AN OLD MAN'S CONFESSION.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 2017, 11 June 1885, Page 2

AN OLD MAN'S CONFESSION.

I \m an old man now, ahd none would suspect me of being a victim to the tender pas->ion. Oh, n<> ! Youth is the time f"i lo\c ; not when we ti.ice the silver tin cads .mioiiK tbo gold, the eyo growing dun, the knees tottenng and the voice growing weak •iml queiuloiiH. Oh, de.ir ! i am .in old nun now, but how shall I tell it, how describe the awakening ! But peihaps 'twere better to launch out at once into facts and tell in plain language how and w hen I first met hei. Tlie imcunistancex .no as fol lows; -One, Hummer evening I had been strolling in the garden, smoking my sohtaiv pipe, the stilhuiHs of the hour, the t.nt fading glories of the netting him, the pei fume-laden /ephyii floating around, and all the sweet uicumstunce of time and place had shed their aoothmg influence* mer ray senses, the gathering mists of e\ ening w.«inyd me to the home. On eiiteiing cho door a sipht pre;-ented itself, winch made an impre-«ion on my memory not to bo effaced by time itself. Oh ! how shall 1 picture my «uipiibe, how describe my emotion-*. There in my house (hitheito the abode of bachelordom), theie in my room, by my heuithstone, on my very chan, theie she. stt. Oh ! what beauty, what tuily feminine ri ice. Theie sat n young mothei l.tvishm^ fond attention-* on Jut little one. Heis ' Yes, young as she w.i-s th ' like ness w is too gieat to admit of a doubt. The same liquid ha/el eyes, the d.uk, soft, melting eye m> often seen m women ot hi<h bleeding; the suite .tcvpnline nose; the name high expansive forehead ; hail the s.ime unpenetrable colour ; the same small, well-chiselled mouth and lips ; in slant, tv\o models of pel feet beauty. As *he turned fumi het Httlo daughtei and gazed at me, I aaw at once that she had come to claim nsy protection. I saw and understood .ill slio would say, .uid before either of us utteied one wold we under-*tood each other. .Such was my nieetiucr with my belo\ed Katie and her dear little daughter IJ.U bara. But, oil, could we have peered into the future at that moment. Could .she h.ueseen thb fearful, fateful end of that beginning she would no\or have »u<ked for shelter under my roof, never ha\e pleaded to me to be <i piotector to her and hers ; oh no ! She would liave Hed from me as from some accursed thing, some monster in human form, and 1 should have been spaied the hours of remorse and bitter, bittti nngtn-h, which aie and ever will be inme. But 1 must nut anticipate, nor cm I dwell on what follows. Swift Hew the golden winged hours, d.ivs, nights and months. Whit tnisting affection was hers. Did she, did we ever think of parting ;ohno ! Theie \v.u m> such bitterness in our cup of joy, till one morning, while uo sat .it bre.ikf.ist, she plu> lullv took fioin off my plate a small piece of meat ; then upro.se my mijjmet liable p,issi.>n, and fren/.y »ei/.ed my brain. 1 grasped a knife and thrust it to the handle in her heait, and there at my feet, w ith the crimson tide of life flowing fast away, lay the now dead but once beautiful form of the (inesfc cat it has ever been my lot to behold. I am so overcome with giief that I must conclude. Uxclk Will.