Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1867-03-15

went down.
Clyde had some little last errand through
the hall. A hand stopped her.
'Oh, Mr.. Bruce a strange terror came
over her.
Forgive me How lovely you look
One man here to night is to be env;ed.-
No, I'm not going to echo the shallow
platitude about tile bride groom. mean
Mark Trainer. J wish was in his place ;
All this in rapid whisper, that seemed
but breath. Clyde blushcd and trenhled
He saw the rift OF color even by the dim
light he saw the qniver of the slender fin
gers. andjust one instant he clasped her in
his arms and kissed the fragant lips vehe-
| mcntly.
She forget what she wanted. She went
back to the group, frightened and breath
less. Marx took her in charge, and tise
procession was marslialled down stairs.
Clyde held Bessie's handkerchief and flow
ers, a;d that was all shc remembered un
til the congratulations began.
! Mr.. Bruce was nearly the last. He
kissed Bessie and told james he. was fort
uuate as well as a happy man. Clyde
stood with downcast eyes. her heart in
strange tiutter. She almost hated the
kisses that had come between his two.
Soon as possible. he engaged her for q
quadrille. He could not mon0polze her
this evening. however. And then he had
/; friend to look after little-Mr. Penn
broke who had come up from the city,
But his eyes followed Clyde, and she felt
proud of the oversight.
Quite late i'll the evening. tired and ex-
| cited, Clyde stole into quiet corner. by
an open window. Someone was smoking
without on the long balcony, and talking
low. She did not pay any attention to it.
yet somehow these words caught her car
1t will be your turn next, Bruce. It's
lucky Rates coming up here to look after
you. These country lasses are very be-
wichng. and I'm afraid you've been in-
lnlglng triiie. That Miss Donoyan is
pretty
"Yes; and yet not to be compared to
kates regality. | don't lose my head 50
easily
They'll be up next week, then adieu to
charming tlirtatiOns, Make the best of il
to night, AL
She heard them moving off. A chill and
awful quiet fell over .ier, claiming her to
the spot. The lights islrned dluly, the
music came to her as some echo II long
way distant. The figures moving about
were unreal and distorted in shape. Bes
sic, there in her flowing white robe, looked
like Il ghost. A thousand wild fantastic
thoughts rushed through her brain; she
might have laughed or cried, if some icy
terror had not clutclicd her with its ferc,
grasp.
She never knew how she came out of j,
all, only afterwards she found herself
laughing and talking. and even dancing
! but it seemed some strange third person
She kept close to Mark, She prayed fo,
the intcrminable night with its senselcss
reyelrv to come to an end. She wanted To
go away in the darkness and think. Fol
all this bliss and radiant dreaming had
turned into shad0wy. fear. Solid earth
seemed slipping from beneath her feet.
| Sac had her wish at last but oh; the
misery of the thinking That taith should
| be dashed down at one be dashed down at
one blow! For if Alton Bruce could act
such base part. put on smiles that were
such black tr.,chery, utter words that
were such black treachcry, utter words
that muSt lead one astrav. who was true
! Was love anything but bitter. mocking
passion. She forgot I5cssie's happy dcsti-
ny. She could comprehend nothing hut
the ruin that had overtaken herself; for in
her first despair it seemed final. 1t SO
hard tor youth to accept the evil of life.
She was very late down stairs the next
morning. She hoped Mr.. Bruce would he
gone; bat he aud his friend sat chatting
c,relessly. His demeanor stufg her into
u defiant pride. lie should know nothing
OF the wreck h. had made So she snii-
ingly returned their banter. and forced her.
self to eat lit lc breakfast, that was
tasteless and choking. Bessie was gay and
important. Presently, she was going over
to her own house, to take up the scepter
as mistress. She begged Clyde to come
to dinno
Ne, lid Clydr, woariv.
IIavc we tired You oat' Suppose you
lie down on the sofa IN mothers roonl.
and rest You do look pale.
Clyde caught sight Of DIR. McKinstry
jogging along. Not with sleek Hero this
time. She rose and went out: hut, instead
OF needing Besrie's suggestion. stationed
herself on the balcony. The wstful eyes
attracted Dr. McKnstry.
Wcll. little revrI!cr if I come in shall
In abundance. Are You going home,
Back in that dltcclion. Why You
look tired.
4 want to so home. She uttered the
words with ST. manrnful pathos, that il
startled him. And some great change had
come over the lately radiant face.
well. he said quietly, get ready while
am drinking my wine and wishing the
bride good luck.
There WAS great outcry at Clydc's an
nouncemcut. Bessie summed up all her
arguments with-'Mark can take YOU any
time. It's foolish to hurry of in this fash
iou.'
Mark will he very husy.'
AS If | was not always at Your service.
Mr.. Bruce's voice was tcndery reprosch.
full.
You have been too kind already. was
all she said.
1t was such comfort to he riding quiet
ly homcward, feeling that all the s,raiu and
excitement were over. Rest and peace.
no, she could never have peace again, but
stiffness and solitude How wearisomc lie
was. She remembered then that her moth
or had died of consumption at twenty two.
She had always dreaded it, but she never
should again Dir. McKinstrv watched her
intently, and understood that she was 60
ing through some mental struggle, 50 he
wisely forbore remark.
Milford settled into calm. CLYDE went
about hey daily duties. waiting for some
thug she dreaded, Yet longed to have over
n l.