FIRST AND LAST.
* • 4 '" 1
"But tell me, clear," she said—
And coaxingly the soft eyes shone,
d shyly drooped the modest head
Beit • his own- 7
me; have you-loved before?
\ore ?" . '
IL,
<1 t •
"But to
Or one, or •il.
1
I:
lic \N
X worst,
The eager, spar
Was full of, tender,
She did not fehr Ins am
Iler king of inen.l
"But tell me, dear, the best a,
Or, am i-first ?"
be turned his eyes away ; •
Yet closer her hand be pfeised,
Nor answered yea, nor nay . ;
A blush confessed
All, in one burning word,
Unsaid, unheard ' 1-
Quick Caine a burst of teats—
A tempest from an April sky—
And then : "Forgive my doubts . and`fears,'
Ile heard her sigh,
"Why shouitl I care what loves are past,.
So mine be last." 1 ° '
WAITING FOR .AN' ANSWER.
My story ? .my life . ?: 01i; lit has been too
uneventful ; toonitttAn in , its incidents. 'I could
tell you the :: sorrow! of others? but my own 7 —.
well, well l as you Wilt You shall heir., The
wound hits never healed, and if 1 put my hand
above it the pine throbsLeven as it will
beat slid ache till kindly nature says to me
"Sleep,. poor weary one, and rest." And then
peaceffilly, trustingly, and with a simple hive
of forgiveness, may I sleet) that long
. sleep
which theY say so flippantly has no waking,but
which has a . waking, as every lesson which we
lenrn in•life persists in teaching Us.
Jack and 1 were engaged. It'veas all such a
simple homely affair. We had knoivn one an
other• for years—the children of . neighboring
farmers. , call him by. the
old pet name of those daysHJack adbeen
away at a school, and' being bright anti shrewd
and clever he had won his Wray on, taking to
engineering' instead .of his father's farm : life,
and now it' had come to thiS that he had been
staying at home for a month previous to going
out to a good appointment at Melhourne.
. That inontif 'in spring,' how it . passed!: We
:
had met agai and again, and . In his honest,
manly way, h
. asked me to be his wife. -
"You know, c race; that I hfive alivaYs loved
you," he: , satti ; `,' and now . I have '.. hopes, and
prospects, it cannot •he wrong to ask you for
your - promise:" . . . ' . • ; ' ..
We were walking by tire ricer Fide as he .
said this, and how well I can' picture it all—
the Soft gliding Water mirrori the, trees on
the opposite bank, the youog green buds just
breakitur from . their cases, and, above all, the
soft tender blue of 'the'springsky—the blue, he
had told me, that Was' like nireyes.
1300.y0u want me to promise, Jack?" I said,
• -I
simply, as I looked up in. his-face., • \
"No, darling 1. am aatisfled," he cried, 'as
his strong arms held me . to his broad tireast,
and that was all. No oath could have - bound
me more tightly to him. 1 telt
. that I" was
wile when he should come to claim me
We were late that, evening, and entered the
house shyly, for there had been so much tb talk
of and plan. In . a month's time Jack was to
sail for Melbourne ; then be was to work very
hard for three years, and come, and fetch .tne to
be his wife. i
That month glided by, and the last day had
come. It was, ns I told you, spring time..with
the hawthorn's showy blossoms, the apple tree
pink and the pear trees pearly with their pyra
mids of flowers. Every meadow t passed was
starred with golden buttercups, and from every
spray the birds thrilled forth' their merry songs
of Lope and love.
I could not feel sad, even though I was going
to meet Jack for the last walk before he went
away ; but, as I said, mingled with the feelings
of ecstasy there was a strange tearfulness of
eye, and my breath would come at times with a
sob.
Ile was by the stile waiting for mt=the stile
down by the , long meadOw, halt-way between
the two farms—and as he took my\ hand in his
we neither of us spoke, but Stood gazing away
over woodlawn and meadow, all clad in their
wondrous beauty, and listened to the birds.—
Now it was the soft tender coo of thingtock
dove from the wood, now the twittering song
of the linnets ; then, soft ani*llow, from the
thick hedgerows floated toivaids us the fluty
notes of the blackbird, while far on high trilled
,away the laits,singing one against the other to
their mates, sitting in the tall grass Of the gold;
en meads. ,
We couldi not talk, our hearts were too full,
for Jack was to •be off at daybreak the next
morning. ut there was np\ need for words.-r
We loved each other in the simple nature
taught way that has been since the wofld be=
gun, and we know that 'every, joyouS song
around that thrilled upon. dur ears meant: love,
and even in our sorrow we were happy.
three years, darling'," Jack whispered
to me, "and then—"
The tears rose to my eyes as I tried to answer
blur, but could not speak a 'wdrd. -
"And you will let me find a long letter_ when
1 get there ?" he said tenierly. •
",Yes, Jack, I promise," I said,and thenit was
tim e to return, _for the hours had glided by,how
NCt could not tell. = ' I . •
Jackspent the evening,: with us at hors/ and.
then left us hurriedly, for our farwelliitid 'been'
said in the woad, and it was one hearty kiss,
given and taken before the old people, and
then good-hye.
