Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-11-24


came saying che was well aud happy
and had found occupation that was cas-
and delightful to her, still the old fari
house seemed lonesome without hei
and William found il hard work to d
without seeing her thin, intelligent
ssllow face that TO him was 30 fair an
lovely.
The Jate summer days went on, m,
winter followed, and another summe
came, and in all those weary days Loui
never came home, and good old Mrs
Smmonds used to complain and fre
that Louie Ind forgotten them, tina
Louie had found other friends TO tax
their places while only William Dayto,
would not have it that the on
woman he loved was not true to he
pure instincts Of gratitude and principle
Bnt even William, so loyal, loving, an,
trne began to doubt at last when int
Louie's letters, dated here and ther'
and everywhere, there began to appea
very often Claude Hamilton's name
never in n way that would have arouse,
any jealousy, yet in way that arouset
his wonder. his suspicion that perhaps
Louie had discovered she loved thi
fancy named fellow better than she die
himself.
Those were dark days for poor vii
liam, lightened only by Louie's letters
which were themselves not the light
some messages it seemed to William
they should have been. At least, al.
though they were cheerful, hopeful and
kindly affectionate, still, the recurrence
of Claude Hamilton's name spoiled MI
else for William.
With that feeling of suspicion against
this Mr.. Hamilton, the feeling that was
so near akin to jealousy of Louie, there
came to William another new source OF
trouble, and that was dawnig, rest
less discomfort that he did not under
stand the nature of Louies business.
She had kept it secret from them all
at the farm, merrily promising to let
them know when her future prospects of
fame and success were assured beyond
the shadow of doubt.
On that brave, loving promise William
had heretofore quietly rested until
gradually the demon of jealousy crept
in among his true love for Louie; until
his heart, torn by the never-failing men,
tion, in some way or other, of Claudef
Hamilton's name, William could no
longer endure it, and then upon receipt
of letter from Louie. saying that her
next would be from London, where she
would remain n fortnight, William made
up his mind to be in London for. that
same fortnight, and devote oil his tire
less energies to finding the girl he loved,
and who so persistently kept herself
from him.
And so, one stormy night in early Au-
tlmn, it happened that William Dayton
was led to Stein Hall, where huge pla-
cards announced the appearance of
some popular dramatic reader, whose
name he did not see for the crowds that
were passing in with him: and he took
his seat with strangely homesick, lone
some feeling coming over him as he re-
allied with a new keen appreciation the
magnitude of the undertaking that had
brought him to the city with its thou
sands and tens of thousands of people
who had never as much as heard of Louie
Harland's name.
Or - Claud Hamiltons either, he
thought, with thrill of fierce jealous
rage. Claud Hamilton, for whom he
feared, Louie was gradually playing him
false, whom
And just then the enthusiastic ap-
plause of the vast crowd made him look
up to see whom they were welcoming
with such warm, glad greeting-nade
him look up to see slight girlish figure
standing in the center of the stage;
dressed, elegantly.looking lady
in trailing black silk, heavy and lustrous,
with frills of exquisite lace falling over
her white-kidded hands and braceleted
arms, with ruff of the same fimsy
snowiness circling her slender, round
throat, where a massive gold pin caught
it in rich plainness of elegance.
A girl with rarely intelligent face,
and dark, intense eyes; with pure, pale
to which all the storm of ap-
plause brought no flush OF gratified
vanity, with grave, expressive mouth
that made William Dayton, almost un-
able to resist the temptation he felt, to
rush to her and ask her if Claud Hamil-
ton had defiled it with his love kisses.
For it was Louie Harland-Louie, who,
had risen like star in her profession of
dramatic reading - Louie, who had
crowded houses when she appeared, and
who was coming fortune as fast as a
pair of woman's hands had ever done.
Then she commenced-one of the very
ballads she had many time rendered
for them at the old farm house, when
Mrs. Simmonds would wipe her eyes,
md old farmer Simmonds forget to draw
On his pipe until it went out.
And William listened, and the vast
audience listened, spellbound, to the
sweet, pathetic voice, round and full, as
/ silver bell. Then followed an uproari-
DIS encore; then other recitations and
'ther applause, and then-it was over,
md William saw her retire off the stage,
md it seemed to him that he had sud-
lenly gone into dark place.
It was easy enough to obtain Miss
aarland's address-everybody knew it,
md 30 the next morning he was shown
% Miss Harland's parlor, where Louie
lerself sat, alone, with her little writing
lesk before her, at which she was busy
vhen he was shown in, taking her so
by surprise.
She arose instantly to greet him, her
ace flushing warmly enough at sight of
lim, and even as she came across the
loor and he saw the glow on her cheeks,