Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1873-02-22

/ ing her up-Why, then, he gave her up.
Pansy cried a little. But love is sell
fish. Max Kennan came, happy and
triumphant; and Pansy smiled and
danced again, and nobody could resist
the infection of her fresh, girlish Joy.
No more from Tom Gordon; only, we
heard incidentally that he was working
hard, and sure to distinguish himself /;
later, that he had gone to Europe on
some law business.
[ think Pansy scarcely noticed this
news. Max had urged a speedy mar
riage, andwe were all frantically busy On
the trousseau.
But one day Sue, looking up from the
bit of dainty muslin in her hands, said,
gravely:
"Kitty, did you ever think that all
our petting had made Pansy little
just little-selfsh ?"
smiled, with tears in my eyes. Dear,
generous Sue! Who so slow to accuse
others as those who are themselves the
salt of the earth?
The bridal-day came on apace. The
preparations were splendid. Max lived
like a prince, and it seemed as if he
thought nothing too good for Pansy.
1t irked us to rest under the obliga-
tion of so many magnificent presents,
and we all declared we'd rather live on
bread and water for year after the
marriage than to do so.
Papa was quite of the same mind,
and so he diminished his modest for
tune to buy us fnery, and decorate the
house for the wedding.
Max was to be busy in town till the
last minute, only coming up to lunch
with us the day before.
We were all ready then, and Pansy
was in futter of excitement.
When the noon came she tripped
down to the station to meet him.
We had all gathered in the dining
room fifteen minutes afterward, when
she came in with face winter than
death, and trembling from head to foot.
She had slip of paper in her hand,
which somebody took from her just as
she dropped fainting on the floor
1t was telegram. Two brief, be-
wildering sentences.
"The wedding must be postponed.
Countermand the invitations, and wait
for my explanation.
Papa went Straight to town by the
next train. 1Pansy shut herself up away
from us. We huddled together, miser.
able group, all the afternoon.
At dark the awful suspense was bro.
ken by the still more awful truth.
Max Kennan was defaulter, and had
from the city. The papers rang with
it, for the amount was almost fabulous
and the position of the culprit very
high one.
Papa came walking slowly up from
the station, new weight of years upon
him.
"Tell her gently" he sobbed, wher
he had related the shameful story.
Pansy heard, her white face scarcely
changing.
"Then he loves me !" she suddenly
exclaimed at the end.
"But he has disgraced himself and
us all, and you must never think of him
again " cried Sue.
Pansy did not hear her. A smile
flashed across her face.
He hasn't deserted me !" she cried
and then broke into tempest of sobs
She cried long, long, time in nam
mas arms. and then said weakly, tha
she would go upstairs, Iand would we be
good enough not to disturb her agail
that night.
We sat together till late, going owe,
, the wretched facts. When at last W.
retired, [ was strangely nervous.
) longed to go to Pansy, but dared not
Once I fancied [ heard slight nois,
, under her window, then confused mur
: mur of voices. [ opened my window
, which looked from the same wall AL
was white, silent, and moonlit. Perhap
the ripening peaches had tempted SOM
pilfering boys.
The air was dewy and fresh. I closet
? the window quickly, and went to bed
, and the rest of the night passed in con
, fused dreams.
With the early daylight awoke, cam
to an instant comprehension of the bloy
which had fallen upon us, and risin,
hastily, went with light steps to Pansy'
, room.
, There I stopped short, in fright an,
amazement, and involuntarily cried out
The room was empty, the window opel
! upon a little balcony, and a glove
dropped just outside, showed the wa
she went.
Not word, not even a short note.
! None of us will ever forget that day
: Toward night came letter, mailed fror
New York. We must forgive her, sh
said. She had been married to Max
: and before we read the words should b
on the ocean.
, Nowhere did the brief letter show an
adequate sense of the wrong she wa
doing us all.
Well, all ifes woes are lived over
: : somehow. 1t aged papa a good deal
and mammals roses never came back.
But in q year we were peacefully hap
py, seldom speaking of Pansy, and the,
as if we had lost her by death.
Tom Gordon returned, and came t
, see us. He was changed-gravel
, sterner, little of the old boyish bon
homie gone.
Thinking so one day as I watche,
him, my eyes suddenly filled with tears
, "What is it, Kitty %
'"The old wrong, L whispered.
He came to me suddenly, and too
:, me in his arms.
"Will you make it up to me, Kitty
That is what l came here to ask. "
His voice trembled with tender pas
sion, and then l knew how long an,
dearly L had loved him.
And Pansy? She came to see us one
g at Geneva, when Tom and Iwere aroun,
"a little faded and worn, but beautiful
and fascinating still. She had mad
, her choice. Whether she was happy il
it, God knows.
They lived romantic life, from on