Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-02-12

Etheridge wishes TO hurry tive art
both young enough to wait. ! should
like to spend this summer in Switser
land and Italy, il you have no objec
tion."
at have none."
"And when come back in the su'
tumn, Janet, will you be my little
wifeH" .a .f .u.'
She rose up straight and looked in
his smiling, handsome face for the first
time. ........4 a.
"No." she said, steadily, ~ will
never be that Here is your ring, Mr..
Etheridge, and here we part" e '
"Janet I" 80
He sprang TO his feet, and stood look.
ing st her in surprise, in sort Of terror
in nothing else. -,...4G.s
Here A. yonr ring-sake NJ You
will mott Then let the waters take IL,
less faithless than you |"
She drew the band OF gold, studded
with brilliants, from her finger, and
flung it far iuto the sea.
"Janet, listen to me Jsnet-good
Heaven, are you mad :"
~ would be if I listened TO you. Go,
marry Eva Ingestre tomorrow, if You
like What is it to met"
She turned and walked steadfastly
away, leaving him petriaed gazer.
Straight up to her own room, there to
sink by the window, her arms dropping
on the table, her face lying on them.
Not in tears-not in womanly sobs, only
in mute, deadly pain, weary Of life, Of
herself, Of the sunshine, Of all the world.
"False!" her tortured heart kept cry
ing; "false! And I loved him SO dear
ly-so dearly I"
The breakfast bell rang. She rose up
and went down, little paler, a little
stiller than her wontvnothing more.
Old Mr.. Etheridge was there, bright
and lively. Miss Ingestre was there,
chattering like magpie, her pretty
ringlets freshly perfumed and curled,
her roses at their brightest. Ernest
was there, silent and sulky, but glad, if
the truth must be known, that he was 80
we'll out of the scrape. ...
"She gives me up of her own accord"
he thought, with sense of injury; "no-
body can blame me. I'll speak to Eva
after breakfast. '.
But he was forestalled. After break
fast his uncle carried Eva off to get her
opinion about some ornamental gsrden-
ing to be done, and his tender declara-
tion had to wait. Janet attended to her
household duties, and then, with her
work basket, went out and sat down by
the open window; presently the aching
eyes closed in dull, dreamless sleep.
With voices in her ears she awoke-
voices that blended with her sleep, and
that confused her. They came from the
garden tho voice or Ernest, tender,
pleading ; the voice of Eva, sweet and
clear.
"Marry you, Ernest! Good gracious
me! what an idea and you engage to
that solemn Janet?"
"She is engaged to me no longer; sha
has broken off of her own free will-jeal-
Gus of you."
"And yon want mo to take what an
other lady rejects ! Flattering, really |
A thousand thanks, Mr.. Earnest Ethe-
ridge; at the same time-no!"
"Eva Eva ! for Heavens sake listen
to me I love you with my whole -
Heart Of course you do And
you will break it because I refuse? I
shall be shocked and disappointed if you
do not. There don't cOax-I can't
marry you because I'm going to marry
your uncle Now the truths out II
Janet rose abruptly and left the win
dow, fully awake at last.
81 never thought of that" she said,
on her way to her own room. 81 might
have seen, but I never thought of
that"
= She kept her chamber until dinner
time, and then went down to preside at
table with that fixed and stone-like face.
Only her uncle and Eva were there.
"To think the boy should go off five
hours earlier than he need," Uncle
grumbled. "Janet, how can
you allow such capers?"
Miss Ingestre looked at her, mali
,ious sparkle on her turquoise blue eyes,
4 malicious smile in her rosebud lips.
Miss Stuart met the look steadfastly.
"Mr. Ernest Etheridge's comings and
yoings are nothing to me; he is free as
the wind that blows. But when am 1 to
you, my good uncle."
Mr.. Etheridge stared---laughed---
ooked at Eva.
$50 you have told her, Pussy9"
&C. protest have done nothing of the
tort" cried the amazed Miss Ingestre;
but then she is witch, and knows
Precisely. And when is it to be 2"
"Well, since you have OWNED it, in
hree weeks; aud you must be first
Jennie"
"With pleasure, Miss Ingestre."
"Pm afraid you'll find it rather dull
Turing our absence, janet" her uncle
aid. "We're going on three months
,ridal tour, and >
"And I am going to London. My j.,
lear uncle, don't say word. have set
ny heart on it. My old nurse lives
here. will lodge with her; and,
eally, life in this stagnant village is
rowing insupportable.
So it was settled, and duly the we'd [
ling came off. Eva the 1oveliest of
rides, Mr.. Etheridge the most ecstatic
4 old addle-headed bridegrooms, Janet
stuart the stateliest and calmest of &
Then they were gone-off !
o Paris to begin with-and Janet said
Goodbye to the old homestead and was !
vAAAOeA "Wuy w uuO ulcuIOpOuS, WucI0 ] [
he was soon busy in the precarious ven 6
ure of writing book. ... =
Another summer and it came out, and :
vas brilliant success. Another, and
econd followed, and Jennie Stuart woke ,
Ip one morning and found herself fa- :
nous. Rich, too, or comparatively 80, ;
nd able to crafty the desire Of her
eart, and 60 abroad to fair, foreign :
ands with an admiring party of literary /
riends. Once oh how long ago It 8
eemed now-she had thought 10 wan =
Ter through these storied nations as Ern- :
SITS happy wife.
So the world went round, and the
ears went by, and ten of those years 3
ad been counted off the great rosary, !
7hen Janet Stuart came back to her ma =
i've land. Wealth and fame had crown (
d her; but she came back Janet Stuart 7
till, true to that old dream, saddened !
nd lonely woman. =
There were changes before her. Her q
ncle was dead; his young wife inherited i,