The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-05-05


| liked her. But Grandaunt Miriam
had decided the matter for her a,
she decided everything elses
Yet, in spite OF this, poor AdeIine
cried when she put the old woman,
dog's-eared books and crumpled pa
| pers into the tlre, with the yellow
letters that Granduncle FOsset has
written her before they were mar
ried, and the lack OF faded fiaxcl
hair that she had cut off from the
coiilned head OF her only baby, dead
sixty years since.
This letter Is different color
from the rest" she said me ham.
cally, as she sorted out the discol-
ored heap "Look, Aurora, do you
think"
She checked herself abruptly as
she fitted on a pair OF spectacles (that
first concession 10 the standard Of
approaching old age) and scrutinized
the folded pic C OF paper still more
closely.
why" said she, 'the seal amt
broken. Why, it's directed TO me-"
Hunts peculiar angular hand writ
ing that she would have known If
she had seen 10 in China or Patagon "A.
She turned pale and began TO trem-
ble.
"Why, Addie, what's the matter?"
said Aurora, looking up from a chest
or mildewed garments, which she
was examining.
Don't come near me" flashed out
Addie. 'Its my letter-Pm going
TO read 1t myself"
Aurora looked at her in silence.
'IJs from DR.. Hunt" gasped poor
Adeline. Written twenty odd years
ago, and asking me TO be his wife.
And Grandaunt Miriam had hidden
IL away, and | never knew anything
OF it, Oh Aurora! Oh, Aurora,
what must he have thought?'
And the poor faded little woman
burst into tears-the tears which In
middle age SO fearfully unbecOming!
Its queer enough, ain't it," said
Aurora
"What would you do, Aurora?"
faltered Adeline. "Would you go TO
him-would you-"
II don't know what / would do,
Aurora answered slowly Twenty
years ago is twenty years ago"
''But he wrote this letter TO me,
and l never got IL! And he has a
right TO an answer"
"YeS l s'pose he has,
Adeline thought it over all day
There was no more work for her
She sat at the window. with the
time e-yellowed letter In her lap, star.
ing out at the Autumn leaves as
they iloated down through the misty
air outside, thinking-thinking!
Aurora glanced ut her sometimes,
but she did not speak. She herself
hard-favored masculine woman, had
never had lover; she could not help
feeling secret reverence~ssr the sis
ter who had alta ned this crown Of
womanhood.
At sunset Adeline rearranged her
hair, bathed her face and tied on her
little crare bonnet with the stitr,
white frill in front
What are you going TO do:"
Aurora asked.
"l'm going to him." said Adeline.
"Fm 20 ny TO show him this letter
and tell him all-how IL happened
But as she trugged along the leaf
Autumn lanes Dr. Hunts
carriage VIII rled by He was sitting
in il, and he was not alone. As Ade-
line stopped and looked after il, the
Doctor checked his horse. A pretty,
red checked girl got out. And then
the Doctor dove on. st II Adeline
stood there, looking at the dust that
followed the wheels
"Oh, Adeline," said Eustac Bent,
I'VE were just going TO your house!
l wanted to see IL l could get you
aud Aurora to do some sewing for
me. Dr. Hunt was taking me there
when l met YOU He has asked me
TO be his wife. | am TO be married
TO him in January"
Eustacia Bents fair, dimpled face
was all aglow; her blue, longlashed
eyes Shone like stars; the roses OF last
Juuc WcIc. uOb pluhcI tudu ucT
cheeks She was o-and-twenty.
Field was 40. The elder
woman, with n pang, recognized the
contrast, and in that moment all the
hope died out of her
heart forever.
mo" said she, 1--WE can't take in
any sewing. We're getting ready for
boarderS We are busy l guess
you'll have TO get some one else,
Eustacia. But--but l wish you Joy,
all the same. hope you'll be very
happy-you and DR.. Hunt"
She turned and crept home aga n.
The sun had dipped below the hori.
son now; the air was chilly and grey
and frosty-tlt omen OF her coming
years OF solitude. AS she walked
spir Jlessly along, she felt as II her
heart were lump OF lead within
her.
"Well?" Aurora breathlessly asked.
as she re-entered the d small old