But I saw him pass soon after daybreidcand
be saw tue and waved his lhand, , fOr imd ,
by ti'e window all night, lest Ipc blot
go by and I sleep.- - _
And then time glided on sadlY, butepleaiantts:
ly as well. I'vline 'WaEI a' busy Jiie, for 13004, my.
lather took to his bed, ill—a ..bed- nevek , Jeft .
again, for he gradually' sunk anddiekleating.
toy poor mother in very indifferent eireum;
ink
. usting grace ;
'er then,
.
It was a ha d blow for 'us both, for he bad
Peen one ,of Ili l kindest and truest of men,. but
while poor mo her pined and wilted, I had my
hopeful days ht view, and , from time to time ,
letters from dear Jack, all so true and honest
and full of tru4 in the future , that I felvas it I
couldnet repine even when,,greater troubles
fell upon pa li
. For at the 4id of two years I was standing
by the bedsidel, here lay poor mother, sinking
fast. 'he. had ;no particular ailment, but had
literally pined ana wasted away. the bird had
lost its mate of": many years, art when at last
she kissed nie l and said "Good bye," it seemed
.to me to be inl a quiet, rest seeking spirit, and
she spoke like,one looking hopefully forward to
the meeting with him who had gone before.
n.i'.2‘...
neral expensesi
It was very hard to bear, and for, a month'l
was, terribly depressed ; hut' there waa that,
great hopeful time ever drawing near—the eud
of the three years, when Jack would come to
make me his wife. .
or the Wrst tithe that I remember
Liar about my _personal appear
du died My glass to see it Jack
lookine careworn and thin, and
ne' truly—yes..
be up and doing, and before an
ds over, through the kindness of
we had. known, I. was placed
work contentedly for the bread
• It .was now
feeling Ipartienl
ante, and
Would find tue
my glass, told
• But I had. to
other month
people -whom.
where ~1 could
Jack should come to fetch me
I must earn.til
away.
It was at a 1 1 ;rgetWest End dressmaker's and.
it ,was hard to get used to the hurry and excite
ment of the - . oace, where ,there were twelVe
girk Ml', the hope and as many more
em
ae every day. - .. • •
, .
.
There were U. kinds of petty piecea of tyran
ny to subinit, t at first, and 1 suppose same r of
the foolish . gitswcre jealous of me. and :my
looki, so much 'so that. 1. found they nicknamed .
me "the Bean y." - Poor girls r If they had:
only known' how little store I"set . by. my looks.
they would haVe belia7ed a4. - ,first as theyidid
later on..
. , .
.
.
.
The first thing that Avon; them to me was
When 3lary anders . was taken ill with a
terrible fever. lime. Grainger . Was for sending
her away at once on, acomiut of her busineSs
and the infection, but the" doctor who was call-,
e I in, a young,linvetuous,but very clever man,
told her that iil would .lie at her peril if she did
'sp, For Mary ander's'qe l Was in danger, 0.0
the poor girl,was shut up in ;her bedroom with
out a soul to gi:) near her except a .hired nurse,
and after the trst-night this woman stayed
.. .
away. ~ • .. ..
k,o near the poor girl, then, so, I
(Ave to nurse her, for I felt no
tion, and it seemed so hard 1)r
No one dare
timidly asked
fog of the info'
her to beleft t ;
I obtaified
with her until
ere alone.
ye and went . up .s fairs, staying
she,. recovered ; and from that
lway a kind look for me and a
girl in . the plade...
IMEIZEI
kiss from even'
What was
imuse I was
girl and then
ore, oddly enough, perliam
be
quiet and restrained, first one
: not4r *ame to make me tie
!ove. secrets : and ask my ad-
confident of hel
vice
,r •
I gave it, such as it was, though ' hertsore
mySelt, for sack's letters to me had suddenly
ceased. We- 1- • tiitd corresponded so regularly
1
but it had struck .me that his last two letters
had-been - formal - and constrained, - ; they were
full of busineialmatterß:too, and he had hinted
at its being
1 poS/dhle that he should not be able
to keep . time about the thren.years in- Conse
quence of soma' contract.
