Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1873-05-16
5elettco AlistcIlanp.
LAWYER MARsHALL's CopY1sT

Pooh nonsense, Frank why can't
you be content and allow matters to re-
main as they are? Why will you talk of
love, when | like you so much and want
you for my friend and brother always 2"
And Bertha Lynde, wilful little beauty
as she was, shrugged her shoulders and
tapped her tiny foot in assumed vexation
The boyish face and broad, high brow
of the youth before her flushed with in
slant pain at light rebuff; but seeming
to conquer himself by an effort, he rcpli-
ed calmly, while the color slowly forsook
his face, leaving it very pale
Is Bertha, we are no longer children"
he said; we have grown up from in
fancy together, and | have learned to
look upon you as part Of my very cx-
istencc But the time has now arrived
when we must think of other matters
than childish pastime. You are fast APP
preaching womanhood, aud II must
20 forth into the great, bustling, busy,
selfish world, to carve for myself a name
and fortune. Bertha, l want something
to encourage.m in the struggle which
shall be forced to encounter, and that
something is the assurance of your love
not Il sisters loye--not friends love
but deeper, purer, more fervent and
enduring love. Give me this assurance
and ask no more until I have reached
a position which will equal the one you
now occupy. You are the petted daugh-
ter of rich parents-I, fricndless, PEN
nilcss orphan. ! am going away to seek
my fortune, and | ask you again if you
will grant me the greatest boon / crave for
this life p
With an impatient movement she half
turned from him, and replied -
=" Frank you are enough to vcx a saint
I am not going to assure you of any such
love as you talk about. I'm sure a SIS
tcr's love ought to satisfy you, and you
ought to be thankful for that"
The proud mouth of the boy quiycred
little with suppressed emotion.
But I'm going away, Bertha; you
may not see me again in long years to
come"
Z" don't care if never sec you again.
she answered, now thoroughly yexcd
that he should thus tease her" for 50
she considered his earnest cntreaties.
=" Bertha, darling, you don't mean just
that; o, you don't mean that" he cried.
Yes, do! Why shouldn't when
you vex and annoy me all the time p
she pouted
= Then farewell, Bertha. God bless
you" and he turned away.
care you really going, Frank, going
right awayY
Yes. shall only tarry long enough
to visit the graves of my father and mo-
ther, they will be sadly neglected in
coming years, [ fear, and then shall
bid farewell to those familiar scenes
perhaps forever Goodbye, darling sis
ter-good-byc."
He was gone, and as Bertha Lynde
stood in the bright, May sunshine, it
seemed to her as if everything had sud-
denly grown dark, cold, and cheerless-
as if a light had gone out of her life,
leaving her heart desolatc and dreary
Poor child I! she had yet to learn that the
cup of bliss is often dashed from our lips
by our own hands.
Days and weeks passed away. and the
people of that busy country village miss
ed from among them the gentlemanly
little fellow, who, with such native dig
nifty, had performed so many acts of
mental labor for them. that they almost
lost sight of the fact that he was friend
less. an orphan and poor.
The boys of the village academy miss
ed him-they were rid of dreaded riv-
al in their studies, and the principal
merchant of the town (Mr. Lynde) miss
ed from his store a faithful, valued clerk.
But most Of all Bertha missed him. She
had not seen him after he had turned
away from her with such grieved ex-
preston on his face as his lips murmured
" darling-sister-good-bye. She had
hoped be Was not really in earnest, after