North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1862-12-17

lessncss Oh /! could easier die than do it,
and yet would die a hundred times over
rather than not do it."
Lou flung both arms around her sisters
neck.
"That is my cwn brave sister. | knew
that you were true and noble at heart, and l
told Guy so. o Viva, you don't know how
glad you have made me-"
'' But that is not all" pursued Viva, grow
ing suddenly very red. "I-you don't know
oh how shall tell you ? love him bet
ter than I ever did before. I have been COM
pairing him with all the shallow takers and
thinkers we have met this summer, and read
ing alternately his grave, loving letters, atd
AIlan's passionate protestations and demands.
Why, Lou, he seems almost godiike beside
such natures the man whose honor is sus-
| taned whose word is strong as truth itself,
who fears only God, AID would face battery
sooner than swerve from principle Think
of his loving shallow, worthless thing like
me, so dull that | didn't even understand
| the worth of the nature that bowed before
me !"
81 think you undervalue yourself ltte,"
said Lou " but, however the case may be,
you are quite right; you cannot evade the
duty which lies straight before you"
At this juncture Viva wrote off one or two
very pathetic letters to me, by way of divert
ing her mind from the terrible hour that was
fast approaching.
Philip came at last, kind and genial as ev
er; and the family, who knew nothing Of
Vivia's troubles, welcomed him very much
as usual, and took an early opportunity OF
slipping out one by one, Oh some convenient
pretext, and leasihg the two lovers CD to-
gether.
Lou went last, and, with her, all Vivia's
courage. The crisis was at hand. Philip
came and sat down by her on the sofa.
"Now, Vivia,;' he said, grately, "what
have you to tell me ?"
Viva edged quite away in the other corner
of the sofa, put her head down in the sofa
cushion, so that he could see nothing but the
rolls of dark hair and the tip of cne little
ear, and began.
She told the story mercilessly; she spared
herself not in the smallest detail she eXcner-
ated Allan fwhd was utterly ignorant of her
engagement aud called herself some of the
hardest names in the calendar.
And now," she finished, g if reparation is
possible, will make all that Gun. Ny con-
duct has freed you, of course. Let it be I'M
derStood by the world that you broke ou:
engagement, and why"
A rising sob warned her to bring her SEN
tencc to close as speedily as possible; but
no answer was returned. She waited mo-
ment; the dead couldn't have been more ut
terly still than the man at her side. She be-
gan to fear, she hardly knew what. She
raised her head hastily. He was ghastly
pale, his features working, and a strange
look in his eyes that she had never SEN be
fore.
Philip! Philip!" she cried, in terror.
"don't.look so. never thought that you
would care. Oh this is worst of all. fan
cled that you would be angry-that you
would hate and despse me; but this-this is
dreadful. Philip, for PHYS sake, speak"
If she had dared she would have laid her
head on his shoulder, pressed her lips to his
as it was, she took his hand and kissed it.
He did not push her away as she expected
only said, sadly:
You needn't blame yourself, child. The
fault is mine | at least might have known
that you were young, and had not fairly test
ed your love !; but thought only of my own
passion, and was chiefly anxious to bind you
by promise, and have you for my own. l
am justly rewarded"
"Oh but this is intoerabler' burst out
Viva. "Keenest reproaches couldn't be half
so bitte as to hear you blame yourself unde-
servedly. tell you, Philip, did love."
"You thonght So"
81 did, shall always. I know it now;
only have such contemplate nature that
it c2nldn't be true on the surface, though it
was at heart"
Philip turned toward her with sudden flush
| of hope.
"Take care, Viva. Do you know what
you are saying ?"
"What do you mean ?"
"You said, just now, 81 did and shah al
ways love you"
Viva crimsoned to her temples.
Did you mean that 2"
She bent her head low. He drew her to-
ward him and gently forced her TO look nm
"Answer, Viva did you mean that ?"
Yes" whispered Viva.
That trembling nonosyllaDle bridged over
all the gulf of difference between them, for
said Philip.
"The best surety that could ask that
you will be true to me, is that you have dared
h. 4rro 10 unhlrsalf. and this nainfnl nxnor,