Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-07-12

wedding order, and I was stitching
away at the white satin skirt intended
for the bride.
l tried so hard to bear it, but could
not; the rush of feelings was too great.
Another month and he was to have
fetched me to be his wife, and had
not had an answer to my last two fond
and loving letters.
!. AS / said, I tried hard to bear it, but
[ could not, and sitting sob I hurried
out of the work-room to reach my.attic,
throw myself upon my knees by the
bed, and burying my face in my hands
[ sobbed as if my heart would break.
For terrible thought would come
now, fight against it as would" Jack
has grown tired of waiting, and has
married another"
I fought so hard with the disloyal
thought, but it would come, and [ was
sobbing passionately, when felt a soft
arm steal round my neck, a tender
cheek laid to mine, and [ found my
poor tear-dewed face drawn down upon
the bosom of Mary Sanders, who had
stolen out Of the workroom, and come
up to try and comfort me.
Pray, pray, don't fret, my darling
she whispered. Madame will be so
cross. Those wedding things must be in
by tonight, and they want you to help
to try them on
| don't know how I got through that
day and night, but believe 1 did sucn
duties as were expected from me me-
chemically, or as if I had been in a
dream, and at night l lay wakeful and
weary, with aching eyes and heart,
thinking of that dreadful idea that was
trying to force itself upon me.
waited till the three years had ex-
pired, and then, with what anguish of
heart no words could tell, wrote to
Jack again--my fourth letter-begging
him, imploring him to answer me, if
but to tell me he was weary Of his
promise and wished to be set free; and
then making a superhuman effort over
myself, waited, waited, month by
month, for an answer, though | knew
that it must be at least six months be-
fore one could come.
had never given up expecting one
in the interim, and [ was to proud to
send to his relatives distant ones,
whom had never seen, and who proba-
bly, never heard of me. The thought
had taken root now and grown to a
feeling of certainty, but l waited for
my answer.
i Three mouths-six months-nine
months passed away, and hope was
dead within my heart. They said l had
grown much older and more careworn.
Madame said l had worked too hard,
and the sharp business woman became
quite motherly in her attentions to me.
But would not take any change, for
work was like balm to me; it blunted
my thoughts; and knowing that was
daily growing pale and thin, still /
waited.
knew the girls used to whisper to-
gether about me and think me strange,
but no one knew my secret-not even
Madame, who had more than once
sought my confidence; and so twelve
months passed away-four years since
Jack had left me.
1t was not to day, but very nearly
to the time when he had parted from
me, and it was almost two years since
I had heard from him. l was trying
hard to grow patient and contented
with my lot, for Nine. Granger had
gradually taken to me, and trusted me,
making me more and more her right
hand, when one glorious spring morn
ing, as [ was CO ming out of the break
fast room to 60 up stairs to work, she
called me into her little snuggery,
where she sat as rule and attended to
her customers letters, for she had an
extensive clientele, and carried on bust
4 ness in large private mansion in Wei
| beck street.
"Grace, my DEAR" she said, taking
me in her arms and kissing me, at
worries me to see you look SO Ill. Now,
what do you say to fortnight in the
country"
A fortnight in the country and at
her busiest time, with the London sea-
son coming on.
/ thought of that, and then as
glanced around at the flowers and in
hailed their scents, the bright fields near
Templenlore Grange foated before my
dimming eyes, a feeling of suffocation
came upon me, and the room seemed
to swing round. believe that for the
first time in my life should have
! tainted, so painful were the memories
evoked by her words, when a sharp
knock and ring at the door echoed
through the house, following instantly
upon the dull fall Of q letter and the
sharp click of the letter box.
1t was like an electric shock to me,
and without word / darted into the
hall, painting with excitement, and my
hand at my throat to tear away the
sitting sensation.
But it was a letter. I could see it
through the glass in the letter-box, and
I seized it with trembling hands, in
spired as it were by some strange pow
er.
i "Jack dear Jack at last !" I gasped
as turned it over and saw it was a
strange, blue, official-looking letter,
formally directed to me.
Even that did not surprise nae. 1t
was from Jack, knew, and / tore open
!, the blue envelope.
Yes, [ knew it ! The inner envelope
| was covered with Australian post
[ marks, and, ignorant as I might be of