The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1897-06-23
HIS MOTHERS MAID.


''No, l shall never marry. And
don't laugh so incredulously, Lottie,
dear. One needn't he confirmed
old maid in years, nor ugly, nor de-
crepit, to have q buried romance
whose ghost would rise to forbid VOWS
of loyalty at any other shrine"
And, heaving n deep sigh, Nettie
Glare sadly shook her pretty head,
while the dark blue eyes grew darker
with the intensity of the feeling which
had prompted her words.
1t was small wonder that her friend
should have greeted them with a
merry laugh of incredulity, for Nettie
was passing fair 80 look upon, with
complexion pure and colorless rs mar
BILE, eyes of Irish blue and hair black
as the ravens wing
No wrinkles marred the low brow To
mark the 20 short years which had
passed over her Young head. No lines
had impressed themselves about the
sweet, sympathetic mouth to betray
this secret SORROW.
As yet the CHASTITY skeleton had left
no outward trace upon either face or
form. Nevertheless, Lottie Armstrong
knew and loved her too well not to-
know these words Just uttered were no
Jest, but very sorry earnest.
''What are Won talking about Net
tie?" she exclaimed ''Do You mean
to tell me that YOU are victim to un-
requited lOve-ySu, whose life has been
one long exponent of CAESARS motto?
Nonsense! If, through those mis-
chief-making eyes of yours, You can
by glance of indifference FORK such
havoc, what would it be if they soft
ened with real feeling? Unless, per-
chance, the man is blind, mud COM
passion for his infirmity has won your
heart, but how, then, about the low,
musical voice whose praises l have
heard sung bya dozen impnssioned
swains?"
Don't Jest, Lottie. The man is
neither blind nor deaf to others; both
to me, for he has never seen nor
spoken to me since / was five wears
oldr'
"Never seen nor spoken to you!"
echoed her friend, in incredulous
amazement '''And you have loved
him since yom babyhood! Nettie,
! have You gone mady'
''No, dear, am very sane Listen
and ] will tell you all about it. Our
| friendship is too close and warm to
withhold from it my confidence, and
inasmuch IA IT is all shall have
through the long, empty years of the
future, it is due us both that YOU
| should understand all this secret TO
nance of my life.
| ''For it is q romance, Lottie, al
though very sad and very real to me.
You have heard me speak of my Aunt
Margaret, who married my mothers
brother. When she married him she
was widow, with one son. Cousin
Harry was taught to call him, though,
as you see, he was in reality n0 rela-
tiOn.
"The summer that was five years
old l was spending month with my
aunt, and Cousin Harry was home on
his vacation from college. He WAS
then Is aud made of me at once q pet
and plaything.
"'Soon after that II seems some slight
family difficulty arose, and l never
went there again. But always Cousin
Harry wrote to me. When he left
college he joined the army and went
ont to India. There he distinguished
himself and was promoted. Two or
three times he has sent me photographs,
taken at different places.
"Well, in one letter he discussed
this nonsensical quarrel and determined
he at least would not be a party to it.
But, two years ago, my Uncle Regi-
nald died Uncle had always led
Harry to suppose that he was to be
heir. Instead all the wretched money
was left to me.
--This was bad, but uncle made it
worse by insinuating that the money
might yet be Harry's if he could only
win me for his wife. All was arranged
just then that was to pay his mother
a visit. and he was coming home from
India on leave to see the little cousin
who had been HIS boyhood's pet.
'Instesd, he wrote his mother let
ter she sent to me, without one soft.
ening word, but with the bitter re-
proach that had schemed to gain my
uncle's wealth and rob her boy of his
own; but Harry's letter was no less
bitter, though more just
" Il am glad Nettie has the money,
he said, for ] am man and can make
my own way in the world; but Ger,
tainly l will build it mp on no woman's
wealth. My little cousin was very
dear to me as Il sister, not as wife
but ] swear that will never see OF
speak to her again until she or / ar,
married. ] never will put myself in
the position Of even the possibility o.