Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-12-27

p" don t think she loves him, Edbury
If that's what you mean. 1t seems to
me that she likes him more as brother.
When eligible attentions are paid to
girls, they feel fattcred, you know, and
respond accordingly. Nine out of ten of
them understand nothing Of their own
feelings, and mistake friendship for
love. Robert Stonor and Miss Chess
dane have grown up together have
been like brother and sister"
Frequently they met after that. 1t
was an unusually gay season at Spafeld
and entertainments abounded according
ly. In the morning drinking the water.
or making believe to drink it; in the af-
ternoons sauntering in the gardens, or
on the parade; in the evening at the
rooms, or at private parties; two or three
times did Mr. Edbury and Miss Chass-
dane meet, and linger together, and con
verse with each other. Robert Edbury's
time was his own, and he stayed on.
He could have stayed forever The two
or three weeks sojourn he had intended
had more than doubled itself. For he
had learned to love her passionately;
and all the world might see it for aught
he cared. She. too, might see it, if she
chose; but whether she did or not he
could not tell, judging from the sweet
dignity with which she met and bore
back his eager attentions.
At length there came an evening when
he was determined to put his fate to the
test; to go on in this uncertainty was
worse than torment. They had not been
much disturbed by Robert Stonor; a
paroxysm OF his complaint had confined
that gentleman to his own home.
And so Robert Edbury went up to
the old gabled house, before which his
horse had halted that first night, and
sought an interview with Miss Chess
dane. She was quite alone The long
French window by which she sat was
flung wide open. and the low, red sun
light, streaming in over her. lighted up
her fair, gold hair and the roses in her
dress.
How beautiful she is!r' he thought.
as he took her hand in his. What if |
should not win her, after all? But will
make hard fight for it,"
Jessie looked up inquiringly into his
tace. You are very silent" she said;
and then, catching the earnest look in
his eyes, she blushed violently and drew
away her hand
| love you" he passionately broke
forth In low, tremulous tone, breaking
his emotional silence Il have come to
you this evening to risk my fate by say
ing this, to win or lose all Jessie. you
must know how | love you; how l have
loved you all along, from that very first
night that | spoke to you. neither of us
knowing the other. Will you not give
me some hope of love in return? Do
not send me from you an utterly broken
and discouraged mani"
Jessie was silent for monochrome
long, cruel moment to Robert Edbury
then the small, sweet face was turned
to him with gentle dignity He knew
his doom beforehand, ere she spoke the
words.
You must know how useless it was
to speak to me of this" she said. You
knew, surely you must have known,
Stonor.'
Engnged to him."
Yes. We are engaged
Neither spoke for time. The scent
OF the flowers, blooming in the lonely
grounds on this side of the house. away
from the dusty and busy highway,
seemed to mock them with it's sweet
ness; the clustering shrubs and trees
waved gently in the summer evening
breeze
/ He could not speak at once: the sense
OF his bitter loss was too great. The
setting sun streamcd in upon him, light
ing up his distressed face. 1t seemed
to him that the great old fashioned
clock in the hall ticked out the jeering
words:
Lost ! Lost Lost ~"
Engagedf' he said, at length, with a
long g-drawn breath Il did not know it.
But engagements, where no love is.
have been broken many times before
now"
Hush!' cried Jessie. DO not
speak like that again. 1t would kill
him! You do not know what you are
saying"
Kill him!"
If he heard it, l meant. He says he
trusts me.
And you are sacrificing yourself for
him m-for fancy! Hear the truth. Jes-
sic. You care not for Mr. Stonor ex-
cept as Il cousin or brother Examine
your own heart, and it will tell you that
you do not You care for ne. You love
me. Many a half word, half look, has
betrayed it to me. Yes, my darling, it
is Robert Edbury you have learned to
love, not Robert Stonor. Your bushes,
my love, are betraying it now. You"
What was that?" shrieked Jessie.
lau- o.oJ ,o,,l Lle ...a.
half cry, had come in from the open
window. 1t was so full of pain that a
man would not care to hear it twice in a
lifetime Before either could rush out,
Robert Stonor stood at the opening.
/ 1t was a figure never to be forgotten
His handsome, fair face was distorted
with either pain or anger; his pale lips
trembled; his left hand was pressed,
with the old familiar gesture, upon his
heart
False, false that you are! broke at
length from his bloodless lips. as he
seized Jessie with his right hand. You
told me you did not care for Robert Ed
bury! You told me-"
a pause, stagger, and, with fright
full shiver, he fell on the carpet. Robert
Edbury broke the fall partially, but not
quick enough to quite save him from it.
Jessie flew from the room for assist
ance.
Robert Stonor herc.' cried the be-
wildered Mrs. Chassdane. IL thought
he was confined to his chamber at his
home
He had been confined to his chamber,
but, alas, he had crept out of it that
evening and come up to the house to see
Jessie. With the fond hope of surpris-
ing her in the usual evening room, he
had gone around the shrubbery, intend
ing to enter by the window, and had
heard all
On the floor, there as he lay, with his
head raised on a cushion by the hands
of Robert Edbury, he died. The medi-
cal men said he could not, in any case,
have lived many months, if weeks, but
that the great agitation had killed
him.
1t was many long days after that,
when she had arisen from the sick bed
to which this shock of sudden death had
brought her, that Robert Edbury came
to say farewell to Miss Jessie Chass-
dane.
The interview was brief, studiedly
brief, for, with the shadow of that dead
| ~