Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1877-01-19

each OF the guests with q nUte.--
They both tell the same story:
"Mr Glcnburn," her lovers said, Il
have left the house to give you time to
leave it. shall return in two hours, and
expect to find myself alone
Lillian TRAVIS"
Farmer Travis and his daughter
had no company at their Thanksgiv
ing dinner-table.
81 never was SO surprised in my
life" said the farmer, in evident per
plexity, "as l was when | got back
from the Marsh and found the folks
gone. What on earth does it
mean?"
There was not quiver in Lilian's
voice as she answered.:
"It means this, tather,that the yos-
sips were right when they declared
that Archibald Glenburn WIS in love
with Ida instead of me. 1t means
that our engagement is over, and
and"-it was hard work to keep the
tears back now-''it means that am
your daughter and house keeper for
ever, and that l will never believe
another mar when he tells me he
loves me. Now let us drop the sub
ject for all time"
Farmer Travis was not protane
man, but this is his lite, al answer,a-
he surveyed his daughters beautiful
! face and Strengthened himself in his
chair:
81 suppose you have seen some
thing, or heard something, that con
vinces you, but I'm-I'll be teetotal
ly smashed if I believe it,"
CHAPTER II.
Ten years had passed. years Of
strange and valrable discipline for
The farmers daughter.
Archibald Glenburn did marry Ida
Harris, just rs she had expected.
Neither one of them had Lillian ever
seen since, and very little had she
heard Of them. They had made two
or three trips to Europe-so gossip
had reported some children
had been born to them; how many
Lillian did not know. "A ring Of
dark hair was hidden away among
Lilian's sacred relics. Strange that
she could never bring herself to des-
troy it.
sit is the only link that binds me
to the past" she had said many times
as her fingers futtered over the silk
Ell wrapping. 81 will let it remain;
perhaps it will keep me from making
a tool OF myself in the future"
Lilian's home was now in New
York. Farmer Travis had sickened
and died, His illness had been a
long and painful one, and at his
death Lillian, who could not endure
the pressure of old associations, de-
termined to lease the farm. Her for
tune was ample and her desire for
intellectual improvement was the on
ly stimulant that made life endura-
Bile. SO she bought her an elegant
little house in the city, and went to
work in good earnest.
every woman determined to be
an old maid should be sure that she
makes for herself position where
she can be ola much use rs in the
capacity of wife and MOTHER" Lillian
reasoned; and, full Of this idea, be-
came medical student.
Twenty-eight, and \ graduate with
a diploma, Il fair practice and a host
of students. Truly. Lillian, you have
made 90 d use of your time. There
is very little difference between the
girl of Is and the woman Of IS, after
all; if anything, she has gained in
beauty. The earnestness of her life
has impressed itself upon her face,
and the result was sweet nobility
of expression, tender sympathy OF
manner, impossible to 4 life of idle
ness. She feels that she has been
richly blessed i'll her ability to bless
others; hut-but! All. these woman
ly ifs and butts! how they penetrate
to the depths of the heart, disclosing
all its hidden secrets. Lillian has
kept this love-chamber of hers pret-
ty well locked; but some ines the
fastening slips, and, to tell the truth,
it is always opened widest by his IL
ny ring of dark hair.
Another Thanksgiving morning!
Lilian's little maid wondered what
was the matter with her mistress.
"Have your breakfast" she had
said in answer to timid knock up
on the door. 81 shall not rise yet. |
want nothing but cup of coffee, and
that I will take by and by"
Eight o'clock! Why must she go
over that heart-breaking time? Just
this hour, ten years ago, she started
for the dairy to skim the milk for
Archy's breakfast; just this time she
returned, pitcher i'll hand, to see in
that hateful mirror the picture that
has never lett her memory moment
since. She shall feel better, she is
sure she shall. when Archy and Ida
have left the house; for they are just
us present with her now rs they were
on that dreadful Thanksgiving all
those years ago. This is nothing
new; she has lived it over every year
and now she is more inconSolable
than ever. Who would ever suspect
the presence of this CHASTITY intruder
in the life of this beautiful and talent
ed woman? Not person in the
whole world, for the same pride that
dug the grave has covered it up, aud
there is nothing lett to mark the
spot save the tiny ring of dark hair
hidden away in the upper drawer.
This time the MAIDS knock is Il lit
tie more decided.
"One of the stoojents for you,
miss, and says can you see him light
aw .y?"
"a business woman hasn't even
time to bury her dead" she murmur-
ed, commencing her toilet.
Conscience inquired how many
times this body of her sorrow had
been consigned to the dust, and how
often resurrected.
"Yes, know it has had good
many funerals" she answered, softly,
to herself; "but a woman who cannot
weep for her dead must do some
thing.