The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1871-04-28

n moment nIter ene neafd the 6d-
cant say to her nfiianced husband:
"Sir John, ! want to introduce you
to young scientific man in whom !
see great deal Of promise. He has
just come back from q mission into
the Ural mountains, in which he rep
resented one Of our best scientific So
cieties. Here he is. Glad to sec
you, Hexton; and come here. I wish
to introduce you TO my friend Sir
John Riddell."
And Josephine, looking up, saw
Walter Hexton, her old lover, intro
duced TO her betrothed husband. He
was old Walter still. More manly,
more calm and sustained, more
grave, perhaps, and with o darker
tint on his face; but with the broad
forehead, the gray eyes, simple, hon.
est look and bearing. As she gazed
ut him the old. early love came swell
ling up in her heart; all the interval
since first she left her fathers house
seemed TO have dropped completely
out Of her life. and out Of her MEM
ory; the vanity, the frivolity, the
mean hopes, the ignoble ambitions,
the unwomanly disloyalty and cow
ardice-all sank away, and she felt
as il nothing remained in her heart
but the true love, which, from her
childhood up to twelvemonth back
had filed it.
The crowd separated her--and she
allowed herself to be separated-for
a moment or two from Mrs. Selby
Glare and from Sir John Riddell.-
The crowd. too, brought her quite
near TO Walter Hexton, whom Sir
John had just quilted. Josephine
laid her hand gently on Hexton's
arm, and he looked around and saw
her. ~
Walter" she said, in q low and
tremulous tone. ''you have not for
gotten me?"
Forgotten you. Josephine! No,
I have not forgotten you. / have
tried TO forget, but could not"
He spoke in a voice 50 low, and
with 80 much difficulty and suppress
ed emotion, that she could barely
catch his words.
And ], too, Walter, have tried to
forget, but I could not and shall try
no more" ...-s-.
He turned his eyes, which he had
previously kept away, full upon her
face, and he found her meaning in
the look which her eyes gave him
back. She held her hand out and he
pressed it. Then they separated, or
allowed themselves TO be separated
again.
Their converse had hardly lasted
single minute. but it was enough
Walter Huxton went home with
heart swelling with unexpected lore
and Joy, and the sudden recall to su-
premacy of q love which he had long
been trying to crush.
Josephine Ascot went home with
mind more troubled, certainly, than
his, for she had perplexing, pain
full knot to undo, and q manly, hon
orable gentleman to disr lease and Of
fsnd at the veiy least; and she look
ed upon much of her recent conduct
with sincere contrition and shame
But she felt SO much Of relief and
happiness that at last she saw her
way clear before her, and had return
ed TO her true allegiance. Come
what might, she would never marry
Sir John.
She kept her purpose to herself as
Mrs. Selby Glare and she drove home
together in the carriage. But when
they reached the house and were
alone she broke out ut once with her
confession, and told her patroness
she never would marry Sir John Rid
dell, and she told her the reason
why:
because I lovo Walter Hexton!-
I did not know it fully until tonight
at least I thought I had perhaps
stifed it and killed it, to my shame
but when / saw him tonight
knew that I loved him still, and /
never will be weak and wicked
enough to marry another mani"
"This 10 delightful" I" said Mrs. Sell
by Clare, dryly, ''and quite affecting,
no doubt, at least to q romantic per-
son-a class to which / don't belong.
May / ask what you propose to do
with Sir John Riddell.
81 will tell him all-the whole
plain truth. He will then know that
/ cannot marry him, and he will for
give me-"
ST wish you had thought of this
sooner, Josephine. It is very un-
pleasant; it puts me in quite false
.~n.:k.o,. col Z. horx1lx, rv,.okof,,1 r
think. Pray be good enough to ex-
plain to Sir John that it is no doing
of mine-that I have no hand in the
business.
81 will make that plain to him,
Mrs. Selby Glare, for !. will go at
once to my fathers. Don't think I
am ungrateful, or that can ever for
get all your kindness to me; but after
this-after have done what I know
you wish me not to dol feel I have
no right to remain under your roof
any longer" Hs
Mrs. Selby Clare bowed and said
nothing. Perhaps she was beginning
to wish for some novelty, and the ex-
citement of o grand marriage for Jo-
sephine would have been q fresh and
pleasing sensation. That hope frus-
trated, she was not sorry to be free
| Of Josephine, and to be able to talk
of the ingratitude of girls.
Next day Josephine told Sir John
Riddell all. It was q heavy blow
but he bore it brayely, like gentle
man, and was generous and forgiving
And Josephine returned to her faith
er's not richer by u coin than wher