The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1906-01-31

thought Of little Bette, and confided
to him that she had never let the dear
child know how she dreaded to have
her go away.
Finally the Judge took letter from
his inside pocket. Miss Bette" he
said, and his tone was very sober, "do
you remember letter I sent you On
the day before left college?"
Did she; All, could she ever forget?
II was the one she had read only the
| night before.
"Yes," she said.
You wrote an answer to It,"
Miss Bettie's head dropped assent.
After all these years her cheeks famed
to think of that answer, and how it
had been ignored. People used to say
that VIII Blashford had way of
playing with girls hearts, but she had
never believed it. He held letter,
yellowed with age, in his hand.
u sent my letter by mail. l expect
ed the answer In the same way. You
gave it to Henry Hillard and asked
him TO give 1t to me-"
Miss Bette remembered. His letter
had said in closing. in the romantic
fashion of their age, IF ] may hope.
send me but one word, Come" She
had written that word She had sent
it by his friend. for she would not trust
it TO the uncertain mails. But he had
not replied. The next day he had gone
away and she had not seen him for
forty years.
Il did not receive it," he said quick
ly. Miss Bette looked at him wonder
lngly. for it was her letter that he was
holding in his hand 81 did not re-
ceive it," he repeated. "for just seven
years. Then Henry sent it to me with
humorous letter of explanation. He
had laid 1t away in his book and for
gotten all about it till lie came across
it by accident. He did not know what
was in it, When it came | was mar
ried and had children about my knees
1t was too late then for explanation.
put it away in my safe and it has been
there ever since"
He stopped, but Miss Bette could
not raise her eyes. He waited n mo-
ment, and then went on: II would
not have you think that this blasted
my happiness. Life is largely made
up of substitutes. l had loving.
faithful wife and a good family. They
made for me true home. l have had
all the joy of domestic life. You, l
trust, have not been unhappy"
81 have had much to be thankful
for she murmured. She would not
say more just then.
"But while this is true" he contin-
ued, cit is no disloyalty to the dead
to say that the miscarriage of this
letter has changed life entirely for both
of u.s.
She could not speak. She was think
ing of those sad, sad years of waiting
before hope died, of the girl who
thought each morning, "He will come
today" and each evening, HE will
surely come tomorrow And it had
been tomorrow, and tomorrow, and
the years had passed away. She had
had a useful, busy life; she had been
content; but still she pitied that girl
she knew so long ago.
The judge was speaking again:
"Miss Bette" he said, 1--WE have not
many more years of life, you and l.
We are on the downward slope; but
He stopped over and took her thin,
blue-velned hand in his strong one
'shall We not walk together the rest of
the wayT'
A mist was in Miss Bettie's eyes.
1t hid from her the portly judge. The
lover of her youth was beside her.
June roses were blooming again. The
question she had waited for so long
had come at last.
"Will you not speak to me, my
dear?" said the judge.
And Miss Bette gave him the an
swer that had been in her heart for
forty years.-Florida Agriculturist.