Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1869-09-03
PARIS, MAINE, FRIDAY.

4 ~
sorry you were hasty, for fear you have
given deep, lasting wound to true,
noble heart"
Pride and love. How the two were
battling in Alma's heart; but pride was
still uppermost.
"And he is going to CanadaP"
She said it in steady, even tones, too
calm to be entirely natural. Mere friend
ly interest would have given more anima-
ton to the measured words.
ale has gone9 ?"
Gomez" There was pain in the sud-
den cry.
Yes, he left for Liverpool this after
noon, and will take the steamer that sails
tomorrow. Alma, Alma, do not tell me
you mistook your own heart when yo u
sent him awayP"
"No, no, it is better for him to go"
Pride was still upermost, though she
shivered as if with cold, and was white
rs Parian marble.
"Well, my dear, l hope you have judg-
ed correctly of your own heart. | am
only sorry you were mistaken" and he
kissed her sadly, for he had loved Leon
with the affection he would have given to
son of his own, if he had ever been bless
ed with one.
The parting had been very hard for
! these two men, thrust from each others
hearts by woman's vain caprice; but
each, while hiding his own pain. had COM
fortcd the other with the hope that she,
at least, would be happier with her re-
gained freedom.
Released from the library, out OF her
fathers sight, Alma staggered. rather
than walked to the staircase, and blindly
groped her way to her own room. Once
within that sanctum, secure from intru-
sion, pride fell PROSTATE before the great
food Of love sweeping now unchecked
over her heart.
Leon, Leon, Oh, forgive me, and
come back"
This was the cry of her heart through
the long. sleepless watches of that weary
night. The morning found her pale and
sad but she said, in heart "He was too
good. too noble for me- will bear my
punishment as patiently as | can, praying
that he may find another who will have
my love and not my faults"
She thought he had ceased to love her
had found his error in supposing she
would make him true, loving wife, lit
tie guessing the agony he was carr ying
with him in his suddenly undertaken voy-
age. 1t was only one of the thousand
cases of hasty words and bleeding hearts,
bu, il was none the less bitter for that.
Once settled in Canada, Leon tried to
give his whole attention TO the busines :
he had undertaken for Mr.. Crofts. Every
letter from that merchant contained words
of thanks ard praise for the stimulus he
was giving to the trade in Montreal, and
Leon was grateful for the frankly express
ed appreciation of his services. But while
he valued this portion of his employers
epistle, there were other words he read
more eagerly, sought for more earnestly
Mr.. Crofts at first avoided all mention
of hi. daughters name, fearing TO touch
upon unhealed, tender wounds; but once
or twice a question in Icons letter touch
ing the health Of the family, had called
forth an answer, till at last he wrote free
ly of Alma, half hoping that, as he word
ed it in his thoughts, things might come
right vet" And one of his letters read in
this wise
alma is we'll, but you would scarcely
believe in the change in her unless you
could see it. All through the spring and
summer she seemed dropping and feeble /;
but since the autumn she is better and
buster than ever before. Not busy in the
old way, with trimming evening dresses
and arranging jewelry and flowers; but
she is studying, aud-would you think it
Of our little Alma?-visiting amongst the
poor of the parish! She has grown so
womanly in the past few months, so gen
tie and considerate of others, that | can
scarcely recognize my little butterfly. l
have always thought that if she would
use her mind. she would prove to have a
greater range of intellect than would ap-
pear to casual observer, but even l am
surprised at the facility with which she
now grasps higher fields of thought than
mos women venture upon. My little gay
girl is certainly gone, but in her place a
noble woman is fast developing"
This was not the only letter in the same
strain. Mr.. Crofts loved his child with a
fond parents most intense affection, aud
second to his love for her was his affec-
ton for his young friend Leon. What
wonder, then, if ho wrote freely of one to
the other-talked, too, of the absent one
to the one near him? Perhaps the faint
hope still lived in his heart that these two
loved ones might renew their broken en-.
gagement; but if so, Alma gave it no
word or look to feed upon.
The winter months came, and sped
along till February came, and the year of
separation was almost completed. Leon
was sitting alone in his office on the after
noon of St. Valentines Day, thinking sad
lv of the last anniversary of that day. He
/ ILL L.. ..;-;t tn tho 1rrcanhnusn To sa-