The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-08-05
AFTER YEARS.

| Virginia Duncan in Mothers Magazine.
ri: AFTER YEARS. 49,.
"It-seems-to-me. Estelle," sal
Ferdinand Essex after moment or tw
Of grave observation, "that your
about old enough to leave of playinI
with dolls"
playing with dolls, indeedl" echoe,
Estelle. drawing herself up. with infl
mite soorn expressed in the graceful
curves Of her lissome shape. II playing
with dollsp'
swell, what are you doing, them"
! "Why, I am dressing IL Of them 10,
the church fairi' and Estelle held ny
one completed fairy, gorgeous in pink
Grape and spangles, with floating sash
and ends Of gauze ribbon.
1.-THE church fairi" said Major Essex,
curling his lip. "Of all absurd nom
sense, devised to stir up quarrels among
the womankind and rob the men BY
Wholesale, that is the most ridiculous p
but you are going, Major Essex?"
"Goingl No, I should rather think
not"
"Why2'
Haven't just told you? Because /
disapprove Of the whole thing"
Major Essex" said Este1le, her
voice guivering with indignation and
two vivid scarlet spots starting out upon
her cheeks, II do believe it ID just as
Aunt Marion saysr'
"And what does Aunt Marion say?''
demanded Essex, rather amused. .
"She says that you are getting to be
. selfish, narrow minded old bachelorl'
II can't be SO very old. am not 80
until the New Year" pleaded Essex.
II call that very old indeed" said
Estelle haughtily. "And she says you
are settling down into set groove Of
thought and feeling, and unless
"stop, STOP" said the major, whim.
sically arching his eyebrows. Don't
give too heavy doses Of bitter medicine,
Estelle. I've heard quite enough for
the present"
II don't suppose Aunt Marion meant
that it should be repeated to you," said
Estelle, sewing vigorously away at q
dolls skirt and pricking her taper fin
gers mercilessly, "but l believe it's ev.
cry word Of it true.'
"You believe it?''
Eyes, l do" nodded Estelle emphat.
ically.
"That's hard on me, said Major Es-
sex, with an attempt at pathos which
was contradicted by the sparkle of his
mischievous brown eyes. "Do you sup
pose I could retrieve my character if I |
were to go to the church fair and buy
the biggest doll you have been dress
ing?"
Estelle was silent, but the compressed
lips and crimsoning cheeks betokened
her inward indignation.
Come" persisted Major Essex, half
lifting himself from the sofa to get a
better view Of the young face in the
corner. "You know I'm going away
next week, and ! shall want some kind
II a souvenir to remind me Of you
when I'm away on the other side of the
1abitable globe. Shall we say Is for
hat doll?"
II couldn't sell it to you for $780,"
broke out Estelle, with flashing eyes
md coloring temples. cts just as
Aunt Marion says-you are disagree
BILE. cross, tormenting old bachelor!"
"Why Stella, thought we used to
70 such good friendsr'
$50 we used" said Estelle, "but not
ince you have begun to tease and tor.
nent me"
The major watched her with languid,
alf closed eyes.
"Estelle, I believe you are crying"
II am not crying!" flashed Estelle,
nd to hide the bright, gathering drops
le caught up all the pile Of dolls,
'tin, tarlatan and glittering ribbon
ito her frock and darted out of the
,om like an arrow.
1.-THE little FREELY" laughed Major
ssex. "But I'll make it up with her
st Stella and I mustn't part unrecon-
led. As for Aunt Marion, who has
lch very derogatory opinion Of me, ,
g hardly worth my while to attempt {
undeceive her."
And Major Essex dragged the chintz
shions into heap directly under G
ath his head and composed himself !
comfortable nap before dinner. s
When the next week came he packed Z
8 valise as nonchalantly as if he were
ing to Baltimore or Philadelphia and
srted for Calcutta, and when he re-
rned the south had passed through Il
. terrible pangs Of war. He went to t,
old Dayton place. The velvet lawn t,
IS plowed up and planted in rice. The Il
'nge grove, where the mocking birds h
ID to sing their merry roundelays,
, leveled to the ground, and only "
nous stone chimney, half overgrown o.
th a rank poison vine, remained Of al
J hospitable old mansion. CO
For moment Essex gave way to 81
;ural emotions. He sat down on the IL
ned doorstep and wept. m
And then he went back to Baltimore,
ere his home was to DO for the future, in
efforts to discover any trace of the tv
yton family having proved futile and or
a.
By Jove, I wish had staid in Cal
ta," he said to himself "Home is bu
home with all these changes around til
tn
lrs. Colonel Changhley had returned ex
n India in the same vessel with him fe1
plump, handsome widow, who had
her hmented colonel in a sepoy sol
my among the jungles and was Oh inf
qui vive for successor to him 70