The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1874-07-02
O'Clock, and size had been an hour will
the angels

Al breakfast, NH} lulte-coFbCft1
note came, periumed ss dainuly, written
IS elegantly ss il Death had not come
uear her, sud Fred fairly hated Nellie
Hunt a. bis mother read aloud the sad
news.
Dear Oracle died this morning at one,
( very easily, and with Fred's name on her
( lips IS they closed forever. Assure poor
Fred Of my earnest sympathy; and
bow tell you, dearest Mrs. Holloway,
I DO not wonder be loved her SO. never
knew her myself until too late.
NELLIE.
Then Mrs. Holloway looked up and
across the table at Freds stern white
/ face.
| You appreciate dear Nellie's womauly
courage for Drawing the terrible fever for
eharity's sake hope you will do her
justice, Fred.
An angry sparkle came into bis eyes
for a moment.
And this Is the sympathy You offer me
for q loss never can forget? Mother,
you are cruel!
Then he buttered thin slice Of toast
and tried to eat Il; and his mother re-
cognized, by the authority in his tones,
that she had trodden on dangerous
grounds.
She did not err again; and he never
mentioned Oracle Barney in all the years
that dragged along from the day she died
until hO met Fay Meaton, whose sweet
face, that reminded him of Oracle, at
length won the love be thought never
could be revived again, and the day
came when he and Fay were to be mar
ried.
1t had been a terrible blow to Nellie
Hunt; she who had been loyal to him all
the lone years, when he vouchsafed her
only fIiendship-hardly that, so indffer-
ent he was to her; and she had striven
SO hard, with such feminine tact, with
such wonderful patience, hoping and
fearing, aud doubling, and going bravely
on again TO win the heart to which she
had 50 long ago so hopelessly given her
affections.
Then Fay Merton had stepped in, and
Nellie had lost not a look, a motion, a
word, that passed between Fred Hollo.
way and her. She had seen the first
blush of conscious love on Fay's fair face
and noted the first glance of interest with
which Fred's eyes followed her; she had
seen the love bud and blossom; and now
she knew to her, love was irreparably
lost.
Then, aud not till then, when her tolls
were over, when her years of patient
waiting were literally over, Nellie Hunt
: began to hate the man who had shown
her no care or thought; and on the
bright September morning, when Fay
would come to him forever, she went
; with horrid smile in her eyes, into bis
presence.
lie was in the library, arranging sev
> eral business papers, relative to his alb
: sence on his prolonged tour, Nellie'
heart gave a wild throb of jealous love
or jealous hate-which could it hav,
} been?--as she looked at him, and saw
3, how like a god he was; as she realized
Y that the years of her fruitless attempt haC
t given to Fay Merton a lover who wal
: improved, bettered, for those years 0
S trouble and suffering.
:, Mr.. Holloway looked up from his desl
e half in surprise, for Nellie seldom invad
r cd his sanctum, but pleasantly; and thel
n looked at her inquiringly, as if askini
8 her what she wanted.
}, have como to congratulate you, Mr.
d Holloway, she said, lowly, coldly, ant
looking him full in the eyes with be
own, that did not seem like eyes, tina
e meant what they said.
= Yes. You are kind, Miss Hunt and
o am sure Fay and thank YOU
n She interrupted him by an imperiou
wave OF her hand.
n do not include Miss Merton, since
l. came to congratulate you, not on you
r marriage with that young lady, but tha
d you have so thoroughly recovered fror
d the undying affection you entertained 70
( Oracle Barney.
IS There was such venom in her tones tina
ir Fred was amazed. lie looked at be
without a trace of the conscious mortif
- cation she had so ardently expected
II see, and her utter failure to annoy hin
le fairly maddened her.
b, You pretended to love her, aud yet
was the only human being who dared &
le near her. You staid at home aud mourn
;. ed, and ! went to her bedside and care
n for her-untI she died, until you sa,
r her ghost, Fred Holloway.
1t Nellie smiled quietly at him; a pecr
II liar smile, that Fred Holloway though
nearly fiendish.
- do not see the good taste of discu:
J. sing this subject, Miss Hunt. Cerlainl
d 1 loved Oracle Barny, and my promise
st wife, Fay Merton, knows II Oracle ha
lived she would have been my wife yeal
e. ago.
? Nellie came a step nearer, aud laid hC
'e bot, quiverng hand ou his shoulder.
- Fred Holloway, If 1t had not been f
- me, Oracle Barney would have been you
y wife years ago. Shall tell you how yo
came TO see-not the ghost, but her ow
% bodily SELF shall tell YOU how the few,
- took s favorable turn at midnight, an
the symptoms set 10 that presaged bealt
v and Ijle againf how only good care an
cln.e allenIlnH womb .ureIK haYc resln