The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-05-29

| idea that | was 10 meet some one at the sta.
ton, The notion occurred 10 me at once as
so ridiculous that | laughed outright. Bat
it wouldn't be laughed down, ana finally |
started, and-herc am"
then told her how ! had lust returned
from Europe, and MAS on NY way to lind my
mother and sister, when | was almos, impcll-
ed from the cars
"And you We're going right by without
stopping 10 see US"
| ! hcsitated, not knowing the nature of the
! ground was ircadlng on, and not caring To
make "A nllsstep.
| Fred and would both have lnen SO dis.
appointed if you had"
"Ah! is Fred here?' | asked, making IN
effort to appear ut ease, though succeeding
badly, am afraid
"Why, of course. He is here all the time,
except for a few months in the winter"
My heart leapcd into my thr oat in very
agony, and tor moment | dared not trust
myself TO speak We had in the meantime
been walking slowly down into the valley,
and suddenly door OF a house close by the
wayside swung open, and flood OF light
rested upon my companion. All, the caprices
of fashion! How its edics drift around in
circles and turn up Unexpectedly! OF course
the ruff was so Dr0H0BcG nor the rolling folds
to the dress gathering in mass back OF the
neck, so angular and SO stiff as represented
In the EliZabethan portrait; but there she
was in the dress, with notifications, inwhich
she had made the final assault upon my heart
ana won it--"unknowingly heedessly,' !
said to myself.
Didn't you :know OF Frcds marriage:'
she asked, after the awkward pause in which
my mind had been so busy.
Not TO a certainty. Iconjectu-ed as much
You are very happy, | suppose"
Yes, as the world goes, Fred is the dear
est and best fellow in the world, How long
since you have seen him? 1t is a long time
isn't it:n
"Three years lie was seated where met
you just now the night Of my return home
and after YOU went over the mountains so
much after the French leave manner.
ooh, was such a silly chit then
"And think you have grown wiser now p
Maybe not Nor happier; this world Is
Tor growth, not happiness, after all. Growth
is tic object, happiness the result; not the
reverse rs people generally suppose.
"And Fred has grown in art as well as in 4
domestic way"
"Oh, yes lie is quite The rage IN certain
circles. But you know all about that, prob
ably"
mo. | have been immersed in business
in Europe that have absolutely not heard
of or from him since-let me see: no, not
since he wrote, just after my return from
here, to tell me Of his engagement with YOU"
"His-engagem ent-with--me drawing
sharp breath at the enunciation OF each
word. "He was never engaged to me! Did
he write so to youe'
"He implied as much. If remember
rightly, however, there was chance for Il
contrary result"
HE fancied at one time he was in love
with me, and l don't know but considered
himself engaged, but 1t only lasted few
weeks He went to Europe, he said, to die
of broken heart; but came back last fall
and married my cousin, and"
are-not-married?
did not hear her reply, only saw her shake
her head in the rapidly gathering dusk, and
clasped my arm around her as l had done
three summers before. But she did not with.
draw from my embrace this time, in ever so
gentle manner; and when asked her il
she would be my y-ofthe-valley the answer
she gave shone over my soul as the departing
sunlight had over the anchorshaped cloud,
and the reflected radiance illuminated my
whole being -ippietOas Journal