River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1873-04-04

a mOItH aIJef Tue evening on Wnlcn
Florence's singular love gauge was
brought to her, she became the wife of
| Victor Buchanan, and babe her mother
and sisters farewell, for what promised
to be at least years absence among
the sights and diversions of European
/ tour
The young bride was so perfectly
happy at the thought OF being finSlly
united to whom she almost worshipeG
as a god, that in her farewells here
was little evidence of actual sorrow,
while Mrs. Atherton bore up with ad.
mirable self-control in saying adieu to
her first born and best loved daughter.
Letitia, however, wept very bitterly.
{" am the most miserable creature
in all christendom,n she walled on the
afternoon of the day which had wit
messed Florence's departure Il don't
care to live an hour longer"
Nonsense, Letitia, said her mother,
very reproyingly am afraid, dar
ling, that your sorrow springs more
from envy of your sisters happiness
than regret for her Absence"
: Perhaps you are right, murmured
the newly created Miss Atherton. 81
suppose | shall have to NOPE here at
dismal old Eight Elms all the rest Of
my days. Why can't Auntie Wilkinson
invite ME to go and visit her in New
York, and at least run the chance of
catching a splendid husband, like
Florence But, of course, she won't do
it it isn't my luck that she should. :"
Nor did She And very dreary,
society-less year passed over the head
OF our respondent Letitia. At the end
of that time fearful blow was dealt
her in the shape of her mothers sudden
death.
"Auntie wilkinson made up for
all past neglect, then, by offering the
poor, friendless orphan a home in her
/ handsome Madison avenue mansion.
There the first month that followed
Letitia's bereavement was passed when
with the same suddenness that had at
tended her first affection, she was
| called upon to bear a second.
! Victor Buchanan wrote to her from
Paris letter filed with the widest ex-
pressions of grief, and telling that his
beloved Florence was no more She
had left little boy, but the infant had
survived his mothers death by not
longer than day.
Amid all her grief, Letitia could not
but feel consoled at the intelligence
which Victor's letter contained-of his
purpOsed immediate return to New
York. His face and character were
more familiar than those of the COM
parative strangers by whom she was
now surrounded, and it would be an
inexpressible pleasure to meet him
once more and hear from his lips the
details of poor Florence's dying mo-
ments.
Auntie Wilkinson, an elderly lady of
rather strict social ideas, stood by
when Victor and his young sister-in-
law at length met and 1t is safe to
say she felt immensely shocked at the
| affectionate fervor with which Mr.. Bu-
chanan was embraced and kissed by
the beautiful young creature, who
/ seemed SO overwhelmed with Joy to
see him.
Victor, in spite of his recent widow
hood, was but man; and it was hard,
during the long interview that followed
between himself and Letitia Anterior,
to shut his eyes to the fact of how a
year had ripened her charms into an
ensemble of such womanly loneliness
as her sombre costume could in no way
conceal. Perhaps it was because she
reminded him of the Florence whom
he had adored so passionately that he
now noted her with such depth of i'll
concealed admiration.
The interview, however, was of a
mournful character. He described to
Letitia the death bed of his wife, and
told how peacefully and resigned her
pure spirit had passed away. Her last
words had concerned the opal bracelet
given her on the day that their be-
trothal was sealed.
"Promise me, Victor, she had said,
:" that You will guard it sacredly as a
memory of our life together, whatever
changes the years may hereafter bring
to you. Promise me that no arm save
mine shall wear it, whatever new love
time may console you with.
Aud Victor had solemnly promised
The Young widower's visits were
quite frequent at Mrs. Wilkinson's
house during a space OF fully tour
months, and the uninterrupted inter
views between himself and Letitia very
frequently likewise.
To Mrs. Wilkinson nothing seemed
more natural than that such visits and
interviews should take place
It was almost like the bursting Of a
bombshell when Victor buchanan an
nounced to her one evening that he had
asked for the hand Of her neice, and
had received an affirmative answer.
Braying comments, they were mar
ried about three weeks later, and Lee
titia found herself the proud sharor Of
Nictor's name and fortune.
1t was not till after marriage, per-
haps, that she confessed TO herself the
real truth concerning how she had
loved Victor at time when such love