Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-09-06
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WHOSE WIFE WIS SHE?
sN INTENSELY INTERESTING STORY.
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" ~ NtNIl " q - " - - - - -
AZ INTENSELY INTERESTING STORY.
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One wonders often if there be any limit to
human endurance If there be, who can say
they have reached it ? Each year we find
that the thing which we thought had taken
our last strength has left us with strength
enough to bear harder 1t seemed SO with
such scenes as this in those sunny spring days
when Annie Ware first went out into life
again. Each day said, " There can never
be another moment quite 80 hard to meet as
this :" and the next day there came mo-
ment which made me forget the one which
had gone before.
1t was an evil fate which just at this time
made il imperatiyely necessary for George to
20 to the West for three months He had no
choice. His mothers whole fortune was at
stake. No one but he could save it it was
not certain that he could His last words to
me we're
q" trust more in you, Helen, than in any
other human being Keep my name constant
ly in her thought write me everything which
YOU MOulQ tell me II were utTts
1t had become necessary now TO tell the sad
story Of the result Of Annie's illness to all
those friends who would be likely to speak to
her of her marriage. The whole town knew
what shadow rested on our hearts and yet,
as week after week went by, aud the gay,
sweet, winning, beautiful girl moved about
among people again in her old way, people
began to say more and more that it was, after
all, very foolish for Annie Wares friends t
be so distressed about her stranger things
had happened she was evidently perfectly
well woman and as for the marriage, they
never liked the mateh-George Ware was toe
old and too grave for her and, besides, hi
was her second cousin.
Oh the torture of the " ante.mortems' o
beloved ones, at which We are all forced tC
assist
Yet it could not be wondered at that il
this case the whole heart of the community
was alive with interest and speculation.
: Annie Wares sweet face had been know
and loved in every house in our village. He
father was the richest, most influential ma
in the county, and the most benevolent
Many man and woman had kissed Henr.
Wares baby in her little wagon, for sake o
Henry Wares good deeds to them or theirs
And while Mrs. Ware had always repele
persons by her naughty reticence, Annie, fror
the first DAY she could speak until now, ha
won all hearts by her sunny open, sympath
: izing atmosphere. No wonder that nov
when they saw her again fresh, glad, beaut
Z fu, and really looking stronger and in bette
2 health than she had ever done, they sal
that We were wrong, that Annie and Natur
were right, and that all would be well
3 There came to our town this spring fam
I ly of wealth and position who had for man
years lived in Europe, but who had now II
s turned to make America their home. The
E had taken furnished house for year,
D make trial Of our air, and also perhaps,
the society, although rumor, with the usu
G jealousy, said that the Meals did not desi
n any intimacy with their cQuntrymen and vi
men. The grounds of the house which the
: had hired joined my unces, and my Au
" Ann, usually averse to making new acquai
y tances, had called upon them at once, and hi
welcomed them most warmly to her house,
ID The family consisted of Mr.. and Mrs. Ne
st and two sons, Arthur and Edward. Th
were people Of culture, and, of course,
y wide experience but they were not Of fl
Id organization nor of the highest breeding
y and it will ever remain mystery to me th
m there should have seemed to be, from the OIL
I'd set an especial bond of intimacy betwe
I'd them and my uncle and aunt think
was partly the sense of relief with viii
en- they welcomed a new interest--a little bre
p, in the moDotony of anxiety which had be
en- for so many months corroding their We
ld lives
lie Almost before | knew that the Meals w
ii. accepted as our familiar friends | was sta
to led one morning, while we were at breakfo
lis by the appearance Of Annie on her POI
in, looking in at our drawing-room window
re had pretty way Of riding up noiselessy
ou the green grass, and making her pony, VIII
ed was tame as Newfoundland dog, MOI
ed up on the stone steps, and tap with his n
at on the panes Of the long glass door till
IA opened it.
never saw her so angelically beautiful
nd she was this morning Her cheeks W
he flushed and her dark blue eyes sparkled
IN, gems in the sun. Presently she said, hesii
'ar ing lttle,-
=" Edward Neal is at the gate may | br
lc- him in 7 told him he might come, bui
h. said it was too like burglary y and she c
sn- tered of again without waiting to hear
rst mothers permission.
in All that morning Annie Ware and Edw
to Neal sat with me on our piazza. | lool
on and listened and watched like one in dre'
ne, or under spell. | foresaw, | foreknew W
NIL ot,hlla inctubt 4
nd knowledge of love, saw all.
no. Never had | seen Annie so stirred ]
joyousness by Georges presence as she SEE
G cd to be by this boys. The two toget
for overaowed in a sparkling current of gaye
Mt which was contagious beyond any ones po'
IA to resist. They seemed two divine child
g a sent out on a mission to set the world at pl
| What Edward Meals more sensuous and !
terial nature lacked, was supplemented
", the finer, subtler quality of Annie's Fr
* that first day | could never disguise from !
rn self that they seemed so far as mere ph]
nd cal life goes, the absolute counterparti
as each other.
ed need not dwell on this part of my sto
ist When young hearts are drawing togeth
'or summer days speed very swiftly. Geo
res Ware, alas was kept at the West week al
q week, until it came to be month after mon
,er My uncle and aunt seemed to have deli
ps rately resolved to shut their eyes to the d
Wy Of events. think they were 40 thankful
for watch Annie's bounding health and happin,
IN to hear glad voices and merry laughs echo
all day in their house, that they could not
ed low themselves TO ask whether new ker
ell of bitterness. of danger, Law at the coro of