Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1897-04-17

wal in a bold. manly hand; ITO Hes
ter; June 2S. 49," / was aghast az
such An act OF I~mpertinence. n
glanced at auntie to see II she would
resent It; but she had probably not
noticed II, for she made no sign.
The congregation began TO dispense,
and we went out. but we were scarce
ly in the street when the major spoke
to auntie.
Madam. l am going to ask you a
very singular question, but let me as
sure o that I have a deep personal
interest In asking 1t. VIII you tell me
how you came by that red prayer
book you user"
l shall never forget auntie's quick
ly-giyen answer. but | could tell by the
faint flush on her usually pale face
how deeply she was moved.
"You gave 1t to me. yourself, Ma
Jor Blake. years ago"
Surprise. delight and incredulity
struggled for the mastery in the ma
jor's face. He took OFF his hat and
stood bare-headed, and that one little
gesture told more plainly than the
most passionate protestations could
have done. that the old love had been
kept a treasured and sacred thing. /
think, from the smile on her mouth. as
she looked at him. that the came
thought came to auntie.
And you are Hettyi Yes. ! know
you now" he said.
you had forgotten the eight years.
Major Blake. ! knew you from the
first"
"And would you really have let me
go without a word?"
why not? How could I know you
would wish to be reminded Of old
times?"
Reminded! l have never forgotten.
| tried my hardest to forget and
couldn't. Although you preferred n
other
Another! What other?"
Didn't you marry young Sandys?"
II have never seen him since"
At this stage Of the conversation 1t
struck me that / was de trop. Major
Blake, side by side with auntie, was
walking slowly homeward, and on
reaching a convenient street corner, /
went off for a stroll in an opposite d.
rection. When | reached home l found
auntie and the Major sitting in the
courtyard under the trees. The Major
lifted his hat at my approach and said:
Miss Danvers. your aunt and / are
very old friends; indeed, many years
& we were engaged to be married,
but an unfortunate misunderstanding
separated us. We have lost many hap
by years, but l hope some still remain
to US. / trust we shall have your good
wishes"
l looked from one to the other.
you dear. darling auntie. then you
really are going to be married after
all? OF course l wish you Joy, and
Major Blake too. from the very bot
tom of my hearth
l don't know how the secret oozed
out, but before another day had passed
every one in the house knew that the
handsome English major had met an
old love In the person Of the gentle
little lady with the sweet smile and
the soft gray hair, and that after a
separation of eight years they we're en-
gagged to be married, and they we're ac-
cordingly promoted to all the privi-
leges Of engaged lovers.
l must pass owe the homeward jour
ney and the establishment of our
friends at Fairfield when auntie re-
turned engaged to be married. Some
few of them had known Major Blake,
but to most of them he was a stran-
ger. Many were the questions and ex-
plantations before everything was ac-
counted for to e~verybody's satisfac-
ton; but 1t vas done at last. And
then came the preparation of the trous-
seau; and at last the happy pair have
been made one, and auntie is off to the
Isle of Wight to spend her honeymoon.
Before going she called me to her
and said:
Ruth, dear, / am going to give you
this little red prayer book as a part
ing remembrance. You know how /
have treasured it, and you won't value
it the less. l am sure. for having been
dear to me. And If, when Mr.. Right
comes. Ruth, you are tempted to be
willful or hayward. or to pain a heart
that loves you truly. think of your
Aunt Hetty. and the faded leaf, for not
every mistake in life ends as mine did
Easter Day"