Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1873-10-28
The deuce she is (which was perhaps

she has done. and let him alone"
"Do you think he cares for her yet"'
ale cares for her so much that he can
not care for anything else. She ruined
his life. | can't understand it; can't, l
can't said Mrs. Hassan. quite passion
ately.
''As to that, can you understand what
makes any one care Tor any one else ?
What made you care for me P" said Mr.
Hassan, trying to comfort his vile.
You! you!" returned Mrs. HaSsan.
in a most uuwonted state of excitement.
James! As ii there were any compari'
sou She is cold hearted and coarse
/ minded, and utterly selfish
And Sydney, being the exact reverse
of all this, devoted himself TO her, and
loved her with all his heart and soul'H
: He didn't love her. lie loved the
image in his mind which he somewav
managed to pin upon her personality !
and now shouldn't wonder il he mar
RED her alter all, and WAS utterly mis-
crable; aud there il no war Tor him to
! 90 away TO now
Mr.. Sydney Deviuc was Mrs. Hassan's
only brother. When quite a young man
| he had thrown away upon Miss Anna
/ CLAYTON a love a, sincere and intense as
any man ever gave to woman. Why
/ b. dul il l cannot explain. FOR Anna was
all that Mrs Iltsstu had pronounced
/ her To lc; and, AZ nineteen. was ~
worldly. "a, selfish. and rs calculating rs
! though she had not been blessed with n
pretty figure. tine eyes, and pink and
white skin.
J Sydney. So to speak, put all his eggs
/ into one basket; but Miss Clayton. like a
/ prudent young woman, preferred to have
two strings to her bow. While she had
oeeu engaged 10 Sydney, she had been
/ carrying on a Irritation. 10y letter. with II
/ gentleman old enough to be her father
a good man. who was no wiser in his love
than it he had been ono and.twcnty.
Matters had gone so far between Miss
Clayton aud Sydney. that tho expectant
bridegroom had ordered his wedding suit.
Miss Clayton went down to New York to
make her last purchases, married Mr..
Armer. and wrote the day before her
wedding To break OIL her engagement
with Mr. Deyine.
1t is to be supposed that Mr.. Armer
never knew OF Mr.. Devine's existence
and Anna did not at all mind the talk
which she occasioned. but rather enjoyed
her noioriety.
4 few weeks after the war broke out,
and sydney threw aside his law practice,
and went into the rank aud file. He
went from ono end OF the struggle TO the
other. lie won his epauets, and rose to
be colonel. lie was conspicuous Tor
recklessness in the field. and did his duty
like a man. He was in sixteen pitched
battles, aud never received scratch;
and fever and disease passed him by un-
harmed.
$50 many are taken who have every.
thing to live ior," he said once; "but
nothing happens to me" IL was almost
the only allusion he ever made to the
past.
/ lVt,, 800. ,,,,,, Ia, ,,..,,, ., Man,,.,o
where his sister hal married. and re-
sumei his profession. but in II very
unambilious way. occupying himself
chiefly with the business arising from his
/ brother in-law's large property. lie had
/ Talents, and had once been devoted TO
his work but now he seemed to care for
nothing but to make for himself the
modest income which suiliced for his
wants.
There WAS pleasant little society in
the university town of Menango. but Mr..
Deyine went nowhere out 10 hi8 sisters
house. and seldom there il there was
other company. He busted himself with
books in his leisure moments, and tried
to forget himself and the CHEST OF the
past in study; but. after all, lite was for
him very heavy and uninteresting
business, and he would not have been
sorry to lay down the burden once Tor
all. Al thirty live, much TO his sisters
yexalion, he spoke and thought of him.
self As one TO whom all the chances.
ambitions. and enjoymeuts OF life were
closed
Ii the idol to which he had sacrificed
himself had possessed even u head of
gold, Mrs. lIassan could have borne it
with more resignation; but when she
knew that the costly sacrifice had been
laid on the shrine of II wooden image,
no better than that fish. bodied doll which
the Ephesians adorcd as the virgin hun
tress. Mrs. Hassan's patience was sorely
tried.
And now the woman had come here to
throw herself in Sydney'S way, and his
sister could foresee nothing but trouble.
III he once marries her." she said to
herself. ''he will find out what a fool she
is, and having and hating is far worse
than losing and loving"
The next evening there happened to
be little party at President Lyons.
Mrs. Hassan and her mother. in-law had
meant to 90; but, at the last minute,
arrived an old friend of Mrs. Hassan S
the elder. and that lady preferred staying
to talk over old times. Mr. Iassan had
gone out Of town on business; Classy did