Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1872-07-11


air; there was rush of woman's gar
ments, and Miss Vonberg was kneeling
beside me, endeavoring to lift me up.
"He is murdered" she cried; and
never shall 1 forget the agony of that
voice. ''The prince has done it." Then
in a whisper as her arms clasped me
frantically, "Oh! my love-"
Could 1 believe my ears? Was it me
that she called by that endearing epi
tibet? For moment 1 remained pas
sive in the dear arms that encircled me
till, hearing the footsteps of the porter
and Mrs. Townsend, 1 was compelled
to rise. ta
81 am not hurt, darling," INsaid, 81
was only stunned for moment"
"Thank God r' she cried, with long,
eager look. Then she started back, the
color deluging her face, her hands went
up to hide it, and she burst into tears.
My arms were around her immedi-
ately, in spite of the spectators. "You
know me-" 1 cried; "you return my
love-ohI merciful Father. what hap
pinessl"
She looked up at me timidly.
"Yes, knew you," she replied softly.
81 have seen you watching my window
some nights. / wanted to warn you
against the Prince, but 1 never had
chance. knew your life was in dam
ger" and she broke down again.
The next morning found me an early
visitor at the Palazza Goldona, for as
the reader may suppose, did not leave
Rome by the midnight train. My mis-
tress met me, all smiles and blushes.
"In love with Prince Borgia," she
cried Indignantly, when confessed my
jealousy. 81 am too thoroughly an
American ever to have married any
prince, least of all Prince Borgia. For
weeks have done everything short of
rudeness to get rid of him. His mother,
before he came to Rome, was very kind
to me, and could not, for her sake,
treat him as 1 otherwise should. Ever
since that day on the Campagna, or
rather the day after, when I saw his
manner toward you, have dreaded
some such attempt as this, for knew
his jealous, indicative nature"
+" 1t was just that anxiety l misinter-
preted," cried. sit made me sure that
you loved him. 1 thought it was for
him you were anxious"
She laughed lightly. "You ought to
have better opinion of yourself. Ide-
clare!" she added suddenly, starting
from my side, 81 do believe it was /
that proposed after all. Fie on you
"Faint heart never won fair lady, sir"
But l drew her again to me, and kiss
ed her, and she nestled on my bosom,
blushing and happy, and forgiving me.
At last she glanced up shyly.
But 1 have confession to make"
she said. ''You won't be angry"
Certainly not. How could II"
Promise" -
81 promise" ~ o.
1t is something you ought to know |
before become your wife. Perhaps
perhaps-it may make you change your
mind.
She hid her face on my bosom again.
"Nothing can make me change my
mimi"
"Not if tell YOU and she spoke in
voice so low / could hardly hear her
-''that was-'in love-before?"
l started. Her hesitation, her whole
manner sent a sudden chill through |
me. Was it but the ashes of heart,
then, that 1 had won?
You promised" she said, hurriedly, |
clinging to me, mot to be angry. And
it may make some difference if tell
you it was long time ago."
All v'I cried, forcing a smile. But
no words can describe my torture.
'' But-but-," she resumed, 81
kept on loving him. Nay. don't start
forgive me. 1t was sort of youth
full dream, you see. He was my ideal
of everything great and noble-my
Bayard, my Sidney, my Sir Lancelot."
Iwinced more and more. What was
the rack to this?
"But, darling" (she has never stop
ped, but went on, hurriedly), 'sit is you
| love now-remember that! Only 1
must tell you all. / worshipped my
youthful fancy till-the day on the
Campagna. And now / have something
to return to him-not exactly love to-
ken, but what L have kept as memen-
to .-l
Sand you wish me to write to him,
and send this-this mcmento ?" l inter-
rupted curtly, and quite Withdrawing
from her. came very nearly saying
"Never."
IF you please" she answered de-
murely, rising and courtesying. As
she spoke, she drew from her pocket a
small faded bit of paper, that had ap-
parently been torn from a memoran-
dunn book, and thin, worn, gold PEN
ell case. r...
For an instant was dumb with
looked at the pencil case
and then at her merry face, which was
now rippling all over with fun. Like
L
flash everything came back to me; the
wild, wooded hills; the stone farm
house; the lush grasses; the water
crosses; saw the shy, bashful child,
with her milk pithcher. l recognized
the face, too, at last, in the one before
me. "How could / fail to recognize it
before?" said to myself, half angrily.
All my jealousy was gone in an instant.
For it was l who had been her ideal
all these years; it was 1 who
had been her Bayard, her Sidney, her
Sir Lancelot!
1 gazed like one transflxed, stammer-
ing:
"And you are" -.