brave in q car
dinal tea gown, sat in the rosy glow that
the flames of tho gas log were dutifully
| trying to throw about her. there cav1e
Vi-or~>~. ~ssss - heS--A~~s> It de-
across Ter miVa that possdBTy M
! Browne was going to forestall the post
man and know his fate by word al
mouth. This possible impotence ac
centuatcd the no that she intended t.
bestow upon that gentleman.
Turning on the gas, and giving a
quick glance at the mirror, She opened
wide the door.
1t certainly was not Mr.. Browne who
| stood there. Mr.. Browne was short
and rotund, florid also.
This man was tall, of fine propor-
tions, with clear-cut features and fair
mustache
Miss Gray" he said, intcrroga-
lively.
Yes"
My name is-but perhaps You re-
member my name?" and the tall man
stepped unlimited into the room.
yes" she said her eyes blazing, II
remember your name. 1t is the name
of the only man who ever treated me
with disrespect. Go back into the
silence that has covered you for these
fifteen years"
Not yet" he said. The morning
mail brought me this letter that YOU
mailed me so long ago. Listen" he
said, impctuously; sit down beside
me while tell you. The post office in
the little city to which this was sent
has recently undergone repairs. A
package of letters has been exhumed
by the gas-ftters or plumbers. This is
one of them. | only hope the others
have been forwarded to as happy des-
tination. And the dear words in the
letter-they are as true now as they
were then, are they not Alice?"
80, don't know" she said.
Find out as quick as you can, dear;
the years have been long and hard. but
these eight hours have beeu-torture. :"
What DO you think have endured?"
she asked.
II don't dare to think of it."
Then, as ninety mine men out of a,
hundred would have done, h% =
1--WE will not talk about it, or even
think of it. We will"
How did You find me?" interrupted
Alice.
II saw you at the restaurant with
your somewhat strilling-looking guest
l knew you at once there's no woman
in the world like you. A little later
| caught the boy on the street, and with
some difficulty persuaded him to tell
me your name and where you lived"
My name?"
eyes; You might have changed it,
and them should not be here"
Then Alice told him of her reverses
and successcs-a little, only a little,
| for she was wise woman--of her
heartaches and WEAKNESS, and then of
Mr.. Browne,
That is all past" he said; ''espe-
cially Mr.. Browne. You viii teach mu-
sic no more. You will let me set YOU
in the dearest spot on earth, a happy
home. You viii sing to me after this,
my dear"
DO you know" she said, that this
is Valentines Gay-if we are not too
old to speak the name of that saint of
sentiment"
80 it is" he said; land we are not
too old. No one, no t,co, are old who
arc as happy as we this hour" Then
he reached up and took the scrap
| pinned above her desk and read:
This day for all that is good and
| fair. 1t is too dear, with all its
| hopes and invitations, to waste a mo-
ment on the bitter yesterdays. To-
morrow is new day. We VIII begin
/ it well and serenely and with too high
a spirit to be numbered with our old
sorrows and regrets 1 agree with the
wise man who said that and we will
| both pay our vows at the shrine of the
sweet saint of to-day hereafter. Won't
we dcar?"
Then some friends dropped in, and
after little Alice lighted the tiny gas
stove behind the gay screen and soon
there was singing kettle and dainty
| little feast, which the friends pro-
/ nounced just lovely, but which they
/ two only knew was the feast of be-
! tIothal.
Then they asked Alice for song,
and this is what she sang:
found il to-day in an unused drawer
This treasured sweet Of long ago
With arrows flying and roses allow,
/ Loves fond and fitting empassador.
| Twas a bonny lad who sent il to ne
4 Loves fond and fitting ernhaSSador-
With symbol and sign and metaphor
| And was as glad as maid could be
Now We cit in The twilichts fading glow
Shade and shine in our lives have met
But he loved me then and he loves me vet,
! And we say, as we dream Of the long ago,
That II once again sweet youth were mine.
] And he were as bonny as he was then,
should choose him from the world OF men
/ And he would choose me for his valentine
A month later little Joe was dividing
/ a box Of wedding cake with number
/ of friends. They looked as happy as
kings and queens" he said, when
/ they rode away, an / don't 'spose
twould ever have happened if it hadn't
! been for me" CARLoTTA PERRY.