The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1899-05-26

throw away my life without thoughA
For the next few years was In the thick
of all the lighting, never allowing myself
time to think of the past or the future.
When the war YVES over, i had to stir
round and pick NJ competence for my
old age, and t. t hept me busy too. But
now have leisure-many lonely moments.
Sometimes wish could run across her
again"
II wish you could, colonel, for it's my
belief she loves you STILL" rejoined Ruth
30 ardently that Gordon felt the color
mounting up to his brow with the foolish
tinge OF hope her words moved in him.
Then she went on, pulling at the wild
sweetbrier In an abstracted way. "Some.
thing like that happened to aunty. She
told me In confidence, but / didn't think
she would mind your knowing. Her
guardian went up to her and told her a
cruel story-how the young man she loved
had come, confessing that he feared he
had won her affection without meaning it,
that she had betrayed herself to him in an
unguarded moment and that as he wished
to do the honorable thing he would offer
her his hand, although he did not care for
her. Poor aunty In an agony of shame
and modification she did the only thing
any woman could do in such case-sent
him away-and for years she lived the
most miserable of lives, full of self re-
proach and scorn for herslef, yet feeling
instinctively all the while that his heart
had been hers"
"Well?' said the colonel in his turn,
coming to dead halt.
well, before her uncle died, he owned
up to the whole fraud. He had kept back
his letters-he gave them to her then, yell
low and almost unreadable-and he had
deceived both of them because he could
not consent to her marrying Yankee
who was poor and nobody in particular
But 1t was too late. Aunty could not ex-
plain; she could not throw herself at any
mans feet, for she was too proud. And
she had lost sight of her soldier after the
war, and yet-and yet-Colonel Gordon,
after all these years, she loves him. as she
has always loved him, from the depths of
her soul.
They were standing still now, and she
looked up at him. The young eyes met the
old eyes, and both were misty with tears.
II want you to promise me that if you
ever meet Aunt Eleanor
"Eleanox9"
Eyes, my Aunt Eleanor Robinson,
mothers sister-that you will ask her
what she has in the gold ball fastened to
her lorgnette chain. Will you, colonelS"
Ruth spoke with her gayest smile, and
as the colonel nodded half unconsciously,
like man in a stupor, they advanced
along the path, which suddenly emerged
from the woods and widened into broad
field. They were at the top of the hill, and
the fair Massachusetts valley lay outspread
at their feet, hemmed in by higher hills
beyond on the horizon, purple with shad-
ows and sparkling with the silver of the
river that ran through rich meadows to the
distant sea.
Two people were already enjoying the
view. One of them was young man, who,
catching sight of the newcomers, stepped
forward with a cry of greeting.
why, it's Jackp' murmured Ruth in
the prettiest tone of surprise. "Auntyl
Colonel Gordon, let me present you to my
aunt, Miss Robinson. Perhaps-for this
world is but little place-you may have
met before"
The elders shook hands gravely There
are some welcome conventionalities which
help us hide the emotions we should other
wise be compelled to show, and these two,
past middle age, were just then quivering
with depth of feeling that the happy boy
and girl beside them could only family
suspect. Oh, the idle talk, the laughter,
the empty nothings, that were banded to
and fro before Jack turned to rosy Ruth
and suggested jovially:
Come on, old girl I'll race you down.
The colonel will look after Miss Eleanor"
xviii you, colonelP" Ruth laid her little
hand on his arm and peeped up at him
from under her flower decked hat with the
tenderest understanding.
"To the end of time!' he returned, doff- !
ing his hat to the ladies. BE off with
you, baggages! I'll start you-one, two,
three and awayr
The sound of the flying feet and merry
voices had not died away when the colonel
and Miss Eleanor had seated themselves
side by side on fallen trunk under the
great oak tree The skies were blue and
clear, and the exquisite springtime was
round them and about them. Far down |
below a procession Of soldiers was march