Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1873-03-14
GENA.
By sarah rytler, author OF Cheyenne
JRqueIInr."
CHAPTER ". THE DOOM.


Sir Francis hated scenes and detested
complications. In his mature years he could
see that perfect ease aud agreeability OF his
marrying Gena Clifford were spoilt. This
robust, stubborn Teuton Of curate, who
must have been first on the field, had walked
over it more thoroughly than Sir Francis had
apprehended Master Woodruff could not
forget or yield up gracefully what had been
his, but would poster everybody. 1t was
plain, too, that Gena was not enough of
fine lady, nor were the Clffords enough Of
fine gentlemen, though they were sufficiently
elevated above the ordinary mass of men and
their prejudices, to dispose with facility of
this difficulty, as it ought to be disposed of.
Gena would not be able to bring herself
without establishment and self.reproach to
say anything so simple as that she had
changed her mind, and that circumstances
we're altered, so as to pave the way for her
fathers asserting that the condition on which
he had submitted to a connection between
Miss Clifford aud the wears son no longer
existed Gena especially would be stupidity
susceptible to upbraiding, and she would be-
come, for time, at least a prey to remorse
Sir Francis was too proud, too wary, and
too lukewarm, after all, in his love. to covct
half-repentant bride, who might sigh and
hang her head and take TO accusing herself,
possibly her husband, every time the thought
OF the rebelious curate came across her.
Sir Francis wrote to Mr.. Clifford thanking
MIN for all bis kind hospitality, and Tor the
honor that he had been willing to confer on
a. al,
q misunderstanding which m ght render mat
tiers awkward aud unpleasant for Miss Cliff
ford aud her family. result which Sir Fran
els could not contemplate. He begged leave
10 Withdraw the overture which he had
made, and in order to spare every one he
and his daughter would quit the Manor,
while they trusted still to preserve the friend
ship which they had enjoyed and priced only
too highly.
Mr.. Clifford begged Sir Francis to act as
he thought best, while he requested to be
allowed to state that he was not the author
OF the misunderstanding which had arisen.
tie did not doubt that Sir Francis would free
him from being accessory TO any unwarrant-
able deceit in an unforeseen embodiment, for
which poverty-with its confusion Of rela-
tions-and hot-headed, while honest
enough, young man, had been principally to
blame; therefore, there need be no breach,
worthy OF the name, in the friendship, which
boosted itself neither Of to-day nor yesterday,
between the CliffJrds and the Paulets. So
perished without murmur on the elder
Clfords' part, their hope of returning in
the person of Gena, to occupy their place no
longer by suferance, but by renewed and
complete title in aristocratic ranks.
Within three months Gena was married to
Al Woodruff, and settled with him in a
smoky back street of Bristol Al could not
afford TO establish himself in Clifton, to share
his curate's hard fare aud, to a character
like AIS, heavy duties. Gena preferred that
il should be as it was originally proposed
though she understood now, with compunc.
ton and sinking heart, that her old feeling
for Al Woodruff had been very much made
up of girls susceptible affections and OF
her vanity. She was become afraid Of Al
aud ashamed before him, as well AS rendered
full of distaste for his lot, aud utterly shaken
ia the faith of her capacity for properly
sharing and tightening it. But if Al con-
tinued TO will that she should be his partner
var it for her to decline the obligation was
he TO he baked Of his due, and punished
since he looked upon it as punishment
because a tickle. frivolous, worldly girl had
not known her own mind, and could not be
true 10 herself and him Besides-and this
Was a more selfish consideration-liie with
Al, constrained as the couple had grown tC
each other in its integrity and austerity
was more endurable in the main than to g
back to the imprisoned life at Clifford Farm
with her defrauded, yet unreproachiul fathel
and uncle, still further harassed by thu
uncertainty of her future. She could no
bear the modification of knowing that hel
neighborhood had finally agreed to SHAKE
their heads at an old favorite as at selfish
inoonsderate girl, who had not scruped t.
have two strings to her bow, and who re
NAMED to point moral, for both strings hat
snapped, and Gena Clifford was left minus
lover in the present aud it might be witt
justice, minus husband in all the years t.
come No, Gena was too childish in he
humiliation and sullenness to make the las