Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1873-09-01
IS I. Well, it is no use to sit ur


be happy while | may
Sweet Annie Lawson was sitting Just
where Howard Marcy expected to find
her, on the shaded porch, looking very
lovely, but a little sad, he thought.
However, she managed to call up smile
to welcome Howard.
"What is it, Annie, that is troubling
you ?" he asked, seating himself beside
her, and endeavoring to take her hand.
Annie drew it quickly away, at the
same time glancing anxiously into the
library window, where her father sat
writing.
Howard understood the meaning Of
her glance. and the cause Of her sadness.
"Will you come for short walk, An
ME % he asked.
Poor girl she could no longer dis
guise her sorrow. The tears filled her
eyes as she whispered
Il don't dare. wish | might"
Another look into the library window,
another little sigh-almost a sob-and
Howard felt that crisis in his love-
making was about approaching. Would
it be life or death to him? What had
he to hope for? Surely that evening
was the gloomiest of his life. Misera-
bic enough, he went back 10 his room.
at is no use for me to struggle
against fate. / wish now | had been
content to stay home, with no higher
thoughts than working the farm. No
doubt | should have been happier far
Poor dear mother encouraged me on to
this. She thinks | shall succeed, and
make a famous lawyer she writes.
Well, we'll, for her sake, / will struggle
on
just then Howard saw Annie's father
going down the street. Determining to
have some understanding with Annie,
he hurried down stairs to meet her in
the hall.
81 was just coming to call you. How
ard" she said
"And | was coming to try and cast
the shadow from your brow, Annie, T"
Howard answered, holding out his hand.
She placed hers in it, saying:
sit would be too cruel to give you no
explanation of my changed manner,
Hnr-A--I nr----ii, ,.-i----------,.or>~
thinks"
Here Annie faltered and stopped, her
face crimsoning as she turned it away
to hide her confusion and tears.
'Yes, darling, l know. Your father
thinks [ love his child and does Annie
think so too %
Gently he turned her face toward his.
and looked earnestly into her beautiful
eyes. .'Tell me, Annie %
Il know you do, Howard" she an
swered low.
"Yes, more than all the world, Annie. y
81 know it, Howard, and can't help
being SO glad of it"
'.You darling girl Now l shall moi
care how dark everything looks, for with
Annie's love to bless and guide me,
shall be sure to succeed. You do love
me, Annie %
81 cannot help it. But ought mo-
to listen to you, or tell you that l de
love you, because papa said such dread
full things-that L must not allow yor
to love me-that, that he never, never
would listen for an instant to such
thing he would just as soon see M
dead But here he is coming back
Oh, I'm so sorry, and so glad too Nam
ma loves you. Maybe all will com
right. we will hope and pray"
"God bless you, darling p Howar'
said, as she hurried away.
About noon next day, to Annie Law
sons amazement, when her father cam
home to lunch, he said to Mrs. Lawson
| "You have not spoken to Howar
about leaving, have you ?"
mo, not yet I-hate so to do it,
wish you would reconsider it." Mrs
Lawson was saying, when her husban
exclaimed:
Reconsider it. I'm sure I don
wish the young man to leave. Can
imagine why you should. And now
think of it, | do not see why on cart
you fixed him in that back room. Th
front chamber in the third story is ia
pleasanter. You seem to forget, wife
that Howard is my relative-very dis
tant, to be sure, but near enough to
entitled to some love and consideration
I've not been feeling we'll for wee
past, or | should have looked more I
his comfort. By the by, Annie, | thin
you treated Howard very strangely thi
morning. As our guest, if nothin
more, you should be at least polite .
Annie's eyes, and her mothers gre
larger every moment, as they listened
yet scarcely believing their ears.
"What are you staring at? woul
like to know Mr. Lawson snapped ou
} looking from his wife to Annie. 81
suppose, if my eyes had not opened {
last, before twenty -four hours you woul
} have driven my cousin from the house
All the time, during his talking, h