The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1867-06-29
THE BROKEN vows.


Tbs vas how ihsy pared Il vas .a,-,Biishi
-renios. aud ihey stood uuicr ihs .hs3. o. she
old elm, be tall and manly hOl9iu- Lef slight
dropping figure IN his aful. Beudiue ioW over
her, ill bis lips touched her. BE- saii
alice ! will nerrr forsri rou may i.c
gone for wears. swee; ons viii you wsi; 'Or NJ
81 will never forge; von : vii usi' sire
answered
With one Passionate smhraes be !eit her 10 10
furth 90 new life new sceaes. - battle uith ihe
world.
Alice Was very fair and pretty and si1teen
summers only had printed their warn Kisses on
her lips, when she stood under the shade o. that
old elm tba, sd evening.
-Four years rolled Awsy. bu; wha, a chang
had iAken place. Alice 81. Clare was no longer
the genilc. fsir-hAire3 giri. who bad bidder hes
lover goodbye 10 their old irysing place. His
letters were At hrsi long and freqseai ihe1 they
grew shorter and came ~ longe: intervals a;
last ceased altogether snd she learned the bitter
lesson Of neglect.
Then beneath the old elm tree this girl recorded
a vow, 10 bring this man, who had cruelty tramp
led 90 Der heart, and there teach him The bitter
lesson be would never forget. You must not
blame Der. Hers was trusting, confding nature,
but this cruel blow had destroyed all her faith in
human lore. Her hear; was SLED with ouly one
thought and iha, was TO make this proud nsn,
who bad pron.iscd 50 faithfully neveE 10 forget
her, taste the bitter cup he Was pressing TO her
lips.
This was bon they met. Alice uas Al her
aunts house, when Claude lie Curtis was znnoun-
ced. Her 6rsi thought Was TO escape her hand
wA on the door knob but her aunt called Der
back, and told Der II is impossible for her 10 70
and there fore she would no; have her abscond
when the greatest catch of the season was
coming.
Alice then reflected that four years traseling
bad done much for her. and grcaily changed her
from the little girl he knew She carelessly tur-
ned over some engrsvings that were lying on the
table She heard footsteps approaching. aud her
aunt said,
This is nv niece Miss ~ Glare, Nj. he Curtis '
In this graceful lady acknowledged the intro
dueiion with such careless ease, hef fair hair
dropping In rich eurls around her face her snowy
complexion tinted with peach like elOw on her
cheeks. her large eyes Of the darkest blue and
regular features, he did not remember the fair
haired girl whom be bad parted from long ago.
Claude DE Curtis had falflied the promise Of
his boyhood. HE brown eyes were . shade dAr-
ker perhaps. and his form more fully developed
The time passed quickly away, aud he did not
depart until be had gained permissios to come
ssais.
When be was gone, Alice asked her aunt who
this Mr.. De Curtis was.
zone Of the most distinguished and rising law
yers she replied.
Married = How her heart bea, al this question
No, Alice and when saw you together,
thought what a handsome couple you would
make
Alice laughed aud sanulrrcd away
II was not an easy task for Alice ~ Clare 10
win the mat whose love had been hers in the past
years. Il was difficult TO meet him the first lev
times, as he was busily engaged with his pro-
fessional duties. But she persevercd and with
pitlless resolution shedrcw him TO her side Thea
as Of old, sheknew her smile was the sunshine %
bis life.
Thus time slipped away bringing fresh hops To
one heart, and sorrow 10 another for she knew
she loved him sill, bu, would not forget her VOW.
and still drew him on.
One evening, about twilight, hefore tie gas
was III. che opened the piano and her hands ran
over tile keys, bringing out little snatches of
songs and variations such as practced fingers only
can produce. Al last she began 10 warblea little
Italian melody OF forsakcn love. The door opencd
and she knew Claude DC Curtis stood beside her /;
she sang on til she had finished, aud then turned
toward him. She could not stay the passionate
words that broke from his lips. How her heart
beAt, and how she trembled as he told her of bic
lie with all It's temptations lie perils its success
ses Of the maiden who had won bic boyish afIcc-
tons, lie told her what she was 10 him In the
present, and what she could be In the future.
Coldly, ineisively her words cut the air, ial-
ling like . sharp edged sword.
~ cannot marry y0u, Mr. De Curtis"
lie looked at her In black amusement. Il see
med 10 him he must have misunderstood her !;
could be have read wrongly all the language of
sad appealing eyes, and checks which flashed at
his coming f-Looking at her cold, marble ne
be knew bis suil vas hopeless. lie was too noble
10 rsproach her with having lured him on. he
looked at lsr moment with sad tenderness, then
nld,-
Miss n. Clare man Of my Kind who loves
si ny age doe not forgstsoon. Myouever need
q friend, send for me and you VIII not scnd "
BgfofV she coald answer him he was gone.
With Low gasping cry she isll on the foooF. n
be could have sen her then he would not have
Ihounhl her hcarllcss, ior her snow white drsn
was crimson with her heart tide. She had not
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