Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1900-01-27

"Friend?" he echoed. Eyes, and J.
still am devoted to your interests, Miss
Lucy"
THAT is good. We know few peo-
pie here, and now l must go to meet
Ellen"
you are going to mcet-her-
now?"
| "Yes."
"Well, ask her, Miss Lucy. to step
in and get the watch herself, and
don't tell her who l am, you know.
Let me have my little surprise"
Every well, L will am sorry can
not come back with her, but l have
an engagement"
Mr.. Fem, with a sudden heartiness,
grasped the slender gloved hand ex-
tended to him. ''Good-by," he said.
"You came in like the spring sun
shine, Miss Lucy"
After the girl had gone Fem sat for
some moments lost in thought. How
many memories the girl had stirred
within him! How like she was to that
other girl-Ellen-whom he had once
known.
With a deep sigh he turned. from
force of habit, to the watch before
him. He we'll remembered that disa-
| greeable little monitor which had dis
turbed SO many pleasant hours! His
accustomed fingers pressed the large,
old-fashioned plate which protected
the works from dust, and there fell
into his hands a folded paper, yell
lowed with age, which opened as he
reverently touched it.
There, exposed to view, was the face
! of the young man who had glanced
back at him from the mirror, and with
it was a withered violet, which lightly
| futtered out. 1t was brown and dry,
but it preserved it's freshness and
fragrance in a faithful woman's heart,
well knew.
For long time Mr.. Fem sat gaz-
ing at these relics OF sunny past, his
hand over his eyes, his expression lit
tie betraying the disturbance within.
Finally he shook his head sorrowfully.
"Did Fem look like that?" ne
thought. WAS there ever a time when
I was really happy? I have changed
in appearance"-he smiled bitterly
land not for the better, but I have
also grown in charity. What a young
fool 1 was! To have such happiness
within my grasp and then to scorn it
to throw it away-because was too
proud to demand an explanation! All,
WE'LL" He reused himself and looked
nm IN bic old obcapf 7pipIaJ xyav of a
woman who stood awaiting his atten-
ton. Her eyes were riveted upon the
paper in his hands-she had not
glanced at Mr.. Fenn's face-while his
gaze never left her countenance dur
ing their entire interview.
II see," she said, in low faltering
tones, that you have already opened
the watch my sister brought" AS she
spoke the color rose in her face in the
same dear old fashion, taking away
the pressure of the years, until she
seemed a girl again in the eyes of the
man who watched her.
"Yes," he said, gently, "but do not
begrudge me my peep into paradise,
Ellen"
At the first sound of his voice she
had glanced incredulously up, her
knees trembling under her as she lis
tened-and looked.
Edward" she gasped. "Why, it
can't be Edward"
eyes," he said, reassuringy, putting
his hand over hers as it clutched at
his desk. "Why not? We We're
hound <o ,,,aa% Gonna f1ov won IS
"Yes," she murmured, 81 have al
ways felt that if you We're living
should see you again." Her eyes fell
under his and rested ON the relics on
his desk. But these things
flush deepened-"I am sorry you ever
| saw them"
'Oh, no, Ellen, not sorry, but glad
Stay, I will show you my treasures"
As he spoke he drew forth his own
timepiece and opened the back. There,
smiling up at him, was her own face
us it had looked 20 years before, fresh
in it's girlish beauty.
"All these years?" she asked. "Have
you never married, then, Edward ?"
married some one else, Ellen? You
KNOW DetttI-yOu Hiusu 1l'C hAo"A
better all the time"
eyes," she whispered, 81 knew"
Ellen" he urged, softly, lone day,
ever so many years ago, boy said
to you that he would never ask you
for love again. He does not, but a
man does-now. He asks you for i'll
that boy threw away, because he has
| wanted it all his life.'
"What do you mean?" she asked,
family.
"Nothing to brighten you, dear. l
want you to marry me still. I have
wanted you every day since we parted,
but I thought you had long ago mar
ried-there is no use going into that.
We are not children now. How do You
feel about it, Ellen? Are you willing
to pass the rest of your life with me?'
Ellen lifted her eyes to his-eyes
that appeared young, because re-
deemed from age by the radiant light
of love within them.
81 will do just as you say" she said,
simply.
Promptly the matchmaker stepped
out from behind his desk, passed her
hand through his arm and approached
the astonished proprietor.
II want vacation, sir" he said. 81
haven't asked for one in many years,
but I want one now. My assistant
can do all the work we are likely to
have at this time of the year"
II shall be glad to give it to you,
i lo.I