Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-12-14

uCuUCi al, NY lilOnu: Noo HOt |
romancing that night l spoke out of |
the depths of my own bitter expert
ence."
Not Randolph's son! Wa the
world upside down?
"Is he yours2 I asked, wondering
if | were myself or another.
ayes, mine. Ny son, but not his" "
She lay still, with her eyes closed,
and her hands clasped upon her breast.
She looked SO pure, so like a tired
child, now that the brief storm had
spent its fury. did not speak.
could not. But at length she spoke,
laying her hand in mine:
any friend, you must help me.
have borne my terrible burden for
more than ten years; and now | can
bear it no longer alone. Will you
hear my story? | will not weary
you. [ will make it short"
| bowed my head. What was
about to hear? But still the physi-
clan triumphed
"You must take this cordial and
rest for half an hour. Then | will
come back to you. Nay, nay my
child. 1t must be as | say. In half
an hour, if am alive, | will come
back and hear whatever you choose
to tell me-"
| left the room. In thirty minutes
| returned. This is what she said to
me:
You do not think that | am dying,
my friend; butt am. The soul has
its own intuitions, and mine knows Of
a surety that its earthly life is nearly
ended. If I were strong enough [
should carry what [ have to tell you
to the grave with me and let it be bu-
ried in everlasting silence. But | am
weak. long for human sympathy.
| must speak, or | shall 60 mad.
al am, as you know, an orphan
so thoroughly orphaned, that | have
not, even one dim childish remem-
brance of fathers or mothers love-
My guardian and his wife were good,
cold, proper people, who spent my
small income religiously for my bene-
fit, and never wronged me of a cent.
1t is something in this world, as have
learned since, to be scrupulously hon.
est-and this they were. When was
sixteen | was sent to a fashionable
boarding school, where Madame La
Mode reign ID supreme, and good
breeding took the place of good NOR
ais"
She had gone on glibly enough thus
far; but now she paused, and for five
minutes there was silence in the room,
while her color came and went like
lambent fame. When she spoke again
it was in low, constrained voice, as
that of one who had in holding in lease
emotions that are we'll nigh overmas-
, tering.
There was one there need not
give his name-a foreigner, music
teacher. There was everything about
him to charm the fancy of a young
girl, who like me, had seen little Of
the world and less of men. He was
| elegant, he was graceful, he was re-
| fined. 1t was rumored in the school
that he belonged to a noble German
: family, and had been exiled for politi-
cal offences. Be this as it may, he
had the air of high breeding, and car
! ried himself like prince of the blood.
= Well, he loved me. God help me
l | believe even to-day that he really
: loved me. AndI? Imore than loved
him. He was my idol, whom | wor-
shipped; my king, whom l obeyed {;
my master, whom | served. Even
now | can hardly wonder that l was
E so beguiled. Just think of it, my
e friend" she cried, while her hand
: sought mine with a gesture that was
? half deprecating, h alf imploring,-
| " Fatherless, motherless, sisterless and
; brotherless, had lived unloved for
t sixteen years. No heart warm kisses
: had ever touched my lips until his fell
- there.
; Il consented at last to a secret
e marriage. He told me that he would
acknowledge me as his wife ere long
but that for while family and politi
cal reasons compelled him to silence
i | believe | was glad Of it. 1t suited
the latent romance of my nature, and
our love seemed all the fairer for the
y veil OF mystery in which it was en-
shrouded. So one day we were mar
o ried in a distant village-married by
9 a justice of the peace, under assumed
; names.
-Four months passed like dream
{ and then, my guardian thinking haG
4 acquired accomplishments enough,
p was summoned home. Iwonder tnat
:. in the anguish of parting from my low
r er husband, | did not betray our secre
to the school, But | had learned
# worldly wisdom and self control, an(
Y when he placed me in the carriage, anC
q shook hands with me in the preseuc,
=, of little crowd of teachers and schol
N ars, l said good bye without a chang'
Of color, and nodded gaily as we turn
4 ed the corner.
- "He was to come to me in vacation
V. and meantime he was to write to me
But week after week passed, and n,
is word, no line, no token, broke the 81
lence that had dropped between us
W Then one day there came letter
st not from him, but from one of tn
#, school girls. Professor F., sh
to said, was dead. He had had brail
fever. Nobody thought he would die
ir but he did. He was buried yester
e. day, and the girls all wore mournin,
r badges at the funeral and placed flow
ut ers on the coffin. She thought wo
like to know about it, for | had Away
)" been favorite with the professor.
Il. "That was all. cannot dwell up
~ on the weeks that followed-weeks i
ar which | became aware that |, the III
acknowledged wife of a dead husband
er would in the due course OF time be
G. come the mother of his child"
ar She paused again, and her breat
ir came quickly. How my heart BILE
&c for her! But words were idle. So
only mt back the damn hair from he