Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-07-12

Esther Hume y he said, in loud, hoarse
voice. Good heavens you don't mean to
say she is your friend?" 0r."ttf.
] don't think 7 understood for a moment.
Yes" | answered, vaguely wondering;
that is my Esther. thought had often
told you her surname"
I" You never did r' with passionate vehem.
ence. You said, Esther nothing more.
How, in heavens name, could -"
II was dawning on me now, and could
feel my hands and my whole body growing
cold-could feel how pale | had become in
one short minute. lie saw It, too, and drop
ping the locket, caught my hand again
"What a fool am As II il mattered
| Birdie, you haven't answered me yet. Won't
you do so now, my darling Won't you tell
me ----"
"Oh don't, DON'T" cried, shrinking
from him. " Tell me, Colonel Dalton, please
please tell mc-it was not she you were
speaking Of just now the good, dowdy
/ girl who loved you
| lie looked up trying 20 meet my eyes, try
/ ing TO give me the answer wanted. Alas
| 1t was no use. His rising color, his look of
conscious guilt betrayed him; and dropped
back upon my seat, covering my face with
my hands. Even to this day ! seem to hear
him urging me to look up, to listen to his
]
tion--a mere nothing that he never really
cared for her after the first that he loves
me, aud me only, as he never has loved, never
can love, any other ;
verify believe that he thought me jeal-
Gus - jealous of Esther And with the
thought-aye with every word he uttered
something seemed TO be thrusting me farther
from him, crushing down my heart with an
iron hand and filling me with sickening
sense OF pain aud disgust. | could not speak
at first; my silence encouraged him, aud he
| tried to take my hand. ! snatched il away
and asked him-how hoarse my voice had
become hardly knew ito take me
/ home.
But, Birdie darling listen to me. Ia it
that you doubt my love that you are so UNI
| kind 2 Dearest. believe in IL, l. beg you
! swear TO you that that other girl was no
more than the folly of an hour to me- that
| | never meant 10 mar"
"Oh do not please don't go on broke
in, shiyering aud sobbing. How can you
talk of her so, while--Oh Esther Esther,
my darling and you loved him you be
lieyed in him always p
"Nou don't mean to say" he said, draw
ing himself up and speaking haughtily,
that you refuse on Miss lIume's account
that you care for her more than for met
% do not care for you at ALL" His tone
stung me- and answered calmly Esther
Hume is my dear friend, and ! love her
dearly, dearly"
But--good God-this is madness. Who
ever heard of comparing girls love with
- Birdie, do You know what you are do
| ing? | am your friend. | love you dearly
and believe that you love Inc, too"
81 do not" answered, very sadly. Alas
/ 4 4 a 4
now did. My heart was breaking between
the murdered love for him, and the living,
tender one for her. between the passionate
alteration of girl for the one hero OF her
life, and hopeless contempt for the coward
who had struck that alteration to the ground.
" might have loved you; for | thought you
were good and true-a man, like my father.
| How could tell that il was you who had
deceived and betrayed the friend we all love,
aud broken her hearty"
Betrayed" :" he echoed, scornfully. lie
was very angry, and was working vigorously
at the oars again. "You use too highilown
words for me but this is all girls roman
tic fancy. Az Miss Hume herself. ! APP
peal to her confidently, and in the mean
while, Birdie, dear Birdie"
But would not listen. Ny cheek burnt
at the meanness of appeal TO Esthers gen
erosty.
d,,"sn,'f I',n IL ,iI'j @ ,r5" ",,i,,
u;,.1s,{ 1 use "isn-"own "uluS Is '' ohs
So nv" ~ W W ~ ~, 's'.,
i'oo i'5 ;5,, y. G oou,a j
80 ~ ~ s,.ii' H. ~, III
~ bor 49, ""u o,,n,J fsaJ ,hat H. SaL; S~J
- io,,, q, ,,,a ,,'o, ",,,,t;ar I H., al ;''a''isS
Voy ,bat Inoy ,,Ia, yo', ara a,n ,sr,,
-, 80, ',,n, LII ~ ESQ.,
ffi3d fria93d '''' "''' ''"'' '''"'' " ~" 80
fsel, r,r saco olow and owns a,sh asJ
- AZ h,'ass - ;''i;,;oy % '''i'" '.;aa,, -,
| the child a woman's dignity for the mo.
ment We were close under the towing
path now. and added very quietly. please
but me out of the boathere. would rather
20 home by mvself."
lie obeyed in silence. Somehow he did
not onite seem 10 know what 10 saw. As he
put out lis hand to helm me ON shore, his
face flushed and he looked as If he were
about TO sneak but spranp on to the bank
without assistance, and only bowing 10 him
grayelv, turned resoutely away. In another
minute | was among the trees of n little
wood. and the boat and he. who. an hour
back was the sun Of NV little world. were
lost 10 sicbt forever. All. IIeaveni how
long did lie face hidden. among the brown
leaves and ferns of that little wood weeping
over nv broken idol before had courage 10
rise up and 90 homel
When / reached home Mt last found n
letter from Esther. like ali tbe rest. Lind
anil hrigbl fun of lnving svmnothv In NV
hanuiness and enthusiasm respecting Colo.
mel Dalton's nerfections. and while still ex-
cusing herself from coming home. telling
me twice how bappy her life is. Ali
might have wondered Yesterday at her saw
ing that when she il AWAY from me. un.
derstood YES. NV noble. Generous Esther
| understood betier now
-. an g.. H.. ,,,. u,;. rLo,
"1 ~ ~, SUN 1ay' ,f "is' '"'s' ~, my
sail n ! h'p oaus's. i" oau 1o'u oo .n1 ieer'
lernalS l h"ui ior my hes''i apn,u ''eea
ssan.y, aiu hy ,yeS M,.c s"o''e" al"
'e,eleu , "i.l 1'e1p,ess nIs"es,
nu' oo,p"e, pa',o,' was sone' a'u ! Was
qu,'' wen ",en r.suue, ua"'e p"ch We"
anu pie'eliiaslura',y lNeiy III my greeiing-
no. even notlclhg now paie anu shauuWy my
Pe. h'a crown III LONDON as ! r''',ieu Oh
ABOUT aii ! nad peeii uoi,g ~ i'er "osehee'
anu aii lhA' hau happenea III ',ie .oMn ps
ahupy sue mentioned ooiuhei pai'oiA no"
her nahds tremDied IS she SPOKE
ne has gone AWAY, mas ne no. ""'
ing TO the window for a sprig of Jasmine.
\ @ What eboul1 ha Gonna hack ha,a for .