The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-09-20

and suspecting 1t to be Fred, in momen-
tary impulse to play joke upon him /
slipped under the bed, large and high
one, intending to initiate a cat as soon as
he entered the room. The door opened,
and l was on the point of indulging in my
ventriloquial faculty by giving long
drawn meoio, when, from my hiding-place,
| beheld Belle Bronson take quiet posses
sion Of the apartment
My astonishment was so great, and the
sense Of modification so intense, that did
not, as should have done, made myself
Immediately known to her. Thus the OPP
portunity for discovery and explanation
was lost l dared not move hair, but
hoped sincerely that some excuse might
take her out Of the room for n moment,
and so facilitate my escape. She, howev-
er, locked the door, removed the key, and
! knew by the sound, prepared to retire.
Finally, she kneeled down beside the bed,
and clasping her hands and bowing her
head ESQ fearfully near to mine that could
hear the soft words in my very ear she
offered up her evening prayer in manner
full of feeling and with such sweet accents
Of womanly tenderness and devotion, that
felt as IL she was an angel bending over
the yilest Of mortals That prayer went
to my heart; but one portion of it went
through it, and held It captive. Never
shall forget my feeling of surprise and
my deep emotions when heard her utter
these words "Bless my dear mother, sis.
ters and friends; bless all around me, and
o God bless him l love, Augustus Ever
green, and shower down Thy mercies over
him."
If breathed short before, after this my
breath seemed to desert me entirely, and
verify thought that the beating Of my
heart would betray me. Belle, pure as
an angel to me then, and white as a
snowflake, proceeded to turn off the gas
and get into bed. What thoughts rushed
through my brain Above me lay young
and unsophisticatcd girl, wholly uncon-
scious that the one she loved lay SO closely
to her, and who had for the first time been
made aware Of her interest in him by
hearing words which she supposed went
only to Heaven
Belle had lain perfectly motionlcss for
several minutes, and was, fattered my
self, losing herself in sleep, when suddenly
she exclaimed--''Ihere, haven't looked
under the bed !" A horror ran through
me-all is lost What shall do? Belle
rose, and | heard her feeling for the
matches, and try to light one after the
other, as they failed to ignite; then an
so, dear, there are no more |" whispered
my soul to me. Belle groped back to the
bed, but did not Immediately get in she
stopped and lifted the curtains which hung
around the bottom, cautiously passing her
arm around as far as it could reach.
almost felt her fingers Craze my face, as |
held myself fearfully and silently back
against the wall, too far, just too far for
her to reach. Apparently satisfied that
no danger was near her, she lay down in
the bed again, and counted her respira-
tions till she was lost in slumber.
As for myself, sleep was utterly out Of
the question, never was so wide awake
in my life. How | lay upon that hard
carpet and thought the night out-thought
Of her, and her love for me-thought Of
myself, and my love for her.
With the morning light fresh fears came
upon me, lest my unconscious roommate
might yet peer beneath the bed for robbers
before she left the room but my fears
xvara s,roundlaas Cba ...1 - r..
expeditiously, for she was to join her cous.
ins at an early breakfast, and she had over.
slept herself. When at last she took the
key, unlocked the door, and departed,
lost no time in slipping out of my shame,
ful place of concealment and escaping from
the hotel. On the stairs met Fred com.
ing out Of his room, who exclaimed
why, what's the matter with you, old
fellow2 You look like the last DAYS Of an
ill-spent life. And your coat, too-why
it's all feathers and dust. Where have
you been p
"Why, slept-slept out last night
that's ALL Our house is full, and so
had to find quarters elsewhere. am Just
going home to dress"
II should say so, decidedly. / see il
all, old fellow; you've been on a lark, and
had to put up in the watch-house Come
now, own up, and tell us all about il"
No lark at all, Fred; nothing of the
kind, | assure you"
Well, if not lark, what kind of bird
was il? From the looks of the feathers,
| should say it was goose"
You're the goose, Fred. But, serious
ly, I've word to say to you of most i'm
portant nature. Be a man, Fred, and
make up your mind to hear something ex-
cessively disagreeable. II must be told to
you sooner or later, and may as well tell
it now y
Good heavens, Gus how earnestly
you look at me. You don't mean to saw
that--that anything has happened to Belle
Bronson
Don't mention her name again, Fred,
or think of her any more, for shell never
be anything to you. | have it from one
who knows all about it, that she has been
attached to somebody else, and that some
body else means TO marry her. There's
no mistake about It, so bsar up and try
your luck elsewhere"
But Fred Evans was not to be discour.
aged by mere hearsay. That very day he
went to see Belle, determined to know his
fate from her own lips. Soon after he
left Oakville, and | did not see him again
for several Years, when. meeting him in