St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1874-12-04


round her hand, so that she was forced
to drop 1t into the fire. Was it an acci-
dent She said it was and uttered
many rcgretful eXclamationS
But three weeks after there was an
other letter in the same hand. 1t was
gwen to Billy as before but after look
ing ut the address, he brought it to her.
'N on'll let me read that one, won't
you, Alice?' he said. "If any one
chooses to persecute you with unwel-
come letters, | ought to know it,
She opened the letter and read aloud
the first few lines, and then closing it.
she told Billy that supper was Just
ready t" put on the table, and that he
should see the note before hed-t time
"All right" he said '.but don't let
it get burned this time, will Won -
She promised him, and he went to the
table with the other men. As soon as
he sat down she lit candle and went
t" her room. She was only gone Il short
time. but when she returned she burnt
the letter unobServed 10y her husband.
After supper, when the men had all
gone, he asked her to read the letter to
him.
"Why. Billy" she said innocently.
l'ilh hl IL up blll S:iNtu IIlt Slktla-
tmir. lis You told me, and here it is
Billy burst ont into Il tempest of srs-
piclouS anger and disappointment.
Why didn't yuu read that letter To me.
Alice ;" he said. "loul conduct con
victS Hon of completely with this fellow.
| know now that you answered his last
letter. that y"u know perfectly well all
about the man who wrote it,"
why. Billy" she said. Il read the
letter t" YOU. and you told me To save
the signature. which have done"
Alice" he cried. turning as white ;ls
Il sheet, and trembling all over: "mN
God, how You have deceived me, Iou
are telling me Il lie. and you know it..
q. Alice. to think how | trusted You :;
and now-"
He sat down from very taintncss, and
wiped his cold face and shaded his eyes
with hand that looked palsird and
dead.
went to him and touched his curly
hair care>Singly. "She can explain: it,
Billy. no doubt" suggested.
"ENplain it," he groancd bitterly
''She can explain hell away, and dark
! ness. and all the sin and hypocrisy of
this miserable world. q. You don't
know how this little thing throws light
upon 50 many other things that were Il
my >tcry To me before. But | trusted
hrI 50: took all for granted. would
have been ashamed to insult her 10y Il
suspicious question:.
Pretty soon my husband came in and
tried To comfort him. His confidence
in Mice WAS unhounded. though | must
confess that had bec"mr diStrrI>tiul of
hrl honesty. That she WAS rngnizant
of my di>tluI~t she betrayed in many
WAYS. but chiefly in the desire she man
ift>tcd to dodge my eyes when they
were fixed upon her. had told
Mr.. Brown how felt toward hen.
and he blamed me severely fnr it.
"lou women are always 50 unjust to
each other" he said. Like most good
men, he yielded in Il: great degree to
that superficial charm of manner that
women of extraordinary tact acquire 10y
a>>"ciati"m with many men. and, with
out knowing it he WAS evidently just Il
little hit infatuated.
II know there is Il plausible cNplana-
ton of this" he said I" Billy Il am
sure ynu hal" not been deceived in
Alice. If she isn't Il good. true hearted
woman. don't know of any" lie
should have sud. If she isn't a good
looking N"man." etc; but she had
spun web about him ont of hci grace,
and beauties. and he >aw through it
but himlN.
All this time Alice had not offered I,
explain. but stood like Il statue 10y TIA,
dish pan. and waited. a> | supposed. iol
chance To throw some winning card int,
her hands. being perfectly we'll aWar,
of the fact that her nimhlc tongue w"Itlt
, not serve her now.
Mr. Brown walked toward her viii
the intention of urging her Ia SAY some
thin" ia her own iu>tliic;itinm. Whrr
suddenly. with II most tragic scream
she rushed past lis. and went out ot til,
house. "rrctty well dome" sal,
jcalorSlN t" myself; lin all probability
. acting i your natural vocation. mad
ann" 1t was Il cold night about a!
cold as ever comes i'll our genial climIat,
there would he frost before m"rmin"
80. Lizzie" said MI. Brown. ''gn at
ter her and beg her to come back: Sh,
may imiurr herself III some way.
Not the slightest danger" observe,
, the cynical individual thus addressed.
| He gave me Il reproachful look. an'
Stir''" hi'ei ile' n''''eei'' ne was S""
I hNt minutes ana came !'''h "'.il''.' .I
n'r' h'''N anu ! were 1''''"E y Wv
ilie Ill S"'''''' s''e''''' anu ''' ''' ''''N
; between us ~.
r",i" l'"' nm" ',.,n ne'' ..r n' H''; m, y"
: 20 ami hnut htI' nil'H- Hht VII '"'i'
+ when y"u can her' am a'ra" :"
Z VIII d" hersrli some some hir''i'
L NO. saih blilN' sile Is IL WoNiah l.
4 harm others. but not herself.