The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-01-07

ing. even as a possibility and far con
tingcacy. Never before, | solcmnly
aver. had seen the woman whom
wished to make my Whenever be-
fore had SO longed to call anything
my own as / did that lovely face ~
ing on my heart No, it was impos-
sible for me to sleep.
In the morning we reached Builaio
and spent the day at Aiagra. III L
had thought her lovely while sleeping
what was she while the light Of feel
ing and expression played over her
face. as she cloqueatIy admired the
scene before us, or Was even more Ell
oGuent still. | don'C think that
looked at the cataract as much as
loJkcd at her, or thought the one
creation more beautiful than the other.
She was now quite familiar with
NE in her innocent way calling me
cousin Frank" and seemed to take
pleasure in my society and protec-
lion. Il was delightful TO be greet
cd SO gladly by her when | entered
the hotel parlor--to have her come
forward from the lonely seat where
she had been waitisg, not unobserv-
cd or unnotced, to receive me--to
have her hang on my arm--look up
lin nv faec-tell me all her little adj
ventures alone (hoV very long 1t
seemed 20 me, while every word and
look and smile seemed dOubly dear
to me. because knew the precarious
tenure by which | held my right to
them. She bg.ied herself, too, while
. | was gone out, with our joint bag
gage. and rummaging all over our
t:unks TO find a box which / hsd ex-
pressed a desire to see. She mended
NV gloves, scwed the band ON my
travelling cap, found my cigar case
wheaever ! had lost it, which was
about twenty times day, while she
scolded NE for my earelesaness, which
she declared almost cqualcd her own.
Long ago she had given iaio my
possession her elegant little poftman-
ieau, with all the money in it, which
she was sure she would lose, as she
could never keep anything and as
she had ordered me 10 take out what
she wanted f1c t.avelin4 expenses, !
opened it with trembling hands when
/ | was alone, and examined the con
tents. There were besides all the
bank bills with which she bad prob
ably been furnished for her journey,
and which with p.ous care she had
packed into the smallest possible com
pass, as much gold as the toy could
carry, a tiny pearl ring, too small Ter
nv finger, but not for her's-whleh
am afraid | kisscd-& card with my
name on it. and a memorandum in a
pretty hand. No Olive street, ST.
Louis. which | rightly conjectured
was the residence Of her couin Jen-
nv. whose husband was--a very
fortunate discovery for NE. Indeed,
thus far | had not found the way Of
the lrans sgressor hard in external cir
cumstances at least, and when with
her forgot everything but her grace
and beauty and my firm resolution
10 be no more TO her than her cousin
should be: but out Of that charming
presence was miserable | am afraid
that | must sometimes have BETRAYED
the conflicts Of feeling ! had, by my
manner; but when | was reserved and
ceromonious with her she always re-
senlcd it, and begged me so bewitch-
ingly not to treat her so, and to call
her by her sweet name Florence, that
had dreamed as much as ] l0nged
to do, could not have refused her.
But the consciousness that | was not
what she thought me, but an impOs-
tor, of whom, after connection had
ceased. and she had discovered the
deception practiscd upon her, she
shouldLhink or remember nothing
that would not cause unmcrited self
reproach and modification, all inno
cent and trusting as she was, this re-
Election. more than any other, | con
fess, and the knowledge of the esti-
nation in which she would forever (
hold me, after my imposition was dis
covered, agonized me, and | would I
have given all | possessed to own 1t
10 her and leave her sight at once, I
though the thought Of seeing her no /
more was dreadful Bat that could |
not be
At last we reached St Louis. Do .
| say at last? When the sight Of /
those spires and gables warned me /
that my brief dreams Of happiness
was over, that the remorsefal reAoc
tons had been staying of so long
were now to commence in earnest,
the thought of the coming banish-
mcnt from Florence was dreadful to
me, and the time seemed to ily on
wings as it drew near.
She was all gayety, and was as
touished at my sadness and my alb
sencc Of mind when so near home
and Jenny, and when we entered
the carriage that was to convey Us
10 our destination, had q mind to
make cowardly fight rather than
encounter the sc0rn and disappoint-
ment of those blue ewes; but mus
tered courage and followed her in,
giving the address | found in the
portm0nia, which fortunately was
the right one to the driver. E
Almost home !" said she, turning
her bright face toward me-wc were
rafting up the streets, aud my time
was short-'how can you be 50
quiet 2"
Because, Miss Fiorence," | an
swcrcd, "the time has come when !
must confess to you that | have no
more right to the house, to which
ven are now fastening, than TO the
name by which you address me,
and that my only claim TO either is
hat Of an impostor and deceiyer."
She turned her lovely face, wonder
ng and puzzled, toward me- Thank
heaven do not read fear on aver
sion in it. II
No right mo claim!' she repeat ,
d, what do you mean ?"
confessed the whole truth, as /
have set it down here, denying j
iothing and eoncealing nothing-uot .
wen the useless secret OF my love s
or her When the hrief recital was