The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-09-23


stand nor excuse it.
It kept him, if not from falling ia love
at least from avowing his affection; one
who attached undue mpor,anc, to wealth
and position would hardly tolerate the ad-
dress OF poor physician, he reasoned, al
though Laura's manner certainly gave him
cause to entertain contrary opinion,
One morning he met her in the hall,
Can | speak with you moment before
you 20 to my uncle ? she asked.
Certainly he replied, following hen
into the reception room. Closing its door
she came toward him, saying with a
SMILE
Have you quite forgotten me ?
Surely Miss Gresham need never asl,
such a question: he said gallan'ly. Be
sides, | saw you yesterday
She made a slight movement OF impe-
tiencc.
Il do not mean that. want to know
whether you have ever guessed that | was
the poor girl yon met on the street that
dreadful night when my mother was so
Ill, uuu }Ou pDls 10 4hi ~
changed that you did not know me ?
No. he answered, but thought
Thought that had such Abolish
false pride that shrank from acknowl-
edging my Indebtedness to you, recalling
my former poverty she interrupted. her
soft eyes filling with suppressed emotion
Il am sorry, but you have good reason
My uncle is SO annoyed by any allusion to
that miserable timo-it wounds his pride,
and besides that, he rcproachcs himsclfso
bitterly for having ignorantly allowed my
mother to struggle and suffer as she did,
that | have never dared to speak Of it be.
fore him. ln fact, | resortcd to a rusc
to induce him to have you attend to him,
telling him though the names were the
same, the Dr, Burgess he remembered
was rich, and probably still abroad
Then you recognized me yourself Il,
once =
Certainly and am not as ungratctnl
as have seemed have SO longcd to
thank yon. although words nevnr for
all you did for US
DO not say anything about it, Miss
Gresham said Hal, much embarrassed.
1T was triAing service | was 50 FORUM
ate as to rondor you, and you may be
sure | should never have rcminded you al
it.
But feel under such a weight Of un.
acknowledged obligations shc protested
earnestly, and besides think may ven
ture to tell my uncle now. You have be-
come such favorte with him that |
think he will be able to forgive you oven
your charity towards US.
Hal WINGED at the words spoken half
playfully, yet with a genuine humility.
Il assure you, Miss Laura, there is no
such debt of gratitude between us as you
assume any benefit was to you Ut that
time has already been more than repaid
by the patronage which has been secured
for me through your uncles influence since
| came to your city, poor, unknown
physician
She shook hor head lnc,ciulVusly.
That is nothing. Your own talcnl
would have secured it all without any
aid from US. ! do much visa there were
any way in which | could repay you
There is one, he said, yielding to
sudden impulse as he looked down into
her eager eyes, but not would sup.
pose the original deot increased by such
enormous usury. that do not here pro.
pose it.
The estimates might be different, she
murmured, the long lashes dropping shy.
ly, and the tell-trlc color flushing her
cheeks.
'All debts are more than cancelled by
the gifts Of love-, was the reply.
A few mornings later Laura leaned
over the back Of her upclc's chair and
said coaxingly:
so l would, Laura SO would. What
shall it be? You may select it,
We'll, uncle it is Il strange fancy, but
he thinks he would like me-
You = cried Mr.. Rhodes in utter as.
tonishmcnt. You Even as well as |
like the fellow, that is asking little too
much.
'Oh, don't say that, uncle answered
Laura bushing. Think Of all his services
and kind attentions to you, and am sure
owe him cverythiug--tor he proves to
be the very DR.. Burgess who beiricndcd
me when was in such sore trouble.
The old gentleman sat spccchlcss for
some moments, ongrossed in conflicting
emotions.
You said | might choose the present
for him, urged Laura, timidly, and it
will not really be giving me away for we
shall both belong to you
Her uncle kissed her iondly, aud Hal
appearing at that instant in the doorway,
he called her to him
This little woman has pleaded your
cause so well that all that is left for me
to say is as they do on the stage and in
story books, Take her aud be happy"