The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1878-04-24

n Its propinquity, remarked Miss
" Blue, who read mentabhilosophy and
Ut novels, and representedeminine culture
n in Chester. When Lam left her school
70 again and again to the tnder mercies of
'r = street aand repeate her excursions
II F:lNerriam &. Derensneyer failed of
n b9slsi .,-Ie aware of it. On the third
:. Q opsion, indeed, he ondescen led to
g follow in the smokfngsar, persuading
Q himself that he really dght to hunt up
o a college chum. He us rewarded by
+ seeing Laura meet handsome young
: man upon fremont street, who turned
about and disappeared with her inside
= the Studio Building. Mr.. Devens did
not hunt mp his chum hat day. Through
Mrs. Bender's application to her neigh
bors' affairs it came to his eers-uhnpA over
Miss Laura received asHered a bunch
; of violets blooming in a glass in her
window, which he well knew never
} bloomed in Chester greenhouse.
One evening he was congratulated on
his engagement to Miss Bender.
al am engaged to no one" he said,
with sudden giddiness about the head
as If the earth shook under him.
"No? Well, folks do say you ought
er be, if you amt" returned the disap-
pointed gossip.
"Indeed2 Folks seem to under
stand my duty better than their own" ="
He walked homeward, half benumbed,
revolving the subject drearily. Had
he indeed gone beyond his depth una
wares? he asked himself. Was Miss
Prue mistaken, like the rest, with regard
to his feelingsP Had he misIed her, in
his blind selfshness Ought he to
marry without love because "folks
talked? As he drew near the Vaughns'
In the failing light he perceived two
figures family outlined; woman had
just closed the garden gate and stood
within; man departed, yet fingered
with the others hand shut in his own;
the tall hedge had hidden Mr.. Devens;
III minute more he would be in sight.
He wished neither to listen nor to en-
counter his rival, nor to surprise them
Sove-making. He took step backward,
still behind the hedge.
Tomorrow, then," said the mascu-
line voice, with tender intonation, al
shall be the proudest, happiest-"
Devens found himself actually bending
all his faculties to hear, but the end of
the sentence escaped him. "I should
be glad to invite handful of friends to
witness my success" pursued the same
voice, If you do not object"
81 object /" said Laura's silver treble
81, who owe you 80 much and can
return so little |"
"Good-by." A little silence followed;
then-could Mr.. Devens believe his own
ears' The jackanapes had kissed Laura,
and she had not rebuked him He
turned hot and cold alternately his
heart seemed throbbing in his throat
he glanced toward the gate where she
still leaned he longed to take her in
his arms and claim her love, in spite of |
the strange mans audacious kisses.
Then he remembered Prue, and what |
folks had said. Had he not put his
own happiness beyond his reach ? In
teaching Laura lesson, had he not
learned more than he cared to know
himself? He was like child crying for
the moon. He had better go home and
marry Prue. Then he moved rward
swiftly as a leopard; had reached the
gate and placed a. compelling hand upon
Laura's before she was aware of his
neighborhood.
"That man-who left you just now
who kissed you-you-who is he? You
are going to marry him p he gasped, as
if he challenged her to deny it.
"And you are going to marry Pru-
dence Bender" returned Laura's tense
tones. "Let me wish you joy" The
hand that held hers dropped like lead
he hung his head like one convicted, and
walked away without word.
Looking drearily out of the car win
dow on the following morning on her
way to Boston, Laura's eyes fell upon
Mr.. Devens making his way toward the
refreshment-room, having just left the
cars. She fancied that there was some
thing strange in his appearance; was he
i'll Could he have been Watching He
had haggard, addressed air, as if he
had been up overnight, and had not
found time to adjust himself to the
hour, and he walked unsteadily. Pre-.
sently the train gave an admonitory
lurch. Mr.. Devens would lose it, she
thought; no, he was coming, quickly
but not surely. His foot may have been
upon the step when it painted and rolled
forward, and broke up suddenly with a
noise like the crack of doom. It SEEM
ed to Laura as if the heavens had rolled
together as scroll at that instant; she
knew what had happened without hear
ing word; she was on her feet, cropping
her way out amidst the excited throng,
which seemed to part instinctively to let
her pass. She did not know that she
had called his name tenderly, wildly,
with the terrible solicitude in her voice
which only love lends She knew moth
ing till she found him lying like death,
broken beside the track, white and
speechless and mutilated. She crouched
beside him there, whispering tender
words, as if he could understand, as if
they two we're alone, and not the spec
tacle of curious crowd.