Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1877-11-27
Her Folly.

sure he's in love with me, again, I'm
sure I'm mistaken, and that it's Dora
he's in love with, if he's in love with
anybody. He's so bashful when he's
with woman that he doesn't dare say
his SOULS his own anyway. I'm sure
don't see why he should be afraid OF
me like him, and if he COULD see two
inches ahead of his nose, he could see
it,"
Lucia heaved little sigh, and sat
down at the piano, where half an hour
before she had been singing "Annle
Laurie" for the professor.
II wonder what he wanted to see Dora
for?" she thought, as she thrummed the
keys in low accompaniment to hef
thoughts. cit can't be that he is in love
with Dora, for he must know that she's
engaged. And yet, he's such an ODD
creature that it wouldn't be at all strange
if he was. If he ever heard she was en-
gagged, he's probably forgotten it. l
wonder what he wrote to her? 1t must
be something that he considers quite
Important, for he wanted me to be sure
and give her the letter as soon as she
got home, and it took him half an hour
to write it,"
She got, up, and went to the table, and
took up the letter Professor Lee had
written to her sister.
at wish I knew what was in it," she
said holding it up to the light. HE
looked as if he might be proposing mar
riage. If I thought it was proposal
Lucia's face colored little at the
;oI, int hnr mind She
laid the letter down and walked to the
window, and stood there for some time.
IBy-and-by she turned, came back to the
table, and took up the letter. guilty
look on her face, as she did it-and drop
ped it behind an old carved cabinet
which stood in one corner OF the par-
lor.
tits mean thing to do" she said to
herself as she went back to the piano,
"but I've done it. If it was proposal,
it's lust as we'll as it is, for Dora would
never marry him; if it wasn't a propo-
sal it won't matter much, probably"
Two weeks after that Dora came home
from visit to a friend, with the news
that Professor Lee had resigned his posi-
ton as teacher of languages in the acad-
envy at Wilbraham, and accepted an
offer from new college at the West.
"Are you sure it's SOP" asked Lucia,
with an effort to hide all traces of agita-
ton.
"Quite sure" answered Dora. "Hel-
len Templeton told me, and she had the
news from Professor Lee himself"
when is he going?" Lucia tried
hard to act unconcerndly, but her voice
sounded unsteady. tsrs
"Very soon," answered Dora. This
week, 1 think.
And it was only two or three days af-
ter that that Dora came home with the
announcement that the professor had
gone.
"GoneW Lucia's face was pale as she
repeated the word. At that moment
tender hope died in her heart.
"Yes," answered Dora, che went this
morning. I think he might have come
to tell us good-by."
Lucia got up without another word
and went to her room. l..atsl
"Poor Lucia ~ Dora said. 'She did
care for him, after all.
Upstairs Lucia knelt down by her
window and had real wOman's cry.
She did not know till then how much
she cared for Professor Lee. She had
always liked him, and had hoped that
some day she might call him by dear
er name than that of professor. Now
she knew that she loved him.
"But it was all on one side" she Sob
bed. "It must have been, or he never
would have left me in this way, with
out SO much as a word. But did think
he cared for me little"
K X
:" 1t was two years latter when Lucia
came across the letter that Professor Lee
had written that Summer afternoon for
Dora-that letter which he had left with
her to give her sister, but which she had
taken care her sister should not get.
She was moving the oak cabinet, ana
found it lying where it had fallen when
it dropped from her fingers. A hot flush
of shame dyed herface at the sight OF It,
"Iwonder what is in it," she said. pick
ing it up. "Dora's married and gone
away, so there's no harm in my reading
it now. 1t was just as honorable in my
reading it then as to do what did with
it.'' -t-5-
"MIss DARE-I called to see you this
afternoon, but your sister said that you
were away, and would not be home for
a day or two. I wanted to ask you
something. and perhaps it is better for
mo to ask it in this way than any other
I think you must have seen that love
your sister. But have never told any
one so before. I have never limited it to
her in any words, but she has probably
understood me well enough. 1 heard
Yesterday that she was engaged. ask
you frankly to tell me if this.islso? If
she is, of course I shall never tell her
what I have hoped might be.
eff there is nothing which should
keep me from seeking to win her for my
Wife, let me hear from you at once. If
there is, I shall understand it from your
silence.
"Yours, truly, STANwooD LEE"
Lucia Dare got up, with very pale
face, and great ache at her heart. She
had been guilty of doing disgraceiul
thing, and that very act had been the
means of bringing to her the one great
sorrow of her life. s'f a.
You are. terribly punished, LUCIA
Dare" she said to the white face in the
glass that stared at her as she crossed
the room. "By that one dishorable act
you destroyed your life's happiness"
She sat alone that night when the
house was still, and though about it.
1t was torture to think how near she
had come to the realization of the sweet
es' dream of her life, by her own folly
she had lost:it all.
before she went to bed she took the
letter and inclosed it to Dora. She wrote
only a few lines. aE-str
Professor Lee left letter for you one
day when you were not home, and l did
me-: give it to you. 1 have read it, and
know how near happiness came to me-"
me could not bring herself to confess
IN plain words. why it never had been
gwen. But her heart accused her Bit
It ~ enough, and she slept upon a pill