The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1870-06-16

Q loved him with gentle, true.heartet
! friendship and faithful sympathy tn.
: would be always his ; but not as Rien'
J loved him. All !! that love was alive
and did not die in its birth. As 70,
} Dick himself, he made no profession
Of ofafec:ion-he was sincerely fond O.
Catharine. He was toucbed-hov
could he help ?-by the knowledge
OF her old affection for him. He came
with longing for sympathy, for ,
KIND soul to talk to, from his empty
lonely house, to Catharine's tranquil
bright home. He came with sad
scorn for himself in his heart, but there
! ne was sitting beside her day after day.
She suited him better than his own
relations. Refine, who he thought was
true as steel, had deceived him and
Tilted him. Catharine had but to nut
ont her hand, he was not unwilling :
and Catharine, still looking him tull in
the face, put out her hand, but Reiue's
little letter was in it.
"Ob, Richard" Madame Font.ine
said, uncousciously calling him by his
Christian name, II want you to read
this-to forgive me for what I am 90
ing to say "
Her eyes were brimmins, her voice
was falling, but she made great effort
and spoke. Just now every thing
seemed Of very little consequence to
her in comparison with the great sad.
ness which had long filed her heart.
There ives pathos: in her tones Of:
which she was unconscious, as she tried,
by talking as straight and direct to the
po'nta Refine herself might have done
to: :pu'aWay At once, forever, all miscon-
oeption. At another time, perhaps, she
could not have spoken a. she did lust
then. But her sorrow still encompass.
ed her like shield she was iuvulner.
able; new strength had come to her
from her very weakness and remorse
for the past.
II did not love my husband Is I
ought to have loved him when I mar
ried him." she said. II deserve any
thing-every thing: Even this expla.
nation is a punishment for my folly.
But if had to live my life again now,
and if might choose, with open eyes,
between he man who loved me aud
-and-I would not have things other
wise. Oh, Richard, you do not think
me ungratefal for speaking? I know
all that passed. Poor Reiue-dear
Reine," said the true hearted little wo-
man, ''there IS no one so noble, 50 faith
ful. She left you because she loved you. |
Do you know how ill she has been :? |
Miss Williamson Git was Of the present
writer that Catharine was speaking
them has written to me ,about her. |
She thinks she will die some day if you
leave her much longer ulone. Oh,
Richard, dear friend, won't you forgive
her and me; and 60 back to her again |
No one has ever loved you as she
doas."
Those Of my good friends who already |
despise Dick Butler, and who think |
him poor creature at best, and no
better that his paintings, will, fear,
desplse him still more, for his eyes
were full of tears when he look ed up at |
last from the paper on which Reine's
few words Of sad congratulation we're
standing in black and white before
him.
"God bless you, dear lady," he said,
taking Madame Fontalne's outstretch-
ed hand, and starting up. "You have
saved me from committing a great
wrong. I will write to you tomorrow
when I have seen her."
i: And then he went. away quickly, |
without noticing the children, and a |
minute afterward they heard his horses
feet clattering down the road. Then
the three children, who had been lis
tening with their ears, and perfectly
understanding every thing, and thrill
ling with sympathy eas children do,
came and flung themselves upon tho
little window, almost crushing her down
upon the sofa.
y "No, no, no." said Toto, in his brok,
EN- English, II shall not '&ve you mar
~, 1 want you, aud when I'm .
man. %. "On, Cathy,: you won't
leave us again, will you? Promise,
please PROMISE cried Totty, aud Rosa |
said nothing, but threw away. her ], nov
el, griped one Of Cathy's poor little
hands tight in hers,; crushing it with
al her might, until her sister, half
laughing, kalf crying, had to call out
for mercy. And SO, With one last
bright appealing look, Cath.riue hap
PLY disappears, in the ehildren's ador-
ing but somewhat tyraunlcal embrace.
Good-by, little Catharine. Yours is
no hard fate, after all. Toto is your