I did not , tink this when I first read these
letters, for whe . I . had kissed - . and tried over
i
them ; but wh n no reply came to my last,' I
reread them, a' d the coldness seemed ':appar 7
eat. ~ • - i • .. .
land viaited,and then news Came
try,- Jack's father, a. widnwer,
1y; and I said to myself, with
/, as I longed, to be at his side to
t him in his affliction ; "Poor
le ;home
But I waited:
from the coiM
bad died st.idde'i
throbbing \ lie.arl
try and conifer
Jack he will cot
. But he' did
reply to my last
and the three y ,, ,
er some work o
window,with ti,
girls bad brougi
that came \ floati.
sooty roofs wat
ble little bloiso i.l
tears, for in an I t
passed away, an
erside liststilnit
be his wife. I
Only a_ mmi h ! only' a month ! my pulses
seemed to beati and as it happened we were
all busy upon itliarge wedding order, and I was
stitching away, tit the white, satin skirt intend.
ed'for the bride.
I tried so bao to bOr it; but I could'not ;
the rush of feelings was too great. , Anothel
Month and be was to have fetched me to be his
wife, and i had not- had au answer to my hist
two loud 'and loving letters.
...As I said,' I tried bard .to bear it, but I could
' . uot,and stifiingia sob I hurried out of the work
room to reoeititliy attic, throw *Self upen My,
knees by t4e hed,,and burying my faee in my
hands I sobbed'as if my heart would break. -
•,- For ft terrible, thought would come now,fiklit
agaiiist, it as I wou:d—"Jack has grown tired
Pf
_Wailing, aniharmarried anothee
- 'fought:so hard 'with 'thi 'disloyal thought;
but it Wel sbTse, and I was sobbing passloj-
Rely, wen 1 felt a soft arm 'steal round my
, ,
'ot come, neither did I get any
' two letters. Another month
• ars will be . up ; and as I sat ov-
I e spring morning by the, pan
bench of violets that one of the
t me In a glass, the soft breeze
• g over the chimney pots and
ed to me the scent of the hum-
I •
pis, and mg eyes became full of
'natant thejousy workroom , had'
d I was down home '43 o ' the , riy . -
! to dear Jack as he asked me. to
lig.,-nEmQt*A_T„..- JULY
..26-; 1876.
neck, a tender cheek laid ..,to mine;and I found
my poor tear dewed face draw!' down upon the
bosom . 01 Mary Sanders, who had stolen out of
the workroom,and come up to try and coinfort
"Pray, — pray, don't fret, my darling," ihe
whiapered. "Madame will be so cross. Those
wedding things Must be in by to-night, and
they want you to , help to try them on." - •
I don't know how I got through thakday
and night, but I I believe I did luck duties as
were expected from me.mechanically, or as if I
had been in a dream, and at night I lay wake
ful and weary, with 'aching eyes and heart
thinking of that dreadful Idea that was trying
to force itself upon me.
1 waited Mil the three years had'expired, and
then, with what' anguish of heart no words
could tell, I wrote to Jack again -"--ray leurth
letter—begging him, Imploring him, to answer
meg but to tell me he was weary of his'prom-:
ise and wished to be set free ; and - tlien, mak ,
ing a superhuman effort over myself, 'I waited,
waited, month by; month, for an answer,thungh
I knew that it must be at least six months be=
fore one could come. •
I had given up expecting' one in the interim,
and I was too proud io .send to his relatives—
distant on'es, whom I had s. never seen, and . who
had probably never heard of me. Th'e thought
had taken root now and grown to a feeling of
ertainty, but I wafted f9r my answer. •
tree months--six months—nine' months
pass. away, and hope was dead within my
.heurt. 'I ey said 1 had grown much older and
More carew I z . 'Madame_ said I worked tco
hard, and the arp business woman becanie
‘quite motherly ins .r attentions to me. But I
would not take any c: :Dge, for work was like
A- balm to me ; it blunt • my thoughts; and
knowing that I was daily owing pale and
thin: I still waited.
I knew • the girls used to whisp • tOgether
about me and think me strange, but o one
knew my secret-not even madame who tad
more than once sought my confidence ;, and : •
t welve months passed awry—four -years since
Jack had lett me.!
