Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-08-19

titute.
For look, even should she be kind,
should they marry-ah, what throbs his
heart gave at the fancy they would
have no more than they have now, and
as the years came and brought their
burdens, it would simply bow Rose into
hegrave. And she knew it, he thought;
yes, she know it. That was what this
desire to go out into the world meant
to break up their way of life, to be off
and away from him. And then Roger
groaned and clenched his fists, and
asked himself the whole round of ques-
tions over again. Yes, why was he, of
all men, so placed that nothing could
ever accrue to him no help reach him 2
no one hold hand to lift him up Just
suffered to plod along from hand to
mouth when little capital would put
him into such haven 2 If he had but
coupe of thousand dollars to start
with, he could open a second store here.
He knew the whole structure of trade;
there was quite business enough for an-
other without robbir G the first; he
could even make new business. He
knew Just where he would pl mt his
stock of goods and put up his sign.
And then, in spite of himself, came the
done, he should go home, home to Rose,
fair, joyous, his, by her fire, or looking
out for him, springing to meet him;
the scene grew so real it seemed to
Roger he could feel her sweet breath on
his face, her warm arms about him; he
held her Just one daring moment in this
waking dream, and then he sat down
upon the step and hid his face in his
hands as if he would hide too the scald
ing tears that must have way.
Two thousand dollars-be might just
as well wish for silver mine Just as
he said the words to himself, soft clear
radiance was yelling up over the dusky
garden, and as he raised his head again,
after awhile, there came the moon softly
floating up above the horizon of the long
interval below. 1t cheered him mex
plicably, like an omen, promise I; he
stood up and struck one palm into an
other. &C. will have her yet !" he cried,
and went into his dreams.
"Can you think of anything, Rose,
where we can economical" he said, next
day.
Economize !" she repeated, gayly.
"For what9 In what0 With. what %
$50 that we can raise two thousand
dollars" he answered, gravely.
She sat down as suddenly as if some
gigantic hand had been laid on her head
and had crushed her into the seat.
"Two thousand dollars p she gasped.
"We couldn't cconomize it in two thou
sand years, for l don't know where we
waste q cent.
{" / must get it in some way, then, if
[ have to go out saving wood after
hours"
"Why, Roger ?"
"For capital to go into business"
"rhe house would sell for five hun
dred more than you want"
"The house!" he said. "That is not
mine"
Rose stood up, moving one thing and
another nervously about the table he1
lips trembled, and all at once she ran
out of the room. "Oh, he cares moth
ing for me; he despises me he disre-
CARDS me ; he would take nothing from
mel Because it is mine, it is not his,
and he wants nothing of me-"
"She takes no interest in it; she
doesn't care whit whether I go into
business or not; it matters nothing to
her," he sighed. "She flashes out OF
the room and about her business as in
differently as though I were the merest
stranger at the gate" And he iammed
on his hat, and went to his work, head
down, hands in pocket, and gloomy as
the grave. All day long that rosy,
dimpled face fitting between him and
every customer; all day long the awful
figures, $4,000, writing themselves OF
the wall before him like Meme, naene
tekeJ ufharSin; and when, late in the
day, a cloud slowly rose and hung ovel
the fields and marshes, till all the sky
was purple and all the land was il
shadow, and low thunders begun tc
growl in its breast, and sharp lightpings
leap from it, it seemed to Roger only
something in accord with his feelings
for it beftted nature to be as dark ai
his own outlook.
1t was terrible storm, though, be
fore another hour had passed. Pea
J after peal the thunder crashed over tht
little village, and tumbled it's deafenins
, bolts among the hills; flash after fasl
the lightnings cracked and unrolled
and from moment to moment wrapped
the place in sheets of flame; and afte
| one report, when the heavens SCENE,
| to shrivel like bit of burning parch
ment, the bark of the century old elm
in the square where the little bant
r played on summer nights had been tori
| off in one long spiral from top to bot
tom, and the tree had answered the bol
| in pillar of fire. As the storm in
creased, Roger remembered Roses fea
} of thunder, and plunged out into it, de
, termined that she should not be alon
! in such moment of absolute terror
3 The rain met him half way, worse tina
t any hghtnings-a gray, sitting down
pour, in which it WAS impossible to dra'
Q his breath, and his only refuge was t
f take to his heels and run as fast as eve
Q any Lampad rail- a race.
b She must have seen him coming, fc
&? she set open the door, though she stoo
@ behind it. "What made you leav
:: shelter in such storm as this 2" sh
n cried, and just then there came an owe
@ whelming flash, the fire of which SCENE
@ to penetrate her brain. She clappe
d her hands to her face with shrek, I'll
" house rocked and the door swung an
), slammed, and she fell fainting upon IL
d floor.
IS When Rose came to herself, she W,
n lying on the lounge where Roger ha
o placed her, and the storm was slow
Vt rolling off below the horizon, with no
le and then a smothered growl, and Il
10 rain was pattering only in thin shower
If which the freshened breeze shook fro
10 the vines and boughs. She sat up &
p rectly, and presently, as soon as 81