Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1876-12-02
HOW 1T WAS.

.Folds of the silk and cream-colored
roses. You will have the hat just alike,
then p asked Miss Lucinda Smith, milli-
ner. 10y CFu1 CVrTYg7rE
"Just exactly alike; It win please
Hermione, and there is nothing like so
we'll as, to please my pretty. stepmama,'' :
answered .Linly 'Thetford, lifting her
sweet eyes for sympathy to the precise
countenaDce of Miss Lucinda. 80 ,rft
"Umph $50 you are very fond OF her,
Linlv?"
.Yes indeed, She is my best friend
since poor papa died, and being so near
of an age, we are constant companions.
don't know what l should do if it was
not for Hermione Ryelands has changed
so since papa's DEATH"
You have Mr.. st. Charles company a
great deal, 1 hear"
A flash like sunrise dyed the beautiful
brunette face. .s9af
"Of course; he is Hermione's cousin,
and-and like brother To me-" answered
Linly, STOPPING over Il box of silk violets
To hide her confusion. ,q9i ine IHoti-
"Umph yes-well. It's all right. of
COURSE remarked Miss Lucsnda, pinch
ing ont a brier-leaf, and setting the little
q
but didn't it ever occur to you that
folks would talk?''
ssAbout What ?"Asked Linly. lifting her
clear hazel eyes to Miss Lucinda'S profile.
His being at Ryelands so much, so
soon after your fathers death. Poor
man! dead but six months should
think that your stepmama. as you call
her, would have more respect for his
memory than to" g
@Tban torwhatg- asked Liniy, her orbs
growing large and bright with indiSHa-
ton. "What have yoI TO say against
Hermione against my fathers wife, Miss
Lucinda?" 'u~v H1I q
"Say-oh, I say nothing. It's what
other people are talking about. But
must, add. that it is strange you are so
blind. Einly. Now I've known you ever
since you was child-used to Come TO
highlands every spring To make caps in
your grandmother's day, and your own
mother always bought Pher bOnnets Of
me-and you was always bright ehOngh
about other things. Its strange you
can't see."
"What?" with a. thrill in the young
voice.
why, of course. your stepmother mar
riel your father for his money. and to
have home and position. She was only
a district school teacher, down In Marsh
field. wheit&f he married her, and every
body knew she did pretty we'll for her
self when she married DIR. ThetfOrd. But
she was dead i'm love with her cousin,
Rupert ST. Charles, and he with her, but
they were poor, and he working bis way
so slowly through college that she
thought there wasn't much chance there,
AMI so gave him up for your father. And
now he's promising young lawyer. and
she mistress of Ryelands. what is so like
ly?-Lor. you amt going to faint, are
you, Linly?"
Faint? No! The day is warm and
your store is close. 1t Is foolish for me
to stay here listening to this gossip. |
do not feel in the least indebted to you
Nv beautiful stepmothersloved my faith
err dearly when she married him-fYe
years of utter devotion to his interests,
and her crushing grief at his death,
proved il for me--fiOr do L believe she
loved any one else when she married him
And If she chooses to marry Mr.. st
Charles now, she is at liberty, for al
Circleville." and bowling with the baresi
eivility to Miss Lucinda, Linly leftthe
sh6D.fE@ isEay III N1EIf
lThe cool air Of the village streets cooled
her burning cheeks: but how her loyal
young heart ached IN her bosom! Not
for worlds would she have had Miss Luz
cinda confirmed in her suspicion that she
loved Rupert st. Charles but it was the
cruel truth. He was so kind and fine In
his nature, so handsome and unspoilec
by his rapid success in life, no wonder the
girlish heart worshiped him. She hat
never believed that there was anything
between the cousins but tOusingly kind
ness and freedom. But perhaps other:
knew better, may be she was ''blind."
A feeling of bitter desolation fell upor
her rs she entered the broad gates o.
Ryelands, whence her beloved father
whose pet she had always been, had beer
carried scarcely half a year before. Shs
loved Hermione. and had believed tina
Hermione loved her best of anything ii
the world, but now it seemed as If sh'
had no homsvin any heart.
Mr. St Charles Reaptiful mare Suit
stood tied to tree. For the first tim
the sight gave Linly pain instead of pleas
ure. She did not wish to meet him, ant
she turned away from the door, took tn
garden path. 49, ~ AAJ Liz
The grounds of Ryelands were old ant
fine. The doctors large practice am
open-hearted hospitality had formerl,
kept much state there, but OF Late all wa
very quiet.
She saw no one, as her path woun
among the shrubbery; but soon sh
heard voices, and fpahsng to learn VIVA
direction they were in, the following cor
versatiOn forced itself upon her:
II hardly know what to say"
"But, Hermione, surely you trust me
"Yes. entirely. But, Rupert, wait
year, My husband has been dead such
short time, and Ishrink fromisnch re
sponsible act"
II cannot wait year. You know no,
lonely have been, and now that Low
one woman with my whole sOul-an
she is free, and II can at last take care {
a wife-surely, Hermione, you will nj
refuse?"
rPoor Rupers, 4 love you 50 much, no
can II"
"Then you give your consent'"
,ssIido. rldGls3 Or l0 ~9oasHf3guog ID !
Breathless and wild with pain, Linl
tore herself from the spot, sought Il
mouse, and fleeing to her own room, ca
herself across the bed, writhing with n