Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-06-20
0MOreester Daily Spy.
From Blackwood.
MRS. BEAUCHAMP'S VENGEANCE.

"And to understand is to adore you" he re-
piled, kissing the hand he held in his.
Don't plague me at such a moment with
idle gallantry. Do be serious-pray do :"
Serious | never was more sc"
pray don't"
CLEAR me calmly. swear it is genuine
passion which now speaks in tone, look, and
gesture
"No, no, no. Don't say it,"
"You cannot love me-"
"But do
"YOu must not"
al must and will. From the very first mo-
ment of our meeting"
"You fancy So"
"Fancy P'
'You have an artists imagination"
"And the heart of man."
"Hush | cannot listen to such words"
"You bid me be silent, and l obey. l will
not tell you how in secret have hung upon
your looks, and treasured up your slightest
words. l will not allude to the bIissful visions
l have had of blisstul existence passed for
ever at your side. l will be silent. / know
the barrier which circumstances have cruelty
erected between u.s. But l must be allowed
to dream of the paradise from which am
shut out"
fortunately for you"
"Don't say so. Had fate wiled it other
wise, and had you been Tree
'Then you would in all probability have
never given me thought"
"This is unjust"
at is the simple truth, and you know it,"
"You have no belief in me-"
"Men are so deceitful'
"Not ALL
GAIL"
"You are resolved against me- But oh!
would that | could prove the truth-if you
were but free"
"But am moi"
81 know it. But if you ,cere--''
"What would you do then 2"
"Throw myself at your feet"
And he suited the action to the word add.
ing, as she arose hastily, 81 would say here is
my heart-accept it; here is my lite-share
it,
Rackit had been hurried on to this passion
ate climax, in his eager desire to make an i'm
preston but it was like dash of cold water
in his heated face, when the widow suddenly
held out her hand to him, and with tone of
trembling tenderness said
"And dare / trust you? If it was my en-
gagement which alone forms the barrier, be
happy am free.
He was speeches. for a few seconds, and
then Stammered--
"What That is-you I'm bewildered."
GAS you spoke, the sincerity of your con
yiction stirred my heart. felt you were in
earnest. You are SO, are you not 60
Quite 20 he answered though with abated
fervour.
81 felt that you were worthy of all conf.
dence, and the resolution was formed which
at once set me at liberty"
How was it that Rackit felt anything but
enraptured by this announcement | do not
know. but this know, that he felt very much
1 ! 4 4
yet cannot quits ,hWiiioIi lie greatly admired
whom he had been loving, as lie vowed, Tor
several days, with an insurgent rage against
the superior luck OF Briggs, who could call her
his own; and yet no sooner did he learn that
Briggs was no longer in that enviable position
no longer barring him from the chance of
being her husband-then he began to feel ut.
terly miserable Perhaps it was his gen
eral dislike to marriage and he was not
merely talking at random when he vowed
that true happiness consisted in loving a wo-
man whom you couldn't call your own.
On her asking him it he was happy, he We
hemently protested his felicity was "su-
preme" but she would have had less than wo.
mans sagacity had she not detected the com
plete change in his manner and suspected
that by felicity he really meant quite another
feeling.
When looked in upon him shortly alter,
impelled by knowing curiosity to hear the
continuation OF his story, | found him extreme
ly quieted, and almost solemn in his manner
II required only sympathetic expressions on
my part 10 induce him TO tell me all that had
passed.
"Well," said, Il congratulate you. Your
happiness is now about to begin. | never
was in that condition myself, but have al
ways imagined that man, when he has re-
ceived permission TO get the ring and the Ii.
cense Tor the woman lie loves, must be su-
premely happy"
He looked at me with lugubrious air that
was almost comic, and said
Eyes, l suppose am happy now"
Suppose z"
''Well, to be quite candid, l don't think l
should ever have discovered that was happy
if you had not told me so. Perhaps bride.
groom's happiness is of a serious kind. Ger
tain it is that l am awfully serious. It's a
devilish tcklish thing, let me tell you, to feel
yourself about to take such plunge in an I'M
known gulf
''But you love her, don't you 2"
"Passionately."
"Then how is that the idea"
"NIy dear fellow, love is all very well but
no man can be expected to be gay when mar
rage comes tumbling on his head like Chin
ney pot. You wouldn't like it yourself"
"Ihen give her up"
"Thats easily said"
"Do you want to be her husband, or do you
not 90
"Yes-and no. Look here, tell you what
it is. There is a DRY OF a soldier standing
outside shop-window looking al picture of
military execution, where the faithful dog is
fawning upon the kneeling wretch, who is
awaiting his execution. L would sell myself
to the devil Tor that picture, said the energet-
ic soldier, in his enthusiasm A horrible old
woman heard the words, rushed into the shop.
bought the picture, thrust it into his astonished
hands, and said, with witch-like savageness.
There's the picture, and your soul is nine
1t seems to me that am very much like that
soldier"
II can't understand you The other day
you were in raptures about Mrs. Beauchamp. !"
$50 am still. No woman could be more
charming, and if l wanted wife-but you see
l don't, and that's the fact"
"Well, you had better tell her so before it's
too late"
"It's too late already Besides, don't like
the idea of ii ing her up. She's an exquisite
creature, and that's the truth. Don't you think
marriage is very absurd institution 90
'No, can't say l do" said l.
"Then why are you bachelor g!
"Why Probably because I'm not mar
ried."
"Now be serious. Help lue with your ad-
q, vice"
My advice is, if you love her, marr7 if
you don't, don't.
The announcement OF Smythe Briggs in
terrupted our conversation Rackit had only
Now I'm in for a scenel But if Briggs
has come here to dispute my claim, he shall
find thai I'm not nose.of-wax. | may want
your aid