Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1873-10-01

OF woman mlsslsu - fhe weird. Month
after month, while she had uaited for some
letter or message from Tenn. he had grad.
ually faded Oxt Of her liking. despite the
tender thoughts which sometimes prompted
her to thisk he night be i'll or 10 trouble,
or in some position that prevented his
writing to her. Then his parting from
her had risen up IN her mind with cold
chill upon it. IL be had written. she
could have forgiven him if he had come
back like man, and sand, A" Kate, am
still poor, but l love you; will you
share ny fortune ?" she would have said,
"Y Yes, with all my heart" But how had
he come back Why had he left in the
first placer That story which the angry
father had told her the day before had al.
most opened her eyes to the true charac-
ter Of her lover; but last night, when she
sas him playing the black scoundrelly part
which the farmer had described when she
saw him, not as the returned predigal, but as
the returned thief, she feared him. Her
own pure noble nature shrank at the
thought of loving such a man; and yet
the divine spark was not altogether stamp.
cd out, but she feared him. Her heart
almost stopped at the thOnght that she
might have been this mans wife.
Then the fine manly figure of the squire
rose up in her mind, and graA"aly eclipsed
the dspraved face of the unD.ial son, the
unfaithiul lover, the i"rper and thief 1t
was like changing a. a moo ,ic Ian
tern. The squire with his ." lound
: face, his manly fern, glided over the 9TH
er figure, and stood there full asd clear in
her thoughts. And shC Tf-c. been
this other mans wife this ke.aeman who
had watched over her, who had taken care
that her father should not be trampled
upon, who had accepted her rejection oI
him as humbly as if he were a labOrer,
instead of Il lord of the soil, aud who
rather thaa trouble her by his presencc
in the district, had gone away, submitting
the inconvenience OF a long absence from
home. She felt ungrateful aud cruel that
she had stood in the squire's way and
the bells, how merriy they rung! Ii
= made her heart beat to hear them. Was
, he cured of his folly? No doubt he was
she thought; or there was that other con
tingcncy-pcrhaps he had brought wife
home with him : who could tell? Woman
was a puzzle from the first. 1t was MOI
to be expected that Kate Meadows should
offer any exception to the rule. She
! hoped he shll loved her nay, she expect
ed it from him ; she was Jealous lest some
one he'd taken him from her. Did she
love him herself? She did not know. Ii
her own way, she came to the conclusion
that Tom North was no lcnger an obstacle
to the squire's wooing. As the bells rang
out, peal upon peal, she could not helI
feeling, in her own secret heart, a scusa
ton Of pride at the remembrance that the
, returned traveller the master OF the manor
: the magistrate and squire, had asked hcl
to be his wife, and had not responded tc
, her rebukc with scorn.
." I'm glad you are up" said the farm
, or, when Kate presented herself in tht
r roem below. :" was just going out and
f the uissus had been asking for yoa.
hope you slept"
." Yes, thank you," said Kate; " ant
Mrs. North, how is she ~
4" Better this morning, decidedly bet
ter"
docs she know what occurred las
night?'
, :. Not word" SAID the farmer.
" Is there any news ?" continued Kate
! with as mucE calmness as she could as
, sumo.
! &" Yes, think we shall find him."
Whom? p said Kate.
+ 1.-The burglar" !" said the farmer.
Indeed p was all Kate could say.
= alt distrosses you, this horrld business
better say no more about it," said North
:, "Better move no more in it, Mr.. North
|. if you value peace and your wifes health,
: said Kate, with marked solemnity.
! "a value both, and | am anxious t.
| show you how much think Of your kind
ness in being here; bnt one owes some
thing TO ones country" said the farmer
q warmly; we all have duty to socict,
ard to our nsighbor."
" In this case you might pass over con
i siderations OF that kind" said Kate, grow
! ing bolder.
"You saw that man last night" ex'
claimed the farmer. suddenly taking hel
> hand. " BE frank and trust me-wh'
was he ?"
' Kate trembled at this earnest attack.
Trust me with ycur secret, and b.
sure | will do the right thing"
: +" Release my hand" said Kate, with
drawing herself to another part Of tn
: room "and for your own sake, for mine
. for Mrs. Norths, ask me no more ques
j tions."
Forgive nae, Miss Meadows, if | hav
been too earnest; my wife is expecting
you. Thank you for all your kindness t
. her and to me.
The next moment the farmer was gene
!, !. and Kate stood by the invalid's bed.
Bless e." said Mrs. North, " In
e much better, sight better. | slep' lik
:, child; ! dent know when | have hat
. such Sleep
.. THAT is good news indeed" sal,
j Kate.
: ..And my dear man, he be kindness it
:, self; ah, he be good soul in his heart
, and you, my dear, you are the cause OF al
= this happiness. / told him I'd get well
: yeu came, and will too"