The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1868-02-13

evidence against her She tool: it up,
as she had once taken j. up before, and
gently smoothcd its folds. AS she did
SO, something dropped on the floor she
stopped to see what it was. 1t was the
iockcs her cousin Katy had given her
at parting. As she picked it ", IT,"
~e'o5 OF her cousin came to her miad
-"You must not open it until sg:ue
great stumb'iog-block has come in yo.r
way, over which you have fallen"
Had she not fallen row Had there
not been stumbling block? Had her
own pride Of will been sufficient to / ..r
her triumphantly through the ordeal t.,
which she had subjected herself: NJ;
she was miscrabIy weak she felt it.
she owned it; her strength had u,,crl;
failed her, and she had fallen. She
touched the spring, tiny scroll Of 1,.-
per, with still timer c!Iarac: crs c.ea. u;
traced on it, was Ia her hand, and she
read these words:
Not by might, nor by power. tu, by
My spirit, saith ehe Lord ot uysts.
"Poor little Katy. She had ~ tr;l.,
in her OWN strength" unused !adriuoa.
''and why should | have? HIS i: u,r
lett Inc at the time I needed it snY-: ::
Have conquered ?--nay; am [ 1t
rather conquered:'' :'' :'Thoa shalt 10:
covet,' sounded once again in her cars.
She started up; a sudden gleam Of
light shot up from the fire that vas
burning brightly III the CRATE ; it fill
upon the soft gauzy dress. Away with
all the memories OF the past, blot them
from your mind The care Of the
present is for the future, not the past.
She grasped the dress that brought
back so many memories, tia: raised
such painful emotions. How small
thing can have an influence. She
dashed it down, as though 1t had somc
power Of injuring her.
"Oh, if l could forget, forget"
Another blaze Of light sprang up,
still Illuminating the gauzy dress; i:
seemed like living, haunting thing to
Adriana's excited Imagination She
gathered it up again, and, crushing its
soft folds, deliberately rolled it into
heap Of gray ashes TLcI she laugh
ed.
"How absurdv
The sense of mock-heroism struck
ulon her senses SO keenl y. She had
sacrificed good dress for the sake Ct
an idea! The act was ridiculous one
She knew it, but nevertheless size dil
not wish it undone. II had destroyed
one link with the past. and the more
links that were hroAcu thc letter. SIie
Was almost beginning to hate Charles
Cunningham. Very prosaic was the
domestic life at Etheredge Court. She
was glad it had not been her LOT, Why
had she endured it SO long? Was the
remembrance Of the past really 50 pow
erful?
"May I come in?" said Mrs. Brad
dick at the door. Adriana opened il.
"What smell of something burning.
| hope there is nothing 90 fire.
II have been burning a Dress said
Adriana, rather bluntly, some Inward
feeling prompting her to state thc ez.
act fact.
"a dress ~
"Only my OLD black gauze."
'That gauze dress my dear Miss
Linden, what were you thinking Of:
never saw you look better in any dress
than you did in that remarked both
to Mr.. Braddick and Miss EttlccvG::1
that it was perfection; and Richard.
who never knows what any on: iaS or.
actuall J admitted that he had nsticci
it."
81 did not fkc it. There we're pain.
full associations with it, said Alriana.
shortly.
"That is a pity, for it was a very
pretty dress. l was going to ask Tor
the pattern of the sleeve. You are
strange person, Miss Linden. bas do
you know like you excessively, and I
regret that you are going to leave US
"No," continued she, seeing that Adri-
ana was about to speak, go not be
afraid, l am not going to try to persuade
you to remain with us, but yon must
let me talk to you little tonight, for
l am afraid after your good influence is
removed, that We shall all relapse and
fall into our old ways again She
seated herself by the fire. "Do not let
me interrupt your packing, but cannot
let you go without telling you that |
know I owe you much. l can never
look back on Charley's illness without
feeling that to you We owe his life."-
Triumph again rel gned in Adriana's
heart. Mrs. Braddick went on. <
scarcely knew till then how dear my
children were to ME. I think l looked
upon them as playthings, AID had no
idea what the loss of them would be,
having no fear of losing them. And
you have made tLem better children,
and have acted mothers part towards
them without taking their love from
me. | think / am a better woman TO
myself, Miss Linden l do not know or
why, but somehow attribute it to you.
l have not offended you, have -
asked Mrs. Braddick, in some surprise.
for Adriana was sobbing audibIy.-
"Charles always SAID I never did under
stand people, .
"Oh, no, no, but I cannot bear to
bear you speak in that way. Oh, Mrs.
Braddick, please, please forget me-tor-
get that l have ever been at Etheredse
Court"
II am sure, my dear Miss Linden.
that I shall do nothing of the kind. I
shall never cease to regret you alb
Adriana sat humbled before her rival,
the grateful words were heapins Goals
Of fire upon her head, for she felt that
whatever excuse she might have for
wishing to avense herself upon Mr..
to his wife she had acted dis
Presently she shad -
"Mrs. Braddick, l am very misera-
Die, very unhappy l do not deserve the
praise you bestow upon me, l am
grateful to you for all the kindness YOU
have shown me. I wish had had