Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1878-10-15

law LN4u NIu lu'Ac - d SSOACb iu
my lite l can share with no one. Let
me go my way. and you yours, Tor We
could never be hsPpy with cloud OF
mystery between US.
"In other words. you refuse me ~
There was quick resentment in Don
aid Curiin's tone, for the refusal OF the
woman be loved, to be his wife, was a
blow st once to bis heart and his vsni.
4y. He WAS not oonceiIed man. bui
when be offered his hand b his sister 5
goveIross, he certainly did NO, expect q
refusal. There bad been many meetings
before he spoke has love. and in some OF
them be had though, Maude Dennin's
lsce betrayed Der love for him. in spite
OF the cold manner that was hsbitusl 10
her.
Scarcely a msn 10 measure his own
merits by the length OF bis purse Donald
Curtin could nos quite forget that be
was owner Of one of :he fines: estates on
The Hudson. whole rows Of houses in
New York. and an Income OF some nifty
thousand year. while Maud DENIM
was his sisters goverueSs. She had
come 10 Mrs. Hursey from q female
seminary. with letters OF introduction {;
had proved herself trustworthy with the
children; and no one had any desire TO
pry into her private affairs during the
whole Of the FIRST two years.
Mrs. HoIsey had considered her -
treasure. and the children were fond Of
her and progressed rapidly.
Then Donald came home from Europe,
and his sister, Offering him toe hospitality
Of her home. suddenly made several dis
coyeries. First. she fou0d out thsi a.
though the family bad thought and spok-
en vi her brother As An old bachelor. that,
after all. al forty. be looked younger
than some under .hirty. Next, lhsi
MAude DENIM. though she was pale aud
reserved. was wonderfully fair. and
could converse with Donald long after
the topics were quite beyond the older
lady's comprehension.
The old. old story progressed, day az
Ter Cay. under her eyes, and she could
md no good reason for sending Maude
away. ard surely Donald was not TO be
turned from her roof. Mis-. Hursey was
constantly deyisiDg schemes for shutting
Maude in Ihe school room, for sending
her on long errands. and employ ing her
time in useful sewing. B3I if Donald
would lounge into Ihe school room and
Insist upon hearing his nephews and
pleces reci!e long poems, while be made
pencil sketches of Maude's profile; if he
would join her jus. as she started on the
long errands, and WAS seized with de-
sire TO resd in the very room where the
sewing was in progress, what could a
prudent sister do more f?
I,wss some comfoI, ,hs' 80 ''infatua-
,ion" IS Mrs. Hnrsey mentally termed it,
was all on one side; that Maude acqui-
esced in every plan that promised 10
keep her lover from her side; that the
pale face never flushed at his coming, or
the soft, dark eyes wooed him to her
side.
Bu Mrs. HUgsey could not believe it
possible for Donald 10 offeT bis hand and
fortune 10 any woman and be rejected.
So she fretted secretly, while Donald
wooed patiently, till on summer morn
ing when he found Maud in the garden,
for wonder. without the attendance OF
d juvenile Huisey, and made his declar-
alton in explicit terms.
And without one flush on her white
cheeks,n possible even psler than usual,
Miss DENIM had told him there was Sc
ere, in her life that kept her outside the
ranks OF happy married women. Still
he pleaded ill she owned it was nc
crime or fault OF her own that separated
them; and again he urged his suit
only to meet the repetition Of her declsr-
alton.
I'm other words, you refuse mel he
said with angry emphasis.
The color flashed then over Maude's
face. for there was keen pain as well SIS
resentment in Doaald's tone. For The
fra: time she ,c-ched his arm, lifting her
soft dark eyes to bis own. There was o
thrill in her voice as she said in low
tones:
Because l love you Donald. II
had no love for you l might put my
hand in yours. and share your wealth.