Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1871-04-05
ng dark, met Ella hurrying towards

ing dark, met Ella hurrying toward
ne.
..Ruth, Sid it here; -
Herei"
He meant to be here for the birth
day, but the steamer was ore dsy be
hind time. Ruth was right. -
Il don't understand you. y
ABOUT Sylvia I did not m can tc
listen, but was IL grardma's dressing
room when he came to the bed.Iocfsf
Nobody had seen him, and after few
words of greeting, he asked her, Wha-
do you think g.,
20 Nell, ought you to tell9
You won't betray ire: He dom
know whether Sylvia loves fiinf OF not
and grandma has not found out In two
years: She would be glad, Ruthy, to
have Sydney happy in his own way,
but she canaot say word to encourage
him to hope.
g It seems to bad y
He Is SO thin and pale. Ruthy.
She will kill him hard hearted as she is.
Pshaw! Men don't die of love.
But Sydney is not like other men.
We were at The ho1ise hs this time,
and could see the whole party assem-
pled In the drawing room excepting
grandmother, who was still in her own
room with Sydney. Sylvia was at the
piano playing waltz, as we opened
the door. just as we did so, heard
grandmother On the stairs, saving
How surprised they viii ali be to
see you, Sydney" and at the same
moment Nell whispered to me-
I" I'm going to play an April FOOLS
trick on Sylvia, and catch her.
1t seemed but second, and could
still hear gradmother's slowly descend
ing steps, when Nell dashed into the
drawIng-room crying
ooh Sedney is dead"
Evey face paled, and cry of con
sternation broke from every one, but
there was more ominous sound still.
heavy fall, and Sylvia lay insensible
on the floor.
It was cruel experiment. Sydney's
self in their midst relieved the others,
but he saw nothing but Silvia. Only
to hear her speak again, only to see her
eyes open again, he pleaded as if for
his life. We opened the windows and
let the cold evening air blow upon her;
we drenched her face and hair with
water and, finally Nell coaxed every
body away but Sydney and myself.
"Will she ever waken, Ruthy ?" he
said to me, with white, stiff lips.
1t is only fainting it," I answer
ed chafng the cold, ifeless hands.
"You heard Nell's cruel Joke %
g Was it that 2" he asked.
Oh, the selfshness of mens His
color was returning, and look creep
ing into his eyes of fond exultation.
"Sylvia," he said, bending his lips
to hers, "you are mine now.n
She heard him, for faint color came
to her cheeks, and she tried to move.
l saw she was reviving, and I left them
Nell met me in the hall.
$ | have got them all to tea,'' she
said. 'tRuthy, have I killed herr"
"No, indeed. Go tell grandmother
all is well now
"You don't mean
:" [ don't know I only guess, I said;
f'but l guess we'll get our wedding"
And | was right. Having betrayed
so much, Sylvia gave her love fully and
freely as he1 nature vas. She let aer
pride sleep. and Sydney went no more
to Italy, for grandmother pleads for
her best beloved child to close her eyes
when they shall open no more in this
wor d, and Sylvia thinks no home can
be like Elmsglade. You can't make
Nell say she did wrong thing.
g was awfully frightened" she will
own, "but I am as glad as 1 can be I
caught Sylvia once on April FOOLS
Dayo