Middletown transcript., 1905-07-08

| she SnuQQefeQ Wnen Sne tnOugnt ol
spending the rest of her life without
Toms love.
by invitation to the cottage to supper.
Miss Martha sent them into the garden
tc smoke, while she, with Eva's assist,
lance, was busy laying the table with the
best damask and china Presently she
went into the parlor to get from the old
cabinet which stood between the windows
some silver spoons which had belonged
10 her grandmother. The shutters were
closed, but the windows were open, and
the low murmur of voices came to her
ears. She knew the brothers were just
outside on the rustic bench, and she was
about to close the cabinet and speak to
them when she heard Toms voice utter
ing words which seemed to fall on her
heart like drops of molten lead
ut is great mistake for a man to
engage himself to woman older than
himself. He is sure to repent it soon or
late. l was fool, and now that love
Eva with all my heart, as | have con-
fessed to you, wish the other was in
| Guinea. And what am l to do? My
i honor DlIlUS ii6 W IIcI-COlllOuuu IL ali =.
Miss Martha did not wait to hear Ar
nold's answer. She walked slowly and
falteringly from the room, and went up
stairs to the spare chamber, where she
locked herself in.
The young men wondered why supper
was SO late but just as their patience was
entirely exhausted, Eva came to call them,
and they went in to find Miss Martha
already seated at the head of the table.
She made no excuse for the delay, and
the supper was so excellent that the young
men forgot all about their vexation.
The evening passed very quietly, Miss
Martha evidently making an effort to be
entertaining; and seeing this, they left
early, Arnold, as Miss Martha noticed,
having hardly spoken to Eva since supper.
| She thought. this was out OF respect for
Toms feelings.
The next day Tom was surprised in his
office by the appearance of old Hannah,
| who quietly laid letter on his desk, and
went out again.
His face grew very white as he read
what Miss. Martha had written. Without
| explanation or excuse, she requested that
their engagement might be at an end, and
said that it would be better that they
| should not meet for while at least, she
was going to an aunt's in another town
to stay several months. Eva would re-
main at the cottage with old Hannah.
For sometime Tom sat gazing at the
letter as if turned to stone. Then he
touched lighted match to it,and watched
it burn away to ashes.
THAT is over" he said aloud. Il
have been expecting it. | have seen it
in her face, and yet | had not the courage
to ask her about it."
\ : < =
1t was sultry July day; the railroad
journey dusty and fatiguing, and Miss
Martha was very glad to step out of the
cars at Rosevile. She walked slowly up
the dusty road leading to her cottage. 1t
was nearly three months since she had
left home, and during that time she had
neither written nor received a single
letter. She had not given Eva her adj
dress, and no one knew where she had
gone. She had wished to cut herself
loose from the past, hoping to forget it,
but she had not forgotten, and her heart
had not lost its dull pain. Recollections
of Tom stung her as she saw the familiar
streets and stores. Perhaps he and Eva
were married.
lyon don't mean to say that's you,
Miss Martha" cried familiar voice, and
Miss Martha paused beneath the shade
Of spreading elm as Mrs. Marsh came
hurrying towards her. -'Well, you've
COME too late Love laughs at lock-
smiths, you know. Its all over-Eva's
gone off with him, and they're married
by this time, | haven't doubt
Miss Martha staggered back, and put
her hand over her eyes. The shock it
was to her to hear of Toms marriage
showed her, to her modification, that all
hope had not been crushed from her
heart, as she had thought.
''I-l-expected it" she stammered
"Well, it's more than anyone else did.
He went off soon after you left, and no
one thought 10 see him again. But back
lie came yesterday, and eloped With Eva
late last evening. o, it was wicked it |
was scandalous; and the whole story is
all over town. | wonder now if you
know about Miss Somerby ?''
NO." said Miss Martha, white to the |
lips.
We'll, il seems he was engaged to this |
Miss Somerby, rich old maid. She is
mad enough at being Tilted. Somebody |
telegraphed to her father, and lie was |
here this morning to learn the facts of |
the case.
What Tom engaged ~ cried Miss
Martha, i'll amaZement.
Who said anything about Tom? You
must be wandering in your smind 1t il |
Arnold Edgecourt Pm talking about"
Without another word-without the |
slightest excuse-Nliss Martha broke |
away from the OBTAINING hand Of tie |
friendly gossip, and almost ran do, n the
street. When nearly at her own gate,
she rushed blindiy against somebody, |
and looking up with hurried excuse,
saw-Tom.
Martha J! he gasped, forgetting for the
moment III his excitement the gulf be-
tween them. ''You have heard it all !! |
can see it i'll your face. Come right in
you look really i'll. l did not know you
cared So much for Eva. But the scandal
will all die ont, and | know Arnold will
be good to her. He sent me a telegram
saying they were married in Briefly early
this morning. He was to marry Miss
Sumerly next month but he never love d
her-he was tempted by her enormous
wealth"
By this time they had reached the cot
tage and gone into the little, darkened
parlor, where the shutters had been care
fully closed by old Hannah to keep out
dust and flies
''Tom," said Miss Martha, laying her
hand on his sleeve, ''can you ever forgive
me? | see everything very plainly now.
1t WAS not you l heard say man was a
fool TO engage himself to a woman older
than himself. Your voice and Arnold's
are SO much alike, and | did not know
of his engagement :" and then she told
all she had heard when she had gone to
the old cabinet for the spoons the even
ing Of the supper.
Martha, my dearest" said Tom, in
his manly way, 81 never loved any
woman but you. l did not know YOU
were older than |, for you never spoke of
your age, and it would have made no
difference to me anyhow. thought of
Eva only as child, and knowing Of
Arnold's engagement, of which he had
forbidden me to speak, it distressed me
to see hi. attentions to her, for | saw she
was learning to love him. That evening
in the garden | gave him long lecture,