The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-07-13
REWARD OF JEALOUSY.

CttlOn OI WnOmeVer may cnance 10 reaC
1t, my experience in love. AS you must
know, 1, like all others, was once
young, and likewise had my love.
dreams and also my share of trials and
tribulations relative to that distressing
evil, jealousy.
Well, shortly after my return from
college, met and formed an attachment
for Ethel Graves, charming little bru.
nette with large brown eyes ffinged all
around with jet lashes, the daughter OF
one of our neighbors, rich Southern
planter. Being neighbors and our fam.
lilies being on good terms, we were con.
stantly thrown together, and in due sea.
| son my affections were made known
and. am happy to announce, were full.
ly appreciated; so we were betrothed
after the usual fashion.
One evening, having called OH my
lady-love, there arose a question OF
which she had been teasing me to tell
her, and having it in my power to tan.
talize her l made use of the opportuni.
| ty.
"Woman's curiosity" said l with a
shrug of my shoulders, "and feminine
jealousy
"Nonsense retorted Ethel, color.
ing. 81 suppose men are neither curl.
GUS nor jealous, either?"
"Never," quoth l, with smile OF
calm superiority.
"Then you must tell me, Herbert"
81 think, my dear, that your curiosity
and the other emotion need little dis
cipline."
Now, why on earth wanted to be so
provoking, L can't tell; the natural per-
versity of man, most probably, for there
was no other reason. wanted to tease
Ethel, SO withdrew into a veil of i'm
penetrable mystery.
She did not say one word more, but
turned quietly and left the room, and as
she disappeared through the entrance /
saw the downward futter of little slip
of white paper from her dress. Now
whether it was dropped unintentional-
ly, or on purpose, we will leave for the
reader to guess. 1nstinctively stoop-
ed to pick It up, and as l stopped could
not avoid reading the characters inscrib.
ed thereon in clear, masculine chirog-
raphy:
"11 :3-Clark and Newton. No dis
appointment this time. re"
felt the crimson flush mounting to
my temples as l read and re-read the
mysterious letters "R. c." Didn't |
remember that Robert Clark was Eth
els second cousin, and provokinglv
handsome fellow at that? Had | for
gotten that people used to think what a
handsome couple they would make, be-
fore l stepped into the ring? ar. c. )"
indeed! And clenched my fist in-
voluntarily as l crumpled the paper in
side its grasp.
"What are you looking for, Ethel?"
She stood with one hand resting light
ly on the door knob, glancing uneasily
round the room, while there was a
guilty flush OH her cheek.
''I-that is-have you seen little
slip of paper lying about?"
uttered this falsehood with deliber-
ate calmness, even while the telI-tale
billet lay in my hands. SO she was
anxious about il. She didn't like the
idea that / should have an insight into
All! false and fair-all women are
alike.
''It must have been something very
lluDOi tdilts lClndi hCN, us Sllt
ly turned over the books on the table,
still searching for the missing treasure.
81 suppose have left it up stairs,''
she said, artfully evading direct an.
swer. "You are not going, Herbert?"
~ am going. Good night"
Not until was in nv own room did
| open aud re-examine the odious little
bit Of paper. al, S"--of course the
whole thing was as plain as daylight
To-day was the tenth of the month; il
was simply an appointment for the NOR.
row at three o'clock. I ground my
teeth as the truth flashed across nv
brain. "No disappointment this time Il
| would have liked to challenge Robert
Clark to mortal combat on the instant
were it not that duels were entirely oui
of fashion. What business had he tc
lay down law to my Ethel2 But there
was one consolation-Willie Newtor
was my old friend; he would not see
me wronged If he could help 1t, and
promptly resolved to appeal to Willie
for aid and justice. / glanced at my
watch; nine o'clock; too late to seek
out Mr.. Newton, who probably was a
his country seat long before this. So
lighted the gas and sat down to chew
the end of my own bitter meditations
The more meditated on my injuries
the more furious l became, until, as th,
clock chimed midnight, took my fina
resolve.
81 will not be made fool of vii
cast her off as unworthy ofmy love, bu
will first possess myself of clue to thi
mystery, and accuse her boldly to he
face"
So l went to bed to dream fitfully al
night of monster sheets of phosphores
cent paper with "R. c." dancing Il
scarlet fire all over their expanse.