Year: 1879

nephew Richards young and pretty wife
rocked and sewed and sewed and rocked
with the golden sunbeams falling on her
nutbrown tresses, and her sweet thoughts
far away in the happy future, building air
castles Of PEARLS and diamonds.


"Spring and Autumn, the rosebud and the
withered leaf" I thought, as glanced al
her, so young and hopeful and beloved, and
then turned to my own gray reflection in the
mirror. "My youth and love lie buried in
the past; my future path is all down life's
rugged hill. We are contrast; she the
blooming bride, and the gray-headed old
bachelor, with nothing nearer to his heart
than stocks and real estate"


sighed as this thought 1uttered through
my mind, and let the book in my hand fall
listlessly upon the table, for my interest in
the tale was over, and had no wish to read.
At the sound Of the cover dropping against
the wood, Nellie lifted her eyes, and looking
at me with that sweet mixture of the child
and woman, which l never saw in any eyes
but hers, said, softly:


"Now that you have done reading, Uncle
Edward, want to ask you a question.
May I ?"


"May you, darling? What is it that
you may not do ?" l answered. As many
questions as you choose, Nellie. Go on"


"Then why did you never marry, Uncle
Edward ?" said Nellie. " You were never
meant for an old bachelor; you are not in
the least surly or crusty, and / think you
would have been so happy with children
about your knee, and good loving wifei o
walk through life beside you. If the right
person never came along, dear uncle, hope
she will yet, before you are too old"


Why was it that knew beforehand what
she would ask ? Why was it that, now l
heard her words, the hot tears blinded me
against my will, and something at my heart
seemed to choke my utterance. was too
old to give way thus, at mere memory; it
was mere folly to tremble and shed tears at
the thought of one who had so long since
forgotten me, but could not help it, nor
could l check the utterance of the words
upon my lips: "My child, she came and
went, long years ago, and will never come
again on earth"


Nellie drew near TO me, and laid her soft
hand upon my arm.


"Forgive me, dear uncle" she said, ait
was very wrong and thoughtless of me to
ask such question, but l had no thought
of paining you, and you will forgive me,
am sure"


al have nothing to forgive, Nellie"
answered. "Nay, now that the first pang
is over, l am glad that you have spoken, for
have been thinking Of the past tonight
and should like to tell you something which
have never before breathed TO mortal ear
Nellie, this is the face which / once hoped
to see beside me in my old age; these eyes
have looked into mine; this round cheeb
has rested on my shoulder; this hand ha:
lain in mine, many and many moonlight
evening, long ago, when / was young and
handsome as your Richard is to-day" AnG
as spoke placed miniature upon Nellie''
rosy palm, and turned my head away TOWARD
the shadow.


Nellie looked at it until her eyes fllet
with tears, aud she whispered softly: " Is sht
dead, Uncle Edward ?"


"Dead to me-" answered, as she has
been for thirty years but love her still
Nellie, and shall until die"


We stood silent several moments afte
this, and the old clock upon the mante
ticked loudly in the quiet room, as though
present hour and that of which had spoken
At last put my arm around Nellie, ant
said, earnestly know, for | felt it, Neve
With ieiChoiuy 4NCiiC, hCNci OuSC
one quarrel will break the golden band o
love forever; one angry word will turn lif
of happiness into one of woe. We quarreled
spoke harsh, jealous words-long since re
pented-and she resented them. On the ev
Of a long voyage l left her angrily, and hav
never seen her since On my return
searched for her, hoping to win her forgive
ness, but she was gone-where could neve
GLa kA -,ll
another but no other woman could eve
have filled the void which Edith Lee ha
left within my heart in the youth which ha
departed, or ever will in the old age whicl
is to come"


put the miniature away again, and Ne
lie, with her woman's tact, sat silently bt
side me. The flood of memories which m
words had evoked swept wildly through m
heart; the days of love and joy the year
of restless search for that which | nigh
never find on earth, all were before me, bu
they passed at length, and, coming bac
again to the world around me, was ono
more the bachelor uncle, with an old man
hopes and pleasures, and nothing in tn
world to make me sad or anxious. Oh, time
time how wondrously you alter us poe
mortals in few short years. / patted Ne
| lie Oh tne nedu, anu resumed my magazine
ringing for candles, that might see bett,
but, every now and then, could see tho;
blue eyes lifted from the tiny cap on whic
she was at work, and turned upon my fac
like those of wondering child, for Nelli
in the full sweetness of her own glad low
dream, could not imagine how any one coul
part from love forever, and still exist. An
prayed silently, as | watched her, that h
young heart might never know the gri


mine had experienced.


We never spoke of this old story of mil


agaii. Nellie was fearful of grieving n


and had, besides, many thoughts and hop


and fears of her own to busy her, and tin


went on with me as it had always done b


fore, until just in Christmas time. III


physician, nurse and all the old ladies al


experienced matrons in the neighborhot


declared that the very finest child whi'


ever had been, or ever would be born, W


the one of which my nephew Richard al
his sweet wife Nellie were joint proprietor


Yes, there it lay, wrapped up in flannel