Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-02-27

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the rest of humanity in virtue of NV
pretty face, my accomplishments and
my well filled purse. had suitors and
friends, and fiirted away their respect
in more than one case. II gave me a
pleasant sense of power to lead my low
ers on to proposal, and then m0rtify
their vanity and crush their hopes by
refusal. A paltry ambition that brought
its punishment.
''FOr it was not many weeks after |
met him, that found | loved George
! Holmes with all the strength of my
heart. He never fattered me. yet
word or look of approval from him
would please me as no hOneyed speech
had ever done before. He was respect
ful to me, as a woman, but never paid
subseryient homage TO my position or
wealth. | think he knew that was
not all the vain butterfly Of fashion 9TH
ers believed me, and the thought of this
! reused all that was true in my nature.
In his presence dropped my vanity and
! coquetry, and tried to meet his own men,
! tai powers and pure high-toned c0nver-
1 sation. He taught me some of the de-
light knowledge of art gives TO tho
! sight of a fine painting or piece of
sculpture. He trained my eyes for me
till every flower, every sunset, every
| sight in nature acquired new beauty
''He guided me through higher walks
of literature than had attempted alone.
Ethel, it is useless to prolong the story.
| He loved me, and he won my love.
''Yet, during all the months of inter-
| course that bound our hearts together,
George had never said to me: L love
you, and sure as felt of his affection,
! | kept my own love hidden till some
/ word of his gave me the guarantee to
| speak. 1t was not cOquetTy that kept
me silent, Ethel, but the modeSty of
true. pure love.
''We had come 10 town f-T the winter,
and met George Holmes constantly, at
home and abroad, when my uncle and
| guardian told me that the young artist
had been offered a most desirable and
lucrative commission for painting, that
/ would require him to 90 To Europe for
two, perhaps three years.
81 was sure he would speak then. il
| could not be that he would leave home
| for years, and give me no word of love
at parting. We were preparing for &
/ large party al home, when the servant
1 handed me bouquet Of tea roses with
+ Mr.. Holmes compliments. ] loved tea
roses then, Ethel. and the creamy. half
/ opened buds, the bright leaves. the deep
/ tinted hearts of the open flowers, all
/ seemed smiling hope upon me, as / sat
| in my room inhaling their perfume, and
| thinking Of the giver 1t seemed To me
/ a promise Of all | hoped and wished,
/ that l should receive the lovely gift, and
4 amidst my tender thoughts | resolved TO
1 drop all my careless manner, all my
1 flirting. heartless tricks. when I was as
] I 2lI
/ own.
'.Never was I more careful of my dress
/ than on the evening of the party 10
/ which | referred. NV choicest Jewels,
my richest silk did duty for that occa-
sion, and l dressed my hair as George
liked it best, and wore the color be
thought the most becoming.
i was still at my post as hostess, re-
ceiving my fast arriving guests. as he
came in. / saw, as he advanced to meet
me, that he was very pale, and his eyes
were fixed upon my face, as if he would
read my very soul. ! smiled as | greet
ed him, my heart full Of hope. He took
my hands in his own, looked at them a
moment, again searched my face with
strange wild eyes, and then abruptly
turned from me and left the room.
"All through the long evening watch
ed for his return. but he did not come.
When / was alone IN my own room once
more. / took the bouquet from my dress
ing table, wrapped il IN soft tissue paper,
and put it in box. Then with tears
and sadness l put il away, as We bury
our dead.
''He would come no more. knew
that the silent parting was a final one,
though | could not guess its meaning.
Yet | did not doubt him even then, be-
lieving some good reason existed for his
silence, and waiting till time should reveal
the truth to me.
Il heard of his departure for Europe,
and two years later | heard of bis mar
riage. On that day / opened my box for
the first time, to throw away the flowers
/ had no longer a right to cherish. They
were withered away, and l saw, for the
first time, what the flowers and leaves
had hidden with such fatal security.
Tied in the very heart of the bouquet
was letter and a diamond ring.
s.He had written to me asking my
love, and telling me his own, and lie
begged me, if l could be his wife, to
wear the ring when | met him Ip the
evening. But the sting, Ethel, the pun
ishment in that letter were words telling
me he dared not speak to me face to face,
because my reputation was that Of CO.
quette, who laughed at her suitors when
they offered her love. Yet he wrote
that he thought me wronged, and beg
ged me to prove to him l was not the
heartless flirt society called me.
"And when he came to me, Ethel, /
smiled in his face, and offered him my
hand with no ring he had given mo
upon it.
ssDo YOU wonder be left me believing
all he had heard of my false heart and
cruel couuetry? Do you wonder the
sight and perfume of tea rose asmade
my heart faint since the day when l dis
covered how it had hidden from me the
happiness of my life2
II never saw tieorge Holmes again.
He is happy in Italy with his wife and
children. and | am an old maid for love
of him, weeping over bouquet OF roses
that remind me of the past.
Tear il apart" Ethel said In a low
voice. ''See if my fate IS there.
''No, darling, there is no ring here, no
letter: but vet tell you my story as
warning There are fortune-hunters,
, know Who will WOO any rich girl, but
they need not gain the triumph of debas-
ING vour heart by leading you through
the n1azes of a Irritation. Quiet dignity
will soon teach them their hopes are
vain. Yet, if a true heart is in your
grasp. do not play with 1t; gently dis
courage If, If the plea is vain one; II
not, if you value your happiness, 90 not
trife with a love you return.
s'But, auntie, you were not to blame,
If fyou did not know the letter was hid
den among the flowers"
mot for that, but for the conduct that
prevented George from speaking TO me.
for fear of heartless trifing.
There was a very grave faced lady re-
turned to the croquet ground, and Har-
old Goldy wondered what had happen d
while he was knocking balls round with
more energy than good temper.
1t disquieted him TO see the bright
face clonded, and he watched an oppor-