Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-08-31

L \
: mother and the world. Besides. vo,
~ not kpow me. | am intensely ambi
aus ana worldly, and wealth and posi-
tT give power. He loves me too-an,
I'D alters while dare say may car
fetHm. Promise me that you will leay,
Ts-that yoRFill never tempt me again
not so strong in myself as believed
skAots bear it, And her head saul
81 lever, and | saw her tears drop int
theEster..
5ere was aschoking in my throat thai
J sprds Ated nay answering at once. She put
up hand-hastily to her eyes with an
imp IeRt gesture, as though angry with
hersF, and then gave sudden start and
ezeiasation. looking at her finger. Her
eng gR:sent ring ia magnificent solitaire)
fWasA '-. kuler, who had been busy
tcnAa .k MI rlanley shawls, sprang 10
her at her scream of dismay, Fand
there eisued general scene of confusion,
10 Fhieh every body was occupied in look.
J .ssstsaa Z eIsa lamenting. But the ring (which
Be fosnu NM m y RE- r.
lookeH darker than ever, poor 1aura-pale
and dItressed-rthe loss of the ring giving
her az apparent reason-and altogether it
was dreary sRarty that returned to the
houseI For m5&elf, simply felt that love
and, t1s rsmahoe of life for me were over.
L lovai this woman profoundly-as can
nevaE55 3oye anF woman again. She had
led ~ on to declaring myself, and then
had 7jected me-not because she did not
retur my love, for | felt that in every
nery4 Of her body. in every emotion of
her ilL, she did but she was not true
eRouh 70 herself, not noble enough to give
mp t4 world for love. Now nothing re-
main% sr me but to go away and try and
live. tasS passion down, throwing myself
hearthna soul into my profession, and find
ing 4 that, if / could, mistress, an abb
sorbE occupation.
assitting in my room smoking while
| nsted gloomily of these things and
look& at the little picture which had so
straag.ly been bound up with my life,
when was startled by a hand on my
shof hr, and, turning, saw Mr. Kuler, who
.lSassgying
in tholght since he did not hear me, though
l knocked twice. l.
Tfen he stopped short l had closed
the case quickly when | heard his voice,
but MT quickly enough, it seemed. His
voice danged and his eyes grew danger
Gus. You are fortunate in being the pos
sessor 9f a picture Miss Stanley told me
was loa.'
Ills lnsolent tone angered me, so |
flvrr ~ l.. =.
: L toas 'ceupied, and did not hear you
Can d any thing for you this evening p
He .ooked as if he could have stabbed
me on tie spot. For me nothing 7aoao.
l will sc you later in the evening" his
voice quyering with suppressed passion.
The lades sent me to tell you that they
are waiiDg for you in the little parlor.
And hestrode out of the room.
'Therehearsal for some theatricals We
4 srs gr:.hg up FFas 80 BE shat cveRing,
and | hb entirely forgotten it. l went
down starr but, as nobody seemed to be
prepared the rehearsal did not come off.
1 was hartily glad of it, and taking my
cigar l vent out on the piazza. 1t was
wild, g.omy night, so no one was out
there; nd | paced up and down IN the
darknes. and dreary wind, which suited
my mcoi so well, going over the days
events. and revolving what l must now do
about tle picture, since it was known to
be in NJ possession. An hour or more
had passed in this way, when | heard low
but excited voices at the further end of
the piazza. Turning in that direction l
saw Mis- Stanley leaning against pillar,
her heal thrown haughtily back; while
before Ter stood Mr.. Ruler, evidently un-
der the greatest excitement, talking in
angry, reproachtul tones, his voice husky
with raea l caught the words treachery.
revenge you have deceived me-
Then Laura answered, Indignantly,
E Can you not believe me when l say that
| never gave him the picture p
Instantly | walked up to them, and
placed myself before Mr.. Kuler. Your
opinion Of me- | said, with all the calm
ness | could command, is a matter of
utter Indifference But | wish to excul-
pate Miss Stanley from all blame whatso-
ever as regards her picture, which you
have unfortunately seen in my bands
Then, N the simplest, most direct way, l
told the story of the picture, and what it
had been to me in California, and ever
since, and how it saved my life. Laura
listened with intensity, her bosom heaving,
her hands clasped closely together, as if
she were holding herself down. Then-it
was almost like wrenching my heart out,
Kate took out the picture and gave it
to her
Your picture can never be any thing
to me now, Miss Stanley; and | have no
right OF title in it-have never had; so L
restore it to you. Goodnight =
She felt, for my voice betrayed it, that
it was also FAREWELL and that all was
over between rs.
SrgslHght,' She said, softly, and put
out her hand.
As L held it for one passionate moment
L saw that her face was pale with repressed
emotion, and she was trembling all over.
As turned and left them, Mr.. Ruler at
tempted to stammer out something, per-
haps an apology; but l did not wait to
hear it, and Invent up to my room. There
was one of those tall, old-fashioned clocks
at the head of my stairs, and all night long
Kate, as lay awake, | heard that clock
tick, and | thought of Longfellow's
"Forever-neveri Never-foreveri
As soon as it was daylight got up,
packed my things, and by six o'clock was
rushing on in the train to New York
Here the young man made a long pause
We'll ? said Kate, gently, after wait.
ing a while.
Well he answered, with long sigh
you must be tired, and there if not much
more to tell. L never saw her but once
more, and that was after she was married
She sent me cards, but did not go to the
welding, which took place that very fall
and was grand affair. There was Ions
description of it in the paper, and of how
the happy pair had gone to Europe