Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1873-06-05

thcln patiently, anu use Will dull lnt
pain.
But, Uncle, why did he not let me
hear from him, as mamma says?'
Because he was a man Of honor
the four years was up only last April,
and this is but July; who can tell
where he is? Wherever he is, he is
), faithful and true, Know
oh! Uncle, God bless you fol
those words. | know it too, but what
can | do? / cannot delay longer
my poor fathers dying words, my
solemn promise to marry this man,
my stop-mother's persecutions-what
can | DO? Three months have |
fought, and now | wish could lie
down and die. O, Uncle, is there no
escape? | have such dread that he
will come back after | am married, and
then oh it would be wose than his
death to see him! The temptation
oh! why cannot die?'
poor child! my poor child! was
all | could utter.
Bound by vow made at her faith
er's death bed, she was going the next
day, to marry a man who was old
enough to be her father, and who,
but for the fact of his persisting in
his CAIN, spite Of her openly express
ed dislike OF him, was esteemed q very
good kind Of man.
True, Clara was beautiful and ac-
complishcd beyond the average of
women Of her class, and it would be
a struggle to any man to give up such
prize, backed as he was by the as.
surances of the step-mother that it was
only a girllsh fancy, and that love
coming after marriage was more to be
trusted and more lasting than if it
came before; | confess | was but a
poor counsellor under such circumstan-
ces, still | loved her very truely; l
was childless widower and | would
have given my life to save her. But
it was impossible, and tomorrow
would seal her fate.
1t was not a pleasant journey that
Mrs. Webster read and slept at inter
walls the whole time, and when she
slept Clara nestled close to me.
We arrived at York about six o.
clock, and, just as the train was slack
ening speed into the station, guard
jumped on to the foot board, locked
or unlocked the door, and remained
there until the train stopped.
Have you all your parcels, madam p
All, thank you, Uncle Joseph, ex-
cept my umbrella-oh; that's under
the seat, said Mrs Webster.
'Now, Guard unlock this door.
'Are you with that young lady, sir?'
pointing to my niece.
yes, certainly, unlock the door
Better, not make a fuss, sir
Fuss What do you mean?'
The man, who seemed to be look
ing out for somebody, now asked,
All right, sir 2
'All right said the station. master
coming to the door, and opening it ;
'this way miss
What does this mean 2
Step into my Office, l dare say it's
all right. Better not say to too much
out here, you know
We followed him through the little
crowd ofpassengers and porters, ac-
companied by policeman in Uniform
AS we passed we heard fragmentary
observations of a most pleasing kind.
(Which is it?' said one.
Its the girl, / think.
No, it's the old woman, she looks
as if she would do any one mischief il
it suited her.
odd man looks too soft fer anything,
and so on.
We went into the office, and in
dignantly turned to the station-mas-
ter
what is the meaning Of this, sir?'
oh it's very simple, sir; a tele-
gram has arrived from the police in
London with orders to stop this young
lady; here it is
took it and read:
The young lady looking very i'll,
dressed in black silk mantle, white
straw bonnet, with white flowers, is
to be detained at the station till the
arrival of the officer by the afternoon
mail. She is seated in the middle
compartment of the third first-class
carriage from the end of the train
Her present name is Clara Webster
To avoid the possibility of a mistake,