The Ottawa free trader., 1878-08-10

inwardly something entirely different
Rose was busy as Il mailer with her school,
which was to cIose the next week, and hence
rot small chance TO gossip with 1cIcsc or
grow in any way familiar Not that Tcrcsc
minded her inullcntiOn in the lcal as far rs
gO,siping went for she was Il woman with
still tongue, and had not come clear TO tins
out Of.the-way place on the plea Of orphanagc
for the purpose Of letting the subject nearest
and dearest her heart leak out Sc they went
their ways until vacation came, and h'0sc,
bringing her armiul OF day-books and Mcmcn-
toes from each loving child-heart, came home
for "A thrcCmonlhs rest
Then they wake and talked together; Rose
Joyous and unrcslrancd as any uncaged wren,
and chatting and laughing as if her whole life
were taking u holiday.
But it all ended one day, when Miss Van
Tasscl sent little sentence like Il barDed ar
row straight into the guIlcless heart Of her
cousin They had been speaking OF Roses
friends and Philip Lee had been brought up
before the bar, his friendship weighed and his
kindness measured, when TereSC who hau
been listening grccdily, said, throwing in her
voice an ailcctatiOn of deep surprise
You cannot mean it, Rose, when you tell
me that Mr. Lee came here to see you 50 very
often -
"Of course, Tcrcsc, / mean it," at a loss to
understand her. And Tcrese coolly laid before
her the gossip she sad she had CLEANED.
You seem to have made many friends here
abouts," said Rose, in Il voice changed to that
of IN DID, old woman.
"Only the washcrwOman and the sexton up
at the chapel gazing pitilcssly upon the
chestnut braid-crowncd head that came not
even so high us her shoulder
And they told you that"
They told me that others said so-indeed,
almost every one on the hill"
And he must have known it--and he kept
coming, coming Heaven how base he must
think mcw And she went home with her heart
shot through with the arrow OF slandcr
After that Rose caroled no more gay songs
of love and war, but sat within doors, while
Tcresc, whose spirits, when put in the balance
of these Of her cousin, grew high and light
went roaming about, always taking the town
ward track.
One night, when the pale young moon hung
Il silver sabre against an opal sky, there came
a steady tramp Of footsteps toward Icrcsc, VINO
had gone wandering down through the gray
cleaning of the grassy front yard. swiftly
she turned, and ,pCnlng wide her arms hclu
them so in mute cntrcaty until he came.
The tickle moon has hidden her face behind
IL fustcoming storm-ClOud! lie cannot see il
feature Of the loycd one, but ner keen eyes
pierce through the darkcning gloom and feast
themselves upon face handsome and master
full, II face she Iil. been searching for for over
II year
"Oh, my little primrose | could not keep
the secret Of my love from you! viii you ac.
Ccpt it dear and let me have the sunshine OF
your presence ever about meE'
And his only answer Is Il creeping OF a hand
into hi, own. Holding this treasure Fast he
talks ON about n,- frightened future, and ms
low, rlch voice fills The small cottage ana
echoes its pleasant music through the room.
And when the clock tolled the ninth hour
he was still talking, too happy to wonder al
the quictudc of the chosen one at his sldc, 100
much filled with busy thoughts to notlcc the
little figure standing behind HIM. But when
parting time came, and he rose to take leave
of her, he found the storm had arisen IN fury,
and mutcrings Of the black artillery of inky
clouds, came IullIGg uuNn Ironl the western
coast OF heaven.
lie turned about and faced the doorway.
Then came Il flash or misChieviOus streak OF
lightning which made the place all about HIM
like the day And in that seconds time he
saw the hands he held were not the hands Of
Rose, who stood, soul-strickcn wrath, in
the black doorway.
"Philip," she said, her voice pinchcd and
"you should have told me. Did you
think would stand Iii your way, my friend !?
You are unjust-nay, more, you are unklnd
| would have helped you, had you let me
known all tins, for you have given me more
than | can ever repay. You are cruel, too
Tcrcsc; am not 10 be trusted then! Goaway
now, Philip, for Tcrese must come within, else
II. l.. l,,..,t
As one blinded and stricken with II great
woe, too deep for speech, Philip Lee turned
abou, and went out under the pail OF wide
spreading lllinclOuds
"lou did not guess our secret, them le
rcse asked of her cousin, ls she rose and follow
ed her into the house,
But there came no answer. The poor, little
tired body grew too burdcned with the great
suffering soul to contain it, and she fell across
the bed ip dead faint
Miss Van Tasscl, among one of her pititul
had that of excessive fright at
even the appearance of death; SO, seeing the
white, drawn lines about the mouth OF the poor,
dropping Rose, she ran to the door and gave
one great shout for Philip. In the flash that
followed she saw HIM coming, striding tiercely
along through the pelting rain.
He passed her without a word, and FASTENED
to the bedside upon which his souis lule lay
stretched.
you have killed her, wretched woman. Out
Of her sight" he whispered, hoarSely, pointing
10 the door. And the soul Of the little woman
At last gained the mastery; her eyes opened
again upon the familiar things about her,
Turning her face from the wall, she met the
tender, anxious gaze Of Philip Lee, as he
knclt as her side lie touched his fingers to
her lips to command silence, and told his story
to her.
"Philip." the old-vomanish tones all gone,
and her voice, although but Il very faint one
lust now, was sweet i'll its cadence rs bird
song Il cannot blame her, dear, for having
loved you. But, OH to love you and then lose
YOU"
'Shc never loved me for myself as you have
done, primrose; my store OF worldly wealth
has been her chIcf attraction. Stupid fool that
| was 10 have ever mistaken her for you an
CRY with rs well rs feeling an utter contempt
for himself
Worldly wealth ~ looking hard at him rs
if shewould discover in his tace this ncw-iound
quality.
I r., ..,,nI 1it,.'-