The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-03-05
ROMER'S CLIFF.
THE STORY OF JANET cLYMER.


never were written from any poor human
imagination, and that one weak woman
can endure q terror which might drive
strong men crazy, I ann living witness.
You have asked me, my dear Laura,
to tell you what there has been in my
past life to cast such shade of serious
ness over my face. You fatter me by
saying that I ann very handsome; in
truth, used to think had beauty but
have troubled me. Having become my
friend within the past two years, of
course you know nothing of my life be-
fore came hither with my husband and
babes to make q new home. You see me
AS l am now, and you truly say that
have no present cause for anything but
happiness a husband than whom none
could be more devoted or kind two
sweet, sunny-faced children, to make
glad this delightful home; the affection
and admiration of many new and good
friends; indeed, Laura, you say truly
that have every reason to be content
with my lot. But still, you say, there Is
a shadow often on my face; and some
times YOU think you have seen in it a look
of wild, woeflll terror, strangely out of
pIace with such surroundings, the mean
ing of which YOU cannot imagine. And
YOU think it is a shadow of something in
the past which is thus projected over my
life
You are right I live in the midst of
love, and light, and pleasure, and am
quite as happy as it Is often given to NOR
tails to be; yet often in my waking as
well as my sleeping hours, seem to see
a face and hear q voice which drive the
flush from my cheek with the dreadful
recollections they suggest and more
than once IN the midst of gayety, and
laughter, and music, / have bitten my
lips till they bled within, to keep back
the shrek that rose and sought utter
ance.
will tell you why this is. Listen.
I am, since my marriage, Janet ely
mer before that. I was Janet Merton,
and dwelt at Monteith, a small town so
far from this that you can hardly have
heard of it Ny parents died In my in
fancy, and I had been adopted by my
aunt, my mothers sister, from whom /
was named. She had never married, and
was very wealthy, while my poor mother
had always lived just step above pow
erty.
My aunt Janet's story was quite ro-
mantle but it Will suffice to say that at
the age of 1S she was engaged to q rich
man, who, dying suddenly, only week
before the day fixed for the wedding, left
her by his VIII his elegant house, his
lands, and, in fact, all his great property.
She at once took possession of the man
sion, and, true to his memory, lived there
with her servants alone, until her adop-
ton of me.
If Aunt Janet had been neglectful to
my mother, as 1 have heard it said, she
seemed determined to go to the other
extreme with me. From mere child,
up to the age of nineteen, was petted
and made much of and think 1t ls
owing to some natural good that is in me
that I was not completely spoiled. |
loved my aunt very dearly but with all
others WAS wayward and capricious. l
was accomplished beyond any of the
girls of the neighborhood, and was hated
by many of them for it, and for-yes,
Laura, I can say it to you-for my
beauty. Nay, you need not tell me that
il lasts still only speak now of myself
as 1 was then, when my proud girlish
heart courted admiration, and my glass,
often consulted, told me that / was
beautiful. I had a round face, not over
full, with bold, saucy features, cheeks
glowing with the hue of health, eyes a
deep, laughing blue, and hair as richly
golden as if the precious dust had been
powdered over it. I played, sang, l
talked French and painted, and excelIed
in all these accomplishments and my
eratified pride that / entertained my
company with beautiful grace and capti-
vation. But better than all this, loved
long walks out in the country, or through
the wild scenery around Romer's Chff,
or oaIlops over the smooth roads on Aunt
Janet's spirited horses.
T have mentioned Romer's Cliff. 1t
was a wild place, with story known to
all the neighborhood. will speak OF 1t
anon.
OF course had my lovers. At one
time think about all the young men III
the town were rivahng eacn otneT
to gain my affections but was TOO
fastidious to take up with any OF them,
and not a few had q decided no from my
Iips. So it was that / easily gained the
name of a coouette unjustly, think,
because the lads of the town were not OF
that kind that could expect to please
such girl as was. !,
"Do1't saw yes in hurry, Janey,
nv amt would often say, with a laugh
"I don't think you'll take common
one, any time but don't be IN haste 70
leave your auntie, even Tor the pest
kind of q husband. You're hav1ng
pretty good times here, chlld u n De
better for Won In the end to enjoy them
yet while"
/ Thought so, too and so one after
another I sent my admirers 70 the
right about, and kept myself heart
free.
There was one of them, however, who
for long time gave me no chance 10 say
that hard little word of two letters. II
was Ralph Sanders, young man wno
kept the local school tall, strong 1el-
low, intelligent and educated, with a HtI.
sicaI voice. and kind, loving way aDoul
l. = N. -