Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-06-17
las told me she will willingly share my

you would have become fascinated with her,
| would have warned you Of this and |
am afraid it has now gone 20 far she will
never forgive you"
Il" In the name Of reason, why, Frank y
Because she is so peculiar. You will
recolect | told you something about it when !
she FIRST came. told you she was terribly
proud.spirted You would scarcely think
it, Charles, but it is So She has an ALSO
lutte horror Of being dependent on any one.
She has repeatedly told me she would sooner
think Of committing suicide than of marry
ing a wealthy man, while she is poor. She
has seen so much real misery resulting from
injudicious marriages, that she will never
risk her happiness by marrying above her
own condition. She is so proud-spirited she
will stick to this resolution"
1t is strange, incredible, Frauk, that
she is so proud.spirited as you say"
But it is true, Charley just look at
it nationally moment II She had not
been so very proud.spirited, do you think
she would have kept up under this calamity,
as she has done3 It was this proud spirit
that sent her out into the country 10 earn
her living in the kitchen 1t is this proud
spirit that has helped her to cover up her
real feelings, and seem 80 cheerful and
happy, as she has done since she came here.
tell you, Charley, she is real heroine
There is not one girl in ten thousand but
would have sank under such misfortune,
instead Of rising above it, as her proud
spirit has enabled her TO do"
" see it all now, Frank, But the fact
that she is so brave, aud keeps up such
checrfulness and good courage under mis-
fortune, proves her to be no ordinary wo.
man prize her all the more for it,
Frank"
True; it is just as you say, Charles ;
aud If this popularity Of hers can be over.
come, shall offer you my warmest congrat-
uations on your excellent choice"
" But can she not be persuaded out Of
this strange idea? ?"
1t is possible, Charley but there is
only one way it can be done"
" How is that, Frank ?"
" will 90 and talk it over with her, SC
as not to take her too much by surprise
} Then, if she consents to see you, | will come
back aud tell you Shall got"
Yes, Frank. If you will help me ou
of this miserable scrape, | shall think you
are the best friend have on earth"
. When | entered the parlor again, Bel
! grasped both my hands aud exclaimed
What did he say2"
] He was greatly excited, Bell. But b,
said you had concealed anything from him
! he would hear your explanation in my pres
e ence. My advice is, Bell, that you sen,
/ for him aud tell him all about it. He i
g.. one of the noblest men ever saw, excep
in this one regularity. If we can conyiuc,
e him Of the lalsity Of this insane idea, | shal
e think you have made wise choice, aud
shall congratulate you on your matrimonial
a prospects. 1t may be that between us W
}. can reason him out Of his strange notion
90 Frank, | will give away every dol
!. lar | possess before it shall separate US
a &" Perhaps that will not be necessary, Bell
1t may be that he will listen to reason
t, Shall | 90 and bring him in ?"
y Yes, Frank cannot endure the sus
re penso any longer"
| left the parlor in quest Of Mr.. Charlie
d. Sidney. And just a, this stage Of the drama
| fancied an audience would be interesting
g so, as the parlor was divided by slidu
doors, | was not long arranginga half doze
b, persons behind them, with injunctions {
>" keep I" still as death The sofa where Bel
t. sat was directly in front of and facing tn
sliding doors, behind which the audieuc
!" was concealed. 1t occupied but few nc
ns ments to make these preliminary arrange
ments, and then | went for Mr. Sidney
at When | entered the room he exclaimed
What is the result, Frank y
u "She Is greatly excited, Charles--eve
- more than | feared. But she says if 20
O. have deceived her in anything, you ca
come in my presence aud maxi your col
" fession, and then she can judge whether
is possible to forgive you. NJ advice
Charles, that you come with mt and mab
clean breast Of it. | believe that both
us can bring her to reason. Willyou doit
ot Yes"
When we entered the parlor was in a
gu vance. Bell rose from the sofa as we c
in tered. She stood at the end laithest fro
the door. passed along and stopped o
'th posite the sofa, with my back tC the slldil
4 1