Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-10-19

household cares on my snouluels, 'n"' WIN
crush down my love of visits. i"
"This will be my last visit with you
Miss Dundee"
"Theom She threw such world OF re-
proachful tenderness into the tone in when
She uttered that one word, that the man
she addressed trembled visibly. His re-
solve, when spoken coldy and haIshly,
shocked and surprised her out OF the
brightly prudential tone she had iuIly
intended to adopt. Why had Mr. Bligh
gone away, leaving them the prey oil this
mischicvous opportunity?
eyes; for Heavens sake, don't speak to
me in that way, or you'll drive me mad !
and then he got up and went to the win
dow; and poor Madge saw that his face
had grown very pale, and that an expires
sion of hopelessness had settled upon It,
She could not bear it. He had been so
thoughtful for her always-so gentle, and
devoted and sympathetic-that she felt as
if she must comfort him, let what might
come of it.
"Thco," she said again, with that same
pathetic cadence in her voice, "you have
been so kind to me always; can't bear
to see you so. Can't make you happier,
Theo 2"
lie turned round quickly and caught her
hands, as she was standing near to him.
"Madge, do you love my uncle F"
Half frightened, she drew back from
him, and 81 am engaged to him." she
stammered.
ayes, but you have made me love you;
you knew your chance, and you have used
it. If you love him, let me go without
another of those appeals that you know
how to make so maddening; II not
Madge, Madge 2"
He had taken her hands again, and was
looking down into her face with CLEAN
of such intense pleading affection that tor
a moment he was the world to her.
"If | had known you first" she sobbed,
"but | didn't, you see and we DundeeS
never break our word. And-oh you had
better 20 after all but forgive me !"
Forgive her. 1t was easy enough to say
he would, and to make an end OF this mis-
cradle scene, but it was very hard to DO IT,
Had she not spoken his name with all her
heart in her voice only minute ago, lead
ing him on by the tone she used to tell his
secret to her in the hope that she would
be brave, and avert eventful misery from
them all And now she was telling him
that if she had known him first she would
have loved him BEST and that she could
not for her names sake break her word to
his uncle!
1t was CHASTITY state of affairs, and as
soon as he could. Theo Bligh made an end
of it, by going away. The two men had
no verbal explanation on leave-taking, but
they parted as comrades who had been
wounded in the same fight might part
And then Theo found that, though eXiS-
tence was not cmbittered to him, the SAVIOR
had gone from the old pleasures.
1t was decidedly not worth while now
, he felt, to try and do anything, good OF
, definite for he could never find woman
!, to share his glory or smile upon his success
who could put Bonnie Dundee out of his
;; mind after her other women did and would
q always appear to be wanting in something
I She had the trick of making Others appear
o tame, and pale, and insufficient, and
4 well. the man who has been shown upon
by star, never feels that there is mucl
G warmth in a taper.
, He banished himself so eflectually tina
q he heard no tidings from the Chase for 81!
i months, and then he ventured to send hi
h address to his banker and to have letter
v forwarded to him but before these letter
V are read, a retrospective glance at the Bon
( ME Dundee must be given.
d She bore his departure very bravely
;. Remember how many other interests wer
Il claiming her attention at the time, and re
member the ardent, impressionable, change
J. able nature of the girl. There was a goo
deal of the woman. She had the facuIt
IL of feeling intensely for the time, and
! getting over things. Is not that last char
~ acteristic the secret of many women keep
IT ing right, and of many Others going wrong
y 1t brushed the bloom of the peac
~ roughly when he went away, for tina
,r vailed idolatry of his had been very pleas
10 ant to her; nevertheless she bore it bravely
re and made the best of that which RENAME
ar to her. 81 am so sorry, for was so Ton
ID of him. she said to her lover, with tia
n disarming frankness which women of he
+ caibre know so well how to use. An
is Mr.. Bligh, hearing her, did not wond(
m that his nephew had been scorched by til
/ fiery ordeal through which he had bee
err passed.
y There was this about it, too, that it VIZ
up such clean fire that even her own sex coul
So not despise and condemn and prophec
At evil things concerning Miss Dundee
ID warmth. Just as she loved light an
in dancing and flowers, and sweet sounds, 5
10 cid she love to be loved; and though
Il made her dangerous, it never made he
Of despicable. And somehow men understoC
- this, and so fostered her other foible
ri because of their gladness that she was ire
10 from greater ones.
1t was only about week before the da
fixed for their marriage, that Mr.. Big
SIS ventured to speak decisvely to her. Vel
earnestly and gently he spoke, beseechil
of her to open all her heart to him, and
We tell him if any other image had ever di
ne placed his. And Madge listened to hi
st thoughtfully, and analysed her own emf
Sc lions, and finally answered him.
,g "If he had come first, / should have love
of Theo desperately; as it was, didn't dal
I'd let myself. You're not afraid, are you"
IN "Only for your happiness, my poo
child" he said, "not for my own honor"
SIS 81 like you so much, you know" 81
ed said, energetically-" it does seems so hal
er that one can't express all ones littlegrad
On tions of feeling in words-l like you s
TX much-but it's dark to me now withou
IT him." she added, with a sudden passc
that carried her out of herself, and COZ
as ynced him that she could never be h
ch wife.
it. "Hv is the younger maitland you al
ed right" He tried to say it calmly, but
=" was an awful blow; and again. as II
,ss strength of his manhood was shaken, Madl