The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1893-09-20

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ARE YOU READY TO pECTDE?"
years my child and lived alone and
apart from the world, and we came to
be very near and dear to each other.
All my love and thought was centered
in her and ali my life was devoted to
her.
"But death, cruel and unfeeling,
came between Us and took her from me.
Then ! was alone, bereft of my only
treasure and my heart left vacant. |
had no tie on earth from that day
nothing to love and nothing to live for.
My life was blank and purposeless, and
as conseque nee the years have
dragged YEARLY around with nonot-
onous and unvarying sadness. My life
has been desolate and dreary and |
have found no pleasure in it.
"When | saw you the first time
thought Immediately OF nay daughter,
and from some cause | felt that you
might fill her place in my heart. Not
as she filed it, of course, for no one
COhlN w lilGl. Uub III ID EItGG itCdSNtlC
You reminded me of her, though you
do not resemble what she was, in the
least, and liked you. like you yet.
i have grown to like you better as
have come to be better acquainted with
you.
Now want you to remain with me
and tighten my sorrow by your pres
ence. am a gloomy, sad, disap-
pointed woman, but my heart is not en-
tirely dried Up. You can bring back to
it some of it's youthful feeling and win
from it great deal of the love and
light that have so long been shut up
within. You can make me much hap
pier than I've been for years, and
want you to stay 1t is for my sake |
ask it, and not for yours, for | believe
all the happiness and benefit will be
mine"
stayed. / realized that, however
Mrs. Lawton might be disposed to view
the matter, was giving but poor re-
turn for the blessings she bestowed on
me, end cXertcd myself in every pos
sible way to enhance her pleasure.
talked with her, read to her, and per.
formed thousand little services that
thought would tend to bring her taste
of enjoyment. flattered myself with
the belief that my efforts to augment
her pleasure were not vain. was
certain that she grew lighter of heart
and that day by day she gained new
relish for life. Her face lost much
Of its rigidity, and the cold look melted
out of her eyes. Sometimes she chattec
quite gayly, and now and then a soft
smile played over her features.
noted all these signs of increasing
happiness with the greatest pleasure
for loved my benefactress with my
whole heart and it made me happy tc
see her happy. Every light or shadow
that played over her face had it's effec
on my heart, for my sympathies were
SO woven into her life that enjoyed OF
suffered what she did.
Two years lived with Mrs, Lawtor
They were years full of quiet peace ant
contentment, although they failed t.
bring me that perfect happiness shoulc
have known but for my disappointed
love. | still remembered viii Hanley
and grieved that he did not love me.
During all that two years heart
nothing of any of those | had know
previously. At first | apprehende,
some trouble from Mr., Bernard, for
feared he would seek me out, but il
time | became quite easy on that poin
when weeks ran into months and
heard nothing of him. BY Mrs. Law
tons advice wrote one letter to Mrs
Cornell, telling her had LEFT Mr.. Der
nard's service, and the town, and that
was comfortably situated in distan
place, but could not, for good reasons
give my address. So | had no news o
the Cornells, though often called then
to mind and longed to write to them.
am free to confess, reader, that
often felt that l was not giving tn
Cornells the proper treatment, by hid
ing away from them after their con
duct to me. thought their generosit.
and uniform kindness demanded m.
perfect confidence, ard it seemed to m
j was doing them great injustice b
withholding it. But Mrs. Lawton per
suaded me to act as did, urging tina
my safety demanded strict silence OF
my part, and was willing to be gov
erned BY her. ! sometimes wished 7
hear from Charles Cornell, and FIRE
quently ! wondered what he was think
ing of me, and whether or not he ha
married. OF course his action In thi
last respect could be Of no interest t
me, since did not love him and had re
jected his suit, yet for some cause too
an interest in 1t, and hoped with all m
heart that he had not married.
had made few acquaintances In m
new home, and no particular friends
aside from Mrs. Lawton- We seldor
had visitors-never, in fact save an OK
casionai call from some village natror
who came chiefly ont of curiosity>to Sc
the inside Of the great mansion, or i