The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1871-06-22
THREE.
CHAPTER II,

CHAPTER IL.
When we were entirely alone she
sat down on an ottoman, and laying her
rounded arms across my lap, as she had
done thousand times in the old days
at Castleton, asked me many questions
about Mrs. Howe, and Lilly's death,
my father and mother aud brothers !;
my marriage, and the different friends
whom we had both known. And while
she talked my old confidence in her re-
turued.
recalled the first letter she had
written me after leaving school, and
asked her, with little touch OF banter,
how 1t happened that she had not in
1uired about DR.. Stanton.
| A spasm Of pain crossed the dark
beautiful face, and her voice sounded
hard and unnatural as she said:
III don't care to know anything about
him"
"Why, Esther?" I asked in no lit
tie surprise.
"You thought that he and I were
good friends, didn't you, Louise We
we're once, but that was long ago, and
1 am trying to forget that time and
him."
l thought | could understand how
that in the brilliant, artificial life
she had led for the past two years, she
had learned to consult her head rather
than her heart; and, prompted by pride
was trampling rue love under her feet.
l had many PLEASANT recollections of
DR. Stanton. He was my husbands 8
friend, and my own as we'll; and the
way in which she spoke Of him half
angered NC. Her words seemed to me
like slight c,st upon the country I
had so recently left. So it was that
my voice was little cold and bitter in
its tone as l said
"You are g'and lady now, Esther
-praised and followed by princes and
dukes, and it is not strange, I suppos e,
that you should look down upon a
simple citizen Of the United States"
"You forget that my father is a
simple citizen Of the United States" "
she replied, throwing her head back
proudly. *'No, no, Louise, you wrong
me there. To me there is nc land like
! America-no people like my own coun.
trymen-an I am going home to be
married. Louis wants to have the cere.
mony performed here, but I have set
my heart on seeing Fairview irst."
us he to be your husband, Esther 7"
eyes. Papa wishes it.; and as for
me, it doesn't matter much. Louis is
my kinsman, though distant one, and
I think l can live as pleasantly with
him as with any one."
There was no light or warmth in her
face. She spoke of her marriage in
differently, as if it were the most ordi-
nary affair ip the world. It was evi.
dent enough that she had no especial!
affection for the man whatever. To
me this state Of things seemed dreadful,
and there was real distress at my heart,
if not in my voice, as l said, hardly
thinking ,ohat it was that I was say
ing:
"Oh Esther, what is it that has
changed you So"
Again that spasm of rain crossed
her face, connecting itself in some may,
IN my mind, with thoughts of DR. Stan.
ton, and asked again-a little abrupt
y, I'm afraid:
"Esther, what has Dr.. Stanton done
to offend yoa, that you spoke Of him in
the way you did 7"
She was white pow-white to the
lips-but she answered my question
that question which had no right to
put-and with her next words began
to see how cruelty had misjudged her.
"Willard Stanton has not offended
me in the sense you mean, but he rob:
bed me of all faith and trust. He caus-
ed me the greatest sorrow in my life" y
She paused.
"Do you love your husband, Louise p
"Certainly," I replied.
"With all your hcartw
.".With all my heart"