Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1873-02-14

III
the tableau he looked little bitterly at
the broken vase. When the charades
we're enacted he never smiled. At length
some one touched his arm. He started
from his abstraction. The doors had
been thrown wide open; all was cleared
away; The gas was turned on, conversa-
tion resumed. The person who aroused
him said
"Will you have your fortune told
next?"
He politely arose and assented, and
proceeded to the next room. An old, old
woman stood by the fire. She had a
gray wripkled face. The hair and shag-
gy brows seemed hung with snow, like
trees on a quiet winter night. Merry
eyes peeped like mouse out of the mas
sive face. When he entered, she started,
shrank back for an instant, and then
approached and took his hand in hers.
He looked upon her half indiferently.
She bent low over his hand in silence.
At last she spoke:
" You are not happy"
He was interested.
mo, can you tell me why ?"
cit is an affair of the heart"
81 suppose all things that hurt one
are affairs of the heart"
1t is your own fault that you are
hurt"
He was wide awake now, and looked
sharply dowE on the hands that held his
own.
"Not SO, you are wrong. 1t is the
fault of others, who like to make cruel
decisions"
"Not cruel, certainly only considerate.
The person who hurts you strives to
obey reason rather than impulse"
"This person has neither reason nor
impulse--she is simply perverse."
you are unjust"
"Why unjust2 She shows no impulse,
gives no reasons, makes hard decisions" +"
Yet you liked her once-a very lit
tle."
"No, worship her even now."
There was moments silence.
$50 on, Sibylp'
The woman faltered.
"She loves you in return"
"No, she cast me from her."
She loves you, but she fears your
faults"
"Pray, what may those faults bef'
The eyes looked up from the palm on
which they had rested. They looked
pitifully up from under the shaggy brows
into the mans face.
"That is ALL"
mo tits not all. Whatare the faults. -
"Why-why-she thinks"
"Whatf"
"She thinks you are generous before
you are just. She thinks you are splen'
didly selfish"
"Indeed What next This is inter.
estingl"
"She thinks you selfish, partly through
self-love. partly through indifference
thoughtlessness-'
1 "To her ?"
/ "Ohl no, no. You would put dia.
mond upon her finger, and for instance
neglect to pay your laundress."
| "And then?"
4 You remember your business anG
pleasure. You make large subscrip
tions and fine speeches. You forget tt
give the cup of cold water,
$50 on"
"You have no deep tenderness for hu
manity-no great love, like the love o
Christ" These words came slowly ant
with desperate effort.
"And that's my sentenced Has sh'
not one redeeming thought for me2'
"She thinks you have a great slum
bering soul, that has never been awaken
ed"
The man had fine face. Now i
crimsoned over and was full of emotion
He stood silent. Suddenly he took tn,
old woman's hands (Which were small
and white reyerently between his own
and put them to his lips, saying:
Now. / do not wonder she despise
me-she, the selfish woman. Sibyl, yo,
have awaked me-"
. He hurriedly left the room, soon with
, drew from the wild merr1ment of tn
/, parlors, went to his hotel, entered hi
room, and locked the door. Then b
sat down at the table and put his fac
between his hands. The clock strucl
one, two. Still he sat motionless. can
not tell you what he thought. Some @
e the greatest battles are without singl
e witness. There was lock of great hr
: initiation on his face. He at lengt
! arose, and opening his desk drew forth
small covered volume. 1t opened q
c these words: