The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1896-11-06


but before l was an old woman, that |
knew he had been true to me-always,
said my Aunt Priscilla, at last. THAT
was long ago, too. No doubt he mar
! ried. | trust the woman he chose was
good and true, and poud to be the wife
of such man. | trust she
made him very happy added my
Aunt Priscilla, very softly-''make
him happy-if they are both alive. "
| Her hand rested still on my head.
Looking up at her, could hardly re-
strain my tears at the sight of her
sweet face and the patient droop of her
mouth. | understand it now.
Hers was one of those rare natures
! that pain sweetens. As | thought of
her CHEEKY, kindly life, felt that my
tears would choke me.
Dear Aunt Priscilla" l murmured
and then after a moment-s'it is
strange you should have told me this >
| said. ''The other day, before-be-
fore Dick and before Dick went
away had to hurry over his name
she was telling me about his old
godfather, who had just died. Dick
was in great trouble that evening. He
| 90 toad Of fha Iaor old man Rnf
| was going to tell you that this god
father had told him the story of girl
he once loved-when he was young
man, you know. He never married.
and he never forgot this girl-old lady
she must be now, of course. Dick had
to stop telling me how he spoke of her
to him on his death-bed, because his
voice got so choky. He gave Dick a
little miniature-a picture of her as
| girl She must have been lovely. Dick
| give it to me. He wanted me to keep
it-stay! l have it here of course. |
thought | had sent it back with-with
the other things-and letters" | add
ed, hurriedly, "but l had put it in
box | don't often open" By this time
| had taken the key of my jewe[box
out of my drawer, and was fitting it
into the lock ''Here it ISL | said,
crossing the room with the miniature
in my hand.
1t was little oval picture, delicate
ly tinted, and set with brilliants.
The face was that of a very young
| girl-seventeen or eighteen, perhaps.
| Brown curls clustered round her
temples in the fashion of the day. 1t
was an arch, laughing face, with a
touch of dignity about it, too. \ tiut-
tering blue ribbon showed rmong the
the waves of her curly hair, and she
wore short-waisted white gown, which
revealed her rounded shoulders. |
glanced at moment before putting it
in r>y Aunt Priscilla's hands.
She took out the gold-rimmed spec
tacles that hung in a dainty case Of
wrought silver at her side, wiped them
carefully, and put them on.
She had put the miniature down on
the table, where it lay halfburied in
yellow Iose leaves, from which she
raised it, brushing the scented petals
aside
All at once | was startled by sud
den movement.
My Aunt Priscilla had risen and
stood erect, one hand on the back of the
chair, the other holding the miniature.
As her eyes met mine, stood speech
less. Time had slid back sixty years
in flash, and for one moment | gazed
at MY Aunt Priscilla's eirlhood's face,
and saw that it was the same rs that
in the picture she held in her shrunken
hand
Only for one moment; then the old
face knew and loved, with its net
work of wrinkles, its sunken, but still
lovely eyes, was there again; but in that
second l had seen the girl her lover
saw, the dav he kissed her first
"Aunt Priscilla!'' | whispered-and
paused. My aunt was looking at the
miniature intently. When she raised
her head, | thought her more beauti-
ful. faded, whitc-haired and wrinkled
as she was, than the picture she held.
There was little tender smile on
her lips, and a happiness in her eyes
that made them shine like stars.
After all these years. she said, al
most to herself "My love!" she ex-
claimed, turning to me, ''those are
sweet words-and true: Sorrow endur-
eth for Il season-but joy cometh in the
morning. This is my morning."
aunt, there is something else"
said | went to the box again, and
brought her a ring-a little, old-fash-
ioned, slender ring of gold, with true
! lovers knot of turquoises set upon it.
My Aunt Priscilla took it and smiled
again-tearfully this time.
| "He gave it to me-and | sent it
back" she said.
She stood looking at it for Il mo-
ment, then, very slowly, put it on the
third finger of her left hand.
Then she sat down again, still look
ing at it.
$50 he is dead, you say?' she asked,