The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-12-11
that you amt going to nais-iudge 'em.

that you amt going to naiS-judge 'em.
And offer notes divine
To your Creators praise"
continued the woman, determined to
conquer her uncharitable feelings.
One hour after, a very pale face pre-
sented itself at Betty's kitchen door,
and asked for a cup of tea.
La, Master William amt you had
no supper ?" inquired Betty, giving the
young man searching glance.
"Oh, yes," he answered, YEARLY
t' but l have a headache and a heart
ache, Betty, and thought perhaps
strong cup of your tea would make me
forget them. for while, at least.
"Hqmph !" grunted Betty !; " tea
this time is good strong dose of prin-
ciple, sweetened and favored with the
essence of common sense - and the old
servants face was really beautiful as
she calmly met the gaze of her compan
ion.
"What do you know about it, Betty ?"
inquired the young man, under his
breath, and then, without waiting for
reply, went on Betty, have made
up my mind to ask Miss Flanders to be
my wife tomorrow. L came very near
doing it this evening, but, some way,
I couldn't-concluded that Thanksgiv-
ing would be the most apc ropriate time,
and"
"And thought you'd run home to
stiffen up your backbone a little, in
terrupted Betty. 'sThat's where you
did right. Postponed proposals., ike
postponed pudding, don't usually
amount to much. I've been thinking a
good deal about Elsie Gorham to-day,
| William, and so has Belle"
"Don't Betty, implore you-don'tw
and William Harcourt covered his face
with his hands. 8" I can endure any
thing under heaven but the mention of
that name ! Why do you torture me
continued, almost fiercely -" You have
heard something: Betty. Tell me this
| instant what it is. F"
Just then the figure of woman ap-
peared outside the kitchen-window, q
pale face was pressed for brief second
| against the window-pane, and then both
vanished noiselessly.
"Oh, Betty did you see that ?'
gasped William.
eyes, I saw it," said Betty. hurrying
to the back door, and looking out !;
'tand it was Elsie, too. What has
brought her back here She's gone,
! though, whoever she was +; there's no
sign of her anywhere"
"That face looked like the face of a
corpse, Betty. It couldn't be Elsie.
| She never would come around here in
such a way-never.
"Well, whether twas or whether
'twasn't, Mister William, one thing is
sure about it. The vision was sent to
you as warning and you had better
look twice before you leap"
"Oh, Betty I came to you for COM
fort, and what have you given me? Il
| is hme-quite time-that I forgot the
girl who came SO near making ship
wreck of my life, and will entirely for
get her by linking my fate to that of a
pure, good woman. There lies my only
salvation"
"What if Elsie Gorham has been lied
about-what then What if you should
hold on little longer, and be sensible,
and patient, before you commit sui
eide % and Betty laughed grim, hys-
terical laugh, that made her harder to
understand than ever.
William Harcourt passed up to his
room, and in few moments after, Belle
| appeared in the kitchen, her face light
ed up with excitement, and so full of
her subject that she was hardly coher-
ent
s'Get your shawl, Betty, and come
with me. See Tilly Hunt has brought
me note from Elsie Gorham and she
wants you and me to meet her at the
old we'll. Oh, dear I'm SO glad This
is what she says, Betty:
Il have returned fully prepared to
disprove all the ISLANDERS circulated
against me, and point to the author of
my trouble
''Think of it, Betty the darling has
been away a whole year"
And chatting softly together, these
| l., 4. Il
out into the darkness.
Two minutes of swift walking s1lfficed
cied to bring them to the spot designat-
ed ; and Belle was sobbing in her friend s
arms.
William Harcourt and Elsie Gorham
had been betrothed for several months.
Else was an orphan, living with her
sister and her husband. The sister died
and Elsie Immediately assumed the po-
sition of housekeeper in her brother-in-
laws establishment.
Slanderous reports commenced to be
circulated. William, practicing law in
Boston, was duly informed of them.
Anonymous letters were sent him, and
one, more damaging than all, William
gave into Elsie's hands.
| He requested her to leave her posi-
tion, and bitter words followed. She
stood firm at her post, defending her.
self only by the sacred statement that
her sister had asked her to care for her
husbands childs comfort until she her
self was married.
Nothing could move her. The letter
spoken of gave a detailed account of
some visit to Boston which Elsie was
accused of making with this gentle
man.
| Elsie's eyes flashed and her lip curled
as she read the miserable sentences.
She would not deny them.
In few we'll chosen and just words,
she released her lover and the next
day the neighborhood was electrified
with the information that Elsie Gorham
had run away with her brother-in-
law"
''This is my brother and his wife, -
said Elsie to Belle, as two figures came
forward from the darkness and we
have come home now to stay. I have
found out the person WHO wrote those
anonymous letters, Belle l-have the
clear proof in my pocket this minute. -
.'Who was it p gasped Belle.
| l. T. IL