The Monitor-register., 1897-02-05
WHEN LOVE WAS YOUNG AND
GREW NOT OLD.

She had not the least shame about tell.
ing her age. On the contrary, she was
rather proud to do SO. 1t was something
to be proud Of. Not that she was "a, but
at 81 she looked not day over 48, and
blooming 4S at that.
True, her hair was silver, but what
waving wealth of silver! And 1t was not
sent to soften wrinkles either. She wore
as many of those ornaments as it is legiti-
mate to wear at 48. and no more. Oh,
she was certainly a wonderful woman for
her age, was Mrs. Joseph Allestree!
Quaint, indeed, she appeared, particu
larly 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. It stood endwise to the lazy little
river that flowed at the foot of the
abru pity sloping lawn. On the other
side, at the end of long, shady avenue,
was gate with an old fashioned wooden
arch over it, concealed by vines.
1t was toward this gate that Mrs. Allies
tree looked, leaning forward eagerly, like
girl, one hand shielding her eyes from
the level sunbeams. She wore white
think of her daring to wear white! She
was Watching for Joseph. He had gone
down to Stoneton.-only mile distant
for the post at O'Clock. That was two
hours ago. Joseph did love dearly to
gossip with the old farmers and shop
keepers, but he really ought to remember
dinner time.
But Joseph had not forgotten his din
ner. At this very minute the gate opened
and his little gig rolled in, followed by
three enthusiastic dogs-s St. Bernard
and two red settlers.
Mr.. Allestree, after embracing his wife
as IL he had just returned from years
journey, went in with her to dinner, and
Mr.. Allestree was-but will not describe
him; simply he was everything 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 single day..
s'Dearest," said Mr.. Allestree as they
sat down, Il owe you an apology for my
tardiness, but 1t couldn't be helped. /
got letter calling me away on an
important matter, and had to stop to
attend to some things in the village. I
must 60 immediately-to morrow"
"Oh. that Perley affair."" she said,
glancing over the page "But, Joseph,
can't you pay it off? Remember, the
Kenuedys are coming 10 the morning to
stay over Sunday"
II cannot, Henrietta. It's got to be
attended to at once"
"But, Joseph, you can't go without
me. You know you never did such
thing"
II am afraid must do it this time"
he replied, mournfully.
They sat in silence for some minutes.
Twice Mrs. Allestree wiped away sly
tear with her napkin. At length, bravely
assuming cheerful aspect, she asked:
'How long will you be gone 2''
II can't possibly reach London, accom-.
plish all want to and get home again in
less than ten days."
'Joseph, 1t will kill us both.''
"Ah, no, my DEAR" he laughed; SIT
won't quite do that. At least, l hope
not. 1t will be very, very hard. But
think, my love, we were apart for five
long years once on q time"
"Ah, Joseph" with sob in her voice,
''thaL was before We had ever lived to-
gether. We only knew each other by
letter, you know"
Sand mighty comfort did we take
out of those same letters. Isn't it strange
that in two and forty years we have
never bad occasion to write to one
another? Not since you were Henrietta
Shower"
sit is a singular circumstance, she
replied. "Yes, 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. Allestree
that she expected visitors. But after the
guests had departed her condition was
pitiable. Especially as no letter had
come.
Mr.. Allestree had gone away early on
Saturday. Now it was Tuesday. She
had managed to be patient over the Sab
bath, but on Monday morning, when
Jimmy came up from Stoneton empty
handed, she had refused to believe that
he had not dropped the letter or that
the postmaster had not overlooked it.
There were only two deliveries in the
twenty four hours. and at the evening the
same performance was repeated.
On Tuesday Mrs. Allestree went her.
self to Stoneton and delivered a severe
lecture to the postma aster upon the general
Indifference of government officials,
thereby greatly annoying the poor man.
Mr.. Framwell began to dread the hours
of delivery. Twice day, whatever the
weather, Mrs. Allestree presented her
handsome, anxious face at the window. |
When he handed out the post to her
and she found not the letter she longed
for, an angry face it was that peered in
at him, and stern-albeit we'll bred
voice that demanded Of him to hunt
through every box, lest perohance be had
made some error in distributing.
The 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 so many
years, should be unabridged by q wordl
She could not have the consolation of
writing to him, for he had left no address,
there being an uncertainty about the very
part of London 10 which that trouble
some Perley was living.
1t was the way Of men, and he, 1t
seems, was not better than the rest of
them. Once out of her sight he forgot
forgot all the love and daily devotion of
forty.two years.
BY Saturday morning Mrs. Allestree