Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1876-10-09

Maddie is always right Q God what
terrible thing it is to be so very foolish y
She went straight to her own room
and sat down on the chair by the win-
dow, drawing it far in among the plants.
il pretty bloom and full leaf She was
vOndering vaguely when Madeleine and
Philip would come back again. How
long she sat there she could not have
tod. The minutes passed unconscious
ly but presently she heard steps and
voices near the door. and recognized
those of her sister and lover.
Cecile tried to move, but the power
was denied her. A cold weight Oppress-
ed her limbs. She sat still and dumb,
and the DIOR opened. They paused on
the threshold of the twilight room.
"Will YOU not come in, then ?" asked
Madeleine and it was in that tone that
longs for and fears assent.
Il cannot tonight. l cannot see her
tonight. Madeleine, / would rather
have died than met you You know l
love you. Shame and penitence and pi-
ty and despair-let them CO."
Il know how it will end. You will
leave me. 1t is right you should. Let
me 60 mad or die, my God. before she
does what she must-what is right y
Philip caught the speaker in his arms.
In the half-articulate words of endear-
ment that followed, there seemed as deep
pain as passionate tenderness.
My love my life my darling In
the name of God, why did love you
1t is sin; but the sin, the suffering is
Its own reward. My love! l will not
leave you p
Madeleine struggled to free herself
from his embrace.
"What will become of US ?" she muir
INJURED, despairingly. 'If one must be
sacrificed let it be me-
Il swear viii not give you up. Mad
eleine, you do not love me"
"Philip, let me 60 l thought better
of myself and you than that this would
ever be; from the moment ] ever saw
you, there was sin and treason in my
heart. Philip, leave me, and let me
think; | am tortured and half crazy.
Phlhp. pi.iliP let ulv sS, 10
Madeleine wrenched her hand from
his grasp, and opened wide the door of
the room. Unconscious of Cecile's pres
enee, she fed past her into the little
dressing-room beyond
Cecile, whose bonnet and shawl had
not been removed, waited for few mo-
ments, and then followed her to her re-
treat, as though she had but just come
in. But Madeleine caught the deadly
pallOr of her sisters face. and cried out :;
''Cecile. what has happened Are
. you III? You look like death Some
| thing is the matter what is it p
81 am tired, Maddie," said Cecile, in
} a low, wistful tone, as utterly different
; from her ringing cadences as was thi;
; ashen-hued. lifeless face from the sun.
d bright and glowing cheeks that made
half of her brilliant beauty. Madeleine
f was conscience-stricken, but she asked NJ
further question, judging all too truly
5 that her treachery had been discovered.
: Two or three days passed away, anC
a each, conscious of eoncealment, grew
D more constrained in the vain effort T.
: Danish constraint. Cecile was i'll bodi
e ly; her cheeks paled. her eyes grew hol
s low and dim, and beneath them a pur
pie shadow bore witness to her pain anc
e weary thinking. Philip had not beel
to the house since that evening, nor ha'
; there been any remembrance from him.
d The sisters had been sitting tOgethe
; all day long, Madeleine busy with he
: pen, Cecile's languid fingers folded list
t lessly together, while her blue eyes wan
n dered over the yet bare branches Of th
II trees in the city square that their wiz
d dow gave upon. All day long they 50
If together, and scarcely a monosyilabl
d broke the silence, until the shadows {
twilight gave Madeleine leave to raii
e her head from her weary task. She sal
D. nothing for a long time. leaning hs
d head upon her hand, and looked at b.
l. sister for almost the first time that da.
N The awful suffering in the quiet fa'
e. reused her conscience. and with desp
se rate impulse she cried out:
v '-Cecile. why are you 50 silent ? VII
is it that you are thinking off Tell 4
n the truth. Cecile."
th Cecile turned her face slowly towal
a the speaker. without even sigh. b
G pale lips mOtioning for scr. Of smi
er more distressfal than any tears eou
I'd have been.
ed Il was thinking Of something oug
le- to have told you before. Maddie. : )
IN said, quietly. do you remember {
p's story Of that poor princess-it is only
ser foolish fairy stOry-vbo lost all her hs
he piDess forever because she was not CO
Il. teut with the gift Of her godmotber. a
nd tried 70 crown herself with the sWs
ng noon sun-rays. when che was told
70 choose only the morning dew IL '
tn foolish. but very sad II is % natuI
r. "a .v;eb e. s.,reksra "A "A "a hard -