Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1870-11-24
MLLERsBURG HOLMES o. THURSDAY NOVEMBER a.

I'VE were both in Boston tha
winter-his folks lived there, yor
see, and his uncle had. just died il
Cuba and left him a great fortune
so he was quite a lion.
There was woman in society
that season who took all hearts by
storm-a queen of hearts, if evel
there was one. A young widow she
was, just from Montreal. Her hus-
band had died up there in Canada a
year before, and she had come home
to his fathers family. They were
among the best, and she was a star,
followed and worshipped by half the
city. Not to be behindhand, Bruce
followed and worshipped too.
"He has been abroad since and
has seen many lovely women, no
doubt, but 1 have never in my life
seen as perfectly beautiful a woman
as that black-eyed enchantress,
Constance Benoir. You needn't
flush up, pet, at my saying that.
You and Christine are both pretty
women; but compared with Mrs.
Benoir, your good looks would pale
like rushlight in the blaze of a
MONDAY sun.
"But with all her beauty, this
Mrs. Benoir was not worthy to be
named in the same breath with
either of you, or with any good wo-
man. None of us knew it then,
though. Bruce was bewitched, as
indeed plenty of others were for
that matter; and 1 think she inten-
ded from the first to make him
marry her. All! such an angel as
she was to all outward seeming-but
it was a fallen angel.
Bruce found it all out before he
had been her husband three days
the whole shameful story of her life
in Montreal. There was disgrace
and infamy in fittings to make a
woman's cheeks tingle only to hear
of. And her family knew it all, as
indeed they could not help but do.
They had given the influence of their
name and position to shield her un-
til she could make an advantageous
settlement. Even in the matter of
her age he had been deceived, for
she was eight years the oldest.
"Brucc Harper's rage then was
something that don't care to see
the like of again as long as l live.
He cursed her and those who had
aided her with curses that ring in
my ears sometimes to this day. And |
then he left her.
"He would not live with her, even
for day; he would not apply for a
divorce, and he forbade her ever to
take his name. l think she was
afraid to disobey him in this, for she
has never assumed his name. But
the tie between them was legally
binding and remains unbroken. In
law, she is his wife, and he is
married man."
Mrs. Clendenning drew a long
breath.
at sounds like story out of
novelr' and then, man-like,
"Poor Christinew
AL the next day, "Poor Christine"
watched for some one who did not
one who, all unknown
to her, was fighting, alone in his
room, with doors bolted fast, the
fiercest battle OF his life.
There are some victories that are
sadder than defeats. Bruce Harper
felt as if this were one of them.
But as an honorable man, there was
but one course left open to him
and honor meant something where
Christine Frost was concerned.
He stopped in at Doctor Clenden-
ning's that evening on his way up
the street. Mrs. Lydia was out, and
he left message for her. To Doc
tor Charley he said:
81 am going abroad again. came
to say goodbye"
Charley Clendenning made an
swer:
"God bless you, Bruce Harper,
wherever you may go. And Chris
tine FrostT' looking him steadily in
5he face.
"I shall see her tonight for the
asst time"
"My friend, 1 trembled for you
md another. But you're a good
nan and true, Bruce, as you always
we're"
"I'm trying to be-in this case. :
But I find it hard, hard"
They kissed each other like two !
men who had been
lose friends for so many years.
Then Bruce Harper went away. !
At Mr.. Frost's he found Christine 9
Waiting for him. He knew she would y
,e, and yet, knowing it was for the !,
asst time, it gave him pang to look
It her as she stood there with her
oft brown hair blown all about her .
ace, and in the tender eyes look
hat no other woman's had ever
worm for him. AS he watched her
he thought came to him, as it had 4
'ome many time before, how b
blessed he would be with house of
lis own and Christine always to Y
Welcome him.
The picture had always a subtle il
harm for the homeless, solitary j
nan-homeless amid SO many pleas
mt homes-solitary, with hundred
riends about him. 1t was q home
If his own that he wanted-and
Christine. Might the picture not n
,ecome a reality in spite of all? n
Night he not persuade her to go y
With him this very night? He could Il
axe her far away, and she need il
lever know. il
One instant only the temptation "
Issailed HMM the next he had p
it and stood within the y
lall, hat in hand, making his adieus. t
/" / am going away, Miss Christine b
to Europe-and 1 have come to \
ay goodbye" '
She looked up at him, white, as
onished, but silent, waiting for him u
o speak further. 5
1T is not likely that 1 shall ever 1
eturn. My little friend must think Z
IS kindly of me as she can" +
He stopped there, struck dumb u
himself by the lifeless, stricken z
ook of her face, from which all the II
fright bloom had suddenly departed. c
Ia rrac Sai zad with n ,,od dacira 70 u