The Kansas blackman., 1894-06-01

cofffned head Of her only baby dead
sixty years since.
"Ihls letter is a different color
from the rest" she said me.hanI
cally, as she sorted out the discol-
ored heap look, Aurora, do Won
think" 'ou
She checked herself abruntIv "a
she htted On pair Of spectacles (that
1rst concession to the standard of
Approaching ole age) and scrutinized
the foldei piee Of paper still more
closely.
why" said she, 'the seal amt
broken! Why, it's directed to me,n
II was directed to her, and in DR..
Hunts peculiar angular hand writ.
ing that she would have known if
sne had seen it in China or Patagon a.
me turned pale and began to trem-
ble.
"Why, Addie, what's the NATTER"
sald Aurora looking UP from a chest
oT mlldewed garments, which she
was examining
Don't come near me-" flashed out
Addie Its my letter-Tm going
to read it myself"
Aurora looked at her in silence.
Hts from Or. Hunt" gasped Door
Adeline. written twenty odd years
| ago, and asking me to be his wife.
And Grandaunt Miriam had hiduen
it away, and never knew anything
Of it, Oh, Aurora. oh, Aurora.
what must he have thought?o
And the poor, faded little woman
burst into tears-the tears which in
middle age 50 fearfuIly unbecOming!
Its queer enough, amt it?" said
Aurora.
What would you do, Aurora?"
faltered Adeline. "Would you 20 to
him-WOuld YOU"
IL don't know what I would do, !"
Aurora answered slowly Twenty
years ago is twenty years ago"
But he wrote this letter to NE,
and | never got it! And he has a
right to an answer"
"Yes, s'pcse he has
Adeline thought it over all day.
There was no more work for her
She sat at the window, with the
me-yellOWed letter in her lap, star
ing out at the Autumn leaves as
they tioated down through the misty
air outside, thinking-t thinking!
Aurora glanced at her sometimes,
but she did not speak. She herself
haTdfavOred masculine woman, had
never had lover; she could not help
feeling secret reverence for the sis
ter who had attained this crown of
w0mannOOd.
At sunset Adeline rearranged her
hair, bathed her face and tied on her
little crare bonnet with the stiff,
white frill in front
What are you going to do?"
Aurora asked.
I'm going to him." said Adeline.
'Im going to show him this letter
and tell him all-how it happened. I"
But as she trugged along the leaf
carpeted Autumn lanes Dr. Hunts
carriage whirled BY. He was sitting
in it, and he was not alone. AS Ade-
line stopped and looked after it, the
Doctor checked his horse. "A pretty,
red checked girl got out And then
the Doctor dove on. Still Adeline
stood there, looking at the dust that
followed the wheels.
''Oh, Adeline." said Eustacia Bent,
1--WE we're just going to your house!
/ wanted to see if / cOuld get you
and Aurora to do some sewing for
me. DR. Hunt was taking me there
when / met you. He has asked me
to be his wife. | am to be married
to him in January"
Eustacia Bent's fair dimpled face
was all aglow; her blue, long-lashed
eyes shone like stars; the roses Of last
June were not pinker than her
cheeks She was tWo-and- twenty.
Adeline Field was 40. The elder
woman, with a pang, recognized the
contrast, and in that moment all the
newly-reviEed hope died out of her
heart forever.
No" said she. 1--WE can't take in
any sewing. We're getting ready for
boarders We are busy / guess
you'll have to get some one else,
Eustacia But-but | wish you joy,
all the same. I hope you'll be very
happy-y0I and DR.. Hunt"
She turned and crept home again.
The sun had dipped below the hori-
son now; the air was chilly and grey
and frosty fit, omen Of her coming
years of solitude AS she walked
spiriJlessly along, she felt as if her
heart were lump Of lead within
her.
"Well?n Aurora breathlessly asked,
as she re-entered the dismal old
house, where the neglected fire was
dying on the iron dogs, and a melan-
choly cricket chirped on the hearth.
What did he say?"
Moth ng; / haven't spoken to
him." said Adeline, mournfully. "a
met Eustacia Bent She's going to
be married to him in January, and
that ends the whole thing"
She took the letter from her pocket
and threw it on the. embers. 1t
blazed fitfully up and then went out
ia little drift Of gray ashes and
with it died cut all the light and life
of Adeline Fields heart.
''Yes,n said Aurora, that ends
the whole thing"
Grandaunt Miriam, sleeping under
the churchyard wall might have
been content She had had her own
way. Chicago journal
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An Essay nT She Cow