Tribune and telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1855-1856, 1856-02-28

sufeo That she would be grand actress IN time.
Just then Mile came in, full OF wonder and
fear. She had seen Mr.. Lyneward 60 away, and
dreaded that he and her sister had quarrelIed-
WAS any thing wrong!" she asked, trembling
iy.
Not much" Hildred answered. "N'c have
been angry. But never mind love; we shall be
good enough friends in time Ny future broth
er-in-law is q proud man. Have care how
you anger him, Mile. But l forgot" she ad-
ded. smiling, ''you never anger any one, do
your"
Hidred STAYED aiittle to talk to her sister, par
ticularly impressing upon her that the marriage
must be soon.
is that Mr. Lyneward's wisb'" Mile asked
Hildre1 laughed, and answered that OF course
it was.
Mile began 10 feel treasured, and to think
that after all she had been foolishy fearful--that
all would be well; that though Mildred at first
felt greved and vexed that she must call Lyme
ward brother, she would soon reient.
Then Hildred said she should 60 out. Mile
tried to dissuade her, saying it was dreadful
weather, raining and blowing and very cold; but
Hildred answered that it was just the weather
for her. in her present mood. After sitting
down a moment, and dashing oil a business let
ter--so she called tin less time than Mile
would have taken to write the three first words
Hildred set off to the post nodding gaily to Mil
lie as she went down the garden This letter
contained her final command to Mr.. B,ankardt
10 have her own little property settled ON Miliie.
After posting her letter. and being clear of the
village she went on at a wild rate. Fighting
her way against the bowling wind, splashing
through the mud and marsh she made a circuit
of some eight or ten miles home, crossing the
bleakest country in all the neighborhood 1t
was dark when she returned. Mile had been
getting anxious, and came running into the hall
to meet and question her. But Hildred parted
her questions, and seemed in such high spirits,
that her gentle sister only wondered, and was
content
Hildrcd chose to spend that evening alone /;
finding one excuse another, or proudly with
holding any. She generally did so for tina. time.
Erie Lyneward was there to entertain Mile.
Hldred had seen him us she stood inside the
house-door shaking the rain from her cloak
had seen him standing looking modify into the
fire. instead of meeting her as her future brother
might have done. Mr. Lyneward, weary from
the emotion and passion of the morning, turned
to Mile for rest ; he felt her gentle ways in
finitely soothing He was more tender aud de-
voted that evening than she had ever known
him. He told her that their marriage must he
soen-vcry soon Christmas was not far off,
and, early in the next year. before the snow
drops were out III his Old garden, he must have
his Aiii!;c home, lie said, to make his dcsoate
home CHEEKY. With all his tenderness, he seem
ed so strangely sad, that pure, unscltish billie.
though reluctant to assume SO Suddenly this
great responsibility, could not find i'll her heart
to say, No. So it was settled fling that, early
in the ensuing January, Mile was to be made
a wife
CHAPTER ".
Mile was not at case i'll the time that inter
vcned simple, sweet Mile was troubled and
perplexcd. In; the world, she loved only two
persons entirely, and she could not make them
1--we one another. Hildred acted well, too, all
that torture time; daring to leave nothing TO
the impulse of a moment. Eseh morning she
Planned what her conduct through all the pro-
b2b.e events of The day should be.
Mr.. I.yncward was too proud to act too bitter
against her 10 try to seem hrotherly; aud loving
and unconscious Atillie often made him vince
by expressing her regret that he would not be
kind to her sister. Hildred was cold even in
her manner to Mile herself, and uncertain iii
her temper. She dared not be aflectionatc; il
the spring of passionate tenderness in her heart
cncc thawed she feared it might overcap ali
restraints. She saw that Mile was uneasy
as unhappy as it was possible for young girl
who loves and is loted TO be; but she stood
proud ard secure III the great sacrifice she was
conscious of making. She could not stoup 10
care about The lesser daily and hourly sacrifices.
She said TO herself that all would be we'll soon
for them; they would be married, and she would
go away ana bC forgotten.
At flst Erie Lyncward always stopped Mile
when she began to talk of Hidred; but that
was not easy to do and. after while, he rather
liked 10 listen. In time lie came 10 have some
yiimmering suspicion of the truth.
Ili.dted was 10 pass through the fiery trial OF
another temptation before the contamination OF
the sacrifice.
Only the day before Christmas Day, H,dred
sal alone and idle, mus.ng by the drawing,roon
Christmas charities to poor people to whom she
had been constant friend.
Mildred had many associations of pain and
pleasure with that day-some two or three OF
the latter cacuated t. soften her heart infinitely.
She fell now that the last act of her tragedy was
almost played out-tha her unnatural strength
need endure but little longer; SO. as she sat
alone, shc suffered her heart to soften, AMI let
the tears fall slowly and unheeded a-down upon
her lap.
Suddenly Ere Iyncward stood before her.
She was startled, confused, uiAerved. One
glance az her Sofjcned face, her fearful eyes, her
trcmuious hand, made him forget all but his cd
love for her Before she could recover the cold
with which she always met him, he
had taken ler hand. and was pouring out Il
strong passion Of burning love and wild sorrow.
iIiILrcd dared not hear him ont. One mo-
mcnt's irresoution. and all would be lost. She
had not time TO weigh or choose words. She
thought only of Milie. Her answer was fierce
~ indignant full OF vehement resentment. He
was huuIb.ed this time she full of pride and
power. Once and for ever her fate was decided
Was it, after all, great q sacrifice Loving
Mile as she dio, was she not conscious that she
Gid no: voluntarily give up her own happiness
for that Happiness at Miles expense was sim
ply impossible. If IIildred had deemed Miles
nature one that could forget and love again, at
ter q wkic she would long since have wavered
III her purpose ,but she knew the girls words
were true when she said she did not forget.
She felt that shf. was as firm as she was gentle
She had read world of undergraduates and
in the depth of Miles doye-iike
eyes
Yes, The sacrifice uas great, appalling. Alone
with her own heart that night Hiidred quailed
She suffered most pain from keen sense OF the
cruelty ct the position in which she had found
herself.
The dawn of Christmas morning shone upon
a wildly Earrard face gazing on. upon its
brightness from an ivied window. Hidred's
eyes had not closed in sleep that night. Vivid
pictures, dcvil-suggested, of things that might
have been. presented themselves to her fancy
She had seen herself acting out, scene after
scene. a proudiv-happy life, as Erie Lyneward's
wife; and she had felt no power to bid the temp
ter get behind her 1t seemed as ii all OF her
STRENGTH had been exhausted in that final mas
ter-stroke mt "a her own dark destiny as if
she now lav weak and weary, and utterly de-
feuce,ess. ct the mercy OF al evil suggestions
JIanpifv her hitter words of indignant upbraid-
in nod err,,y closed the door of that proud heart