Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1872-07-08

-"what pity that you DID not ssneE
sooner. Dear Hattie has gones tosspenasll
the:evening somewhere with friend d
aid, as matter qeesursesshe took tbssss1
bouquet with. hers 81 She has only ..isa
gone, but is too distant to. be recaHaksI
Poor child !, sHoM.1as she to know4
It was,not intended, for her j? Men sTs.|
so indifferent,ias TO- whether they mis- ia
lead a.poor girl or not, and she dreE.s
out, her handkerchief and wiped her ]
eyes. .. =. a
The doctor waited to hear ne. .ne. mere,
but strobe out of the house, and in a
few, minutes was ringing imPatiently at
q Mrs. Iisaas aads,A . ffssl So
: It was opened, and he learned that the
ladies had already gone.
Scarcely had Edith and her mother
seated themselves in their box at the
opera house, when Hattie, holding in
her hand beautiful bouquet, came rus
tling in with party of friends, and en-
tered the adjoining box.
Leaning over to Edith, Hattie whis-
pered, "See my beautiful bouquet, dear
Edith, and guess the donor, who also
sent with it the sweetest little note i'm
aginable. ~
The flowers are lovely" said guile
less Edith, gazing with admiration ON
the costly bouquet, and secretly wonder
ing why her lover could not think to
send her one, Lovely, indeed, but how
can l single out one from your many
admirers as having sent /"
"Well, see [ must tell you, though
| always thought hesfancied you more
than me. 1t was DIR. Ashton who sent
the flowers, or rather brought them him.
self tonight, and the note was cunning
ly twisted into the center of the bouquet,
barely visible 5ff.1f 1Ft fiH.tE
A sickening sensation crept all over
poor Edith, and an awful gray shadow
settled down on the sweet fair face as
Hattie went on.
''Dr. Ashton is considered one of the
best catches in the city, and you may
regard the match as settled, and, dear,
while we are talking about it, | may as
well ask you to be one of my brides
maids. But wouldn't you like to read
his sweet little note ?'' she continued,
watching the almost weeping girl out of
the corners of her great black eyes. at
the same time handing her the doctor
passionate note that had been written to
Edith.
The poor girl read it with wild, dilat-
ing eyes, and inquired in strangely
husky voice how long they had been en-
gagged.
80, for some time; [ scarcely know
exactly how long" Hattie carelessly re-
piled, lifting the bouquet to her lips
"but hush the curtain is going up
and she leaned back in her chair and
devoted herself to watching the stage
for the next half hour.
A more artful person than Edith woult
have noticed look of wicked triumph
cleaning in her handsome eyes and curl
ing her well-shaped lips.
Unable longer to bear her great bur
den calmly, Edith pleaded indispositiol
at the end of the first act, and, with he
mother, quietly withdrew, leaving thei
friends behind to enjoy the evening.
AS may be supposed, Mrs. Allison
was highly indignant at what she deem
ed the treachery of her daughters ac
cepted lover, but concluded it would b.
better to pass it off as if no engagement
had existed between her daughter ant
the young physician. She could no
bear him to know how deeply his perfd..
had wounded the gentle Edith.
But how Jared it with the doctor?
Totally unconscious that the two youn
girls had met the day before at an earl,
hour in the morning he called to see hi
, afianced, with the expectation of anus
ing her with the history of the fate Q
his love-offering. To his great dismay
the servant denied him admittance, say
ing that Miss Edith was i'll, and coul
9 not be disturbed.
81 will just step into the parlor, then
;. and write her few lines, for of cours
[ will not intrude on her if she is nc
we'll" he said, not fully comprehendin
L the position of affairs.
1.-The madam said that | was not t
;. let you into the house, or take anythin
from you to Miss Edith the servan
answered, making a motion to shut th
), door.
a The truth flashed on the doctor
b mind at once, and, dashing the doc
a wide open, to the servants great COZ
e sternation, he went up the stairs tw
$ steps at a time. Hearing voices in
room close at hand, he tapped lightly o
;. the door, which was opened by Mrs. All
ison herself. Had he been ghost, til
good lady would not have been MOI
! surprised. Drawing herself up haught
4 ly, she demanded:
ITO what am indebted for this il