The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-06-19
A RETURNED LOVER.

The naughty village boys called them
"the two old maids Of Lee, a most inap-
propriate title, for who could be moro
sweet tempered or confronted than the lit
tie sistersp They lived in tho tiny cot
tage, not for from the parsonage that you
have SO often admired. They had lived
there ever since their fathers death, and
q pretty little nest 1t was, with its rose
covered porch, low matched roof and
bright, shining windows. Their little gar
den was always neat. ! am sure no cater
pillars, or other grubs, were to be found
in their cottage and strawberry beds Tho
bright eyes of Miss Sophia would have
spotted them Mt once and tho swift fingers
of Miss Josephine have plucked them
away.
Any morning in the year, save perhaps
on Sundays, you might have seen tho lit
tic ladies hard at work among their plants;
any afternoon have met them walking
quickly up the village street and received
q bright smile from two happy faces as
you passed. They dressed alike in soft
material Of sober color that Miss Joseph
inc, the younger, sometimes frightened
by smart bow or lace ruflie. Their bon
nets closely fitted the small, shapely heads
with tho bands Of smoothly brushed hair,
from which an unruly lock would some
times escape and hang over Miss Joseph
ines cheek, to be Mt once reproped by the
elder, and brushed back, with blush, by
the younger sister.
Miss Sophia was five years older than
Miss Josephine, Of whom she always spoko
as "the child" To the younger the elder
was always "sister," never Sophia
that would have been too familiar. To
her she was obstient in all things, though
sho had passed sirlheod, and even young
womanhoad, long long ago. Truly, she
was an example to tho forward young gen.
crati3n that now spends its days in direct
ing parents, and even grandparents, and
in kicking its heels against our best parlor
sofas
To Miss Josephine belonged tho hum
bier duties of the home llfe-the feeding
of the chickens, tht busting of tho house
hold gods, shrined in the dim, curtained
parlor; the washing Of the dainty sggshell
porcelain in which the little htiss served
their tea. With such tasks Molly, the
maid of all work, was too clumsy 10 DO
trusted, but the delicate fingers Of little
Miss Josephine never soiled or damaged
anything
Often, when listening to her sweet gen.
tie voice AMI watching the tonder pink
color mantling in the fair, old maidish
face, I wondered why no man had ever
claimed Miss Josephine for his own. With
Miss Sophia it was different, Her sharp,
angular figure and her stern, sallOw fare
had but few attractions. Had the forbid
ding aspect Of the cider driven suffers
away from the younger sister, wondered.
Once 10 q moment of unwonted courage,
after bad duly admired the wonderful
Chinese figures in the drawing room and
inc beautiful porcelain, ventura 10 ask
Miss Sophia whether Miss Josephine and
She had never thought of marriage. This
| drew from her tho story of their uneyent-
| full life.
She told me Of notherless childhood
| through which the older had cherished the
| younger with more than sisters love, OF
| father wAoso life as n merchant in China
separated MIN from tho two little girls.
| OF two cousins, ncphcws Of that father,
two young men who, before journeying to
| tho far east TO help IN their unole's ilrm,
| had won the hearts Of tho two girls,
| "And Martin, my lover" concluded Miss
| Sophia, "died of fever three years later,
| but Willie, who was to have married the
| child, wrote to us fol- many years Thon
his letters grew gradually fewer and in
the end-after many y0lrs--wc received
| L. Jl,,+
| know. She cannot forget Willie" Tho
| father died shortly before the little Ladies'
settled in the village; he had left hi&
| daughters well provided for
Tho story interested mo wondered
whether the tagging lover would return
before little Miss Josephine was an old
lady. hoped so, and ny wish was grant.
| ed EARLY one summer morning, as Miss
Josephine was gathering roses in the it'll,
garden, the postman entered by the wick
ct gate and put letter into her hands.
At the sight Of tho handwriting Miss 10
sephine trembled, her face grew pink,
then white rs snow. Lowing tho basket
of Gowy roses in tho middle of the path,
she hastily passed into the cottage and in
to the darkened parlor. How long she sd
there befJre she ventured to open tho let
ter the little lady never knew. A thou
sand memories, hopes uod fears, passed
through her mind ERE She broke the sfH
and knew htr fate. When Miss Sophia
returning tTUm soilG village expedition
entered the room il search of her sister
she found little Mss Josephine sitting b
the darkentd window, the letter lying ir
her idle band. why, JosCphine-you
hcrel have been hooking for yon every
whore" Then Miss Sophia paused Ever
in tho dim light she noticed the pink
agtated fac, and the dcwy eyes. What
Is itP" che ASKED. HAS anything hap
pencdT "Sister, something is going t.
haprenp' Then the little creature sprant
to her feet, and threw herself, letter ant
all, into tho elder woman arms Sister
do look oldf Am much changedS VII
he know me2 For hos coming home
Willie's coming back 10 me!''
Miss Sophia gasped.
She told nc aiterward that sho felt q
though the day of Judgment were come
But she remained outwardly calm ant
merely said, "Show me the letter "
Then those two dear old maids seatet
themselves side by side on the sofa, ant
together road tho words that Miss Joseph
Inc already knew by heart. He wrotL
that no had returned to England; that HI