Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1872-05-28

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ed hall. John caught her arm. her bare,
white beautifully rounded arm, in his
great. strong cruel fingers.
"Do sou dare TO so defy me- 1 for
badc you waltzing with other men. You
will obey me-"
She glanced up al the rigid face, at the
giay splinkled locks. which clustered
round II, then, over 10 long mirror
She saw the queenly head. with It's shin.
ing crown of hair. the blue, lustrous
eyes, cleaning like stars, the piquant,
ruby mouth. the rosy, dimpled cheek The
snowy throat, and the baie shoulders
rising like marble, from the flmy drapery
why did he marry me p come into
her wiliul heart. "Ah, why ?"
! She shook his hand lightly away. aud
run Lightly up two or three stais and
turned mocking face toward him.
You should have thought oi all this
three months ago. john" and then with
saucy nod, she walked up stairs, her
costly robe trailing its heavy folds, in
graceful negligence, behind her,
And he hung up fierce gleam and
said,
Yes. yes, should have thought be-
lore
His voice struck her sorely. and hurt
her cyen more than his rough fingers had
/ done, but before the mirror. in her bou.
doir. she forgot him. She was rarely
beautiful. She possessed n magnificent
form, aud one of those passion lii iaces,
which drive men TO madness, and with
these, she had Il perfect knowledge OF
their possession.
She idiod away an hour heIore her mir
TOR, wondering why she had allowed
herself TO be led into marriage with
that stupid John Courtney, and thinking
OF that dangerously handsome Hal
| Archer
at was wrong! I'll not treat poor
John SO. for he is kind TO me-" she said
alter "a while, and then went TO bed.
1t was late, on the following morning,
when she awoke, and the first thing her
eyes rested upon. was superb basket OF
fresh cut hot house flowers. She sat up
right. her golden hair falling in mist
about her.
''Oh my How beautiful Who sent
them? Not john, I'm sure. lle would
think it such II silly extravaganza.
She liflcd the BASKET from the table
which had been wheeled close 10 her bed
side. aud pceped in among the fragrant
| blossoms.
All, A little pink perIumed slip OF pa
per, ,huttered from beneath u great creamy
lily. 1t read;
II have hunted the city over, 10 find
an Offering worthy ol your acceptance.
This is the only one can fnd. Pray
( accept il and the admiration of tho donor
II. a.
"Ah, Hal Archer!" and the silly wife
hid hen face. and laughed John would
tear his har out by haudfuls."
John had risen hours before, like the
man of business he assuredIy was. aud
taken himself away TO his office, so she
had no one 20 disturb her pretty dreams
over those sweet. pure buds and roses,
uniil--there came n ring at the bell and
II visitor was announced
A visitor! Nobody but that wild Tilly
Ogden with IN invitation to join her in
her morning drive, and thinking il odd
that she did not come in rs usual. Ada
peeped out.
Hal Archer was ON the front seat, toy
ing with The siken tassels OF Tilly's par
asol Should she 20? He looked up to-
ward the window, and she ran away to
don the richest carriage dress her ward
robe contained.
Then she slipped one or two flowers
from her basket, and hustled them in her
bosom and went down.
He surely had no right, and no earthly
reason, Tor giving her such hot. pas.
sionate gaze, and such pressure of The
hand, rs he lifted her in, but mad in.
latuation had taken hold of her, and she
did not resent it, as she should, blushed
like silly girl, and trembled beneath
his touch.
81 don't pity you bit." said Mrs.
Hale, Johns only sister, who had heart
like flint, and face to match. "You
might have known better, tlvSp TO have
married Il brainless, uniformed creature,
like Ada Snowden. There she sat with
Miss Ogden, who is q perfect wildcat,
and that Hal Archer, who everybody
knows to be rake, and they were max
ing noise enough to frighten body, with
their laughter. was shocked. and
ashamed, that l could recognize them.