Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-06-09
Maud's Revenge.

you sce," he said, " this may be our last
afternoon together"
Hearing this she looked up into his face
/ with her beautiful blue eyes.
What do you mean - she said.
I'm going away he answered, and
| you know how it is ia this world. People
/ just meet as they do IN o stage coach, ike
each other, part and go low different paths
to different places. Probably we shall never
meet again"
She made no answer. Something that
/ did mot seem 90 Joe hor heart, it was so sold
and heavy, beat against her breast and
chOked her. This man had been making
| love 30 her for three months--an age ia the
| life of a girl of sixteen. She had every rca-
sou TO believe that ho desired her for his
/ Wiio. lie had taught her 90 love him and
now he was c1olly making his adicu but
what could She do2 Nothing but stiAe
every appearance of emotion. and bear the
| blow Ia silence as best she might In love
women have no rights that can be- asserted.
| We all know that well enough. She may
| have her own purse, perhaps some day her
| right 10 vote but in those matters that
touch her most deeply, she is by the law of
custom-hy the command of her own pride
also-the veriest slave.
Aud so, said he II thought we might
sec our pretty river bank once again"
And She got back her voice again.
b" hope it is not so damp rs il was yester-
day She said. " Thanks; I'll not take your
am ! must lift my dress aud hold my par
asol. you know
She don't mind it as much as / thought
She would, he said to himself.
III / We're only dead, She moancd in
WafdlE. If | Worn only dead -
Aud then they took their walk, and chat
ted and he escorted her 90 her cottage-door,
bowed 20 the old aunt at the window shook
hands and hastened away
Paul Redlaw had gone out Of Maud Her
man, life. Well for her would it have been
/ had he gone from her heart also but she
| had loved him so much, trusted him so well,
/ the blow was more than she could bear.
| Next day she was very i'll, and for a long
| time She fingered at deaths door. The
| blinds of the little house were closed. The
| old woman went about on tip-toc, with tears
in her eyes The doctors carriage stopped
at the gate twice every day, aud in all the
village it was breathed that she was dying.
But youth Is very powerful The girl grew
well again, and with her very recovery a
great good fortune fell upon her
some far-otf relative, dying, made her his
had much ado to find herself in simple mus
Inns and neat delains, was now able TO wear
royal velvet and diamonds if she chose.
Her health was still delicate and travel
was recommended. Why should she not
travel il she chose 3--inomey need not be
thought OF now. The old aunt was suilci-
ent protection, and the two together crossed
tha Channel, lingering long on the Continent,
and returned, after five years absence. to es-
tablish themselves in London, where a circle
of fashionable friends soon sprung up about
them.
Money makes a mighty difference in peo-
PIES lives. Probably Maud would never
have known she was beautiful if she had re-
mained poor but she knew it now. The
lips of hatterers told her of her charms.
Lovers were at her feet. She could marry
when she would. but She had no heart 10
give any one. Love died within her heart
ia that long illness haunted by visions OF
Paul Redlaw. Her face had only changed
for the better her manner was more charm
| ing than it had ever been but within her
soul She felt a strange and terrible change.
She, who had loved so fondly aud tenderly,
bad mo- tenderness left. All those soft feel
/ iugs had peri,hed, aud the man she had loved
She positively hated. Thinking Of him her
| soul was dashed into a fury. and she longcd
passiouatey Tor revenge.
Is it possible Miss Herman
II was in q crowded parlor music filed
! the air: soprano Of society was singing
Miss Herman turned her head and saw Paul
Rellaw. They had met once more. A
strange thrill swept through her frame for a
momeut-she remembered her old feeling
for him; and then followed an emotion Of
triumph, He was here. somehow she
knew he was bachelor still, and she was
now rich and an acknowledged belle She
understood her power, and she meant TO ex-
ert il. This man should be at her feet, aud
She would humble him as he had hnmbled
her; SO She gave him her hand, and looked
sweetly mp into his face
II is an age since we met
=" Do YOU remember the garden and the
river bauk and all the pretty places, and how
did you know me after all this time "
"Oue expects beautiful bud 10 become q
beautiful rose" he answered.
lie took her down to supper that night
and saw her To her carriage and he called,
as She had asked him to do, in day or two
lie bad been a good deal In love with her
in those old times, though ii had not been
prudent 10 marry poor country girl, and he
had always thought her beautiful. Now the
passion of his life fell upon him. Ambition
was satisfied and did not restrain his heart
lie adored her. Aud the fact that she was
rich and belle infamed his pride, and
helped his love along. lie auug himself into
the pursuit of her heart with ardor, and at
last gathered hope enough from her glances
to speak To her. lie offered her his heart
and hand; and she, whom a glance or word
once thrilled so, accepted them as she might
a bouquet of flowers
II f..uIfaI linn 1iftia fhnf tho l.luuha1
and sweetness of the old time did not return
but perhaps the society manner he admired
80 much forbade that At last she was his
and when she was his wife she would no
longer refuse those kisses which he found it
so difficult to beg from her now.
The man who had 50 coolly set aside the
tenderness of that fresh young heart that
loved him so, pined for it.now, as n weary
Traveller pines for the cool spring and shad-
owed restiug-plaoe Yet had she not given
him that yes that meant she loved him
lie put by his doubts and looked forward,
longingly, for the wedding day. Aud Maud
what was in her heart Why did she laugh
to herself as she sat alone Why did she
recall oysf and over again the cruel parting
AZ the cottage door Remembering that
then she was poor, and that now she was so
rich ? Were these memories to carry TO the
altar
The day was set. Every one knew it.
Maud herself told fifty confidential friends.
Reporters wonld have an account Of it for
their papers 1t was not IKE Maud 10 de-
sire such publicity, but she had made sure
OF this for some private reason, aud the
happy pair were 10 meet at the church. It
was - church, which at an early hour
Of the appointed day was orammed from one
end to the other with people in full dress.
! IL took two clergymen To manage so fine an
affair, They were there, What hustle
what crush And now they are coming
1 No; only the bridegroom aud his party--not
the bride yet She must be here in a few
moments, The ladies grew more restless.
| Ten minutes passed-twenty-th thirty.
"The hairdresser," said one. ''That's
the delay"
No, the gloves. They are always tight,
whispered another. 're 4
! An hour There must have been an aeci-