Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1870-05-17

seen her equal in the city this season.--
She looks happy to get back her knight
errant. Well, Tilcston is a lucky dog"
'"What do you mean ?' said Ralph,
with an agitation he could scarcely con-
ceal.
"Why, don't you know They have
been engaged three years. Capt. Tiles
ton went with Frank Evans to Springfield
and met this girl there-Frank's cousin,
you know. 1t was all up with him from
the first time he saw her. The day was
fixed for their wedding, but Tieston had
a severe hcmorrhage of the lungs, and the
doctors said nothing would save him
except travel. He looks well enough,
now" .'''' Z" ... -l
"Y ou know all this, Charlie? It's no
mere rumor?" Ralph's hand was on his
friends arm l
"Know it?" Charlie stared. "You
do not want me to take my oath on it,
do you? By Jove, Ralph, a body
would suppose you were personally inter-
estcd" H .1"h
Poor Ralph! The chance shot recalled
him to his senses. He sank back again
in his scat, cssaying faint reflection of
Charles quizzical smile. 'a
He sat through the hour too utterly
stunned to realize anything beyond a
vague, terrible sense of loss-only know
ing the lecture over by the tumult Of ap-
plausc that burst forth, aud the noise of
the audience rising to 60 out. .,..s
Once in the street, it was an unex.
pected relief that Marks launched out in
to animated criticism of the speakers
opinions, too eager himself to notice the
abstraction of his listener. ., ...l. .....
Before the dawn Of the morning that
followed that sloepless night, the first tu-
muImous surges Of grief had passed, and
Ralph looked his trouble in the face, re-
solved to bear it like the brave fellow
that he was. He did not reproach Eta
now, though the temptation had been a
sore one at first; doubtless she supposed
the fact of her engagement too widely
known to have had thought Of caution
only foolish blindness could have made
him mistake the kindness, which her no.
BILE heart prompted toward all alike, fol
something more personal and tender. ...
Then how could she know how he hat
loved her? He had never told her So
he thought, bitterly, although in those few
months she had grown to be 50 much &
part of all his life, that as yet he was toe
weak to think of the desolate years thai
) seemed to stretch endlessly before hin
without her. Life was made up Of mo
ments-he could bear them, one by one
: till, may be, strength would come will
endurance '.g erYirgo a.u1msG1. aaf
+ Flint, senior, was waiting for him as HI
went in. .. ....-.,.t. ..9 gnr g
"a few minutes conversation, if yol
t please, Mr.. Field" he said. .,t a, .a
Ralph followed him to the office. Wha
new leaf in his book of fate would b,
turned this time? e4 I.Iag 30 gii..I,
: Mr.. Flint was a man of few words, an(
the expression. Of warm commentator
! with which be grasped Ralph's hand, am
: drew him Into chair beside him, mean
D much, coming from him. lr,di gr-.r..,i.
: There had been letters by the last night
+ steamer-the Paris agency was vacant
g some one must go immediately, Their
c was DO one whom he could trust more i'm
: plicitly than Mr. Field-no one Of who's
4 2
success he should feel more proud, Woul'
: Mr., Field take the place2 ar boron
E Poor RaIph's cheek flushed for one mo
e mept, with a glow of honest pride; then
S with bitter -pang, ,-eame- the Thought
: "IIow much this would have been wort
to me yesterday but to-day 9Slgdi 1ag
. 81 am very grateful for the honor yo
} pay me, Mr., Flint" he said II hay
r tried to do my duty-l will try still. %.
(, thank you'll will co. a3 9gar gssd
E Aud 50 it was settled, odp ,ao nod
/; Busy in his room that night with pre-
! paratiops for his journey, Ralphtook fror
his desk a little packet touching it ten
derly and sadly, as one might gather
: flower off q igraye. hcrpretty hpndker
: chief a withered rose or tgo-rthat wa
a all, Was he less manly that q few tear
h fell silently-Tpq9r droPs that cQald brip
J back no fresh bloom to The faded bios
!. soms2 Turning with q sudden impulse
2 he took pen and paper. a9d odl "a no IA
II was q little letter, the last wall Of
s dying hope; 4, ,,.5ofU .sf,is,tft 9m
q ,gETrA;--My Eta, ! had thought t
say, but the time for that has gone by,r-
d God forgive me il, | should write nee(
I less word phin the truest heart that e'
Z or heat ns1iIemh M" 10 l9ailN aidtH