It was not to a day, but very neatly to the
time when be had parted from me, and it was
almost two years! since I had heard from bim.
I was trying hard to grow patient and content
ed with my lot, for Mme. Grainger had gradu
ally 'taken to me, and trusted me, makiug me
more and more her right band, when one glo
rious spring morning, as I was coming out of
the breakfast room tugo up stags to work, she
called me into her little snuggery, where she
sat as a rule and attended to her customers'
letters, for she lid an extensive clientele, and
carried• on business in a large private mansion.
in Welbeck street
"Grace, any dear," she said, taking me in her
arms and kissing nie, "it worries me to see you
look - so ill. Now what do you say to a fort
night in the coun t ry ?"
A. fortnight in the country ! and at her busi
est t ime, wi*.h the London season coming on.
I thought of that, and then, as I glanced
round at the flowers and inhaled their scents,
the bright fields near Teuiplemore Grange
floated befOie my dimming ' eyes, a feeling of
suffocation came upon me, and the room seem
ed to s wing round. I - believe that for; the first
time in my life I should have fainted, so pain
ful were the memories evoked by her words,
when a sharp knockat the dl)or echoed through
the house, following instantly upon the dull
fall of a letter and the sharp click of the letter
box. •
It was like an electric shock to me,and with
out a word 1 darted into the hall, panting with
excitement and my hand at my throat to tear
away the stifling sensation.
But it was a letter. I could see it through
thezlass in the letter box, and 1 seized it with
trembling hands, 'Aspired as it were by sum •
strange power. •
"Jack.! dear Jack at -last I" 1
,gaiped as 1
turned it over and., saw it was strange; blue,
official looking letter,formally directed, tome.
Even that did not surprise me. It vas from
Jack, I knew, and I tore open the blue enve
lope.. ,
Yes, I knew it !• The inner envelope was
covered With Australian postmarks, and, ignor
'ant as I might be of-its contents, I was raising
it to my lips to cover it with passionate kisses
;when I saw it was open.
Then a mist came over my mental vision for,
,a moment, but only to clear away as, half stu
;pefied I turned the missive over,held it straight
;for a moment, and then; with a sigh of misery,
and dispair , I stood mute and as if =turned to
stone. ,
'"Grace, my child !. In 'mercy's- Sake 'tell
It was madame, who passed her arm round
me and lookedhorror stricken at my white face
and lips. Thernext moment 1 dimly remember
t , he had caught tile letter—his letter—my letter
—from my hand, and read it aloud : Yr.
John Braywood, Markboro, R. county, Mel
bourne," and then; in'her excitement, the great'
official sentence like brand upon it :."Dead I"
This was the beginning of my tirst'and only
illness, during which madame tended me like a
mother, even, to giving up her buiiiness after
ward, and retiring' to live with me here in this
quiet street, where she died.and lett me well-to
do, as you see. I have grown old- since then.
but lam not unhappy,,•gresi, as was that trial,
and it has led me into whit, I= hope; lies' been a
useful life And, besides, why should' . 'sorrow
',knowing as I do that l whick came to me years,
and years atter—that Jack died- witti'my name
upon his lips—Alied true to her hiloied ? and
I am but waiting till we shall meet again.
"What in the *mild induces Mre. to
wear su many puffs and flounces ?" said a lad) ;
at a ball, as the pe:rson'reierred to swept past,n
billowy vision of millinery.
"Why," was the reply; 9 "she has indulged so
much in fashionable diisipation 'that she bei
the 'delirium trimmings. -
Placards on did' Xi* York street - Cars de
. , „
dare that "Me oar cannot wait for ladies to
kiss good-bye."
JilLlcMD®
f I I•
The atteStion_of , the iesders at ti,e toexocusr is , cafed to theiliet that READY.CASII is tikes luezehangs
FOR FURNITURE OF: ALL KINDS,
at thelabtve namA
Tll[i CAN BE BOUGIII CHEAP WHEN CASH IS OffEREIL
. .
• 1• .
The long condoned dSpression in business circles call for cult transactions by manufacttirers, and
bought close for cash can be sold at low prices. To satisfy yourselves of this fact, when at Binghamton, Cat l C
examine the general stock' of Furniture and prices at 16 Chenango Street. • ' '''' ' - : ' '
May 81. 1876.
0
w
0 0
0
Poi
4>.
1.9
• •
with Greenbai
• ; B
Particular a,
combined, ev'
mechanics.
