Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1900-10-31

nave Deen 80 yooo 10 nim Whee he came
aome' nave him stay in her smart London
mouse. and visions Of her handsome lam
Ger brother adOrning her little receptions.
aau noated more than once through her
Drain; but now there was an end to all
tnis' ana really she was very, very sor-
~. How abOminally trying mourning
was to her. she told herself frankly.
rio was quite demonstrative; he order
himself q suit OF black, ''for the broth
tr he told his tailor. He put the fol-
owing notice in the paper: Killed, near
tne UmbOlosi river, South Africa, Ed
ward brabazon. Lieutenant, Princes
Lancers. aged twenty-four, deeply regret
TED and he talked a good deal to the
ieiows in the club about My poor broth
er. TIL anyone would have imagined that
they had been the most devoted Of rela-
tons; In fact, q modern Castor and Pol
AK.
One morning. about three weeks after
the arrival Of the telegram, Mrs. Braba-
zon, in distributing the contents Of the
post bag. drew out an envelope covered
with foreign stamDs. 4 travel-stained en-
velope, and handed II to Esme hesitat-
ingiy. Those who were present will new
er forget her Aalf-sobbing, breathless cry
OF Dound1ees relief. Of too painful happi-
ness a. she matched It, exclaiming:
"A letter from Teddy! Yes," she gasp
ed. in his own handwriting! Oh, Gus
sie! Mrs. Brabazon! Flor looking round
the table with eyes that were now drown
ed In tears. 81 always knew it was u
mistake-he was not dead-see." tearing
1t open with trembling fingers. Here is
proof!' and she began to devour the lines
hn hoP -nl =
through her tears, which were falling
over the paper now like rain.
Poor Esme! She did not understand
that the hand that traced the lines be-
fore her was stiff and cold, and now that
telegram could come in Eve hours. aud
this is what she was reading win paIpi1
tating heart and swimming eyes: :
Dear Esme-Ive not had a line from
you for ages and ages. This sort of thing
won't do. you know. I've heard the whole
account Of your trouble from Miles him
self. The Marchers are in our column.
met him first quite accidentally one
night on picket, when l was carrying dis
patches to their camp. He did not know
who really was from Adam, but had
il out with him next morning. and you
never saw a fellow SO taken aback or
so cut up in your life. He never speaks
Of the business now, nor you. l believe
he imagines you will never forgive him,
and he is awfully down in the mouth;
but you must, Esme, for I've gone Sc
curity for you. 1t was all my fault from
first to last, as you and know. Ii had
imagined he would have cut up so.fright
fully rough that day at Portsmouth,
would have let him into the secret the
moment he landed In the country. How
ever, the money is gone, and there's no
help for spilled milk; but you stick to
him, for he's a rattling good fellow; the
more see him the more l like him. Ill
dance at your wedding yet. l mean TO
bring you home a Zulu lady's full cos
tune as wedding present. Love to Gus;
I'm glad she's going to marry VashOn;
he Is a good little chap. and beauty is
only skin deep"
Who was to open her eyes7 Who was
to point to the date? Not Gussie. not
Flo. They hurried from the breakfast
table, ON various shallow pretexts. and
left her alone with this letter from the
dead.
She took It down to Miss Jane, and
she it was who, with faltering voice and
many tears-and it is a sad and an un-
usual thing to see an old woman weep,
they have mostly outlived all emotions
made her niece to understand and realize
the truth, made her renounce this des-
perate clinging to straw, made her
uuench hope and embrace despair.
Ito be continued,