The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-12-22

dav, Mai Walton retired to his private room
Left once more to themselves in the parlor'
Edward broke the silence
CLARA, was a little surprised at the coTdlal
welcome your papa gave me after what you
said: and does not that verify whatI toIdyou
You must not take trouble before comes.
"Yc,, YOU were right" returned Clara "and
was wrong in responding so soon, Oh itmadc
my spirit glad 10 see him meet you as dear
friend, and fancled could see tn day when
he would grant my wish. But thee Is Capt
Brooks, whom papa regard as perfection, and
| know, from all the movcltenl, H.., r.si5ng
me with serious intentions"
james Brooks (or Captain, as he va, usually
;callcd, for he had won his title during the late
civil war by gallant deed at Bull rum vas a
man of wealth aud influence but wanted that
candid expression and social feelin, Clara al
ways admired; while on the contrary every
word had to be precisely in its place, and one
would have to look up Webster's unabridged
to solve the compounds he used. With black
hair, and eyes which wore an expression dltil-
cult to solve, CLARA timidly shrunk from his
presence, until his calls became OdhuS TO her.
No, no; it was impossible for her yer to be
come Mrs. Brooks, and on that very night she
made solemn vow never to wed another but
Edward, which was sealed with kiss as he
babe her good night.
As Edward walked home that night, little
did he think of what was just aheal. No, he
could not have realized that she wmm he low
ed so tenderly was so soon TO be lighted
whose tender years, that knew no thought save
in obedience to the parental fiat,-t be blast
ed like spring-time flower beneath Deem
bers cutting frost That the uniOnto which
he had so long looked as the elimination of
his happiness was to be shaded in nj 'ht's dark
est gloom; that his own manly form, which
had braved storms of bitterness andoyercome
giant obstacles, was ere long to be bowed be-
meath the heavy hand of sorrow, anddrivcn to
seek relief within another sphere No, his
chief thought rested on Clara and tie future
days of happiness when they would journey
along lifc's pathway without rife to mar
their peace \ deep sigh came heying up
from the great recesses Of Clara's hcrt as she
looked into the now chilly night, Sith her
check still moist from his last kiss; or as yet
her father knew nothing of the engagement
While the last sound of his receding footsteps
died away in the distance she unused perpleX-
edly upon the coming crisis. Far back to
childhood days she wandered, whichcontrast-
ed with the present, could but casta gloom
over her fair brow O, if the future cdlld only
be as bright as the past had been, hov happy
she would be. But black cloud # doubt
hung heavily above her. with no rayof sun
shine penetrating the thick gloom, bearing
with its light n solGcc to an ver-lrlened
heart. The lamp burned dimnly within her
room, as if casting rays upon some wary sen
tinel on his nocturnal circuit, while tie night
ingale's distant voice tended to make ler stu
alton more lonely. Clara fully realized the
timldity of her nature, and ii was fom that
realization that she dreaded the cohesion ;
besides she loved and revered her fahcr, and
to come in direct conflict with his WI was a
hard venture. In the event he rcfSed, she
hardly knew what plan to adopt Tdbc alien
lated forever from either parent or lHer was
hard to endure. So she cOnsolcd hertlf with
but one thought ard that was, time wnld heal
all broken ties But, alas for her, tbs last re
sort must fail, vanishing into insiHificance
before the fearful trials that avid tied her.
While time hides many foibles and Trecks in
the tide of human life, he can never heal the
broken ties of woman's first love. Ifath may
bear from us on his mercicss bosom the one
whom we worship. Drunkenness maylesecrate
the most noble form, dragging it into dreful
scenes which attend the inebriate' lift; yet time
NAV heal the wound but when tha pure af-
lection, born of the first impulse of 3maiden' $
heart, is broken, no balm on earth ch heal the
woe. Like a gentle dove, she will iluttcr
awhile hiding the fatal wound viii feathers
of palliation, until death takes hera prcma-
ture victim. Clara was firm and fsolute in
what she undertook, but the confession would
require all her courage, and on hat night,
when she kneeled to thank God fer his mer-
cies, an humble petition went up invoking him
to guide her course in the coming gents. To
marry James Brooks would please her father
but the very thought was odiOus, md would
sting her heart 10 its last yibrati,n; and to
marry young Aston might incur forver his dis
pleasure. Such were the thoughtsthat tortur-
ed Clara Walton's brain, as she at alone in
her room.
CHAPTER H.
Far away over the eastern hills he morning
sun rose in undimmed splcndor, painting in
beautiful colors the western horizoa, while the
proud morning star faded INTO oblivion be-
meath his ray Edward Aston vas up and
ont long ere the fresh rays had reached his
room, for il was day appointed {. have pic.
IL. L.. . 4 ataftf