No. I, Platter
2 Sciats,
`• Add for Trimming, $5 to $8; Break rt:
No. 2, Platform 1h( Spoke, lhf Axle. 1K Springs,
41E5 Leaves, DroP-tail board, 2 Seats. - $125 00
! AO for Trimming, $5 to $8; Break $7.
We claini this the, most convcniei t and dura
ble and chpapeat wagon!in the market. .
Open Btiggies, prices range from $lOO to $l6OOO
according to trimming and painting. &c.
D. D.
• ,
Montfose, May , '1876.
3d,
M
-e
•-,1 0
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.1.41
0 4 cim 4
;
cn 0 0
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73' 7 4 -
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$l/ r
0
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gp
0 0 , 1
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so
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)II
40
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, * *
2 * 1:-... d:,
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT !
A8..,E!48, - N,N-.TT - .&.. ocY;;_.,4l.N:q.ii-A‘mT,O.NI
1 i
~..
ALSO A MERCHANT
• J t
REPLETE WITH ALL TaE LATEST STYLES
t- AND QUALITIES.
• All oar goods have been booght within the last few weeks, for CASH, at a very low price, thereby enabling
as• to sell cheaper than the other establushmentsUn tits city, who are carrying stock boo ht at mita blittsr rate%
April 19. 1876148;• - 304 • MUG
uZ.G.I'U.SZ,VONSI CAR
OUST.RHOUT, HARFORD, PA.
' 1 PRiell LIST. ' '
Iteriairing done on Otort notice, chealier than the
cheapest, , ' • -1 , ',•-• , .. . , , , -
Ir:-
Pirst-etass Ph tone I, ! - t -:, 230
1
" " Bvglea,' • - ~ - - UM
_ " " Lumber wagons h '-- - - - - 115
" " pit tforms from $l4O to - -'' • 1160
A " Swell bod,i Bleig a, - ° ..i .- \ . , Ips
,:.. 'BfiIiCKSMITIIINO.. I , .;:;;;
'To !thee per spanneal , - , - , . 4 . + C . 0 .00
orir.and itet -‘,,i ' I - '*, - ; -,., ", . A.„: ;;-' AO
-• set per span ' : 4' . -": ... • - " I,oo'
r
,
-,&11 work warratited. 1 CaU and examine my stock
,berocispurchaging elselthern- \ •
Mr. - OUSTEAIiOtTT.
- Ilatiord, April Ni, '70,--tt,
.lE3likalk:Listal3.ttpaa, "V"
and also to the fact that goole bought in this way
Wfl . prove satisfactory because,
I ).3
› a
X. 'A
A 0
e. rot
e. r o
CT
ror
~..
(117
e * 0
1 1
PIS
rob . eb
NJ gg
F . ) ti
P .19
_
istrnacaciart 1876•
Jobbers
AVERY .CROUNS.t
. .
NTED, ARMEDI
ing, and most durable Wagon ever made for thc . [caner;
, F PLATFORMS, OPEN AND TOP
•S, EVER OFFERED TO THE
ERN PENNSYLVANIA. •
is. We claith to make the best Family and ram Wawa '
irranted as represented. We employ none but experienced'
cash for labor, and we have reduced the prices, as follows:
Top Buggies, Piano Box or' Shell body or Broad
Box, with Enamel Cloth, Top and Damask
Lin in g, . Patent wheels. - - $l6O CS
Rubber Top, Broad Clothing rimming,sl?5 (.0
tons. Leather top and Bro id cloth Trimming
Patent Wheels, - - ..4200
Mannfacto ,
< Avoca •,
chase, a.
hand to sui
SEARS
W
a
tii .‘
%
e
P 4
a,
iv
t 4
' - ': is .
1 .....3
en
=
n"_' .1
Dom
C~
~.
'~
of Fine Woolens,
TAILORING ESTAKINENT,
TARBELL HOUSE.
4Toim. a;: - T0ABL:4:.:P,ii.or*-. „:- ,: ,, :f
~
~
Nine Stages and Woke - leave this 'Home de_ily e eem
neater with the NontrogiOailway, the ugligt yew
Railroad and the D. IfilirWjtaltroed.
April .1 18a.
1
' 1 A
at Springvile, and Repository On Public
Montrose, Pa. If yon desire to pur
-amine our stock, and if none are on
we can make to order at same price
„ Proprietor.
4
til
m
o
xi
..<
Pt .
n
ci
°proem' 'Tait :otralricititsi
' t0NT44; 4 0;10r*..:.: ; - , '' ,
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CED
co I=l
41 =I
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.41
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