The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-06-05

that God sent il as warning that |
held serpent to my bosom.
"Well, days flew past, and Lottie
had met my lover. She liked him
she said. but be was not the sort of a
man she would choose. Her fancy
had always been fox eyes Of gloom,
and hair like the ravens wing.
DAY after day we three wandered
about in perfect happiness, gayly
plucking flower by flower, not caring
though they faded.
IL did not mind the Duke and Lot
tie wandering off without me, bat
smiled to think they were such good
friends.
The day of my marriage was set,
and on the 4th Of October | would
become a BRIDE / was busy 10
preparations, nor noted that which
might otherwise have caused my
heart to bleed
"But one day--it was as summer
was dying, in the first part Of Sep
tember-Lottie and | were standing
by the side of the pretty lake that
may be seen from the library win
dows.
ave each carried pretty basket
of ferns aud late flowers, and | was
thinking how beautiful Lottie looked
in floating robe of snowy white,
the only color about her being the
bright green of the ferns in her
basket Alb, yes; in her beautiful
hair she wore bunch of bright red
berries, with their green leaves.
"In some manner Lottie's foot
slipped from the stone on which she
stood, and in a moment she was
screaming in the water, her ferns
floating about her and one hand
grasping some shrub that grew on
the margin of the lake.
81 was too much frightened to
move, but stood with dilated eyes,
gazing in horror on her sinking form,
when scme one rushed by me and in
moment Lottie was clasped to Duke
Linton's breast.
"'Poor child, she has tainted he
said to me- But | was not surprised
that his very lips were white, for
myself was terribly frightened, and
thought it was fear least human
life was being quenched before his
sight that caused lip and cheek to
pale. All, me twas more.
"Days flew on and the first of Oc- |
tober was fading. / threw wrap
about me and went into the garden
to enjoy my dreams alone
"With no intentions OF doing so,
entered a small arbor into which the 1
fading daylight scarcely penetrated |
Upon table in one corner stood |
a small basket Of fruit, and beside it
was lying pretty dagger that Duke
had been permitting US to admire in |
the afternoon. He had doubtless
forgotten it was there. | picked it
up. Winnie, it must have been the
devil that made me do it, but as
stood with it in my hand | heard |
voices that l knew. Could it be ?
Yes, twas Duke and Lottie.
"Ah, child, think OF what | endur-
ed While l stood there in the gather
ing gloom, and heard him tell her of
his love to her and beg that, ere the
chain that he hated bound MIN, she |
would fee with him ana be his wife.
mo thought of me; no pity for the
proud heart that he knew would |
surely break; no remembrance Of the |
VOWS he had spoken so short time
before came to him as be vowed love |
and devotion to my friend. And shel
Winnie, she listened, and-she prom
ised to flee with him. Child, | think |
tha. | was mad | saw him clasp |
her TO his breast, and saw her raise |
her lips to his, then leave him and
fit toward the house
"He came forward, entered the ar
Dor, and l shall never forget his face
as he stood before me. Shame, cow:
ardly shame made him shrink
"As God hears me, had not q |
thought Of murder then, but the dag
ger was still in my hand; | raised
the hand ID point for him to go, aud
the steel caught my eyes; | raised
the hand higher, took y step forward |
aud buried the blade in bis bosom.
"He fell at my feet, and, realizing
what | had done, knelt beside him
and franticallv called his name. He
did not answer, aud knowing that he
was dead, sprang to my feet and |
rushed toward the house | gained |
my own room and bolted the door.
"All that night long | paced my /
chamber floor, and every chord of
my heart strained TO breaking. Friend |
and lover, both were false. Her fair
face had won him, and he would |
have left me to bear my breaking
heart and the worlds cold scorn as
best | might.
ERE morning dawned | had come
to a resolution. My pride was saw
ed, and better place him in the cold |
earth than know be had deceived |
and cast me aside.
"One thought was mine, my pride
was saved.
81 kept my room next morning till
| heard noise Of many excited voic-
es in the hall below, also tramping of
many feet. Alb, they had found him!
Now-now | must act my part
Il opened the chamber door, fled
down stairs and right up to the OBJ
ject on the hall floor. Then my wo-
mans heart returned. One glance
at the rigid face, one sight at the
crimsoned breast and fell upon tie
marble floor in deadly swoon.
Many kind friends ministered to me,
none knowing that upon the hand
that bore his betrotbed ring rested
bis blood.
"Lottie Dent took strong convul-
sions when she knew of his murder,
but lef. E, next day, and |
never heard from her again.
"They bore him to his grave, the
last of the proud race of Linton /,
in my mourning garb, followed af-
ter, his almost bride; the woman who
had taken his lie.
"Since that time | have vainly
tried to kill remorse by my lavish
cbarity-the small voice speaketh