The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1866-06-15
MY Highway Robbery.
BY CAROLINE CONRAD.

other society or uiVerslOnS-l, young
and susceptible; she, queenly and fas-
cinating--any young man in my
place would have fallen in love with
Ruth Bonange. All she was SO lovely,
so graceful, so imperious, so strange
she had as many moods as there were
hours in the day, and in each she was
more enhancing than the last.
She was two years my senior. She
had been a belle two seasons, and dis
gusted in the midst of the third, ran
away to my aunts to recruit and for
get. She was there when ] came
home from school at the sum mer va
cation. l was twenty, she twenty
two, and we spent all those lingering
scented summer months in the same
house. / dare say she never thought
of anything so improbable as my fall
ing IN love with her / doubt if, in
superb Indifference to surroundings,
she would have cared if she had. The
idea of a STRIPPING like me falling in
love with her queenshipl The audaci-
ty of a youth of my tender years tell
ing her his folly
Her look, when / confessed the
state of my heart. said all that and
more. The regal head turned Ian.
guidly on the crimson cushion against
which she reclined, and she regarded
me with most provoking, steady in
credulity in her beautiful eyes. The
full, finely cut lips quivered with sup
pressed smiling, and | stood like a
great awkward BOBBY waiting for my
reply. l believe my face was very red,
and | am not sure there were not
tears ready in my eyes. did not like
to be laughed at, but had some spir-
it,
docs any honest lover deserve to
be laughed at, Miss Ruth 2" | ques-
toned, with half angry tremor in my
voice.
Certainly not. said Miss Ruth, but
biting her lips still Il dare say you
are honest enough, Steve, but really
you're not old enough.
Ruth Bonange sank back among hen
cushions, convulsed with sweet, sting.
ing laughter l stood, meanwhile
every nerve tingling, passions of anger
deyouring me
"Miss Ruth, l said, Il am waiting
for my answer"
You ridiculous Steve, haven't you
got it z she said, sitting up and star
ing at me.
Il am to understand, then, that my
age is your only objection to me-,
said, forcing a quiet tone, and with Q
fair show of smiling
Time will mend that"
Hum, possibly" with another
stare.
bowed coolly, and taking book
asked her if should read to her rs
usual.
You won't laugh the next time
tell you love you, Miss Ruth, l said
to myself, as turned the leaves.
had taken up aurora Floyd as
it Glanced, and l opened and read
ut random one of those atrociou.
scenes between Mrs. Mellish and the
handsome groom.
Ruth Bonange interrupted me al
most angrily.
"Why do you read that stupid bool
to me 2 she said. aurora Floyc
must have been fool AN IDIOT"
She gathered her silken draperie.
around her and swept into the house
and | saw her no more that night
women are mysteries-th on,
must be, most of ALL" | said, as
watched her fit up the stairs to hel
chamber.
"a gentleman in the parlor to see
Miss Bonange," / heard the one serv
ant my aunt kept say.
Miss Bonange was loungiug the
morning away in my aunt's room
She seemed to hesitate two minutes
nervously pulling to pieces the caro-
Peggy had brought her, then, witt
her proudest mien, swept from th,
room.
Stepping through the window,
carefully gathered the fragments o
torn pastboard from the carpet, and
put them together on the palm of my
hand.
''Rich. Dunkirk, ESQ.," was what
read.
us it her lover?" i queried, knit
ting my brow over the name and the
query. "She did not seemed pleased
at his coming" But my brow throbbet
as with fever at the thought.
The door slammed. "Shes com
ing" l thought, and fed to the We
randall again.
Just in time to hear her voice il
tones of passionate expostulation ans
wered by another's icy with sternness
Both changed presently, as l STOOD
fascinated to the spot.
Hers said, haughtily:
81 would never marry you were
thrice as much in your power as
am"
"Who then ?" was the response, il
accents of slow sarcasm.
mo matter, so it is a man NOR,
manly than you"
Ethan ?" with low laugh. III,
must be less than man who woul.
yield one chance of marrying the wo
man he loved"
/ could hear her quick draw
breath and the angry rustic of he