The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1896-05-20
LOVE rs EVER YOUNG.

She had not tho least shame about
telling her age. On the contrary, she
was rather proud to dos TWAS some
thing to be proud Of. Not that she was
81, but that at Ga she looked not q day
over 4e, and blooming AZ at that.
True, her hair was silver, but what a
waving wealth of silyerl And it was
not sent to soften wrinkles either. She
wore as many Of these ornaments as it
is legitimate to wear at 48, and mo
more Oh, she was certainly q wonder
full woman for her age, was Mrs. Joseph
Allestreel
1t did not detract from the compare
lively youthful appearance of Mrs. AL
lestree that her costumes always repre-
scented the height of the fashion.
Quaint, indeed, she appeared, partic-
ularly ON certain evening, standing in
the old square portico, with the sun
shining straight under the trees into
her face.
The house at her back was low and
long 1t stood endwise to the lazy little
river that flowed at the foot Of the
abruptly sloping lawn. On the other
side, at the end of long, shady av-
enue, was a gate with an old fashioned
wooden arch over it, concealed by vines.
1t was toward this gate that Mrs. AL
lestree looked, leaning forward eagerly,
like q girl, one hand shielding her eyes
from the level sunbeams. She wore
white-think of her daring to wear
whitei She was watching for Joseph.
He had gone down to Stoneton-only a
mile distant--for the post at o'clock.
That was two hours ago. Joseph did
love dearly to gossip with the old farm
ers and shopkeepers, but he really ought
to remember dinner time.
But Joseph had not forgotten his
dinner. At this very minute the gate
opened and his little gig rolled in, fol-
lowed by three enthusiastic dogs-a st.
Bernard and two red settlers.
Mr.. Allestree, after embracing his
wife, as If he had just returned from a
years journey, went in with her to din
ner, and Mr. Allestree was--but will
not describe him; simply he was every
thing that the husband Of Mrs. Allestree
should have been. Forty-two years had
gone by since their marriage, and in all
that time they had never been separated
u single day.
Dearest" said Mr.. Allestree as they
sat down, IT owe you an apology for my
hardness, but it couldn't be helped ]
got letter calling me away on an i'm.
90, 10 -
tend to some things in the village
must go NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
"Oh, that Perley affair, she said,
CHANGING over tho page. but, Joseph.
can't you put it off? Remember the
Kennedys are coming in the morning tc
stay over Sunday.
81 cannot, Henrietta. It's got to be
attended to ut once.
but, Joseph, you can't go without
me- You know you never did such a
thing
II am afraid / must do it this time, I"
he replied mournfully.
They sat in silence for some minutes.
Twice Mrs. Allestree wiped away sly
tear with her napkin. At length, brave
ed, "How long will you be gomez"
II can't possibly reach London, ac-
complish all want to and get home
again in less than ten days. "
"Joseph, it will kill us both"
"Ah, no, my DEAR" he laughed; sit
won't quite do that--at least / hope not.
It will be hard, very hard. But think,
1nx 90.
years once ON time.
"Ah, Joseph, with sob in her voice,
that was before we had ever lived to-
gether. We only knew each other by let
ter, you know"
'And a mighty comfort did we take
out Of those same letters. Isn't it strange
that in two and forty years we should
never have had occasion to write to one
another? Not since you were Henrietta
Shower"
ut is singular circumstance, she
replied. Eyes, we can write. Do you
know, Joseph, the thought of it already
consoles me little 1t will be such a
delightful novelty"
1t was good thing for Mrs. Allies.
tree that she expected visitors But
after the guests had departed her condi-
ton was pitiable. Especially as no let
ter had come.
Mr.. Allestree had gone away early ON
Saturday. Now it was Tuesday. She
had managed to be patient over the
Sabbath, but on Monday morning, when
Jimmy came up from Stoneton empty
he In1 ke, hnl 4lat
no had not dropped the letter or that
the postmaster had not overlooked it.
There were only two deliveries in
the "a hours, and at evening the same
performance was repeated.
On Tuesday Mrs Allestree went her.
self to Stoneton and delivered severe
lecture to the postmaster upon the gen
eral indifference Of government officials,
thereby greatly annoying the poor man.
Mr.. Framwell began to dread the
hours Of delivery. Twice day, what
ever the weather, Mrs Allestree pre-
sented her handsome anxious face at
the window.
When he handed out the post to her,
and she found not the letter she longed
lOT, All angry luco IL WIS tlut pccIcu al
at him, and stern-albeit well bred
voice that demanded of them to hunt
through every box, lest perchance he
had made some error in distributing.
Tho deserted, neglected wife must
blame somebody, and she would not
blame her husband. She did not at first
even dream Of blaming Joseph.
BY the middle Of the week her whole
mood changed. She felt hurt, deeply
hurt. There seemed to be no reason, no
excuse for such neglect, To think that
this, their first separation in 80 many
years, should be unbridged by world
She could not have the consolation OF
writing to him, for he had left no adj
dress, there being an uncertainty about
the very part of London in which that
troublesome Perley was living.
1t was the way Of men, and he, 1t