The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1858-04-28

y
to see you" said he, at last, fairly putting
with the demonstrations he had made,
Il had begun to suspect something of
that kind" I replied rubbing my shoul
der. "I think you must have been cul-
tivating your affections lately
Well, have. What do you think
of that ?" And he turned me around, and
pointed to the portrait
Exquisite :" l exclaimed
Magnificent, isn't it ?"
Mrs. Kennedy ?"
Mrs Fred Kennedy ?"
Very pretty, but she's painted"
" Ha, ha, ha, ha !"
Now Fred" said |, seriously, "sit
down. You are too much excited 1t
will be the death of you. 1 have come
down to see you professionally. Your
letter."
"The letter -
II cltdI CdSC VI luolultl; L SOh-
tnued. "If l am favored with an inter-
view with the original Mrs. Kennedy, |
shall reprimand her for leaving you alone.
Your letter betrayed the most distressing
symptoms. | was afraid that l should
find you had committed suicide, but | see
there has been a reaction
said this in bantering way, but l
noticed that Fred's countenance changed,
until its expression was one Of mingled
vexation and pain.
mo more of that an thou lowest me,
Tom," he replied and then added, " after
you have had supper, I'll tell you all about
it. Jane is a good creature, and has
gone to the sewing circle. Those things
bore me, and she insists upon ny staying
at home. We shall have good hour to-
gether before her return"
Fred sat almost silent with me, in his
snug little dining-room, when l did justice
to my appetite and his hospitality; then
we returned to the parlor, and I gave my.
self up to slippers, cigar, and Fred's
story.
"When / wrote you that letter." said
Fred, az was a fool, but I was very mis-
cradle, nevertheless. You see, before I
was married, there was a young man in
the city, of the name Of Benton. He
loved Jane; l found it out, and | hated
him. He was a quiet fellow, with dark,
soft eye, and romantic air, and can't
express the contempt 1 felt for him. He
seemed to me to be perfect milk-sop, 1t
was before l was engaged, and L used
frequently to meet him with Jane, at her
fathers house. saw that he was in love
head and cars; and what vexed me be-
yond everything else was that Jane would
always treat him respectfully. After hC
had parted from us on one occasion, anC
she had treated him with the usual con
sideration, was determined to bring mat
tiers to an end l proposed before left
and received the assurance that was th,
chosen man.
"Well, Benton continued to call.
do not think he knew Of the new position
of affairs, hut it made no difference.
determined to cut him, and did. l me
him in the street in broad day, and Gu
9 him dead. Who should l find that yer
night with Jane, but this contemptibl
Benton He had risen to leave the room
with agony depicted upon every feature i
his face l saw it all at glance-he ha
proposed, and been rejected. All the dew
there was in me rejoiced. | have no doub
that grinned maliciously upon him as h
passed out. could heartily have adde
o kick to the repulse he had already rt
T ceived. But Jane was distressed. Sh
a was SO sorry for him She wouldn't hay
e had it happen for the world She respecte
4 Mr.. Benton so much
q Mr.. Benton is a FOOL" said l, "Don
;. waste your precious sympathies on such
v creature as he"
g Mr.. Benton is a gentlemrn," repliC
l, Jane, and then the poor girl turned pal
il the tears swan in her eyes, and she h
h her face in her handkerchief, and sobbt
s, Historically.
4. Il saw that I had been unjust--that
,e had been mean and owardly-that II
ID words and bearing had been hateful al
ID contemptible-that there was not Il
at slightest ground for my feelings; but
as was too proud to confess it, so / a
at preached and kissed her forehead, and as
p- ed her to forget the matter.
It. II met Benton in the street frequent
ne after this, and was wicked enough to
u joice in his woe begone appearance.
was stirred to this, partly by the fact th